chaser to dilapidate the mansion and carry off the materials. What a woman's arm could achieve in rending, tearing down, and pulling asunder, I have come in the dead of night to perform; and when my strength failed me I spat upon the walls, and made them echo with my imprecations. I have sitten in the deep darkness, when the night storm was raging, and listened to the rattling of the tiles, slates, and fragments that were blown down from the roof, have felt the sound fall like the sweetest music on my soul, and anticipated the happy day when not one stone of the pile should be left standing upon another!"

"And how have you escaped detection ?" inquired Walton.

"I never ventured out till it was dusk, when my black garments, and the gloom of the forest, quickly enabled me to elude observation; nor was there a dell or bushy dingle, pit or quarry, cave or hollow tree, hovel or hiding-place, in the whole neighbourhood, with which I was un

acquainted, and in which I have not concealed myself, when close pressed by my pursuers. I have been hunted like a beast of prey, assailed with stones, shot at with cross-bow, arrow, and bullet; but the blessed Virgin, whose cause I was avenging, has miraculously preserved me from harm!"

66

Enough of yourself," said Walton, who began to be weary of, her history, "and tell me how you can establish the identity of Julia Compton."

"The rich ornaments she wore at the time of her being snatched away, and the gold chain and miniature with which she was playing, I have preserved ever since. They are in pious hands of safe custody, and shall be delivered to you. If we could only remove Jocelyn——”

"For him I have already made provision,” said Walton; "he will not long thwart our plans; he will be presently disposed of, and I hope for life."

“Good!” ejaculated his companion, " then our

course is easy, our success certain,-the splendours of Brambletye will never be restored. Julia's father, the late Sir William, left a large fortune, to which she is entitled ;—your rival will be removed; you will be enabled to offer her a knowledge of her parents, a restoration to her family, and a noble estate, on condition that she accepts your hand, which, when her present circumstances of obscurity, poverty, and discountenance by the world shall be aggravated by the loss of Jocelyn, she will hardly think of refusing."

"I see it all!" cried Walton, "it is feasible: I am ready to perform the conditions. Give me the flambeau, which I see you have provided, and let us commence the conflagration."

She complied with his request, setting fire to the pile with her own hand on one side, while Walton lighted it on the other; and, as the ascending flames flashed upon the bare walls and lofty towers of Brambletye, while they threw a ghastly glare upon her withered features, she

lifted up her arms, and her eyes, that sparkled with triumph, towards heaven, ejaculating in a tone of solemn animation, "Sancta Maria, Regina Cali!" thou art avenged; even upon the very spot where thou wert sacrilegiously outraged. What! shall Nebuchadnezzar, while he is vaunting of his great Babylon, be bereft of his wits? Shall Herod, while he is priding himself in the applause of his people, be eaten with worms? Shall Haman, while practising to destroy the people, be hanged on the gallows fifty feet high, which he had prepared for Mordecai? Shall the house, where the Philistines met together to sport with Sampson, fall upon their heads?-and shall not these accursed walls where-"

At this moment the high wind conveyed some sparks of the fire into the secret vault where Sir John Compton had deposited the gunpowder, which, it will be remembered, Colonel Lilburne had failed to discover when he carried off the arms;-of which even Mrs. Lawrence

was ignorant;—and which had ever since remained undetected. A tremendous explosion ensued, which blew off the remainder of the roof, and levelled two of the towers of Bram bletye. The dead body of Mark Walton was found in a field beyond the postern-gate, and the unfortunate Mary Lawrence, discovered near one of the lodges, only survived long enough to relate the cause of the dreadful accident by which she perished.