Part 9 (1/2)

”Puzzle! Oh Lud, there's no puzzle. They were all one gang, these fellows.”

Harry laughed. ”Then there was not much honour among the thieves. They abandoned their Benjamin to me with delight.”

”Ah, bah, you do not suppose they were out for such small game as your pretty miss. They would not work in a gang to stop a simple, common coach, be it never so rich. Come, Harry, use your wits. Did you hear of any great folks on the road yesterday?”

Harry made an exclamation. ”Odds life, sir, you would make a great thief-catcher. You have hit it. There was your friend, the Duke of Marl-borough, stuck in the mud below Barnet Hill.” And he told that part of the story.

”Humph. So they came too late,” his father said. ”You see how it is. This gang was charged to stop his Grace, and was something slow about it. The two first, your Benjamin and his friend, I suppose they should have held the Duke's fellows in play till the others came up. They missed him, or they s.h.i.+rked it, and instead, tried to stay their stomachs with some common game. The rest of the gang would be well enough pleased that you should baste Benjamin while they hurried on after the Duke. Did you mark any of them, what like they were?”

”Not I. I was too busy with Benjamin.”

”And your pretty miss, eh? A pity. But it's well enough for your first affair.”

”First? Why, am I to spend my life tumbling with gentlemen of the road?”

”And a profitable, pleasant life too, if you use your wits.”

Harry opened his eyes. ”Do you know it well, sir? Now, what I don't understand is why a gang of highwaymen should appoint to set upon the Duke of Marlborough. It's dangerous, to be sure--”

”You will understand why, if you come to France,” said Colonel Boyce, with a queer smile. ”There be many would pay high for a sight of his Grace's private papers,” and he laughed to himself over some joke. ”Nay, but you have done very well, Harry,” he condescended. ”I like this business of leaving Benjamin tied up on the road. 'Tis d.a.m.ned nonsense, to be sure, but it has an air, a distinction. Your pretty miss will like that. And I judge you have not told the Wavertons you were the hero, nor let miss tell them. 'Tis your little secret for yourselves. A good touch, Harry. Odds life, I begin to be proud of you. I suppose you will soon go pay your respects--to Mrs. Weston.” He laughed heartily.

Harry was not amused. ”Do you know, I think I like you much less than you like me,” he said.

Colonel Boyce seemed very well content.

CHAPTER V

THE WORLD'S A MIRACLE

Colonel Boyce was established in the house, a guest of high honour.

Harry, dazed at the mere fact, could not be very sure how it had happened or why. The Wavertons, mother and son, had a.s.saulted the Colonel with hospitality--for a night--for another--for longer and longer--and he, appearing at first honestly dubious, remained with a benign condescension.

There is no doubt that, in an honourable way, Lady Waverton was fascinated by Colonel Boyce. She saw nothing coa.r.s.e in his highly-coloured manners, suspected no guile in his flattery or his parade of importance. Harry, who had never supposed her a wise woman, was surprised by her complete surrender. He had credited her with too much pride to succ.u.mb to flattery, which was to his taste impudently gross.

But he was not yet old enough to allow that other folks might have tastes wholly unlike his own, and he had himself--it is perhaps the only trait of much delicacy in him--a shrinking discomfort under praise.

Colonel Boyce took his victory with a complacency which Harry thought oddly fatuous in a man so acute.

”Egad, the old lady would go to church with me to-morrow if I asked her;”

he laughed, and seemed to think that in that at least my lady showed sense.

”You had better take her, sir,” said Harry, with a sneer. ”I know she has a good dower. And a fool and her money are soon parted.”

”Damme, Harry, you are venomous!” For the first time in their acquaintance Colonel Boyce showed some signs of smarting. ”What harm have I done you? No, sir, you have a nasty tongue. I intend the old lady no harm, neither. What if she has a tenderness for me? I suppose that does not make me a fool.”

”To be sure, sir, I did not know your affection was serious.” Harry laughed disagreeably.

”I believe you would not miss a chance to say a bitter thing though it ruined you, Lud, Harry, if you can't be grateful, don't be a fool too.