e was much troubled, so, getting up, I
said to Paddy:

"Are you able to ride farther on to-day?"

"If I'd another sup from the cup, sir, I think I could," whereat Jem
Bottles laughed again, and I gave them both a drink of wine.

"What are you going to do with all this saddlery?" said I to Bottles.

"I don't know anything better than to leave it here; but I think, your
honour, the pistols will come handy, for they're all very good ones,
and Paddy and me can carry them between us, or I can make two bags
from these leather packs, and Paddy could carry the lot in them, as I
do the swords."

"Very well," I said. "Make your preparations as quickly as you can and
let us be off, for this latest incident, in spite of you, Jem, may
lead to pursuit and get us into trouble before we are ready for it."

"No fear, sir," said Jem confidently. "One thief does not lay
information against another. If they had been peaceable travellers,
that would be another thing; but, as I said, Providence is protecting
us, no doubt because of the presence of his Reverence here, and not
for our own merits."

"Be thankful it is the reward of some one else's merits you, reap,
Bottles, instead of your own. No more talk now, but to horse and
away."

For some miles Father Donovan rode very silently. I told him something
of my meeting with Jem Bottles and explained how I tried to make an
honest man of him, while this was the first lapse I had known since
his conversion. I even pretended that I had some belief in his own
theory of the interposition of Providence, and Father Donovan was
evidently struggling to acquire a similar feeling, although he seemed
to find some difficulty in the contest. He admitted that this robbery
appeared but even justice; still he ventured to hope that Jem Bottles
would not take the coincidence as a precedent, and that he would never
mistake the dictates of Providence for the desires of his own nature.

"I will speak with the man later," he said, "and hope that my words
will make some impression upon him. There was a trace of exaltation in
his recital that showed no sign of a contrite spirit."

On account of the delay at the roadside it was well past twelve
o'clock before we reached Maidstone, and there we indulged in a good
dinner that put heart into all of us, while the horses had time to
rest and feed. The road to Rye presented no difficulties whatever, but
under ordinary conditions I would have rested a night before