It may seem strange that Mr. Falkland should thus a second time have
been the saviour of Miss Melville, and that under circumstances the most
unexpected and singular. But in this instance it is easily to be
accounted for. He had heard of a man who lurked about this wood for
robbery or some other bad design, and that it was conjectured this man
was Hawkins, another of the victims of Mr. Tyrrel's rural tyranny, whom
I shall immediately have occasion to introduce. Mr. Falkland's
compassion had already been strongly excited in favour of Hawkins; he
had in vain endeavoured to find him, and do him good; and he easily
conceived that, if the conjecture which had been made in this instance
proved true, he might have it in his power not only to do what he had
always intended, but further, to save from a perilous offence against
the laws and society a man who appeared to have strongly imbibed the
principles of justice and virtue. He took with him two servants,
because, going with the express design of encountering robbers, if
robbers should be found, he believed he should be inexcusable if he did
not go provided against possible accidents. But he had directed them, at
the same time that they kept within call, to be out of the reach of
being seen; and it was only the eagerness of their zeal that had brought
them up thus early in the present encounter.

This new adventure promised something extraordinary. Mr. Falkland did
not immediately recognise Miss Melville; and the person of Grimes was
that of a total stranger, whom he did not recollect to have ever seen.
But it was easy to understand the merits of the case, and the propriety
of interfering. The resolute manner of Mr. Falkland, conjoined with the
dread which Grimes, oppressed with a sense of wrong, entertained of the
opposition of so elevated a personage, speedily put the ravisher to
flight. Emily was left alone with her deliverer. He found her much more
collected and calm, than could reasonably have been expected from a