nt were informed of his condition, and prepared, both of them, to
bow their heads to the close of an ungodly career. It was known over
Warbeach, that Robert lay in danger, and believed that he was dying.

CHAPTER XXI

Mrs. Boulby's ears had not deceived her; it had been a bet: and the day
would have gone disastrously with Robert, if Mrs. Lovell had not won
her bet. What was heroism to Warbeach, appeared very outrageous
blackguardism up at Fairly. It was there believed by the gentlemen,
though rather against evidence, that the man was a sturdy ruffian,
and an infuriated sot. The first suggestion was to drag him before
the magistrates; but against this Algernon protested, declaring his
readiness to defend himself, with so vehement a magnanimity, that it was
clearly seen the man had a claim on him. Lord Elling, however, when he
was told of these systematic assaults upon one of his guests, announced
his resolve to bring the law into operation. Algernon heard it as the
knell to his visit.

He was too happy, to go away willingly; and the great Jew City of London
was exceedingly hot for him at that period; but to stay and risk an
exposure of his extinct military career, was not possible. In his
despair, he took Mrs. Lovell entirely into his confidence; in doing
which, he only filled up the outlines of what she already knew
concerning Edward. He was too useful to the lady for her to afford to
let him go. No other youth called her "angel" for listening complacently
to strange stories of men and their dilemmas; no one fetched and carried
for her like Algernon; and she was a woman who cherished dog-like
adoration, and could not part with it. She had also the will to reward
it.

At her intercession, Robert was spared an introduction to the
magistrates. She made light of his misdemeanours, assuring everybody
that so splendid a horseman deserved to be dealt with differently from
other offenders. The gentlemen who waited upon Farmer Eccles went in
obedience to her orders.

Then came the scene on Ditley Marsh, described to that assembly at the
Pilot, by Stephen Bilton, when she perceived that Robert was manageable
in silken trammels, and made a bet that she would show him tamed. She
won her bet, and saved the gentlemen from soiling their hands, for which
they had conceived a pressing necessity, and they thanked her, and paid
their money over to Algernon, whom she constituted her treasurer. She
was called "the man-tamer," gr