EVENING LEDGER PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER U, 1915;
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My Uncle's Will
CHAPTER I
W AND to my nephew, Maurice Vibart,
A I bequeath the sum of 20,000 pounds
PB the fervent hope that it may help him
into the devil wunin me year, or as soon
S . ,
after as '""' ""
f Here Mr Grainger paused In his reading
lt0 glance up over the rim of his spec
(clei while Sir Richard lay back In his
flljlrand laughed loudly, "Gad!" he ex-
' - . - -Alii MUlftllVlCy 1A I,A M I.M.V.
m..a nnunds If ho could have been nres-
it to hear that," and the baronet went
eff Into another roar of merriment
Mr Grainger, on me otner nana, dig
': -nA and solemn, coughed a short, dry
Y cough behind his hand.
"Help him to the dovil within a year,"
repeated sir uicnara, sun cnucKiing,
"Pray proceed, sir," said I, motioning
towards the will. But Instead of
complying. Mr. Grainger laid down the
rirchmcnt, and removing his spectacles,
began to polish them with a large silk
handkerchief.
"Tou are, I believe, unacquainted with
your cousin, Sir Maurice Vibart?'.' he In
quired. "I have never seen him," said I! "all
my life has been passed either at school
or the university, but I have frequently
heard mention of -him, nevertheless."
"Egad!" cried Sir Richard, "who hasn't
heard of Buck Vibart beat Ted Parra
way. of Swansea, In Ave rounds drove
coach and four down Whitehall on sidewalk-ran
away with a French marquise
Mi hut a bov of 20. and shot her hus
band Into the bargain. Devilish celebrated
figure in 'sporting circles,' friend of the
Prince Regent"
"So I understand," said I.
"Altogether as complete a young blaek
ruard a ever N swaggered down St.
James's" Having said which, Sir Rich
ard crossed his legs and Inhaled a pinch
of snuff.
"Twenty thousand pounds Is a very
handiome sum." remarked Mr. Oalnger
ponderously and as though with ! inten
tion of saving something rathei "inn re
maining silent Just then.
"Indeed It Is," said I, "and might help
a man to the devil as comfortably ns need
be, but-"
"Though," pursued Mr. Grainger, "much
below his expectations and sadly Inade
quateno his present needs, I fear."
"That Is most unfortunate," said I,
"but"
"His debts," said Mr. Grainger, busy at
h! spectacles again, "his debts are very
heavy, I believe."
"Then doubtless some arrangement can
be made to but continue your reading, I
bur," said I.
Mr. Grainger repeated his short, dry
cough, and taking up the will, slowly and
almost as though unwillingly, cleared his
throat and began as follows:
"'Furthermore, to my nephew, Peter
Vibart, cousin to tho above, I will and
bequeath my blessing and the sum of 10
guineas In cash, wherewith to purchase a
copy of Zeno or any other of the stole
philosophers he may prefer.' "
Again Mr. Grainger laid down the will,
and again he regarded mo over the rim
Of his spectacles
"Good God!" cried Sir Richard, leaping
to his feet, "the man must have been
mad. Ten guineas why, It's an Insult
damme! It's an Insult you'll never take
It, of course, Peter."
"On the contrary, sir," said I.
"But 10 guineas!" bellowed the baronet;
"on my soul now, George was a cold
blooded fish, but I didn't think even he
was capable of such a despicable trick
no curse me It I did! Why, it would
have been kinder to have left you nothing
at all but It was like George bitter to
the 'nd 10 guineas!"
"Is 10 guineas," eald I, "and when one
comes to think of It, much may be done
with 10 guineas."
Sir Richard grew purpfe In the face,
but before he could speak Mr. Grainger
began to read again:
" 'Moreover, the sum of 500,000, now
vested In the funds, shall be paid to either
Maurice or Peter Vibart aforesaid, If
either shall, within one calendar year,
become the husband of the Lady Sophia
Sefton of Cambourne." "
"Good God!" exclaimed Sir Richard.
" 'Falling which," " read Mr Grainger,
" 'the said sum, namely, 500,000, shall be
bestowed upon such charity or charities
ai the trustees tjhall select Signed by me
this tenth day of April, eighteen hundred
and , George Vibart. Duly witnessed
by Adam Penfleet. Martha Trent.' "
Here Mr. Grainger's voice stopped, and
I remember, In the silence that followed,
the, parchment crackled very loudly as
ha folded It preci6ely and laid It on the
table before him. I remember also that
Bir Richard was swearing vehemently un
der his breath as he paced to and fro
between me and the window.
"And that Is all?" I Inquired at last.
"That," said Mr. Grainger, not looking
at me now, "is all."
"The Lady "Sophia," murmured Sir
Wehard as If to himself, "the Lady So
phia1" And then. 6topplng suddenly be
fore jne In his walk. "Oh, Peter!" said he,
'lapping his hand down upon my shoul
der, "oh, Peter, that settles It; you're
done for, boy a cruder will was never
trade."
"Marriage!" said I to myself "Hum!"
. "O damnable iniquity!" exclaimed Sir
Richard, striding up and down the room
again.
'The Lady Sophia Sefton of Cam
bourne!" said I, rubbing" my chin.
"Why, that's Just It," roared the bar
Met; "she's a reigning toast moat fa
mous beauty in the country, London's
mad over her she can pick and choose
from all the finest gentlemen In England.
Oh. It's 'good-by' to all your hopes of
the Inheritance, Peter, and that's the
fltvll of it,"
"Sit . I fall to see your argument,"
iia i.
"What?" cried Sir Richard, facing
. round on me, "d' you think you'd have a
thane with her then?"
"Why not?"
"Without friends, position or money?
n, boyl don't I tell you that every
buck and dandy every mincing macaroni
w the three kingdoms would give his very
"It to marry her either for her beauty
fr her fortune?' spluttered the baronet
And let me inform you further that she's
"vlllih high and haughty with It alt
hy do say she even rebuffed the Prince
egent himself."
'But then, sir, I consider myself a bet
ter man than the Prince Regent," said I.
Blr Richard sank into the nearest chair
M stared at me open-mouthed,
Sir," I continued, "you doubtless set
me down aa an pnfar nf vffnlats. I freely
confess it, so are you, so Is Mr. Grainger
yonder, so are we all of us egoist in
'oinKing ourselves as good as some few
Of our neighbors and better than a great
niany "
"Referring to the Lady Sophia, I have
neard that she or.ee galloped her horse
"P the etep of St Paul's Cathedral "
And down r-galn, Peter." added Sir
Wehard
"Also, she Is said to be possessed of a
temper," I continued, "and Is above the
Wag height. I believe, and I have a
PMural antipathy to termagants, more
"peeially tall ones."
, 'Termagants'" cried Sir Richard.
yWhy ihe's the handaomest woman tn
'-on Jon, boy She's none of your mllk-na-waterway,
meek-mounted misses
eurie- me, noi She's all fire and blood
d high mettle a woman, slr-glorloiu
f- -(line aamme, sir. a DiacK-orowea bub-
-, a positive plum'"
"Blr Hit hard, ' said I, "should I ever
ntmplt marriage which Is most Im
probable, my wife must be eweet and
jy, genile-eyed and soft of voice, ln
wad of your bold, strong-armed, horse
f Joping creature above ajl, she must
" sweet and dinting
vet and sticky oh, tho devJH Hark
ROAD HIGHWAY
BflssMs
I.uh.6 b.oy' .Grainger," cried Sir Richard.
inJl .nln-anrt one glance of the
nl,0U,? S.efton a brlht eyes-ono slr.ce
only, Grainger, and he'd at her feet-on
... -..ices on his confounded knees, slrl"
H. ! question Is, how do you propose
to maintain yourself In the future?" said
iZ 0l;a,nser this point; "life under
:. """r1 'orH"i" must prove neces
sarily hatd, Mr. Peter,"
Ji'.t"? lr'" 1 vered, "a fortune
ir"f! ll8'4 on t0 ,l P"ve a
ZJ?, m.ed bl8Slnt after all; and then
S5.i ,' "" "y be a certain amount of
lil . awt,?Vn MPP'ne Mo a dead man's
shoes, but I, very foolishly, perhaps, have
a hankering for shoes of my own. Surely
there must be some position In life that
I am competent to fill, some position that
would maintain me honorably and well; I
flatter myself that my years at Oxford
were not altogether barren of result "
t("By no means," put In Sir Richard;
,u nun mo nign jump, i Deneve7
Sir, I did." said I, "also 'throwing t
dng the
naramer.- "
"And spent two thousand pounds per
annum?" said Sir Richard.
"Sir, I did, but between whiles man
aged to do fairly well In the Tripos, to
finish a new and original translation of
Qulntlllan, another of Petronlus Arbiter
and atso a literal rendering Into tho
English of the Memoirs of the Sieur de
Brantome."
"For none of which you have hitherto
found a publisher?" Inquired Mr. Grain
ger. "Not as et," said I, "but 1 havo great
hopes of my Brantome, as you are prob
ably aware this Is the first time he has
ever been translated Into the English."
"Hum"' said Sir Richard, "ha!-and in
the meantime what do you Intend to do'"
"On that head I havo ns yet como to
no definite conclusion, sir," I answered.
"I have been wondering," began Mr.
Grainger, somewhat diffidently, "If you
would care to accept a position In my
olllce. Tc be furs the remuneration
would bo small at first and quite Insig
nificant In comparison to the Income you
have been In the receipt of."
"But It would have been money
earned," said I, "which Is Infinitely pref
erable to that for which we never turn
a hand at least, I think so."
Then you accept?"
"No, sir," said I. "though I am grate
ful to you, and thank you most sincerely
for your offer, yet I have never felt the
least Inclination to tho practice of law;
where there Is no Interest one's work
must neces&arily suffer, and I have no
desire that your business -should be In
jured bv nny carelessness of mine."
"What do you think of a private tutor
ship?" "It would suit me above all things were
It not for tho fact that the genus 'Boy'
is the most aggravating of all animals,
nnd that I am conscious of a certain
shortness of temper at times, which
m'Eiu resuil ill pain iu my puii, ivaa i
of dignity to myself, and general un-
pleasantness to nil concerned otherwise
a private tutorship would suit most ad
mirably." Here Sir Richard took another pinch
of snuff nnd sat frowning up at the cell
ing, while Mr. Grainger began tying up i
that document which had so altered mv
prospects. As for -me, I crossed to the
window and btcod staring out at the eve
ning. Everywhere were trees tinted by
the rosy glow of sunset, trees that stirred
sleepily in the gentle wind, and far away
I could see that famous highway, built
and paved for the march of Roman le
gions, winding away to where It vanished
over distant Shooter's Hill.
"And pray," said Sir Richard, still
frowning at the celling, "what do you
propose to do with 801"
Now, as I looked out upon this fair eve
nlng, I became, of a sudden, possessed
of an overmastering desire, a great long
ing for field and meadow and hedgerow,
for wood and coppice and shady stream,
for sequestered Inns arfd wide, wind-swept
heaths, and ever the broad highway in
front. Thus 1 answered Sir Richard's
question unhesitatingly and without turn
ing from tho window
"1 shall go, sir, on a walking tour
through Kent and Surrey into Devon
shire, and thence probably to Cornwall."-
"And with a miserable 10 guineas in
your pocket? Preposterous absurd!" re
torted Sir Richard.
"On the contrary, sir," said I. "the
more I ponder the project the more en
amored of It I become."
"And when your money Is all gone
how then?"
"I shall turn my hand to some useful
employment,'" said I; "digging, for In
stance." "Digging"' ejaculated Sir Richard, "and
you a scholar and what is more, a gen
tleman!" "My dear Sir Richard," said I, "that
all deoends UDon how you would define a
gentleman. To me he would appear, of
late years, to have degenerated Into a
creature whose chief end In life la to
spend money he has never earned, to re
produce his bpccles with a deplorable
frequency and promiscuity, habitually to
drink more than Is good for him, and, be
tween whiles, to fill In his time hunting,
cock-fighting or watching entranced while
two men pound each other unrecognizable
In the prize ring. Occasionally he has
the good taste to break his neck In the
hunting field or get himself gloriously
shot In a duel, but the generality live on
to a good old age, turn their attention
to matters political and, following the
dictates of their class, damn all reform
with a whole-hearted fervor equaled only
by their rancor."
"Deuce take me!" ejaculated Sir Rich
ard feebly, while Mr. Grainger buried his
face in his pocket handkerchief.
"To my mind," I ended, "the man who
sweats over a spade or follows the tall
of a plow is far nobler and higher in the
scheme of things than any of your young
'bloods' driving his coach and four to
Brighton to the danger of all and sun
dry." Blr Richard slowly got up out of his
chair, staring at me open-mouthed. "Good
God!" he exclaimed at last, "the boy's
a revolutionary." M
I smiled and shrugged my shoulders,
but before I could speak Mr, Grainger
Interposed, sedate and aolomn as ueual;
"Referring to your proposed tour, Mr.
Peter, when do you expect to start?"
"Early tomorrow morning, sir."
"I will not attempt to dissuade you,
well knowing the difficulty," said he,
with a faint imlle, "but a letter ad
dressed to me at Lincoln's Inn will al
ways find me and receive my most earn
... .Mention." So saying, he rose, bowed
and having shaken my hand, left the
room, closing the door behind him.
"Peter." exclaimed the baronet, strid
ing up and down, "Peter, you are a fool,
sir a hot-headed, self-sufficient, prag
ma'tieal young fool. sir. curae me I"
"I am sorry you should think so," I
'"Arid " he continued, regarding me with
a defiant oye, "I shall expect you to drsw
upon me .for any sum tbat-that you may
..i. m the Dresent friendship's sake
boyhood andand all that sort of thing,
And-or-oh, damme, you understand,
Peter?'
'Sir Richard," sid I, grasping his un.
willing hand, "I-I thank, you from the
bottom of my heart" '
"Fooh Peter, dammit! ' said he, snatch
ing his hand away and thrusting it hur
riedly Into his pocket, out of further
roach
"Thank you, sir," I reiterated; "be sure
that should I fall 111 or any unforeseen
calamity happen to me. T will most gladly,
most gratefully accept your generous aid
in the spirit in which U is offered, but-'
But?" exclaimed Blr Richard
t'ntll then'
Oh the devil"' said Sir Richard, and,
ringing the beU, ordered his horse to be
brought to the door, and thersfter stood
with Ws back to the empty fireplace, his
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"1 needs must turn to look at the tall, black shaft of the gibbet, and the grisly horror that dangled
beneath ita chains and iron bands; and from this back again to my companion, to find him regarding me
with a curiously twisted smile, and a long-barreled pistol held within a foot of my head,"
fists thrust down into his pockets, frown
ins heaily and with a fixed intentness
at the neaiest armchair
Sir Richard Anstruther Is tall and
broad, ruddy of face, with a prominent
nose and great square chin, whose srlm
ness Is off tot b a mouth singularly sweet
and tender, and the kindly light of blue
eyes, ho Is In very truth a gentleman.
Indeed, as ho stood there, In his plain
blue coat with Its high roll collar and
shining silver buttons, his spotless mole
skins and heavy, squaro-toed riding boots,
he was as fair a type as might bo of tho
English country gentleman It Is such
men as he, who, fearless upon the lit
tered quarter-decks of reeling battleships,
undismayed amid the smoke and death
of stricken fields, their duty well and
nobly done, havo turned their feet home
ward to pass their latter days amid
their turnips and cabbages, beating their
swords Into pruning hooks, and glad
enough to do It.
"Peter," said he, suddenly. '
"Sir?" said I.
"You never saw your father to remem
ber, did you?"
"No, Sir Richzrd."
"Nor your mother?"
"Nor my mother."
"Poor boy poor boy!"
"You knew my mother?"
"Yes, Peter, I knew your mother," said
Sir Richard, staring very hard at the
chair again, and I saw that his mouth
had grown wonderfully tender. "Yours
has been a very secluded life hitherto,
Peter," he went on after a moment.
"Entirely so." said I, "with the excep
tion of my never-to-be-forgotten visits to
the Hall. '
"Ah, yes; I taught you to ride, re
member." "You are associated with every boyish J
pleasure I ever knew," said I, laying my
hand upon his arm. Sir Richard coughed
and grew suddenly red In the face.
"Why ah you see, Peter," he began,
picking up his riding whip and staring at
it, "you see your uncle was never very
fond of company at any time, whereas
"Whereas you could always find time
to remember the lonely boy left when all
his companions were gone on their holi
daysleft to his books and the dreary
desolation of the empty achoolhouse and
echoing cloisters "
"Pooh!" exclaimed Blr Richard, redder
than ever. "Bosh I"
"Do you think I can ever forget the
glorious day when you drove over in your
coach and four, and carried me off in
triumph, and how we raced the white
halted fellow in the tilbury ?"
"And beat html" added Blr Richard.
"Took off his near wheel on the turn."
t.ald I.
"The fool's own fault." said Sir Rich
ard. "And left him in the ditch, cursing us!"
said I.
"Egad, jes, Peter! Oh, but those were
fine horses and though I say it, no bet
ter team In the south country. You'll
remember the 'off wheeler' broke his leg
shortly after and had to be shot, poor
devil."
"And later, at Oxford," I began.
"What now, Peter?" tald Sir Richard,
frowning darkly
"Do you remember th bronxe vase that
used to stand on the mantelpltc in my
study?" s
"Bronxe vase?" repeated Bir Richard,
Intent upon his whip again
"I used to find bank notes in It after
you had visited me, and when I hid the
vase they turned up Just the same In
most unexpected places,"
"Young fellow must have money
neceasary now and then," muttered Sir
Richard
At this Juncture, with a discrest knock,
the butler appeared to announce that
Sir Richard's hors was waiting Hers-
By JEFFERY FARNOL
'TC mki&XBmBM
upon the baronet, somewhat hastily,
caught up his hat and gloves, and I fol
lowed him out of the house and down
the steps.
Sir Richard drew on his gloves, thrust
his toe Into the stirrup, and then turned
to look at me over his arm.
"Peter." said he.
"Sir Richard?" said I.
"Regarding your walking tour "
"Yes"'
"I think it's all damned tomfoolery!"
said Sir Richard. After saying which
he Bwung himself Into the saddle" with
a lightness and ease that many younger
might have envied.
"I'm sorry for that, sir, because my
mind 13 set upon It."
"With 10 guineas in your poeket"'
"That, with due economy, should be
ample until I can find some means to
earn more."
"A fiddlestick, sir an accursed fid
dlestick'" snorted Sir Richard. "How
is a boy. an unsophisticated, hot-headed
young fool of a boy, to earn his own
living?"
"Others have done It," I began.
"Pish!" said the baronet.
"And been the better for At in the
end."
"Tush!" said the baronet.
"And I have a great dealre to see the
world from the viewpoint of the multi
tude." "Bah!" said the baronet, so forcibly
that his mare started; "this comes of
your damnable revolutionary tendencies
Let me tell you, want la a hard ma6-
ter, and the world a bad place for one upon the indistinct mass, I presently dts
who is moneyless and without friends." ' tlnguished a figure running toward me
'You forget, sir, I shall never be with
out a friend "
"God knows it, boy," answered Sir
Richard, and his hand fell and rested
for a moment upon my shoulder. "Peter,"
said he, very slowly and heavily, "I'm
growing old and I shall never marry
and sometimes, Peter, of an evening I
get very lonely and lonely, Peter." Ho
stopped for a while, gazing away toward
the green slopes qf distant Shooter's Hill,
"Oh, boy!" said he at last, "won't you
come to the Hall and help me to spend
my money?"
Without answering I reached up and
clasped his hand; it was the hand which
held his whip, and I noticed how tightly
he gripped the handle, and wondered.
"Sir Richard," said I at last, "wher
ever I go I shall treasure the recollection
of this moment, but "
"But, Peter?"
"But, sir "
"Oh, dammit'" he exclaimed, and set
spurs to his mare. Yet once he turned
In his saddle to flourish his whip to me
ere he galloped out of sight.
Set Out
CHAPTER II
THE clock ot the tquare-towered Nor
man church, a mile away, was strik
ing the hour ot four as I let myself out
into the morning. It was dark as yet,
and chilly, but in the east' was already
a faint glimmer of dawn, Reaching the
stables, I paused with my hand on th
door hasp, listening to the hies, hissing
that told me Adam, the groom, was al
ready at work within As I entered ho
looked up from the saddle he was polish
ing and touched his forehead with a
grimy forefinger
"You be early abroad. Mr Peter "
"Yes," said I "I wish to be on Shoot
er's Hill at sunrise, but first I came to
say 'good-by' to 'Wings ' "
"To be sure, sir." nodded Adam, pick
Ine up his lantern.
Upon the ensuing interview I will not
dwell. It was affecting both to her and
to myself, for we were mutually at
tached "Sir," said Adam, when at last the
stable door had closed behind us, "that
there mare knows a you re a-leavlng
hr"i
"I Wink he doe. Adam,"
" 'Osses bo wonderful wise, sir."
"Yes, Adam."
"This is a bad day for Wings
sir-
ana an ot us, ror that matter. '
"I hope not, Adam "
"You be a-golng away, they tell
me,
sir?"
"Yes, going away." I nodded.
"Wonder what'll become o' the mare,
sir?"
"Ah. yet, I winder." said I.
"Everything to be sold under, the will,
I think, sir?"
"Everything, Adam."
"Excuse me, sir," said he, knuckling
his forehead "you won't be wanting ever
a groom, will you?"
"No, Adam," I answered, shaking my
head, "I shan't be wanting a groom."
"Nor yet a body servant, sir?"
"No, Adam, nor yet a body servant."
Here there ensued a silence during
which Adam knuckled his right temple
pjiln and I tightened the buckle of my
Vn ipsaek
' I think, Adam." eald I, "I think It Is
do " to bo a fine day."
'Yes, sir"
Good-by, Adam!" said I, and held out
my hand.
"Good-by, sir." And, having shaken my
hand, he turned and went back Into the
stable.
So I set off, walking beneath an avenue
of trees looming up gigantic on either
hand At the end was the lodge and. ere
I opened the gates, I paused for one last
look at the house that had been all the
I home I had ever known since I could re
member. As I stood thus, with my eyes
and, as he came up, recognized Adam.
"It ain't much. air. but It's all I "ave."
said he, and thrust a short, thick, well
smoked clay pipe Into my hand a nlpe
that was fashioned to the shape of a ne
gro's head, "tfs a good pipe, sir," he
went on, "a mortal good pipe, and as
tweet as a nut'" saying which, he
turned about and ran off, leaving me
standing there with his parting gift In
my hand.
And having put the pipe Into an inner
pocket, I opened the gate and started off
at a good pace along the broad highway.
In the knapsack at my back I had
stowed a few clothes, the strongest and
plainest I postmsed, together with a shirt,
soma half-dozen favorite books, and my
translation of Brantome, Qulntlllan and
fetronlue I had left with Mr Grainger,
who had promised to send them to a pub.
Usher, a friend of his, and In my pocket
was my unole George's legacy, namely,
ten guineas tn gold. And. as I walked, I
began to compute how long such a sum
might be made to last a man By prar
tiolng the strictest economy, I thought I
might manage well enough on two ehll
lings a day, and this left me some hun
dred odd days In whleh to find tom
means ot livelihood, and tf a man coul
not tult himself tn such time, then
(thought I) he must be a fool Indeed.
The Hold-up
CHAPTER III
THAT day I passed through several
villages, stopping only to eat and
drink; thus evening was falling as, hav
ing left fair Sevenoaks behind, I cam
to the brow ot a certain hill, a lonr and
very steep descent which (I think) is
called the River Hill And here, rlslnr
stark against the evening sky, was a
gibbet, and standing beneath It a man,
a short, square man in a somewhat shab
by coat ot a bottle-green, and with a
wide-brimmed beaver hat sloped down
over his eyes, who atood with bis feet
well apart, sucking the knob of a stick
he carried, why he stared up at that
which dangled by a stout chain from the
croes-beam of the gibbet something black
and shriveled and horrible that bad one
been human.
A X came up the roan drew the stick
A Tale of 19th Century England, Full
of the Thrills of Adventure and Spirit
Of Romance. Copyright, 1915, Little, Brown k Co.
from hit mouth and touched the brim ot
hta hat with It in salutation.
"An objeet-leseon, sir," said he, and
nodded toward the loathsome mass above.
"A vtry hideous one'" said I, pausing,
"and, I think, a very uaeleis one '
"He was as fine a fellow as ever thruit
toe Into sthrup," the man went on, point
ing upward with his stick, "though you'd
never think so to look at him now'"
"It's a horrible sight"' said I.
"It is," nodded th man, "if a eight
to turn a man's stomach, that It la' '
"You knew him, perhapa?" said I.
"Knew him," repeated the man, staring
at i over his shoulder, "knew him ah
that la, I knew of him."
"A highwayman?"
"Nick Sorope his name was," answered
the man with a nod, "hung at Maidstone
atatzes laat year, and a very good end
he made of It too; and here he be hung
up in chains all nat'ral and reg'lar, as a
warning to all and sundry."
"The more shame to England," said I;
"to my thinking It Is a scandal that our
highways should be rendered odious by
ruch horrors, and as wicked as It is
useless."
"Od rot me'" cried the fellow, slap
ping a cloud of dust from his coat with
his stick, "hark to that now,"
"What?" said I. "do you think for one
moment that such a sight, horrible
though It Is, could possibly deter a man
from robbery or murder whose mind Is
already made up to It by reason of cir
cumstances or starvation?"
"Well, but It's an old custom, as old
as this here road "
"True," said I. 'and that of Itself but
proves my argument, for men have been
hanged and gibbeted all these years, yet
robbery and murder abide with us still,
and are of daily occurrence."
' Why, as to that, sir," said the man.
falling Into step beside me as I walked
on down the hill, "I won't say yes and
I won't say no, but what I do say Is
as many a man might think twice afore
running the chance of coming to that
look!" And he stopped to turn, and point
back at tho gibbet with his Btlck "Nick
can't last much longer, though I've
know'd 'em hang a good time but they
made a botch of Nick not enough tar;
you can see where the sun catches him
there!"
Once more, though my whole being re
volted at the sight, I must needs turn to
look at the thlng-the tall, black shaft of
the gibbet, and the grisly horror that
dangled beneath with Its chains and Iron
bands; and from this, back again to my
companion, to find him regarding me with
a curiously twisted smile, and a long
barrelled pistol held within a foot of my
head.
"Well?" said I, staring.
"Sir." ahald he, tapping his boot with
his stick. "I must trouble you for the
shiner I see a-wlnklng at me from your
cravat, likewise your watch and any
small change you may have "
For a moment I hesitated, glancing
from his grinning mouth swiftly over the
deserted road, nnd back again.
"Likewise," said the fellow, "I must
ask you to be sharp about It." It was
with singularly clumsy fingers that I
drew the watch from my fob and the pin
from my cravat, and passed them to him.
"Now your pockets," he suggested,
"turn 'em out."
This command I reluctantly obeyed,
bringing to light my ten guineas, which
ivtr as vet Intact, and which he pock
eted forthwith, and two pennies which
he bade me keep.
"For," said he, " 'twill buy you a
draught of ale. sir, and there's good stuff
to be .iad at The White Hart yonder,
and there's nothln' like a draught of
good ale to comfort a man In any such
small adversity like this here , As to that
knapsack." he pursued, eyeing it thought
fully. "It looks heavy and might hold
valleybols, but then, on the other hand.
It might not, and those there straps takes
time to unbuckle and " He broke off
suddenly, for from somewhere on the
hill below us came the unmistakable
sound' of wheels Hereupon the fellow
very nlmblv ran across the road, turned,
nodded and vanished among the trees
and underbrush that clothed the steep
elope down to tho valley below.
The Bagman
CHAPTER W
I WAS yet standing there, half stunned
by my loss and the suddenness of It
all. when a tilbury came slowly round a
bend In the road, the driver of which
nooded lazily in his seat while his horse,
a sorry. Jaded animal, plodded wearily
up the steep slope of the hill. As he ap
proached I hailed him loudly, upon which
he suddenly dived down between his
knees and produced a brass-bound blun
derbuss. "What's to do?" cried he, a thick-set,
round-faced fellow, "what's to do. eh?"
and, he covered me with the wide mouth
of the blunderbuss.
"Thleveb!" said I; "I've been robbed,
and not three minutes since."
"Ah'" he exclaimed, in a tone of great
relief and with the color returning to his
plump cheeks, "Is that the way of it?"
"It Is," said 1. "and a very bad way;
the fellow has left me but twopence In
tho world,"
"Twopence ah ?"
"Come," I went on. "yeu are armed, I
see; the th!6f took to tho bruahwood.
here, not thjee minutes ago; we may
catch him yet "
"Catch him?" repeated the fellow,
staring
"Yes, don't I tell you he has stolen all
th monev I DStfesa?"
"Except twopence," said the fellow
"Yes "
"Well, twopence ain't to be sneezed at,
and If I was you "
"Come, we're losing time," tald I, cut
ting him short
"But my mare, what about my mare?"
"She'll stand," I answered; "she's tired
enough." .
The Bagman, for such I t6ok him to
be, sighed and, blunderbuss in hand, pre
pared to alight, but in the act ot doing
so paused.
"Was the rascal armed?" he inquired,
over his shoulder.
"To be sure he was," said I.
The Bagman got back Into his seat and
took up tho reins
"What now?" I Inquired.
"It's this accursed mare of mine," he
answered, "she'll bolt again, d'ye see
twice yesterday and'once the day before
she bolted, sir, and on a road like this "
"Thpn lend me your blunderbuxs."
"I oan't do that," he replied, shaking
hi head
"But why not'" said I impatiently.
"Because this Is a dangerous road, and
I don't Intend to be left unarmed on a
dangerous road; I never have been and
I never will, and there's an end to It.
d'ye see!"
"Then do you mean to say that you re.
fuse your aid to a tellow-traveltr that
you will sit there and let the rogue get
away with all the money I possess in
the world "
'Oh, no, not on no account; Juat you
get up here bealde roe and we'll drive
to The White Hart I'm well known at
The White Hart, we'll gt tew honest
fellows at our heels and have this thiev
ing, rascally villain In the twinkling of
no stoppea suaaemy. made a
frantlo clutch at his blunderbuss and sat
staring. Turning short round, I saw the
man in th beaver hat standing within
a yard of us, fipgtring his long pistol and
with th tame twUted smile upon his
lip.
"I've a mind." eald h. nodding hi
Rta at u aman, "i"va great ria
to blow your face o&."
The blunderbuss fell to the roedw? ,j
with a clatter. ,
'Thlevln', rascally vlllatn-wa MT"
Dmml I think I will blow your face
off."
"No-don't do-that," aald the Bagrass,
In a Strang, Jerky voice, "what 'ud be
the good?" , , ti
"Why, that there poor animal wouldn't
have to drag that tat cartels of your
up and down hllli, tor one thlogUt
"I'll get out and walk." "
"And it might leam ye to kp a civil
tongue in your head."
"I I didn't mean any offense."
"Then chuck u your purse," growled
the other, "and be quick about It" The
Bagman obeyed with wonderful celerltr,
and I heard the purse chink as the foot
pad dropped it Into the pocket ot hie
greatcoat
"As for you," tald he. turning- to m.
"you get on your way and never mind
me; forget you ever had ten guineas and
don't go a-riakln' your vallyble young
life; come up with you!" and h mo
tioned me Into the tilbury with hi pistol,
"What about my blunderbuss?" expo
tulated the Bagman, faintly, a I seated
myself beside him, "you'll give me my
blunderbuss cost me five pound it did
"More fool you!" said the highwayman,
and, picking up the unwieldy weapon,
he hove It into the ditch.
"As to our argyment regardln glb
betln', air," said he, nodding to me, "I'm
rayther inclined to think you was In 'the
right on It arter all." Then, turning s
toward the Bagman: "Drive on, fat
face!" said he, "and sharp's th word."
Whereupon the Bagman whipped up his
horse and, as the tired animal struggled
forward over the crest of the hill, I saw
the highwayman still watching us.
Very soon we came In view of "The
White Hart," an Inn I remembered to
have passed on the right-hand side of the
road, and scarce were we driven up to,
the door than down Jumped the Bagman,'
leaving me to follow at my leisure, and
running Into the tap, forthwith began r
countlng his loss to all and sundry, so
that I soon found we were become the
centre of a gaping crowd, much to my
disgust Indeed, I w.uld have slipped
away, but each time I attempted to do
so the Bagman would appeal to me to
corroborate some statement.
"Galloping Dick himself, or I'm a
Dutchman?" he cried for the twentieth
time; "up he comes, bold as brass, bless
you. and a horse-pistol In each hand.
'Hold hard!' says I, and up with my
blunderbuss?" he inquired, turning to
me.
"Quite well," said I.
"Ah. but you should have seen the tot-
low's face when he eaw my blunderbuss
ready at my shoulder; green It was
green as grass, for 'f ever there was
death In a man's face, and sudden death
at that, there was sudden death In mine,
when, all at once, my mare, my accursed
mar. Jibbed"
"Yes, yes?" cried half a dozen breath
less voices, "what then?"
"Why. then, gentlemen," eald the Bag
man, shaking his head and frownlnsr
round upon the ririg of Intent facet,
"why then, gentlemen, being, a resolute,
determined fellow, I did what any other
man of spirit would have done I "
"Dropped your blunderbuss," said I
"Ay, to be sure I did "
"And he pitched it Into th ditch,"
said I. ,
"Ay," nodtlM the Bagman dubiously,
while the others crowded nearer
"And then he took your money, and
called you 'Fool' and 'Fat-face.' and to
It ended," said I. With which I pushed
my way from the circle, and, finding a
quiet corner beside the chimney, sat
down, and with my laat twopenc paid for
a tankard of ale. "
The White Hart
CHAPTER V
WHEN a man has experienced soow
great and totally unexpected reverse
of fortune, has been swept from one plane
of existence to another, that he should
fall at once to recognize the full magni
tude of that change Is but natural, for
hi faculties must of necessltjvbe nufeied
more or less by Its very suddenness.
Yesterday I had been reduced from ar- ,v
uuentl ID Jjuveiiy wikil an MiicAkwu-v ,
.. .1.. ..., .I...., MA ,AH ,!.& ,HA -"
UCBS mat. imu UaU .IIG Vl ...a ..,!,a
being, and, from the poverty of an hour
ago, I now found myself reduced to an
utter destitution, without the wherewithal
to pay for the meanest night's lodging
And, contrasting the careless eaae of &
few days since with my present lament
able situation, I tell Into a gloomy medi
tation; and the longer I thought it over,
the more dejected I became. To be sure,
I might apply to Sir Richard tor assist
ance, but my pride revolted at even the
thought, more especially at such an early
stage; moreover, I had determined, be
forehand, to walk my appointed road un
aided from the first
From these depressing thoughts I was
presently aroused by a loud, rough yoice
at no great distance, to which, though I
had been dimly conscious of it tor some
time, I had before paid no attention..
Now, however, I raised my eyes from the
spot upon the floor where they had rested
hitherto, alnd fixed them upon the
speaker.
He was a square-shouldered, bullet
headed fellow, evidently held In much re
spect by his companions, tor he occupied
the head of the table, and I noticed that
whenever he spoke the others held their
peace, and hung upon the words with an
appearance ot much reapect
" 'Yes, sirs.' eays I, he began, louder
than ever before and with a flourish ot
nib long-stemmed pipe, " 'yes, airs, Tom
C rage's my name, an' craggy' my
natur,' eays I "I be 'ard, sirs, dey-vlllsh
'ard an' uncommon rockyf 'Ere's a face
as likes good knocks, I says, 'w'y, vchen
I fought Crib Burke o' Bristol, 'e broke
'Is 'end again' my Jaw, so "e did, an I
scarce knowed 'e'd 'it me till I see tm
'oppln' wr the pain ot it Come, sir,'
says I. 'who'll give me a black eye, a
fiver s all I ask.' Well, up comes a younx
buck, ready an' wlllln 'Tom. say t,
'I'll take two flaps at that flgger-head o'
yourn for icven guineas, come, what d'ye
say?1 I aays. 'done ' says I So my Una
gentleman lays by 'is "at an" eane. strips
off 'is right-'and glove, an' 'eavtn' back
leta fly at me. Bang come 'Is flit again1
ray Jaw, an' there's my gentleman
a-dabbln' at 'Is broken knuckle wf 'is
ankerefur 'Come, my lord.' aaya J, 'fair
is fair, take your other whlck ' 'Damna
tion' rays 'c, take your money an' so to
the devil"' says 'e, 'I thought you was
flesh an" blood an' not caat Jronl'
'Craggy my lord, says I, gathering p
the rhino, 'Craggy by name an' craggy by
natur, my lord.' ay I."
' Now, Tom, aid a tail, bonx Jwis
vldual, chiefly remarkable in peeat
but one eye. and that o extremJy x-w
ana watery as to give one th Me tkai.
it wan very much overworked, "jiol
Tom." said he, setting down th rtf!U4
tankaru at the great man' cw -wi-
1
a triumphant nourish, "tell us ow -'
fchcok anoa wr the Prince Resent.
"All' tell us." chimed in the, rt '
CONTINUED TOMOMK5W?
The Ettning ttmt W h-
carrier ttnywkrr far U re '
Cat ent th touiKii mo mM VrJ
ths Clmton JJept, vMnr t4m
jndrpenatse Bqvr, J'HlJeu,
Walnut W0' w Hal Wf,
Ftoat ten WMi K4k ( f iti "
.eager.
v,
.'
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