other's
goodness, softness, and simplicity. And the saddest and most hurtful
thing was that neither could ask the other of the shadow falling between
them. And so it went on, and deepened.

In the next place Colonel Stickles's illness was a grievous thing to
us, in that we had no one now to command the troopers. Ten of these were
still alive, and so well approved to us, that they could never fancy
aught, whether for dinner or supper, without its being forth-coming. If
they wanted trout they should have it; if colloped venison, or broiled
ham, or salmon from Lynmouth and Trentisoe, or truffles from the
woodside, all these were at the warriors' service, until they lusted for
something else. Even the wounded men ate nobly; all except poor Jeremy,
who was forced to have a young elder shoot, with the pith drawn, for to
feed him. And once, when they wanted pickled loach (from my description
of it), I took up my boyish sport again, and pronged them a good jarful.
Therefore, none of them could complain; and yet they were not satisfied;
perhaps for want of complaining.

Be that as it might, we knew that if they once resolved to go (as they
might do at any time, with only a corporal over them) all our house, and
all our goods, ay, and our own precious lives, would and must be at the
mercy of embittered enemies. For now the Doones, having driven back, as
every one said, five hundred men--though not thirty had ever fought with
them--were in such feather all round the country, that nothing was too
good for them. Offerings poured in at the Doone gate, faster than Doones
could away with them, and the sympathy both of Devon and Somerset became
almost oppressive. And perhaps this wealth of congratulation, and mutual
good feeling between plundered and victim, saved us from any piece of
spite; kindliness having won the day, and every one loving every one.

But yet another cause arose, and this the strongest one of all, to prove
the need of Stickles's aid, and calamity of his illness. And this came
to our knowledge first, without much time to think of it. For two men
appeared at our gate one day, stripped to their shirts, and void of
horses, and looking very sorrowful. Now having some fear of attack from
the Doones, and scarce knowing what their tricks might be, we received
these strangers cautiously, desiring to know who they were before we let
them see all our premises.

However, it soon became plain to us that although they might not