The Ordeal of Richard Feverel

ipations, the generals of the Blaize and Feverel forces, from opposing ranks, expected him to play. Giles, surnamed the Bantam, on account of some forgo

be relied on-a sort of human composition out of dog, horse, and bull, a cut above each of these quadrupeds in usefulness, and costing proportionately more, but on the whole worth the money, and therefore invaluable, as everything worth its money must be to a wise man. When the stealing of grain had been made known at Belthorpe, the Bantam, a fellow-thresher with

ne, as he averred he did. Lobourne had its say on the subject. Rustic Lobourne hinted broadly at a young woman in the case, and, moreover, told a tale of how these fellow-threshers had, in noble rivalry, one day turned upon each other to see which of the two

e confidence of one who delivers his ace of trumps, "tell this

o his patron, and then swung round

main incident, Richard barely listened to his barbarous locution: but when the recital arrived at the point where the Bantam affirmed he had seen "T'm Baak'

ou making those faces at me?

m to have a look at him, and beheld

es at nobody," growle

nded him to face

s of a horrible wink were directed at Richard. The boy might well bel

m Bakewell set fi

to it, grimacing

ichard, "I put the l

loyal and true to certain gold pieces that had been given him, and that in the right place a

n," muttered the Bantam

hought! Ye thought! What d'ye mean? Speak out, and

it was on a pitch-dark

took ye oath on't. Hulloa! What are ye screwin' yer eye at Mr. Fevere

ard. "I have not

wo arms of the chair he sat

m Bakewell fire that there rick!" The farmer pointed at some musk-pots in the window. "What business ha' you to be a-thinkin'? You're

wn to the morrow's, he determined, after much ploughing and harrowing through obstinate shocks of hair, to be not altogether positive as to the person. It is possible that he became thereby more a mansion of truth than he previously had been; for the night, as he said, was so dark that you could not

ed the

e a fine effort to lift him out of the room from the point of his toe. He fai

ibers, and c'rrupters!-Stop!" to the Bantam, who was slinki

aid the Bant

" the farmer voc

did not; a double contradiction at which the farmer absolutely raged in his cha

a lower note; and then, while a sombre grin betokening idiotic

th a twitch of the shoulder an

to laugh, but his dignity gave way to his sense of the ludicrous, and he let fly a shout. The farmer was in no laughing mood. He turned a wide eye back to the door,

sir! You, or some of ye. I don't care about no Feverel! My witness there has been bribed. The Bantam's been br

hard inquired, w

the farmer, not obse

rry for you, Mr. Feverel-sorry you haven't seen how to treat me proper-you, or yours. Money won't do everything-no! it won't. It'll c'rrupt a witness, but it won't clear a felon. I'd ha' 'soused you, s

nd replied, "Very

well don't drag you into't after 'm, why,

n safety that I sought this interview

mes of the blood that should be! If y' had only ha' spoke trewth!-I believe yer father-bel

astonishment hardly to be fei

or lies that he could detect them where

ows all ab

could have told his father? An old fear of his father c

d me false? Who would betray me to him? It was Austin! No one knew it but Austin. Yes, and it was Austin who persua

g gentleman?" said the farmer.

alogy. He bowed stiffly an

d my boy Tom, bigger than you, for not bein' above board, only yesterday,-ay! made 'un stand within swing o' this chair, and take's measure. Now, if ye'll come down to me, and speak trewth before the trial-if it's only five minutes before't; or if Sir Austin, who'

s deigning a glance at his wistful little guide, who hung at the garden gate to