was
indeed without a wet hair upon her and could not have been ridden!
They were obliged to accept this evidence as establishing Turpin's
innocence, and he escaped the clutches of the law by the sacrifice of
one of his steeds!

Another story, reflecting the hero's manner of tempering the demands of
his profession with generosity, is that on one occasion a Therfield
labouring man was returning home across the wilds of Royston Heath,
with his week's wages in his pocket, when he met with Dick Turpin. In
answer to the demand for his money the man pleaded that it was all he
had to support his wife and children. The {15} highwayman's code,
however, was inexorable, and the money had to be handed over, but with
a promise from the highwayman that if he would meet him at a certain
spot another night it should be returned to him. The man made the best
of what seemed a hard bargain, but on going to the trysting place, his
money was returned to him with substantial interest! Upon this one may
very well add the sentiment of the boy who, on finding the place in his
hand for a tip suddenly occupied by one of Turpin's guineas, is made to
remark:--"And so that be Dick Turpin folks talk so much about! Well,
he's as civil speaking a chap as need be; blow my boots if he ain't!"

Of course these are only legends, but the desire to be impartial, is, I
hope, perfectly consistent with a tender regard for the legendary
background of history. To subject a legend or tradition to the logical
process of reasoning and analysis, is like crushing a butterfly or
breaking a scent bottle, and expecting still to keep the beauty of the
one and the fragrance of the other. I do not, therefore, push the
inquiry further than to remark that legend and tradition are generally
the reflection of a certain amount of truth, and the truth in this case
is that highwaymen and their practices were closely identified with
this district. The case of Gatward is the strongest possible proof
that travelling along the great cross roads meeting at Royston, was
very frequently interrupted by the exploits of highwaymen possessing
some at least of the accomplishments indicated by one of the characters
in Ainsworth's story, that it was "as necessary for a man to be a
gentleman before he can turn highwayman, as for a doctor to have his
diploma or an attorney his certificate." I am able to add, on the
authority of the _Cambridge Chronicle_ for the year 1765, the files of
w