Peregrine's Progress

tted and thus the vehicle was progressing at an inconsiderable pace, and as it passed us where we stood in the hedge, I saw it contained a man and a woman. This man

ellow?" I enquired, br

-her?" excla

if ever there w

Perry. Her eyes seemed so big and appealing. Oh, curs

said I, staring up at the purple

erable-almost l

re we shall s

barn, under a hedge,

he look afra

ry of lavender sheets; the thought of a draughty barn or comfortless ditch appalled me, but I hel

approach I saw proceeded from a wayside inn with a great trough of water before it an

LLY WA

hand while in the other he upheld a foaming beaker-but never in nature did ale or be

my companion, for I h

egr

eer!"

, man,

sign. "Did ever eyes behold b

inted that was damnably dry, perishing of a noble thirst, not a doubt of it, and being a true a

I. "Indeed, on closer inspection

ang that thing in my dining room (supposing I had one) to get me an appetit

utely. "Here is a cosy inn;

se? Curse me,

yes, A

sitively

cheese-like

pitiful eigh

and a downy bed wit

of astonishing deter

ridiculous pr

lous, d'ye

ly prepost

the battered hat very ferociously over one eye. "

d by the allusion, "do

y lack of

ir

ir

diculous manner, we were startled by a clatter of hoofs fr

ome damned scoundrel is kicking a horse!" And away he strode forthwith and I hastened after him. Reaching the yard behind the in

running a hand over the sweating animal with the caressing

ago cursing 'orrid, an' 'im wi' a young fe-male. A bad 'un by 'i

a lady,

we

ul lady-young,

d 'air-likewise she may not-she may ha' been as ba

that'll do! But she w

respect as he observed Anthony's general down-at-heel appearanc

, my lad, t

ler approached in a very dangerous and threatening fashion; but even as he moved, so moved Anthony, only infinitely quicker, and lo! in place of l

y Bell would call '

up and glancing about in dazed fashion

ry another!" suggested

a handful of stable sweepings in an aimless s

were a leveller as you was a fair aski

ing here to-night?

r!" answered

ause why, sir-I'll tell ye true, if you won

se cast a shoe, sir,"

than Sevenoaks, which

fortable chamber, half bar, half kitchen, where was a woman of large and heroic proportions who, beholding Anthony's draggled exterior, frowned, but the sight of my silver buttons and tasseled Hessians

at her mistress's bidding, forthwith brought us to a small ch

eyes that ever eyes

m kind of creature," said I, "b

urning with a kind of leap-

otice when she come

table?

the

heaven, there are times when murder is a virtue!" Here he rose suddenly as a heavy, trampling footstep shook the ceiling above us. "Per

edoubled, so that I rose and, opening a door, found myself in a passage wherein were other doors, from behind one of which came the dull, low sound

ut hearing my footstep, she lifted her head with a weary gesture and, looking into the bea

hite teeth, and uttering a snarling, inarticulate sound, he caught up a heavy walking cane and strode towards me, whereupon I retreated so precipitately that my heel catching in the worn floor-covering, I tripped and fell; then, or ever I could rise, he stooped and catching me in merciless hands, shook me like the savage monster he

found it!" exclaimed Anth

ow tense and rigid as from beyond the bolted door th

fool.... No, by God ... weep your eyes out ... we're as goo

ed Anthony bet

or is bolte

r! Out o'

the room and I behind him. The man in the blue spencer was in the act of locking the doo

e table, turned upon Anthony with the weapon quivering in his big fist

the room yonder and the doors are devilish flimsy, otherwise I should endeavour to d

et, and a dust wherein they swayed and smote each other in desperate, murderous fashion; sickened by this beastly spectacle I shrank away, then ran to catch up the flickering lamp and with this grasped in tremulous hands, waited for the end. They were down at last, rolling upon the floor; then I saw the shabby,

's sake-don't ki

and, running in, caught that merciless arm, commanding and beseeching in turn. "

parted suddenly to make way for a short, squat man who carried a blunderbuss. Anthony saw him

eep 'em quiet while I walk on this scoundrel a little!" Unwillingly enough, I took the weapon, while Anthony forthwith stood upon his prostrate antagonist and proceeded very deliberately to wipe his villainous

estioned the squat fellow, eyeing

hese good fellows to carry him ou

?" exclaimed

ugh!" nodd

answered t

d Anthony, taking

say-" began

Anthony, levelling

nd presently from without came a splash, a fierce sputtering and a furious torrent of gasping oaths, which last sound greatly relieved me; and now, what with this and the excitement of the whole affair, I sank down in a chair, trembling from head to

k you-and my nose so red and

ave knelt to me but that I caught and held her hands in mine; and it was at this mome

isery of his garments and stubble of beard, his wild and desperate appearance was heightened by a smear of blood across his pallid cheek. "Ah!" said he, beholding her instinctive gestu

honour to present your deliverer and my friend, Mr. Anthony Vere-Manville!" And now I