Peregrine's Progress

ely my forlornness grew intensified. I felt miserably helpless and at a loss, for the man's sullen face seemed to hol

e landlord, more threatening than eve

ing his insolent look with as mu

r the mendin' o' my door-wot about it-come!" Here he lurched towards me, shoulders hunched, chin brut

ble imitation of Anthony's masterful m

do? Wot abo

arge it in

as I wants-thirty shillin'-in

, so will you please have a

rd-in my 'and-this moment-my

ch, he scowled the fiercer and thrust a hairy fist into my face. Threatened thus with bodily harm, I glanced hastily over my shoulder with some

ing his fist under my nose. "Which i

k my scowling aggressor by an ear and tweaked it till he writhed, and turning, I beheld

your wicked 'ead under the pump this instant, you bad boy. As for you, my pore lamb, never 'eed 'im; 'e bean't so bad when 'e's sober. C

mind nobody. Lor'! You be a-shiverin' an' shakin' like a little asp, I declare. Poor child!" sighed she,

by her solicitude, "I am not so very

you,

no! I am

e-lor', an' you

feet thre

men is all children-'specially my man. Which do mind me. Sammy," she called, "go into the was

omewhere adjacent rose the clank of a pump to

ll do,

, ma

wn-this moment. 'E'll be all r

, ma

is young genelman in Nu

, ma

e I sat gazing into the fire and hearkening to the patter of rain on the windows and the wind that howled dismally without and rum

poon in her hand. "Can I get ye anythink? A drop o' kind rum or nice brandy-or say a g

y. "But if you could oblige me with pen

hough I'm afraid

cut an

d S-a-m-i-e for Samuel." So saying, she presently set out the articles in question;

ving care. Within this space I have found the world more wonderful than my dreams and man more varied than a b

rather I was actuated by motives as unselfish as sincere. Writing this, I pray that though this separation pain you as it does me, it may yet serve to brin

of my further adventu

, a tramp of feet, and the door swung suddenly open to admit two men, or rather three, for between them they dragged one, a short, squat fellow in riding boots and horseman's coat, but all so torn and bedraggled, so fou

se the landlady entered, followed by her sullen spouse (s

on plump hips and eyeing the newcomers ver

n' 'ighwayman-Galloping Je

. "Bleedin' all over my clean kitc

!" Saying which, the speaker kicked the poor wretch so that he would ha

'm minded to try my

a-goin' t' kick nobody in my kitchen, and no more I d

tumbled him into a corner where he lay, his muddy back supported in the angle. And lying thus, it chanced that his eye met mine, a bright eye, very piercing and keen. Now beholding him thus in his helplessness and misery, I will confess that my very natural and proper repug

parched wi' thirst

the man Tom. "Gi'e him

tor raised his cudgel

f; "if he desires a little water where's the harm; he will find few enough comforts where he is going?" And taking up a jug of water that chanced to be near I approache

lman when I sees one, but it's no go-Jerry

him the wat

me,

n is faint with th

like you don't want nothin' to do

jug and taking out my p

e, "a bottle of your best rum for the officers-a b

the landlady, si

the landlord, reac

and knuckling shaggy eyebrow. So they suffered me to take the water to their

end-I'm no murderer an' my pore old stricken mother on 'er knees for me this night, an' my sweet wife an' babbies weepin' their pretty eyes out, an' all for me. I'm a pore lame

prayer, for I saw his swollen lips moving painfully

sayin' of, sir?

g, I be

t the table beside the hearth where glasses were filled from a great bowl of steaming brew and forthwith emptied to my very good health.

e office. Presently we 'ears the sound o' hoofs an' down 'ill easy-like comes a mounted cove. It's 'im!' says I. 'Sure?' says Jimmy. 'Sartin,' says I, 'I knows 'im by 'is 'at!' 'Werry good!' says Jimmy, an

th Jimmy.

tty little job i

th Jimmy.

lsters as long as your arm-they're in the pockets o' my greatcoat yonder-you can

'e floore

cove an' the more credit to us! A desp'rit villain-slipped

, of gruesome deeds and bloody affrays of hunters and hunted until the landlady gasped and, calling the maid for company, went off to bed, while the men turned to stare uneasily behind them and I myself felt my flesh creep. But as the great bowl emptied, tongues began to stutter, and in the midst of a somewhat incoherent r

or th' lov

ness to a dyin' man an' ease my poor arms a bit." Moved by pity for his misery and seeing how cruelly he was bound, I contrived, with no small ado, to loo

nd arms. Then all at once this pitiful creature leapt to swift and terrible action, for at one bound, as it seemed, he had reached the chair where hung the officer's greatcoat, whipped forth and cocked the pistols and with these murderous things levelled in his hands, crept upon the sleepers. The jug slipped from my nerveless hold and, roused by the crash of its fall, the man Tom lifted his

' by hookey, I would, whether or no, if I was th' bloody rogue ye tell me for, 'stead of an 'ighly respe

man stripped himself of such valuables as he possessed

his command transferred the spoil to the capacious pockets of his muddy coat-in I thrust them with unsteady fingers,-rings,

ly cheek with his pistol barrel, "you're a likely cove

d commanding Tom to remove his belt, constrained me to bind the officer's arms behind him therewith and scarce knowing what I did, I lashed th

'y, or I might shoot ye or set the place afire an' roast ye, 'stead o' which I spits on an' leaves ye. An' now, young master, for your own sake-come along o' me; they'll likely be arter you too for this as a accomplice o' the