Mr. Byrne," said the Major, speaking first.
"We have been so fortunate as to rescue her
from a very unpleasant situation."

"Where hast thou been to, wench? " asked
the father, sternly. "Go to bed with you,
huzzy,—a pretty disgrace you are to your
family!  And who may yon gentlemen be?"
said he, turning upon us. "How do I know
that you have not made up a story amongst
you, to get me to receive the girl back when
she may deserve no better than to be thrown
out of the window?"

The Major was struck dumb at such an
address; but I, to whom the brutal violent character
of Farmer Byrne was well known, knew
better how to deal with him. In a few words
I made him understand that this sort of thing
would not answer. He subsided into a surly
civility, and gave us grudging thanks, that
seemed to choke him in the utterance. On our
road home I told Major Rutherford what I
knew about the farmer,—he was a savage
brute, who had broken the heart of his wife
by ill-usage, and was bidding fair to do as
much for his daughter—a good, gentle, well-
conducted girl; a good daughter to an ill
father. I spoke warmly in her praise; for I felt
very sorry for the poor thing when I thought
of the beating she would be sure to get as
soon as our backs were turned; but I was
not prepared for the effect my words were to
take.  Before a month was over the Major
came to me one day, and told me that he was
going to be married to Farmer Byrne's
daughter. Without saying a word to me,
he had made inquiries about her; had seen
her frequently, and partly from compassion,
and partly from love, he had gone the
length of proposing to her, and had been
accepted.

I was surprised, and not altogether pleased.
He was so mixed up in my mind with George,
that I could not separate the two, and I
could not bear to have any change in our
relationship. He saw I was not pleased, and
took some trouble to reconcile me to it. Of
course, nothing that I could say would alter
the matter; so I held my tongue, and they
were married very quietly at the parish
church by the obnoxious rector. One good
result followed this marriage; she persuaded
her husband to begin to go to church again,
and be friends with the rector. I was very
glad of this; for their feud had been one cause
that the neighbourhood held aloof from the
Major, and I wanted to see him take his
rightful position. His wife's influence, too,
had a happy effect upon his temper and
disposition. She softened his bitter contradictory
spirit, and showed so much good sense in
her new position, that I ended by thinking
that the Major had done the wisest act in his
life when he married her.

As to the poor girl herself, she brightened
up under the influence of happiness, and looked
quite a new creature. It was the first little
glimpse of sunshine she had ever known.
She was far too humble to fret herself
because the neighbouring ladies did not receive
her into their ranks, and was far too much
in love with her husband to care for
anything else. They lived quite privately and
quietly; and, at the end of eighteen months
a little son was born, who filled up the
measure of their content.

One morning I had been to wait on the
Major, to ask directions about the drainage
of an outlying meadow. He agreed to ride
over with me to see what was doing, and we
went out together at the back of the house,
to go to the stables. As we were crossing the
yard we saw a wild, athletic man, half gipsy,
half tinker, standing ready to beg or to steal, as
the occasion offered. The Major had a horror
of vagrants and beggars, and never showed
them any mercy. All the penalties the law
allows were always enforced; though no man
had a kinder heart to all honest and
deserving poor than he. I had seen this tinker
hanging about, the day before, in the village,
and had warned him off. I was surprised to
see him here, for the boldest beggars never
ventured near the house. The Major roughly
desired him to go away. The man looked at
him with impudent, malicious eyes; and,
coming nearer, said something in a low tone
that I did not hear. To this, the Major only
replied by threatening him with the riding-
whip he held in his hand; the man replied
insolently, and the blow descended across
his face. Staggering and blinded, the man
shook his fists at the Major, and said:

"I know you, George Marston; and I will
do for you yet."

I started, as though a pistol had been
discharged in my ear. I looked at the Major;
our eyes met; my glance fell beneath his, and
I turned away. We neither of us made any
remark; we might not have heard, for any
sign we gave. The Major mounted his pony,
and rode alone to the field; where he remained
superintending the workmen till dinner-time.
I was waiting for him when he returned.

"Has any one been to ask for me? " said
he, as he dismounted.

'' No, sir," replied the servant.

"Stay and dine with us, Benson," said the
Major, turning to me; and we went into the
dining-room together. Mrs. Rutherford and
the baby were there. The Major talked to
his wife, played with his child, and eat his
dinner like a man who enjoyed it. I sat
stupified, and wondering what was to come
next. After dinner, the Major proposed to
drive his wife and the baby in a little forest
carriage kept entirely for her use. She was
delighted; and, as she took her place, I thought
she looked prettier than I had ever seen her.
She always had an innocent look, and a little
air of rusticity that became her well. The
Major's great calmness and indifference
staggered me, and did more to make me doubt
my own convictions than a dozen denials.

About an hour after the Major had gone