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Rh few sacks full of grain, and some lumber that we turned inside out in search of contraband goods. But no, sir, not so much as a keg of aqua vitæ, or a quid of tobacco was there in any corner."

"They're cunning folk," said Tregenna, rather dismally. "I have small faith in Mistress Ann's toothache, for one thing."

"Nay, why should she fain?" said the brigadier, quickly. "The lass looked vastly ill, to my thinking. Had she been herself, I warrant we should have had some sport, at least; for I've found her ready with her tongue, and as full of jests as she is of tricks."

"You think now that she's a confederate of the smugglers?"

"Damme, it seems like it. Wherever one asks about these cattle, one hears talk of this Rede Hall, as if 'twere their headquarters. The difficulty is to take the beggars unawares. They must have been prepared this morning. Odds life!" The general started violently as he uttered these words, evidently struck by a new idea. "The parson! He was at the squire's this morning, when we went to get the warrant! It's as like as not he's friendly to the gang,