WHEN Henry Oakwood had retired to his chamber for the night, he found that, excited with the events and conversation of the last few hours, his mind was too restless and disturbed to allow his body to enjoy the soothing quietude of slumber. The silver moonbeams fell slantingly through the narrow casement into his apartment, and, lighting up with uncertain brilliancy the panels of the dark wall, touched' now with solemn glory the portrait of his father, or played with mellowed and serene light upon his mother's pictured face: these two memorials of the guardians of his younger years, the filial love of Henry ever kept before him, and, in the dark, silent hours of night, he seemed to feel their presence watching, aiding, assisting, and sustaining him.

Now in the crisis, as he believed it, of his life, he stood before, and seemed to question, the glowing canvas as to his decision. The broad forehead of the handsome cavalier, unruffled by a frown, the smiling yet decided mouth, the hand grasping the sword-these were revealed to him by the moonbeams, as they stole into the chamber. And then the mild and pensive eyes of his mother seemed to well forth their floods of light upon him from the recess in which the portraits were placed, and to fill the soul of her first-born son with mingled emotions of joy and sorrow. In his own heart he felt the spirit of his father, bold and decided, and that of his mother, contemplative and reflective. The one would have him the man of action; the other, the man of thought, In his whole life he had felt these principles at war with each other, and yet oftentimes strangely uniting; and now, when he had decided boldly and resolutely, at the dictates of the first, the influence of the second seemed to exert itself, and to call forth within him those

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powers of contemplation and thought which always enabled him successfully to accomplish what he had undertaken.

To what had he pledged himself? Was he a conspirator? He started at the idea, yet the words of Sir Arthur Sackville rang in his ears-"You are now one of us." One of whom?

He paced the room uneasily; his footsteps seemed to wake echoes in every part of the silent house ;-or, were they echoes? He paused to listen. No, the tread of a foot was heard along the corridor to his chamber; and in another moment, as he snatched at his sword, the door opened, and Hugo D' Lisle entered.

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Is it you, D' Lisle ?" said Henry, flinging aside his weapon. made you a night walker ?" "You have, Henry."

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I, indeed, and why ?-but you come at a good hour. My friend, I want your assistance and your counsel."

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They are yours, Oakwood," said D'Lisle, as he seated himself in the embrasure of the window; and Henry, placing himself beside the clergyman, commenced with the doubts and difficulties which had been harassing his mind.

D' Lisle listened with attention, preparing himself to combat the arguments which Henry broached; but one by one, self-beaten, they fell before Oakwood's own intellect, and ere half an hour, self-convinced, he exclaimed, "I have done right, D' Lisle.'

D' Lisle half smiled. "And is that the weighty matter you have been agitating yourself about, my dear Henry? After the bold decision which you told me you made to-night, I should scarcely have imagined that, in a few hours, you should review your conduct, and half censure it, Believe me, however, you are right: it is quite evident that James'

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hour is past; William must be your ruler, and in him will the nation find a patriot king indeed."

"But my plans are not matured, D'Lisle, as to what I shall do with Oakwood; ; I cannot abandon my people here, while I fight for them elsewhere." "Nor would I ask you to do so," rejoined D' Lisle. "Remove your sister, with Lady Sackville and her daughter, to the Hague, and I will remain as guardian of Oakwood."

"Do not think of such a thing, D' Lisle; I would not think of having your life exposed to the fury of the blood-thirsty miscreants who, with Tyrconnell's permission, ravage our country."

"With the blessing of God, your own trusty band will be sufficient safeguard,” replied the exile; "the people of the neighbourhood are in general to be relied on.'

"And what would you have me do, my friend, while you, in the path of duty, would thus imperil your life for me and my property ?"

"Act where you are most wanted, Henry, at the Hague and in England. It is not in Ireland that the blow will be struck with effect, though here, I foresee, will be the grand struggle for victory."

"But Sir Arthur has an idea of proceeding to London ere returning to the Hague; should I accompany him, I may be arrested on suspicion, for, to disguise myself as he intends to do, I will never consent. Besides, my brother Reginald-whom, however, I have not seen for years, since he went to reside in Versailles with our uncle, General St. Victor-would recognise me, and a meeting now I would wish to avoid."

As he spoke, the trampling of horses' hoofs broke the quiet calm of the night, and borne on the gentle wind came shouts and cries, and pistol shots, and screams and prayers for mercy. Henry rushed to the window, and beheld the heavens red with the light of a confla gration; lurid flames shot their flickering tongues of fire across the skies, and up the avenue to Oakwood poured a troop of irregular horsemen, galloping furiously, until they suddenly halted in the broad sweep before the house, which we have already described.

Within, the inmates were all up,

aroused at the tumult; and, on Henry Oakwood and D' Lisle gaining the great hall, they found most of the household assembled, and partially armed.

"Be calm and prepared," cried Sir Arthur Sackville. "Man the tower, look to the guns, secure the windows."

"Let us face them here," said Oakwood, as he hastily collected his men, some twenty in number, and posted them in the hall and in the rooms adjacent. "Roger, you to the tower, take two with you, and point the cannon downwards."

"I will provide for your sister's safety," said D' Lisle, as he hurried away.

Oakwood advanced to one of the windows. The assailants seemed very numerous; more than fifty mounted, and as many on foot. They were as yet uncertain how to act.

"What seek you here ?" said the owner of Oakwood to the leader, who, mounted on a strong grey horse, seemed to be marshalling his men.

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The traitor you harbour," was the

"Sackville" groaned, or rather yelled, the crowd; and at the same moment a pistol was discharged, aimed at the spot where Henry stood. The bullet struck the sash, splintered it, and fell harmless.

This was the signal for a general attack; stones were hurled against the door, whose massiveness however resisted the efforts of the assailants. Shots were fired in rapid succession, and before long, the windows of the reception rooms were broken in, and afforded an entrance to some of the band.

Affairs were growing desperate.

"Have the horses saddled, if possible," whispered Sir Arthur to Henry; then loudly cried, "Barricade these doors, my men, and cut off these ruffians' access to the hall."

Oakwood now turned, and spoke for a moment in a low tone to D' Lisle, who had just re-appeared on the scene of action. D' Lisle immediately hurried to the rear of the house, which had not been as yet attacked. There was now a pause in the conflict; some twenty of the marauding party, headed, however, by Burke, one of Tyrconnell's officers, had effected an entrance-the rest still remained outside. Meanwhile,

the two cottages at the end of the long avenue, which had been set fire to by the merciless soldiery, or rather banditti, blazed high and fiercely, and revealed with the distinctness of day all the features of the landscape-the bay, with its little village, could be plainly seen, and the ship, on board of which the crew seemed up and stirring.

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D' Lisle returned. "The horses are ready, Oakwood; shall I venture?" Yes," said Sir Arthur, before Henry had time to reply. "Take Lady Sackville, Florence, and Lucy, and the women first; we will cover your retreat, and join you as soon as possible."

At the same time he advanced to the window, and fired at the leader of the band, who had re-appeared from the house, and was directing the assault to be renewed.

The bullet struck him in the arm, and, with a loud shout, he rushed to the broken window again, followed by most of his men. Now could the devoted band in the hall hear the doors broken up and crashed in, in rapid succession, until at last the next room was occu

pied by the enemy. At this moment, the quick ear of Henry Oakwood, sharpened by anxiety, heard the sound of the horses on the slope at the far side of the house, and, wishing to divert the attention of the assailants, directed his men to draw all the heavy furniture together, so as to form a barricade against the door. He was obeyed, and while the door, half smashed in, revealed the smoke-begrimed and bloodthirsty features of the gang, the pile of tables and cabinets which had been raised, presented itself to them as a serious obstacle. In the meantime, Oakwood's object was accomplished, and the fugitives were unnoticed. "We cannot resist long," said Sir Arthur to Henry; some hundred men to twenty are fearful odds."

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"Smoke out the foxes," cried a voice from the intruders; and the men catching up the cry, vociferated "Fire them out !"

One by one had Oakwood's party retreated to the large with-drawingroom on the side of the hall, from whence they poured volley after volley upon all who attempted to enter, and several dead bodies already strewed the opposite room; of themselves, only one was wounded, and that but slightly.

At this juncture, the men who had

gone to the tower discharged the cannon, and the ship in the bay returned the fire. This seemed to excite the attention of the besiegers, some of whom hurried from the house to the sweep again, but immediately returned with a shout of "Victory!"

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Fly, now," said Sir Arthur; "let us gain the vessel as we best can." "I see more of their cavalry approaching," said Henry ; "I fear there is no chance."

"Not of life, if we fall into their hands," replied Sackville. "We would be murdered at once.'

"Follow me, then," said Oakwood; and leaving the room, he led the way towards the tower.

The fire had been in the meantime brought, and had done its duty; but in the clouds of smoke which filled the hall, the flight of the besieged had not been noticed by the besiegers; as Oakwood's last act was to make his men discharge their pieces, and the others naturally concluded that they were only re-loading.

While the second troop of the Irregulars, as they were then called, were dismounting before the mansion, Oak wood had led his men one by one to the tower and secured all the doors which communicated with the more modern part of the building; here they were joined by Roger, the steward, and the servants, who had been on the turret. Opening a small door in the wall of the lowest apartment, Henry pointed out to Sackville a sure means of escape. "Here is the old passage to the sea, never used in our time, but still free and in repair; by it we can gain the shore and the vessel unobserved."

"Then we abandon your property," replied Sir Arthur.

"That cannot be avoided," said Henry bitterly; but all my most valuable plate rests in safety in England. The remainder is secured in a secret vault here. I will rescue nothing now, but my case of papers."

"I have already secured mine," said Sir Arthur; but hark, let us away before they discover our retreat."

Swiftly the whole band proceeded through the long and narrow passage upwards of half-a-mile in length, in some places so low that they had to bend and almost crawl through, until they reached the little bay in safety.

The passage terminated in a natural

cave in the bay, in which were three boats moored. In these the fugitives soon embarked, and a few moments saw them on the deck of the Princess Mary, which, with all sails set, was standing out of the bay with Lady Sackville, Florence, Lucy, and D' Lisle, and their attendants on board, intending to await the boats outside.

Sad indeed were the reflections of Oakwood, as leaning over the side of

the vessel he saw the flames enveloping the beautiful portion of his mansion which the taste of Inigo Jones had erected, and beheld the heartless plunderers revealed by the red light of the fire. Bitter, bitter, were his feelings, as the breeze bore him from the land of his hopes, his affections and recollections; but as he dashed away the unbidden tear, Sack ville's voice murmured in his ear-"Revenge!"

“THE writ, friend James, should be issued at once."

"And wherefore, good Master Penn?" "Thou must see," rejoined the founder of the state of Pennsylvania, "that the Dutch fleet threaten our shores, and Parliament should be summoned to avert the danger."

"But Father Petre advises us to the contrary," replied the monarch, as he passed hurriedly up and down his chamber at Whitehall, and stopped before his writing-table, on which lay in confusion, reports of commissioners, de spatches from Tyrconnell, private letters, a miniature of the Queen, a sword and a crucifix, with a number of other incongruous articles. We are recommended not to summon Parliament yet, by counsellors whose advice we are not wont to disregard."

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POPE.-Imitation of Horace. melancholy lesson to his weak and irresolute son, as he gazed on them sadly in the Quaker's hand. "Thou hast kindly entreated me since I have known thee, and now I will speak to thee as man should speak to man."

Speak on then, Master Penn, speak to the King as a man, but as a subject, too," said a voice, with a slightly foreign accent, and a fold of the tapestry which covered the walls having been pushed aside, Mary Beatrice of Modena, the Queen Consort, entered the apartment.

William Penn paused a moment. Before him was one of the most attractive beauties of the day, tall and stately in figure, a lovely oval classic face, with full lustrous dark eyes of the true Italian style; her luxuriant hair descended in waving masses of curls down her snowy and swanlike neck, whilst the serene beauty of her high,white forehead was not marred by more than one dark ringlet straggling from the bandeau which confined her tresses. Dressed in a flowing robe of purple velvet, with a white stomacher made tight to her figure, her taper hands half hidden in the large loose hanging sleeves of the period, and wearing no ornaments save her betrothal and coronation rings which she never relinquished, she stood before the Man of Peace, as with haud uplifted and cheek flushed, he advocated to his monarch the defensive measures necessary to prevent the horrors of war.

"I have come," she added playfully, turning to her husband, “to assist your deliberations."

Penn possessed in a great degree that spirit of self-reliance so charac

teristic of the body to which he belonged, and of which, among the many eminent men who have since adorned it, he still ranks as one of the most distinguished members. What he had to do, he did; and what to say, he said. Without hesitation he replied, and plainly showed to the King that unless Parliament met and devised measures for the safety of the country-the disaffected state of some portions affording serious grounds for apprehension, and the danger of an invasion being instant and imminent the very crown of England would be rendered insecure.

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Why should they quarrel with my religion?" said James the Second, as reseated at the table, he bent his head upon his hands to listen to the words of honest and friendly counsel. Taking up the monarch's hat which, jewelled and plumed, lay on a chair before him, and placing it beside his own smooth, plain broad brim, Penn answered quaintly, "Friend, dost not thou see that these differ not save in ornament; throw away these ornaments of thine and thou wilt be like to mine; so would thy people have thy religion-they will let thee have it and wear it, if thy plumes and thy jewels by their gaudiness offended not their eyes."

Mary Beatrice placed the King's hat on her head, and replied

who, in obedience seemingly to his orders, summoned the clerk of the council to the King. In a few minutes the King and his Consort appeared, he on his way to the council chamber, and she to return to the cradle of her beloved and only son, the child of many tears, prayers, and hopes.

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Mr. Oakwood," said the King, slightly bowing his head to the gentleman in waiting, "we dispense with your further attendance on us to-day.'

"And we," said Mary Beatrice, smiling, "command your presence at the ball to-night," and turning to William Penn, who stood still covered next her, she extended her hand to him, and invited him to accompany her on her visit to the Prince of Wales. The royal couple then passed on with their attendants and Penn, leaving Reginald St. Victor Oakwood alone in the apartment.

Some years younger than his brother Henry, he resembled him neither in manners nor appearance: bright waving chesnut hair curling around a high forehead, his laughing brown eyes, his smiling mouth, and a careless, merry, good-humoured expression of countenance, made him a striking contrast to his brother-pensive, grave, and even melancholy-as he has been already described.

Reginald's gorgeous blue and silver court dress, displayed his light and active figure to advantage, while his richly-hilted sword, the jewelled clasp in the feather of his hat, the sparkling diamond ring on his finger, and the locket hanging by a gold chain of delicate Venetian workmanship round his neck, bespoke him perhaps somewhat of a fop in his attire, though the ladies of the court looked on the handsome Reginald Oakwood as the very perfection of fashion, manner, wit, and courtesy; while the courtiers of the last reign admired him for his gallantry of manner, modelled as it was on that of his uncie, General St. Victor, whose name he bore.

The rustling of the dresses of the ladies in waiting on the Queen had scarcely ceased in the corridor, when the freed courtier, snatching up his hat, hurried from the room, and descended by one of the private stairs into the court-yard. Placing a small whistle to his lips, he blew a long shrill blast, and a little and active page, dressed in a