and beat him savagely. I mention these particulars, because they convinced
everybody that there was something specially determined and ferocious in
the spirit of the party, and that the fracas was no mere frolic, but the
result of a predetermined plan.

My father had not succeeded in overtaking them. He traced them to the
Lugton Station, where they had taken the railway, and no one could tell him
in what direction the carriage and posthorses had driven.

Madame was, or affected to be, very much shattered by what had occurred.
Her recollection and mine, when my father questioned us closely, differed
very materially respecting many details of the _personnel_ of the
villanous party. She was obstinate and clear; and although the gamekeeper
corroborated my description of them, still my father was puzzled. Perhaps
he was not sorry that some hesitation was forced upon him, because although
at first he would have gone almost any length to detect the persons, on
reflection he was pleased that there was not evidence to bring them into
a court of justice, the publicity and annoyance of which would have been
inconceivably distressing to me.

Madame was in a strange state--tempestuous in temper, talking
incessantly--every now and then in floods of tears, and perpetually on
her knees pouring forth torrents of thanksgiving to Heaven for our joint
deliverance from the hands of those villains. Notwithstanding our community
of danger and her thankfulness on my behalf, however, she broke forth into
wrath and railing whenever we were alone together.

'Wat fool you were! so disobedient and obstinate; if you 'ad done wat _I_
say, then we should av been quaite safe; those persons they were tipsy, and
there is nothing so dangerous as to quarrel with tipsy persons; I would