n and
pleasant land, while all the world knows that nowhere are cliffs so fine
and the sea so blue as that which is to be seen in this part of my
native county. Besides, all that land from the house where my father was
born right to the sea belongs to the Pennington estates, while at the
back of the house it stretches just as far, and just as fair.

One day--it was before my father died--I had climbed Trescowal Tor, just
to feast my eyes upon so much loveliness, when I saw Richard Tresidder
walking with his mother toward the Pennington woods. Now a great desire
came into my heart, not to see Tresidder, but to speak to his mother,
whom I knew to be the evil genius of my family. And so I made my way to
the woods, and stood in the pathway as they came up.

They both knew me, not only through my likeness to my father, but
because of my size, for it is well known that the Pennington family on
the male side are at least six inches taller than the ordinary run of
men.

"Do you know you are trespassing?" asked Tresidder.

"My name is Jasper Pennington," I said, proudly.

"Then get off my lands at once," he said, sternly, and with a black
look.

"Not until I have had a good look on the man and woman who have robbed
my father and me," I said--and I knew I had aroused the devil in them as
I spoke. For the woman who had robbed us fairly glared at me, while
Tresidder grasped his stick as though he would strike me. The woman was
nearing seventy, but she was strong and hale, and her eyes flashed like
those of a young girl. I saw, too, that she must have been handsome when
she was young. I marked the cruel, resolute expression of her mouth, and
I did not wonder at the difficulty my grandfather had in resisting her.

"I will have you put in the stocks, and then taken to the lockup, if you
are not gone at once," said Tresidder, savagely.

"I will give your three sons the chance of doing this," I said, with a
laugh. "Three Tresidders against one Pennington isn't bad in fair fight.
Of course, where cunning and cheatery comes in I should be nowhere. Or
perhaps," I continued, "you would like to try yourself. I am only
eighteen, and you are in the prime of your life; still, I should be
pleased to give you the chance."

But he laid no hands on me; instead, he put a whistle to his mouth and
blew.

"Yes," I said, "get some one else to do the work you are afraid to try
yourself; that's a Tresidder all over. Well, I'll go now; I've had