Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-07-23
CHAPTER Ii.
AN ADVENTURE on THE HIGHWAY.


Since the day on which the liie!ess form of
Albert Percy was borne up from the wood
to the terrace in front of the castle, two and
twenty years have passed. Almost an age.
Boys and girls have grown to be men and
women; youths and madens have become
midllc-aged, and those who were in the
prime Vi life have passed away
Great changes have taken place at Alb
botswold Castle. John Percy and his wife
have been dead these ten years Eustace
Percy is the marquis now, and Isabel st.
John, that was, has been his wife almost
twenty years
tlnc child has been born to Eustace Percy.
and only one. But that one child has been
enough to command all the love Of the hap
py parents. girl, and they call her AGNES ;
and the tenants of Abboiswold, and the
fishermen who sometimes come to the cas-
tie, and the people from far and near who
come there as visitors, dn not speak falsely
WHEN they declare that Agnes Percy is the
most beautiful girl they ever saw.
Since Sir Johns ,lcatl--a time now ten
years agone Owen Calingion had been
regularly. IN the first days Of january,
April, July and October OF each year, and
drawn out in the name Of Albert Calling
ton, the sum of sixty-two pounds and ten
shllinss, from the hands of the banker
whom the old marquis had selected as his
administrator. He lad done this until with
in II year; but about year ago, as Bustace
learned from the banker, (the banker told it
OF his own accord, for 1t was Il subject
which Eusiace never bruached Owen had
brought the young man Albert with him,
and introduced him; and since then the
money had been paid TO Albert Callingtons
own order.
Sir Eastace had no doubt in his own mind
concerning tbs meaning Of this. lie had
never asked amy questions, and he had never
heard II word from any one on the subject,
but still he believed that this young Calling
ton was his own brothers child; and so he
lleving, he not only saw The money paid
Will, Il cheerful heart, but he resolved, if the
opportunity ever presented itself, 10 do
something more for the youth.
Towards the last of October, in the year
l752, the Marquis of Abboltswold had bust
ness with his banker in Norwich, and he
went down to attend to it. He reached Nor
witch too late to do business with his banker
that day SO he sought out n few of his
friends, with whom he passed very plea
SAINT evening. On the next day lie did his
business, and ut noon he was ready to set
forth on his return, with twenty thousand
pounds in his pocket-moncy which he in
tended to send to London by his confidential
agent, who was gong thither by water
Ills lordship had not observed that men
had followed close upon his heels on his way
from Abbottswold; nor had he observed
that these same men had watched him closely
while in Norwich; and when he stood in
the bankers office, and put his well-iilled
pocket-book away in his bosom, he paid no
attention 10 the man who came in to get
silver for iive-pound note; and had he
seen that this man went out and joined other
men, and that they all rode away 10 the
n0rthward together, he would probably have
paid no heed; for his thoughts had never
once dwelt upon the proposition that any
man could plot against his peace.
The marquis had only about thirty miles
to ride, and as the afternoon was pleasant,
he suffered his horse to jog along at pleasure
until he reached Walsingham, where he
stopped at the Ied Lion to let his horse
breathe awhile. The distance from this
place to Abbotswold was not more than
twelve miles, and pretty soon he set forth
| again. lie had ridden five miles or SO, and
was thinking that he must hurry on if he
would reach home before dark, when he oh
| served that, directly ahead was Il cross road,
| and that two men on foot were coming out
| into the highway. lie might not have paid
any attention to this, had he not noticed,
Is
were coming out from the by-way on the
| opposite side AT first he took these men
| to be negroes, and lie was wondering where
they could have come from, when il struck
him that the sable complexion was only the
result OF black Grape worn over the face
| Surely, that looked like mischief For a
moment Percy drew in his rein, thinking
whether il were best to turn back or to keep
on and face the danger; but before he had
decided the question, u fifth man darted out
from the hedge and caught his bride with a
grip so strong that the horse was almost sci
back upon his launches.
"lIuw now, villain 7" cried the marquis
clapping his hand upon the hlt of his sword
and starting ii from its sheath.
'Ah, have care, your lordship!" returned
the ruilian, at the same time presenting q
pistol. Don't do that. If you go to maxim
Il fight of it, we shall have to fight as well as
you; and You ought to know how such bit
of play would be likely to end. Give us
your money, and we won't harm so much as
Il hair of your head We know you've gol
twenty thousand pounds in your pocket
book-stowed right away in your bosom
there, and we want it,"
by this time the other four had come up
two of them standing directly at his horses
head, while the Others came up by his side
They all had pistols in their belts; but the
weapons which they held ready for immeli
ate use were heavy clubs.
Had the marquis drawn his pistol, hi
might possible have shot down the two mer
before him; but he had not yet been striclS
en-, and there was something in the dellber.