that it could hardly be identified.. The truth now flashed across the mind of Pudens. He had secured the extremity of the thong to the superincumbent stone of the cromlech; and in all probability, the priest and his companion being awakened suddenly by the missile which he had hurled at them, and endeavouring to extricate themselves from their fetters, had precipitated the roof stone upon the priest. Thus, apparently, ended his infamous life, on the very spot where he had twice plotted against Pudens, and by the very means by which he had designed to murder him—his mischief literally descending upon his own head.

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Verily, Ryno," said Pudens, as he turned away his eyes in horror from this revolting spectacle, "your priests are not wrong in saying that the gods, in some measure, direct human affairs. We have both, innocently, and almost unintentionally slain our foes: you have killed the traducer and oppressor of your mother; and I the man, who has impiously endeavoured, by the instruments of his own religion, and the ordeal of justice, to shed my blood."

This question being settled, it was arranged that as there was but one horse in the com

pany, namely the King's, upon which Pudens was then mounted, and as Ryno knew his way to the royal residence, that he should ride thither immediately, and inform the family of Pudens's welfare; and that Pudens should return for the present to the widow's cottage, to protect her at this crisis.

It is almost unnecessary to add, that the two serfs were absolved from all blame in the late transaction.

The trumpet sounds the charge of death;

Now-now, the flash of brandished arms affright

The flying steed, and mars the rider's sight!

Panting with terror I survey,

The martial host in dread array;

The chiefs how valiant, and how just!
Defiled with not inglorious dust.

FRANCIS.

PUDENS returned to the widow's cottage; and he and the widow conversed together till it grew late, but Ryno did not return. This circumstance caused Pudens considerable an

noyance, as he was anxious to render an account of his adventures to the family of Arviragus; particularly, as he did not know how far his rival might turn his absence to his own advantage; and he had learned from the conversation between the Ovate and the Uchelwyr, that Roscrana's fate was to be decided on the day after the morrow. The yellow fiend, however, did not so disturb his tranquillity, but that, as evening advanced, he unceremoniously dropped off into a profound slumber, in the midst of one of mine hostess's prosy tales.

The widow was by no means inclined to follow his example; for a thousand misgivings and maternal fears began to corrode her mind, when the conversation ceased, and she had leisure to reflect on the deeds of the morning. Ever and anon would she start from her seat, and look out and listen at the door; and, sooth to say, she heard other sounds besides those of the night winds, which her perturbed fancy represented to be the shrieks of the ghost which had commenced its wanderings from her threshold. Her terrors, however, were not altogether imaginary; for lights, like distant watch-fires, began to gleam in the

horizon; and she heard, or fancied that she heard, the clang of the gong or shield, with which the Britons were wont to summon their hosts to arms.

She resolved now to wake Pudens; but on approaching him, he seemed wrapped in such a profound sleep, that she kindly forbore, and returned more anxious than ever to her post of observation. After watching for a little while, a beacon light began to rear its crest from the summit of Old Sarum's hill, which she knew was an unequivocal alarm, only lighted up in cases of extreme urgency. She no longer, therefore, hesitated to arouse her slumbering guest.

His first act, on being awakened, was to thank her for delivering him from his disagreeable dream; for, owing possibly to the uncomfortable position into which he had collapsed, his imagination had mixed all the horrible tales which the widow had told him into one dream; and he thought that an airy shape, bearing the semblance of his brave friend, Brennus, had appeared to him, his face pale and bloody, and the stars shining through his form.

In the midst of his relation of this dream,