The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-21
The Lady Of Lynn.
By SIR WALTER BESANT
Copyrighted 1900 by Sir Walter Besant.,
CHAPTER V.
Az ApDTCTIDN

drinking, singing. gambling, and rioting
the whole night through and long after
daylight. Truly. the town of Lynn wit
messed more profiigacy and wickedness
during this summer than all its long and
ancient history had witnessed or could
relate.
The assembly was held twice a week.
on Thursday and on Friday. 1t was on
Thursday night that certain statement
was made in a drunken conversation
which might have awakened suspicion
of some dark design had it been recorded.
A small company Of the said high fliers,
among whom were Colonel Ianyon and
young man named Tom Rising. marched
Off to the tavern most frequented by them
after the closing Of the rooms and called
for punch, cards. and candles. Then they
sat down to play, with the ungodly and
profane discourse which they affected.
They played and drank, the young man
drinking fast and hard, the colonel, after
his custom. keeping his head cool
Tom Rising's estate lay near Swaffham.
He was well known as the best and most
fearless rider in the whole county. He
was the keenest sportsman. He knew
where 70 find fox. hare. badger, ferret.
stoat, or weasel. He knew where to put
up a pheasant or a covey of partridges.
He was wild, fearless, reckless. debosh
ed young fellow. whom everybody loved
and everybody feared, always ready with
blow or an oath, afraid of nothing if
he set his heart upon anything. You shall
see that he set his heart upon one thing
and failed. Tom lost heavily and drank
deep.
Il will play till I have stripped every
man among you to the very bones, he
said. why do l say this? Because, gem
tlemen, after tomorrow night l shall be
the richest man in the county. Dyou
hear? The richest man in the county.
You don't know how2 Very well. DO you
think I'm going to tell you? Ho. no,
When you hear the news. you'n say twas
only Tom-only Tom Rising-had the
courage to venture and to win"
He means the hazard table, said the
colonel.
NO, not the hazard table" Tom went
on. oh, know the table and the woman
who keeps the bank and pretends to weep
when you lose l know about her I've
heard talk about her. What is it? Don't
remember. Tell you tomorrow
He should stop talking said the colo
mel. We must not listen to his wander
ings."
Richest man in the county" he re-
You lay down your money like man.
In a week, colonel, I'll have it all. There
shan't be guinea left among you all.
Richest man in the county-make-guin-
easily" His head sank down again. He
was once more speeches..
his friends looked from one to the 9TH
er- What did Tom Rising mean?
Gentlemen" said the colonel, he has
been drinking for many days He has
some kind of fit upon him. After a
sleep he will better. Just now he
dreams of riches | have known men in
suI.l a condition 10 see animals and
think that they are hunted by rats and
clawed by devils.
Again Tom lifted his head and 5abbled
confusedly.
THE richest mantle richest man-in
the whole county. After tomorrow night
not tonight-after tomorrow night. 1
have found out short way to fortune.
The richest man in the county,
SO they left him sleeping in his chair.
with his head on the table among the
glasses and the split punch.
The next was the night of the assemb-
ling, and Molly was present.
After dancing with his lordship, who
then Tered his hand to a lady of the
county she stood up with Tom Rising,
who was by this time sober could
be expected after such a night He, in
the hearing of everybody, loaded her with
compliments of the common kind such
as would suit milkmaid. but were not
proper for modest woman to hear. To
these. however, Molly returned no reply
and danced as if she heard them not.
She then rejoined Lady Anastasia and
with her retired to the cardroom. whittier
many of the younger men followed her.
She stood beside her ladyship and
obliged the young men by choosing
cards for them, which they lost or
won. Tom Rising followed her and stood
beside her with flushed face and tremb-
ling hands. 1t was remarked afterward
that he seemed to assume the care of her
He kept gazing upon Molly with fierce
and ravenous looks like wolf who hun
gers after his prey and lives to wait for
it. He played the while. however. and
lost during the evening, | believe. some
hundreds Of pounds. but for reasons
which you will presently hear he never
paid that money.
Molly next had a second dance with
his lordshiD. After 1t had been finished
he offered her the refreshment of wine
or chocolate. but she declined, saying
that the captain now would be wishing
her to 20 home and that her chair would
be waiting.
So his lordship led her to the door.
where indeed her chair was waiting, but
no captain, and, bowling low, he handed
her ir and shut the door and he returned
20 the assembly, and Molly's chat was i'm
mediately lifted w and borne away, she
sitting alone, thinking of the evening and
of her great triumph, suspecting no cs-iI
and thinking of no 6anger.
minute later the captain came to the
door. There he saw Molly's chairmen
waiting with her chair He looked about
him. Where was Molly He returned to
the assembly; the girl was not there He
looked into the cardroom: his lordship
was standing at the table. looking on
My lord, said the captain in confusion
where is my ward2
Miss Molly2 Why, captain, I put her. |
gone"
Her chair" The captain turned pale. |
Her chair is now at the door with her I
What devilry is forward2" cried Lord |
Fylingdale. Come with me, captain. |
Come with me-"
The chair into which Molly stepped with |
out suspicion and without even looking |
for the captain. who should have walked |
beside her. stood. as l have said before. |
At the entrance Of the long room Out |
SIDE the trees were hung with colored !
Lamps: the place was as bright as in the T!
sunshine of noon. One would think thar |
nothing could be done in such a ulace !
which would not be observed There is |
however, one thing which is never OBJ !
SefNed-lt IS the personal appea rance Of I
servants. No one regards the boatrnau
OF the ferry or the driver Of the hackney !
coach or the Posthoy or the chairman |
The chair, then, stood with its door omen /
q n ON FsgF Of