Castle Town? It's no often ye stir wi' the lark, Robin." "It's na' early," replied the dalesman, "when day breaks now; and a man may surely be stirring at five o'clock, goody." "And so may ye, if ye ha' need," answered Doll; but yer wife's not in labour, nor your kine a yeaning, mon; ye might ha' lain still a-bed for either. But what news; is Charles Sydenham taken ?" "No," replied Ford, "he is not.” "He never will, an my word goes for aught," cried the woman; “but I know, Robert, ye're o' the other lay, and wad be glad to see his head set on the swart turrets of his father's brunt castle yonder." "Ye wrong me Goody," replied the farmer; “ I should be as loath as ye, or any sinner living, to see aught but good come to the heir o' Falconridge. For yon deed, I can never enow repent o' my share i' the work; and, I trow, so do ye o' yours." "It's na to say whether I do or no," answered the witch," for the deed's done and canna be reca'd; but if it could, ye may sware I wad rather take a leap into Eldon Hole, than put my hand to a work so black and bloody." "What deserve they," cried the dalesman, "who seduced us into their infernal schemes ?" "What do they deserve?" echoed the woman. "Why, Robin, the reward they are sure to ha' meted to 'em; the fire o' hell upon their cursed souls.What better can they hope for? Did they na cast the die? and they maun stand the hazard." "If ye would be true," said Ford, cautiously, "I would let ye into a secret ye would be glad to hear, and ye might be of service to the boot." "Speak out, mon," cried his companion. "Hanna I bin true in evil, and canna I be true in good? Hanna I bin iron for a bad cause? and I can be steel for a good one. Say yer say wi'out fear a treachery. -I pledge ye my soul." The dalesman dismounted from his horse, and they went into the cottage. He shut the door close, and, in a low voice, informed her that Colonel Sydenham and his wife, with Lieutenant Armstrong, were then concealed at his house, and that he had been at the town to learn the disposition of the enemy. "We are so far safe," he continued; but we need a fast friend to watch the courses o' the foe, and it must be one they would not suspect. Now ye, Goody-" "I'll do't," cried the grey woman; 66 say no more. -Trust to me, and I'll watch 'em like a tiger cat. For Charles Sydenham's sake, who hath been my friend afore now, you may depend on me." "Ye shall be no loser," replied Ford, drawing some gold pieces from his pocket. Here are five golden Jacobuses, and they shall be but a foretaste o' yer reward, an ye prove a diligent sentry. I must begone, and so must ye; an ye hear aught, post to the farm wi' your news." "Fear not me," answered the Sybil, "I will not fail, on my life. Speed ye." He mounted his horse, and rode away, leaving the grey woman watching his departure at her cottagedoor. CHAPTER XXII. What! shall they thus depart, we unrevenged? Old Contention of York and Lancaster. THE grey woman watched the dalesman until he left the hilly tract, and turned his horse towards the eastern part of the Hopedale. When he was out of sight, she began to reflect on the part she had undertaken; and as all women and men of an indecisive character usually do, to conjure up those difficulties and dangers which set themselves in array against her design. Her native intrepidity, however, soon overcame all obstacles of this nature; but she quickly stumbled upon another more difficult to silence. "For Charles Sydenham," thought she, "I wad quit life, and make no word on't; but for that fause malignant, that bloody ruffian Armstrong, shall I waive my revenge, and serve him good for evil? Away, an I do, may I meet wi' sitch mockery every day 'the week. Could I save the Colonel, he should live, an it were by the doom o' my own life; but they maun perish together as they herd together, the innocent wi' the guilty-there's no point to choose." She thus destined Sydenham and his companions to destruction; and her determination, though she would have fain concealed it from herself, was greatly confirmed by the hope of the promised reward on their apprehension. To excuse Ford from the charge of folly, which our readers might incline to impute to him, for revealing to this woman the place of Syden ham's concealment, we must here state, that since the star of Snell's party had attained the ascendant in the political firmament, and her services were therefore no longer regarded by the Colonel, she had evinced a disposition as hostile to that faction as she had before been amicable to it; and, deploring her former connexions, had been an active abettor of the designs and outbreaks of the Cavaliers. In the late rising, headed by Sidebotham, she had gone from house to house among the vassals and tenantry of the barony, endeavouring by her prognostications to animate them; and to her eloquence and perseverance Sidebotham was indebted for many of his most steady and courageous friends. Of this change in her creed Ford was not ignorant, as, among others, the witch had called upon him; but he excused himself on account of his family. She had, in fact, committed herself too deeply with the Roundheads to be doubted by the Cavaliers, as their staunch friend; and Ford, in making this momentous communication to the grey woman, only acted as any other man of the peak would have done in his situation. She had, moreover, the reputation of a staunch accessory in good and evil, and was never known to have broken her word for fear or favour; qualities, which, upon the country people, made a great impression. She was still at the door of the cottage, deeply engaged in her calculations, when a troop of horse made its appearance at the northern part of the dale; they approached the Lone End at a rapid trot, and were soon beside the witch's residence. The subaltern, Stodard, who commanded the troop, drew his rein, and cried out, "Hoilo, mother, are ye not yet gone to hell? I had long ago thought ye were in the devil's frying-pan.-Come along, the Colonel will be right glad to see ye." "And I shall be as right glad to see the Colonel,' replied the woman, "ye saucy son of a horse-block.” Horse-block, ye bitch-fox," returned the serjeant;"I see old age has not taught ye grace." “Nor has bein' a sodger," said Doll Jordan, taught ye manners; and so there's a pair on us. Howd yer course, and I'll follow ye when I've click❜d the door." “No, no, may the devil fetch me," cried Stodard, "as he's sure to do you, if I slip ye, my old queen: I'm up to trap before to-day." "Away, ye unbelieving Turk," said the witch ; "a foul fa' betide ye for yer doubt." The serjeant snapped his fingers, and replied, “I care not that, ye foolish woman, for all yer witchcraft and devilment to boot; ye must have old Sootie in proper person to your help, before ye dare lay hand on a trooper. March, ye vagrant, or I'll send the o'erseer to ye with his whip." The grey woman closed her door with a scornful air, and wrapping her ragged cloak around her, led the way down the lane towards the Castle Town, followed by the troopers. With her usual perversity, instead of walking at a rate befitting her age and apparent feebleness, she advanced at a rapid pace, between a walk and a run, far outstripping the soldiers, who on that ground, which was a steep declivity, were obliged to give leisure to their horses. Stodard called to her again and again, without obtaining any satisfaction; she either heard him not, or utterly disregarded his orders. He, at last, grew enraged, and drawing a pistol from his holster, fired it over her head; the report made her halt, and turn round. "What are ye wanting, ye felon's child?" cried she; "dinna I walk fast enow for ye? wad ye ha' an old woman o' seventy run like a young wench??? "Ye do run like a young wench, ye limb of Satan," returned Stodard; " and if it please ye, there's no occasion ye should be so nimble:-Halt there, and walk at my stirrup." "Walk at yer stirrup," cried the witch, like a running footman? a heavy curse light o' me an I do." "Fall in, ye vile harridan," cried the serjeant, "or |