corner of the village street with rapid steps; an opposite door was already wide open; they entered before another person had reached the corner, and were soon seated quietly in the little inner parlour of the public-house. James Carter was one of these men his old and vicious companion, Watson, was another. Ruth was not at church; she had become only two days before the mother of a little boy. Her husband had promised to return home immediately after church to sit with her. She watched the last glow of the setting sun through her casement. When he came in, Ruth asked no questions: his voice was unsteady, and his face flushed; and as he bent down to kiss her before he bade her 'good night,' she perceived by his breath that he had been drinking again. The next morning, when James went to his work, he said nothing of his visit to the public-house the evening before.

CHAPTER VI.

Ir was a cold dreary night in December. Ruth was startled from a sound but heavy sleep, by the sudden cry of her baby. The little fellow had awoke very hungry, and it seemed as if he would not be pacified till he had roused up his mother to satisfy his cry. Ruth sat up in bed to suckle her child. The night was dark and the wind was rising, and as she sat in the deep quietness of midnight, she blessed God for the shelter and warmth which she enjoyed. The report of a gun, seemingly at no great distance from the house, was heard. Again, after a short space of time, another shot, and yet another, and then Ruth distinguished the sound of voices, and the barking of dogs, and again the report of guns." Dear James," she whispered, "do listen, and tell me what is the matter!"-James did not answer; again she spoke, and as she did so, she put forth her hand to touch him. There was no head upon the pillow. He who had been sleeping by her side was gone. She

rose up and went to the window. Nothing was to be seen in the dark night. Every sound also had died away, and as she stole down stairs the loud clicking of the clock alone broke upon the profound stillness. In a loud whisper she again called her husband, but received no answer. The key was gone from the back door, but both the doors were fast locked. Ruth returned to her chamber, shivering with cold and fright. She lay down again, but could not sleep. At last a footstep was heard beneath the window, the key turned in the lock of the back door, and James having slipped off his shoes, came softly up the stairs. Ruth sat up as he entered the room. "James," she said, in a calm low voice, "there has been a fight between the poachers and the keepers, has there not?”—“Well,” he replied, "what if there has ?""And you, James, have been among the poachers?"-"Perhaps I have been."-" Has there been bloodshed, James? tell me I must know."-"Why, what a child you are," he replied, and laughed. "No one has been hurt; only one of the dogs got peppered a little with shot. I hear him now howling and moaning, a brute as he is—just such another brute as his master."-" His master?" said Ruth, inquiringly. —“Yes, his master, Joe Ward; 'tis the great outlandish puppy that he has had following him about for the last year. A savage brute ! he tracked me all round the heath, when I got away from the keepers; but I've done his business

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for him."-"What do you mean, James?" she cried out in a voice of much emotion. "What have you done to the poor beast? I hear him howling now what a piteous moan he makes !" "I have only stopped his wandering habits," he said," and given him a lesson which he won't live to remember (but he is learning it now), not to follow me. I've just run a stake through him, and pinned him to the ground, for Mr. Joe to find him easily in the morning."--" O James, James!" she cried, "what devilish cruelty!" and she burst into an agony of tears.- Why, woman, what are you about?" he said, finding that Ruth had risen up, and was hurrying on her clothes." I'm going," she said, "at all risks to do what I can to save that poor tortured dog. Cruel, wicked man! let me go!" she added, as he threw his arms forcibly around her. "Nay, nay, husband, forgive me those words; I don't know what I'm saying.""Ah, well! lie down, and I'll go at once," said James; "and at your desire I'll do my best for the brute." He hastened down stairs, and in half an hour he returned. "The poor beast is out of his misery," he said; "it was nonsense to think he could live, so I just knocked him on the head, and dug a hole, and buried him in the sand. You don't speak, Ruth," he said, as he lay down beside her. Ruth did not speak; her heart was full of grief, her pillow was wet with her fast-flowing tears.

Ruth had a difficult way before her. She could not forget that James was her husband; but she had a higher word to regard than even his-the word of God. One evening he came into the house with a bag upon his shoulder; she knew not how far he had brought it, but he tossed it lightly on the table, and throwing himself down on his chair, bade his wife to look into the bag, and cook him a hot supper from what she found there. "Not those pheasants," replied Ruth, "nor game of any kind," and she put the birds which she had taken out back into the bag. "My husband," said she, "I will pay you a willing and delighted obedience in every thing and at all times, except when I am forbidden by the word of God to do so. I know well enough that the husband is the head of the wife, and that wives are called upon to be subject to their husbands in every thing which the Lord our God allows. The rule indeed which the wife must observe is this the rule of godliness and holiness As the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in every thing.' Do not ask me to do what I know to be wrong, for I cannot obey you. You are angry with me. I felt that you would be when I made up my mind to speak; but I tell you again and again, that you must not, dear James, indeed you must not, bring home hares, or pheasants, or any other game. If the words displease you, I do not say 'I will not,' but I must not, dare not dress them for you, or eat