Page 189 - A Jacobite Exile

"You villain," he said to himself. "When you come, at the end of a week,
you will not find me here; but, if I get a chance of having a reckoning with

you, it will be bad for you."

Charlie's progress was apparently slow. The next day he was able to sit up
and feed himself. Two days later he could totter across the room, and lie
down before the fire. The men were completely deceived by his acting, and,

considering any attempt to escape, in his present weak state, altogether
impossible, paid but little heed to him, the peasant frequently absenting

himself for hours together.

Looking from his window, Charlie saw that the hut was situated in a thick

wood, and, from the blackened appearance of the peasant's face and
garments, he guessed him to be a charcoal burner, and therefore judged that

the trees he saw must form part of a forest of considerable extent.

The weather was warm, and his other guard often sat, for a while, outside

the door. During his absence, Charlie lifted the logs of wood piled beside
the hearth, and was able to test his returning strength, assuring himself that,

although not yet fully recovered, he was gaining ground daily. He resolved
not to wait until the seventh day; for Ben Soloman might change his mind,
and return before the day he had named. He determined, therefore, that on

the sixth day he would make the attempt.

He had no fear of being unable to overcome his Jewish guard, as he would
have the advantage of a surprise. He only delayed as long as possible,
because he doubted his powers of walking any great distance, and of

evading the charcoal burner, who would, on his return, certainly set out in
pursuit of him. Moreover, he wished to remain in the hut nearly up to the

time of the Jew's return, as he was determined to wait in the forest, and
revenge himself for the suffering he had caused him, and for the torture to
which he intended to put him.

The evening before the day on which he decided to make the attempt, the

charcoal burner and the Jew were in earnest conversation. The word
signifying brigand was frequently repeated, and, although he could not