though it is only for one day."

"Dear, affectionate girl! I love _heart_--Good bye--Drive fast, as Miss
Hunter desires you."

Our fair politician, well satisfied with the understanding of her
confidante, which never comprehended more than met the ear, and secure
in a charge d'affaires, whose powers it was never necessary to limit,
stood on the steps before the house-door, deep in reverie, for some
minutes after the carriage had driven away, till she was roused by
seeing her son returning from his morning's ride.




CHAPTER III.

"Will you hear a Spanish lady,
How she woo'd an English man?
Garments gay as rich as may be,
Deck'd with jewels, she had on."
THE SPANISH LADY'S LOVE.
_Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry_


Mr. Beaumont had just been at a neighbouring farm-house, where there
lived one of Mr. Walsingham's tenants; a man of the name of Birch, a
respectable farmer, who was originally from Ireland, and whose son was
at sea with Captain Walsingham. The captain had taken young Birch under
his particular care, at Mr. Walsingham's request.