CHAPTER CLXVI
[Chapter 174]
THE TWO HIGHWAYMEN. —THE MURDER AT THE GIBBET'S FOOT. —THE RIDE TO THE
GOLDEN PIPPIN.
The evening set in a stormy mood; sudden, gusty showers rattled against
the traveller; whilst the wind swept over the country, bending the tall trees,
and whistlng round the peasant's cot, and making the chimneys appear as if
they were the residences of imprisoned spirits, which moaned and groaned most
dismally to hear.
The clouds came rapidly across the sky; now darkening the earth, and now
they had fled past, leaving the moonbeams pouring a flood of light upon the
fields and roadways; but this was soon followed by another darkness, a cold
rain, and rushing wind, the night being inclement and very boisterous —not
to say a night too bad to permit travelling.
It was late on such a night, when down a lone cross-road a single
horseman might be seen to ride slowly and carefully. He was wrapped up in a
large cloak, and rode a powerful horse, and appeared to be somewhat tired.
There was much difficulty in travelling over a bad road, that was loose
and shifty, with here and there a slough of some magnitude.
In a very wild and desolate spot stood a mound of stones that had been
heaped at the foot of a gibbet, and had been collected there in consequence of
the unpopularity of the occupant of the instrument of punishment.
On the gibbet, swinging to and fro, was the body of a malefactor, hung in
chains —an awful and disgusting spectacle —whose death no one regretted,
inasmuch as he was the terror of the whole neighbourhood.
It was the body of a highwayman, or of a robber, who had committed all
kinds of depredations, and several murders. He was the son of a person of
property, but addicted to vicious courses, and, to support them, he had
recourse to robbery and murder.
Several of his former friends were robbed, and at length his own father
fell by his hands, when he refused to give up his purse in the road at this
spot. His own son shot him through the heart.
This was the last crime he ever committed; for he was taken and tried,
when enough was proved that would have hung a hundred men; and there was not
one man who could, or who would, speak one word in his favour. He was
executed; and so detested was he by all, that every one who came by this spot
threw a stone, until it grew, by these means, a goodly heap, which remained a
memento of their hate.
It was this spot the stranger was nearing, and to which he appeared to
look up with some degree of either curiosity, or interest; but, before he got
there, there was another horseman riding along the country lane, and who would
arrive there about the same time as the first; but when he came there, it was
easy to perceive that he was not alone, but another horseman was in waiting
beneath some trees, and hidden from the traveller.
In a few moments more, the traveller reached the spot, and, looking up at
the dead body that was swinging to and fro in the night air, the other
horseman rode up; upon which the traveller was about to push his horse forward
at an increased speed, when he found that there was not space enough.
"Which side do you take?" he inquired of the stranger.
"Stand and deliver!" was the reply.
"That is uncivil," replied the stranger, "and a request that I do not
feel at all disposed to consent to."
"Deliver your money and a pocket-book, or you are a dead man."
"Nay," said the stranger; "I have means of defence, too."
And, as he spoke, he pulled out a bright, double-barrelled pistol, which
he levelled and cocked, saying, as he very leisurely did so, —
"Beware! you are playing with a determined man. I am not disposed to
play. Get out of my way, or you are a dead man!"
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the other, and made way at the same moment, thus
bringing himself alongside the traveller, leaving him room to go on. "You are
not to be frightened—well, well, go on."
The traveller put his spurs to his horse, but at the same moment received
a bullet from the treacherous highwayman.
"Ha!" cried the traveller, putting his hand to his side, and in a moment
more he staggered and fell over the side of the horse on to the ground.
"Ha, ha, ha!" said the highwayman, who immediately dismounted; but before
he could search the body, the other horseman came up at a gallop.
"Well, Fred, have you quieted him?"
"I have."
"Resisted, then?"
"Yes. Have you got your lantern?"
"Yes; but it is not yet lighted. But that is soon done."
"Then let us have it as quick as you can; for he has fallen down here in
a slough, and I should like to get the money without more mire than I am
obliged to put up with."
"Here it is," said the other, handing the lantern —a small one, which
he had lighted by means of some chemical matches.
The highwayman took the lantern, and, after some examination, he secured
the pocketbook and the purse, and having done this, he examined the fingers,
but saw no rings and no watch, and he said to his companion, —
"Just come here. Did you ever see such a set of features as these? They
are truly strange and singular; I could never forget them."
"Indeed! I must have a look at them," said his companion, dismounting
and bending over the body; and when he looked at them, he said, —
"I saw that man to-day where I dined, and thought he took the other road,
and there waited for him."
"Did you, though?"
"Yes, till I was tired; and then I came across the country in search of
you, but did not expect you to have any quarry."
"Did you ever see such a countenance? it is most strange and ghastly."
"Yes, it is; but he has died a violent death, you see, and therefore
there is much to be done by way of allowance."
"Yes, yes, I know all that; but the nose, mouth, and teeth-—"
"They are not the most agreeable in the world, certainly. Well, well, it
don't matter; you have done all your business with him, have you not?"
"I have got all, I believe," said the other. "He has no watch or chain—
not even a ring has he got on his finger."
Perhaps you'll find enough in his purse and pocket-book to console you;
though I must say, Ned, that he dined very sparingly. But no matter the
amount; ride on, for you know it is not a good plan to stand longer here than
necessary; for we may have other riders down upon us."
"Not very likely, on this road, and as this hour; but 'tis bad. I'm off,
and he will remain behind till found by some frightened peasant or other, who
will go to the nearest market town, with a frightful account."
"Ride away; I hear horses' feet, I think."
"I am ready; forward! ho!"
The two highwaymen rode off at a rapid rate, conversing as they went; but
yet it was in suppressed tones for some distance; and after some riding, one
of them pulled up his horse, partially, saying, —
"Well, I don't think it wise we should thus wear our steeds out; there is
no need of our riding for life; our horses never ought to be put to there
mettle, unless there be plenty of occasion, which there is not."
"No—all is right, to-night."
"Have you done much lately, Ned?"
"No; I have been rather upon the seek than find; I have been looking out
brightly, but have not been successful."
"I have myself only done moderately; but I have done better than I should
have done, because I was fortunate enough to come across a fat grazier who had
more money than any three or four persons I have met lately."
"Your fortune is somewhat like mine."
"You have met with little good then, Ned."
"Indeed, I have not; but it is a long lane that has no turning,"
"Yes; indedd, it is."
"However, I hope this queer-looking customer will reward one for one's
pains; if you can but keep the game a going, you are sure to succeed in the
end; 'tis only two years or better since I first began to ride."
"That is, put a period to other people's rising."
"Exactly."
"Well, then, where do you intend to put up for the night? for I suppose
you do not intend to stay out all night any more than myself."
"No; I think of going on until I come to 'The Golden Pippin,' where I
intend to stay for the night. The landlord can wink hard at his friends, and
not know they are in the house, or he can tell them a thing if they want to
know anything at all to their interest."
"He's the sort of man; I know him. I was thinking of going there; I
don't know better or snugger quarters than are to be had at his hostel."
"Then we'll have a good supper and a bottle at 'The Golden Pippin.'"
"With all my heart; but you don't think there'll be any danger of our
being pursued for this matter."
"Oh, dear, no; the direct road lies another way, and we shall be quite
fifteen miles from the spot where the body lies."
"So far."
"Yes; we have come over the ground very rapidly, and have gone more than
two-thirds of that distance. When we get there we shall be safe, easy, and
comfortable; and right good wines are there to be had at 'The Golden Pippin.'"
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