er sweetheart--that being, as he observed, merely an event in the
course of nature--he agreed. In the evening he was visited by Wilford,
and a man who was addressed as Captain. They directed him to have a room
in the cottage ready by the next morning for the reception of a lady;
and at the same time a sealed paper was handed to him, which he was
directed to lock up in some safe place, and in the event of the lady
and her maid-servant being given into his custody unharmed, he was to
deliver up the paper to a gentleman who should produce a signet ring
then shown him. This being successfully accomplished, he and his friend
the poacher were alike to prevent the lady's escape, and protect her
against all intrusion, till such time as Wilford should arrive to claim
her; for which services the worthy pair were to receive conjointly the
sum of twenty pounds.

In pursuance of these instructions, he had locked up the paper, and
prepared for locking up the lady. About half an hour before we made
our appearance, a carriage had arrived with four smoking posters; it
contained two females inside; the Captain and a gentleman (whom the
miller recognised as Mr. Cumberland of Barstone Priory) were seated in
the rumble, while his friend the poacher was located on a portmanteau in
front.

Cumberland and his companion alighted, and the former immediately asked
for the paper, producing the ring, and saying that the plan had been
changed, and that the lady was to go on another stage. Joe Hardman,
however, was not, as he expressed it, "to be done so easy," and
positively refused to give up the paper till the lady was consigned to
his custody. A whispered consultation took place between Cumberland and
the Captain, the carriage door was opened, and the lady and her maid
requested to alight. Joe then ushered them into the room prepared for
them, the windows of which had been effectually secured, locked them in,
and leaving the poacher on guard, hastened to get the paper, which, on
receiving the ring, he delivered up to Cumberland. No sooner, however,
had Cumberland secured the document than he made a signal to the
Captain; they both threw themselves upon Hardman, and endeavoured to
overpower him. He resisted vigorously, shouting loudly to the poacher
for assistance, an appeal to which that treacherous ally responded by
bestowing upon him a blow which stretched him on his back, and damaged
his ~454~~ physiognomy in the manner already described. Hav