"and by this time Peter and our patrole will be at the hall. I told them to look up in the evening, in order to appoint their several duties and stations—let us turn back. Indeed, Aram, I can assure you, that I, for my own part, have some strong reasons to take precautions against any attack; for besides the old family plate, (though that's not much,) I have,—you know the bureau in the parlour to the left of the hall—well, I have in that bureau three hundred guineas, which I have not as yet been able to take to safe hands at , and which, by the way, will be your's to-morrow. So, you see, it would be no light misfortune to me to be robbed."
"Hist!" said Aram, stopping short, "I think I heard steps on the other side of the hedge."
The Squire listened, but heard nothing; the senses of his companion were, however, remarkably acute, more especially that of hearing.
"There is certainly some one; nay, I catch the steps of two persons," whispered he to Lester.
