Page 199 - A Jacobite Exile

"That is so; bigger and cleverer."

"You are expecting him here now, our new comrade tells us. Well, you
need expect him no longer. He will not come. If you will go along the path,

you will come upon his body, and may bury him if you like to take the
trouble."

An exclamation of satisfaction broke from the two men.

"You have done us a service, indeed," the charcoal burner said. "We had
thought to do it for ourselves, this morning, for after the escape of him you
call your new comrade, he would have shown us no mercy."

"You may thank our new comrade, and not us," the brigand said. "We only

arrived on the spot when it was all over."

The Jew looked at Charlie in astonishment.

"What! Did he kill Ben Soloman?"

"That did he; or rather, the Jew killed himself. There was a grapple hand to
hand, and a wrestle. The Jew fell undermost, and was pierced with his own

knife."

"But the lad is but just out of a sickbed, and has no strength for a struggle,
and Ben Soloman, though past middle life, was strong and active."

"Neither strong enough nor active enough," the man laughed. "You have
been nicely taken in. Who would have thought that two Jews and a Pole

would have been cheated by an English lad? His face shows that he has
been ill, and doubtless he has not yet recovered his full strength, but he was
strong enough, anyhow, to overthrow Ben Soloman.

"Now, what have you in the hut? We are in need of provisions."