Page 317 - A Jacobite Exile
P. 317
Chapter 18
: A Confession.
At the appointed hour, as the clock of the Abbey was striking, they gave
three gentle knocks at the door of the house. It was immediately opened by
Tony, who held a candle in his hand, closed the door quietly behind them,
and then led them into a parlour.
"Well, Tony, I suppose all has gone well, as we have not heard from you."
"There was nothing to tell you, sir, and, indeed, I have been mightily busy.
In the first place, I got two days' leave from the courts, and went down
myself, in a light cart, with the boys and two men. That way I made sure
that there should be no mistake as to the houses the boys were to watch.
The two men I sent on, ten miles beyond the farthest tavern there to watch
the road, and if any horseman goes by tonight, to track him down.
"This evening I came here. I brought with me one of my comrades from the
courts, and we told the good woman the character of the lodger we had seen
leave the house a quarter of an hour before. She almost fainted when we
showed her our badges, and said we must arrest him, on his return, as a
notorious highwayman and breaker of the laws. She exclaimed that her
house would be ruined, and it took some time to pacify her, by saying that
we would manage the job so quietly that no one in the house need know of
it, and that we would, if possible, arrange it so that the place of his arrest
should not be made public.
"At that, she at once consented to do all that we wished her. We searched
his room carefully, and found some watches, rings, and other matters, that
answered to the description of those stolen from a coach that was stopped
near Dorking, three weeks ago. My mate has taken them away. As she was
afraid that a scuffle in the bedroom might attract the attention of the four
other gentlemen who are lodging here, I arranged that it should be done at
the door. In that case, if there was any inquiry in the morning, she could say
that it was some drunken fellow, who had come to the house by mistake,
