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At half-past ten Tom Moody, Sir Huddlestone Fuddlestone's huntsman, was seen trotting up the avenue, followed by the noble pack of hounds in a compact body, the rear being brought up by the two whips clad in stained scarlet frocks, light, hard-featured lads on well-bred lean horses, possessing marvellous dexterity in casting the points of their long, heavy whips at the thinnest part of any dog's skin who dared to straggle from the main body, or to take the slightest notice, or even so much as wink at the hares and rabbits starting under their noses.
Huddlestone had fallen; but there was no sign of him, nor so much as a trace of blood. "Graden Floe," said Northmour. He continued to advance till we had come to the head of the beach. "No farther, please," said he. "Would you like to take her to Graden House?" "Thank you," I replied; "I shall try to get her to the minister's at Graden-Wester."
With these I sought the tavern, and, ordering some breakfast, sat down to study the "Huddlestone Failure." It had been, it appeared, a very flagrant case. Thousands of persons were reduced to poverty; and one in particular had blown out his brains as soon as payment was suspended. It was strange to myself that, while I read these details, I continued rather to sympathise with Mr.
If the traitor "Oddlestone" were given up, all others should be spared; if not, no one should escape to tell the tale. "Well, Huddlestone, what do you say to that?" asked Northmour, turning to the bed.
He took up the lamp which stood beside him on the table, and turned to us with an air of some excitement. "There is one point that we must know," said he. "Are they going to butcher the lot of us, or only Huddlestone? Did they take you for him, or fire at you for your own beaux yeux?" "They took me for him, for certain," I replied. "I am near as tall, and my head is fair."
All this time our assailants might have been entering the house, and we been none the wiser; we had in truth almost forgotten the danger that so imminently overhung our days. But just then Mr. Huddlestone uttered a cry, and leaped from the bed. I asked him what was wrong. "Fire!" he cried. "They have set the house on fire!"
Huddlestone, in a long yellow dressing-gown, took one end of the table, Clara the other; while Northmour and I faced each other from the sides. The lamp was brightly trimmed; the wine was good; the viands, although mostly cold, excellent of their sort.
Huddlestone, who had already refused a firearm, put us behind him with a manner of command. "Let Clara open the door," said he. "So, if they fire a volley, she will be protected. And in the meantime stand behind me. I am the scapegoat; my sins have found me out."
Soon after this, Nicholas and Richard having mounted their steeds, the party set forth. As they were passing through the gateway, which had been thrown wide open by Ned Huddlestone, they were joined by Simon Sparshot, who had been engaged by Potts to attend him on the expedition in his capacity of constable.
So we stood waiting, for we thought the hour of attack was certainly come; but second passed after second, and all but the surf remained silent in the neighbourhood of the pavilion. "Quick," said Northmour; "upstairs with him before they come." Somehow or other, by hook and crook, and between the three of us, we got Bernard Huddlestone bundled upstairs and laid upon the bed in My Uncle's Room.
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