Page 196 - A Jacobite Exile

from his horse and attacked you. We did not interfere, because, if he had
got the best of you, he might have jumped on his horse and ridden off, but

directly he fell we ran out, but you were so busy in taking the spoil that you
did not hear us.

"I see the Jew is dead; fell on his own knife. It is just as well for him, for
we should have tied him to a tree, and made a bonfire of him, if we had

caught him."

Charlie understood but little of this, but said when the other finished:

"I understand but little Polish."

"What are you then--a Russian? You do not look like one."

"I am an Englishman, and am working in the house of Allan Ramsay, a
Scotch trader in Warsaw."

"Well, you are a bold fellow anyhow, and after the smart way in which you

disposed of this Jew, and possessed yourself of his purse, you will do
honour to our trade."

"I hope you will let me go," Charlie said. "My friends in Warsaw will pay a
ransom for me, if you will let me return there."

"No, no, young fellow. You would of course put down this Jew's death to
our doing, and we have weight enough on our backs already. He is a man of

great influence, and all his tribe would be pressing on the government to
hunt us down. You shall go with us, and the purse you took from Ben

Soloman will pay your footing."

Charlie saw that it would be useless to try and alter the man's decision,

especially as he knew so little of the language. He therefore shrugged his
shoulders, and said that he was ready to go with them, if it must be so.