lord, there is. At least, not so very far from us. Baron de
Whichehalse, of Ley Manor.'

'Baron, ha! of the Exchequer--eh, lad? And taketh dues instead of His
Majesty. Somewhat which halts there ought to come a little further, I
trow. It shall be seen to, as well as the witch which makes it so to
halt. Riotous knaves in West England, drunken outlaws, you shall dance,
if ever I play pipe for you. John Ridd, I will come to Oare parish, and
rout out the Oare of Babylon.'

'Although your worship is so learned,' I answered seeing that now he
was beginning to make things uneasy; 'your worship, though being Chief
Justice, does little justice to us. We are downright good and loyal
folk; and I have not seen, since here I came to this great town of
London, any who may better us, or even come anigh us, in honesty, and
goodness, and duty to our neighbours. For we are very quiet folk, not
prating our own virtues--'

'Enough, good John, enough! Knowest thou not that modesty is the
maidenhood of virtue, lost even by her own approval? Now hast thou ever
heard or thought that De Whichehalse is in league with the Doones of
Bagworthy?'

Saying these words rather slowly, he skewered his great eyes into mine,
so that I could not think at all, neither look at him, nor yet away.
The idea was so new to me that it set my wits all wandering; and looking
into me, he saw that I was groping for the truth.

'John Ridd, thine eyes are enough for me. I see thou hast never dreamed
of it. Now hast thou ever seen a man whose name is Thomas Faggus?'

'Yes, sir, many and many a time. He is my own worthy cousin; and I fear
he that hath intentions'--here I stopped, having no right there to speak
about our Annie.

'Tom Faggus is a good man,' he said; and his great square face had a
smile which showed me he had met my cousin; 'Master Faggus hath made
mistakes as to the title to property, as lawyers oftentimes may do; but
take him all for all, he is a thoroughly straightforward man; presents
his bill, and has it paid, and makes no charge for drawing it.
Nevertheless, we must tax his costs, as of any other solicitor.'

'To be sure, to be sure, my lord!' was all that I could say, not
understanding what all this meant.

'I fear he will come to the gallows,' said the Lord Chief Justice,
sinking his voice below the echoes; 'tell him this from me, Jack. He
shall never be condemned before me; but I cannot be everywhere, and some
of our Justices may keep sh