Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 431 | Page 7

evening at the house whither my steps were directed
when I escorted Mary Ransome home, and it was growing late, when

the servant-maid announced that a young woman, seemingly in great
trouble, after inquiring if Lieutenant Warneford was there, had
requested to see him immediately, and was waiting below for that
purpose. It was, I found, Mary Ransome, in a state of great flurry and
excitement. She brought a hastily-scribbled note from Dr Lee, to the
effect that Wyatt, from motives of suspicion, had insisted that both he
and Ransome should be present at the attempt near Hurst Castle; that
the doctor, in his hurry to get out of harm's way, had attempted a leap
which, owing to his haste, awkwardness, and the frosty atmosphere and
ground, had resulted in a compound fracture of his right leg; that he had
been borne off in a state of insensibility; on recovering from which he
found himself in Wyatt's power, who, by rifling his pockets, had found
some memoranda that left no doubt of Lee's treason towards the
smuggling fraternity. The bearer of the note would, he said, further
explain, as he could not risk delaying sending it for another
moment--only he begged to say his life depended upon me.
'Life!' I exclaimed, addressing the pale, quaking girl; 'nonsense! Such
gentry as Wyatt are not certainly particular to a shade or two, but they
rarely go that length.'
'They will make away with father as well as Dr Lee,' she shudderingly
replied: 'I am sure of it. Wyatt is mad with rage.' She trembled so
violently, as hardly to be able to stand, and I made her sit down.
'You cannot mean that the scoundrel contemplates murder?'
'Yes--yes! believe me, sir, he does. You know the Fair Rosamond, now
lying off Marchwood?' she continued, growing every instant paler and
paler.
'The trader to St Michael's for oranges and other fruits?'
'That is but a blind, sir. She belongs to the same company as the boats
you captured at Hurst Castle. She will complete landing her cargo early
to-morrow morning, and drop down the river with the ebb-tide just
about dawn.'

'The deuce they will! The cunning rascals. But go on. What would you
further say?'
'Wyatt insists that both the doctor and my father shall sail in her. They
will be carried on board, and--and when at sea--you know--you
understand'--
'Be drowned, you fear. That is possible, certainly; but I cannot think
they would have more to fear than a good keel-hauling. Still, the matter
must be looked to, more especially as Lee's predicament is owing to the
information he has given the king's officers. Where are they confined?'
She described the place, which I remembered very well, having
searched it not more than a fortnight previously. I then assured her that
I would get her father as well as Lee out of the smugglers' hands by
force, if necessary; upon hearing which the poor girl's agitation came to
a climax, and she went off into strong hysterics. There was no time to
be lost, so committing her to the care of the servant, I took leave of my
friends, and made the best of my way to Hythe, hard off which a boat, I
knew, awaited me; revolving, as I sped along, the best mode of
procedure. I hailed the boat, and instructed one of the men--Dick
Redhead, he was generally called, from his fiery poll--a sharp, clever
fellow was Dick--to proceed immediately to the house I had left, and
accompany the young woman to the spot indicated, and remain in
ambush, with both eyes wide open, about the place till I arrived. The
Rose was fortunately off Southampton Quay; we soon reached her,
shifted to a larger boat, and I and a stout crew were on our way, in very
little time, to have a word with that deceitful Fair Rosamond, which we
could still see lying quietly at anchor a couple of miles up the river. We
were quickly alongside, but, to our great surprise, found no one on
board. There was, however, a considerable quantity of contraband
spirits in the hold; and this not only confirmed the girl's story, but
constituted the Fair Rosamond a lawful prize. I left four men in her,
with strict orders to lie close and not shew themselves, and with the rest
hastened on shore, and pushed on to the doctor's rescue. The night was
dark and stormy, which was so far the better for our purpose; but when
we reached the place, no Dick Redhead could be seen! This was queer,

and prowling stealthily round the building, we found that it was
securely barred, sheltered, and fastened up, although by the light
through the chinks, and a confused hum, it seemed, of merry voices,
there