The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-10-23

have you to do with Black Jan, VINO SO
literally places his wardrobe at my dispo-
sal? And why didn't you at least give
me the chance of tussel with the scoun-
drel r.
Betty Trownson was plainly immensely
relieved that her tidings had resulted in
nothing harder than words. \
"Oh, zir, do ZEE be thankful that ZEE be
spared zafe in life and limb to zee the light
O. this blessed day instead of lyin' in there
a mangled corpse There bain't a-more
desp'rate villain alive than Black Jan wan
the bid of 'un is up, an he wouldn't ha'
stopped short O murder last night if so be
he couldn't ha' got they cloze any other
way"
The allusion reminded Mr.. Fairburn of
the decidedly incomplete nature of his pres
ent attire, and led to hasty adjournment
to the inner apartment, where, seated on
his mattress and wrapped in his patchwork
robe de chambre, he listened to his hostess
rambling narrative.
1t appeared that she had known "Black
JAM alias John Hearn, from his boyhood,
he having been born and bred on the moor.
While still youth he had fallen into evil
company and evil ways, and at length on a
charge of housebreaking he heard sem
tence of ten years penal servitude pro-
nounced against him. Then, naturally, he
had vanished from the sight and hearing
ofhonest folks; until as the solitary widow sat
DOING over the fire the previous afternoon,
a man in convict dress had suddenly stood
before her, painting and exhausted from a
run of many miles-"Black JAN himself,
who, having escaped under cover of the fog
from one of the gangs at work on the moor,
now half-besought, half-threatened the lone
ly old woman into affording him tempo
rary shelter.
''Then the scoundrel was actually in the
place when knocked yesterday afternoon
interrupted her auditor.
"Ees fay, he was An both of us
thought zure twas the sodgers after 'un,
though he'd a made me put out my bit O
wire vor wear it might sarve 'um vor a
guide. I'd o'ny jist vinished hidin of
un in the peat-stack, out at the back, wan
zee brock oppen the door in that vashion,
zir, an was jist vair mazed wi terror"
"Small wonder you were so anxious to
turn me out on the moor again But how
came you to change your mind, guidwife,
and become so hospitable all in hurry p
didn't yer honor spake o goin' out to
get the turfs yerzel =? and wasn't quakin'
like leaf vor wear there'd be blidshed
between the two ov 'ee vor Jan had a
swore he'd never be tooekd agen alive.
And though zee be vine vigure of man,
zurely, you m no match, zir, vor Black Jan,
the best wrastler in arl Devon, an head
higher than you, besides 10 wan 1 gooed
out to get they turfs an he zweared to me
l nun either get they cloze an money yor
he, or zee thee murdered avore my eyes, |
thinked it wor no zin to zave the life ov ee
at any price And beyides, yer honor, to
tell zee the whole truth, one winters day
many long year agone, Jan Hearn coined
up here to bring me rabbit he'd feared
'twant long after my ole mae was a took
and he findth me lyin arl alone zick we'll
nigh to deaths doore, an he rinned mat
ter O ite mile to vetch the doctor vor L
an 20 it zeemed I couldn't stand by an zee
un shot down by they sodgers like a mad
dog, if 20 be 1 could zave the live of un
10 l made un zwear if he got they cloze
an money he wouldn't harm hair ov yer
honors head, but go straight off voreign,
an be honest man vor the rest o his days
and thanks be to praise, hem gone.
"And I'm left stranded up here with a
convict costume for sole attire Well
guidwife, l suppose from your point Of
view you acted for the best, but you might
as we'll have give me voice in the matter
l think If ten-pound note and a shoot
ing-suit will really make an honest man OF
your friend the burglar, why, it's certainly
cheap at the price-to the country, at any
rate; but l must confess that "Black Jan
seems to me to have started on his new ca,
reer in somewhat questionable fashion
What did he want with the gun p
"Hur zaith hur must have the gun, zC
as to pass hizzer off vun gentleman out
shootin' lozed in the VOC, jist as it might
be yer honor yerzel. By now | doubt hem
on the railroad, well-nig Oh to Bristol, most
like, vur he spake o goin' aboord shiI
there"
"And l wish good luck TO the ship tina
gets such precious Jonah. shall believe
in his reformation when he sends back al
least the price of my new gun-not before
Well now, guidwife, what about thi
clothes business? OF course, l can't pu
on those denominations.
"Then, fay, L daun't know wat else yel
honor be goin' to do, unless so be 'ee'ed b.
willin to have my Zunday gound I'd g
down to A. for ZEE mysel this minute
if I could, but I'm that crippled wi th'
rheumatics 1 couldn't walk mile to zav,
mans live, an, it be ite mile down t.
A., guide. If ee would like to wal
up here bit, zir, there be cart cometl
form A. vance in fortnight, ant
bringeth me the bits o things l need tt
buy, he'll be here tomorrow is week"
"Many thanks, my friend" said MI
Fairburn laughing, abut 1 shan't intrud
on your hospitality SO long as that, even
1 should have to improvise kilt or plai
out of your best petticoat and shawl. Blu
confound it all there must be some bette
way out of the scrape than that. Carel
will send out to look for me, of course, an
somebody is bound to turn up here befor
very long; l shant have many hours t
wait
In spite of the sanguine prediction, whe
night again closed in on the lonely hut Nj
Fairburn found himself once more oblige
to accept the shelter of the lean-to, and th
scanty accommodation it offered. Nor di
the return of morning bring any sign c
succor. Squire Carew and his search pa
ties being, unfortunately, very busy dras
ging peat holes on the opposite side of tn
moor. But when the second day, too, b.
gan to draw toward its close, and still n
sign of deliverance, the prisoners patienc
and his hostess scanty store of provision
were alike exhausted by the extraordinar
demands made upon them.
''Give me out the denominations y M
Fairburn at last exclaimed, in the tone Of
man resolved to do or die. "Giye me oil
the abominationsl I'd as soon be she
down for a runaway convict as spen
another such day as this! Perhaps, as it
getting toward cleaning, l may have tn
A.. - . p..o., H., II .lto- bafo~o IL