se I cannot assist you; if you
were in need of a blacksmith it would be otherwise.' 'I don't think
either the wheel or the axle is hurt,' said the postilion, who had been
handling both; 'it is only the linch-pin having dropped out that caused
the wheel to fly off; if I could but find the linch-pin!--though,
perhaps, it fell out a mile away.' 'Very likely,' said I; 'but never
mind the linch-pin, I can make you one, or something that will serve: but
I can't stay here any longer, I am going to my place below with this
young gentlewoman, and you had better follow us.' 'I am ready,' said the
man; and after lifting up the wheel and propping it against the chaise,
he went with us, slightly limping, and with his hand pressed to his
thigh.

As we were descending the narrow path, Belle leading the way, and myself
the last of the party, the postilion suddenly stopped short, and looked
about him. 'Why do you stop?' said I. 'I don't wish to offend you,'
said the man, 'but this seems to be a strange place you are leading me
into; I hope you and the young gentlewoman, as you call her, don't mean
me any harm--you seemed in a great hurry to bring me here.' 'We wished
to get you out of the rain,' said I, 'and ourselves too; that is, if we
can, which I rather doubt, for the canvas of a tent is slight shelter in
such a rain; but what harm should we wish to do you?' 'You may think I
have money,' said the man, 'and I have some, but only thirty shillings,
and for a sum like that it would be hardly worth while to--' 'Would it
not?' said I; 'thirty shillings, after all, are thirty shillings, and for
what I know, half a dozen throats may have been cut in this place for
that sum at the rate of five shillings each; moreover, there are the
horses, which would serve to establish this young gentlewoman and myself
in housekeeping, provided we were thinking of such a thing.' 'Then I
suppose I have fallen into pretty hands,' said the man, putting himself
in a posture of defence; 'but I'll show no craven heart; and if you
attempt to lay hands on me, I'll try to pay you in your own coin. I'm
rather lamed in the leg, but I can still use my fists; so come on, both
of you, man and woman, if woman this be, though she looks more like a
grenadier.'

'Let me hear no more of this nonsense,' said Belle; 'if you are afraid,
you can go back to your chaise--we only seek to do you a kindness.'

'Why, he was just now talking of cutting throats,' said the ma