exertions. Thankful for the beneficial aid it afforded them, they gave but little consideration to the cause of its existence, and having traversed it with winged steps, they flew towards the beach, which they gained in safety, and with overflowing ecstacy of soul. They moved hattily on, in search of some nook where they might shelter themselves from the pursuit which they doubted not would shortly be set on foot after Rosalind; and as they proceeded along, they poured forth upon the delighted senses of each other those sentiments of joy, of thankfulness, and of astonishment, with which their hearts were filled at the restoration to each other, with which they were at that moment bleesed. "To be torn asunder now," exclainied Edward, "would be a pang exceeding all the miseries that I have hitherto endured." "Forbid it, pitying Heaven!" ejaculated the tender Rosalind. "Oh that we could at this instant be wafted to the foot of our sovereign's throne ! that it were permitted us to kneel before my royal godmother, and implore her protection for two unfortunate beings, whose natural protectors have cast them off, and who have alone her clemency and justice to repose on for their future peace!" "Be of comfort, dearest Rosalind!" returned Edward; "the hand of Providence appears to be stretched out in our cause, and it will protect us on our journey towards Elizabeth." "Alas!" replied Rosalind, you speak of the journey as if it were possible for us to accomplish it ere the morning: consider the distance from hence to the abode of our royal mistress-the dangers, the perils that await unprotected travellers, like ourselves. Oh, pardon me, my beloved husband, that at the moment thou art restored to me, my heart should sink thus fainting in my breast." The voice of Rosalind faltered as she pronounced these words; the tears burst from her eyes, and she sunk fainting into the arms of Edward. Words were all the comfort which he had it in his power to bestow on her; and as he called upon her in accents of the tendercst nature to revive, and place confidence in the will of Heaven to preserve them from their enemies, his attention was for an instant called from the object of his anxiety, by a rapid cutting of the waves behind him, and on moving round his head, he perceived that the noise proceeded from the motion of the oars with which a man, whom he discovered in a small boat, was rowing his little bark towards the shore. On perceiving this man, a sudden thought, which communicated both hope and rapture to his heart, darted into his imagination. He had already wiped the crimson stain from his cheek; and the instant animation returned to the frame of Rosalind, leading her towards the man who had just sprung from his boat upon the shore, he addressed him, by saying "Fear me not-I am a man like yourself; you have nothing to dread at my hands-benefit it is at your option to receive from them, if you have a heart capable of feeling for the miseries of your fellow-beings, and are oppressed with wants which the recompence due to a benevolent action would provide you with the means of supplying. Carry us southward from this spot, to any port or harbour where it is probable that we may obtain a vessel to transport us farther down the coast, and ten pieces of gold shall be the compensation I will bestow on you for your compliance, five of which I will now give you, as an earnest of my promise being made by one who will not break his word to you." The fisherman, for such was the man he addressed, appeared not less surprised by the proposition made to him, than by the sudden appearance, as it seemed to him, of two beings, of the superior cast, of which their garb bespoke them, by the side of his boat. He stared alternately upon each, without replying to Edward's appeal; but when Edward enforced his petition by producing five of the pieces of gold with which the faithful Hubert had furnished him at their late separation, his tongue immediately became untied; and having received them into his own possession, and reminded Edward of the other five which were to follow, he agreed to row them down to a creek, at the distance of about a league and a half, where, he said, small vessels, sailing southward, were not unfrequently to be found. The greatest inconvenience which they experienced whilst in the fisherman's boat was its owner's curiosity to learn the cause from which they had |