ion about
everything as--' here he paused and looked round, as if to make sure
that the person in question was not within hearing, 'as Old Nick
himself. Have you done that, master? How slow you are!'

'It's quite fast now,' said Gashford, rising. 'I say--you didn't find
that your friend disapproved of to-day's little expedition? Ha ha ha!
It is fortunate it jumps so well with the witness policy; for, once
planned, it must have been carried out. And now you are going, eh?'

'Now we are going, master!' Hugh replied. 'Any parting words?'

'Oh dear, no,' said Gashford sweetly. 'None!'

'You're sure?' cried Hugh, nudging the grinning Dennis.

'Quite sure, eh, Muster Gashford?' chuckled the hangman.

Gashford paused a moment, struggling with his caution and his malice;
then putting himself between the two men, and laying a hand upon the arm
of each, said, in a cramped whisper:

'Do not, my good friends--I am sure you will not--forget our talk one
night--in your house, Dennis--about this person. No mercy, no quarter,
no two beams of his house to be left standing where the builder placed
them! Fire, the saying goes, is a good servant, but a bad master. Makes
it HIS master; he deserves no better. But I am sure you will be firm, I
am sure you will be very resolute, I am sure you will remember that he
thirsts for your lives, and those of all your brave companions. If
you ever acted like staunch fellows, you will do so to-day. Won't you,
Dennis--won't you, Hugh?'

The two looked at him, and at each other; then bursting into a roar of
laughter, brandished their staves above their heads, shook hands, and
hurried out.

When they had been gone a little time, Gashford followed. They were yet
in sight, and hastening to that part of the adjacent fields in
which their fellows had already mustered; Hugh was looking back, and
flourishing his hat to Barnaby, who, delighted with his trust, replied
in the same way, and then resumed his pacing up and down before the
stable-door, where his feet had worn a path already. And when Gashford
himself was far distant, and looked back for the last time, he was still
walking to and fro, with the same measured tread; the most devoted and
the blithest champion that ever maintained a post, and felt his heart
lifted up with a brave sense of duty, and determination to defend it to
the last.

Smiling at the simplicity of the poor idiot, Gashford betook himself to
Welbeck Street by a different path f