he, "you are the person that
carried off my horse out of the stable."--"Tell me not of a horse--where
is the young lady?"--"Now, I will tell you of the horse, and I'll make
you find him too before you and I part."--"Wretched animal! how dar'st
thou dally with my impatience? Speak, or despair--what is become of Miss
Meadows? Say, did she leave this place of her own accord, or was she--
hah! speak--answer, or by the powers above"--"I'll answer you flat--she
you call Miss Meadows is in very good hands--so you may make yourself
easy on that score."--"Sacred Heaven! explain your meaning, miscreant, or
I'll make you a dreadful example to all the insolent publicans of the
realm." So saying, he seized him with one hand and dashed him on the
floor, set one foot on his belly, and kept him trembling in that
prostrate attitude. The ostler and waiter flying to the assistance of
their master, our adventurer unsheathed his sword, declaring he would
dismiss their souls from their bodies, and exterminate the whole family
from the face of the earth, if they would not immediately give him the
satisfaction he required.

The hostess being by this time terrified almost out of her senses, fell
on her knees before him, begging he would spare their lives, and
promising to declare the whole truth. He would not, however, remove his
foot from the body of her husband until she told him, that in less than
half an hour after he had sallied out upon the supposed robbers, two
chaises arrived, each drawn by four horses; that two men, armed with
pistols, alighted from one of them, laid violent hands upon the young
lady; and, notwithstanding her struggling and shrieking, forced her into
the other carriage, in which was an infirm gentleman, who called himself
her guardian; that the maid was left to the care of a third servant, to
follow with a third chaise, which was got ready with all possible
despatch, while the other two proceeded at full speed on the road to
London. It was by this communicative lacquey the people of the house
were informed that the old gentleman his master was Squire Darnel, the
young lady his niece and ward, and our adventurer a needy sharper who
wanted to make a prey of her fortune.

The knight, fired even almost to frenzy by this intimation, spurned the
carcase of his host; and, his eye gleaming terror, rushed into the yard,
in order to mount Bronzomarte and pursue the ravisher, when he was
diverted from his purpose by a new