The times., 1901-04-21
The Lady Of Lynn.
BY SIR WALTER BESANT.
Copyrighted 1900 by Sir Walter Bc,ant.)
CHAPTER Y
AZ ARDIC CTInN-

drinking. singing. gambling and rioting
the whole night through and long after
daylight Truly. the town of Lynn wit
messed more profigacy and wickednesS
during this summer than all its long anN
ancient history had witnessed or could
relate
The assembly was held twice a week,
on Thursday and OF 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,
4 small company of the said high hiers,
among whom were Colonel LanyOn and
young man named Tom Rising, marched
of 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 20 find fox hare. badger, ferret.
stoat, or weasel. He knew where to put
up a pheasant or a covey of partridges-
He was a wild, fearless. reckless. debosh-
ed young fellow, whom everybody loved
and everybody feared. always ready with
a blow or an oath, afraid Of nothing II
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
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 how? Very well. Do you
think I'm going to tell you? Ho. no,
When you hear the news, you'll say twas
only Tom-only Tom Rising-had the
courage to venture and to VIII" "
He means the hazard table said the
colonel
NO, not the hazard table" Tom went
on. oh l know the table and the woman
who keeps the bank and pretends to weep
when you lose. / 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-
peated. Colonel. I like your company.
You lay down your money like a man.
In week, colonel. III have it all. There
shant be a guinea left among you all.
Richest man in the county-make-gu gum
easily" His head sank down again. He
was once more speechless.
Iiis friends looked from one to the 9TH
er What did Tom Rising mean?
Gentlemen" said the colonel, he has
aryn He h4
some kind Of a ft upon him. After
sleep he viii better. Just now he
dreams Of riches. I have known men in
SUI condition 10 see animals and
think that they are hunted by rats and
clawed 10y devils
Again Tom lifted his head and babbled
confusedly.
The richest man-the richest man-in
the whole county. After tomorrow night
not tonight-after tomorrow night
have found out a short way 10 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 assernb-
ling, and Molly was present.
After dancing with his lordship, who
then offered his hand TO a lady Of the
county. she stood Up with Tom Rising,
who was by this time as sober as 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 a milkmaid but were not
proper for a modest woman 10 hear. To
these however. Molly returned no reply
and danced as If she heard them not.
she then rejoined Lady Anastasia and
Etar Fra1 70 q lr his az
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 raveuous 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 viii presently hear he never
paid that money.
Molly next had a second dance with
his iordship. After it 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 lordshiD led her to the door,
where indeed her chair was waiting, but
no captain, and. bowling low, he handed
her i'm and shut the door. and he returned
20 the assembly. and Mollys chaf was i'm
mediateIy lifted up and borne away, sne
sitting alone, thinking of the evening and
OF her great triumph, suspecting no e,il
and thinking of no danger.
4 minute later the captain came TO the
door. There he saw Molly's chairnen
waiting with her chair. He looked about
him. Where was Molly He returned 10
the assembly: the girl was not there He
looked into the cardr0om. his lordship
was standing at the table looking on
My lord. said the captain in confusion
where is my ward -
Miss Moily2 Why, captain. J put hey
into her chair FIVE minutes ago. She is
gone
Her chair?'' The captain turned pale
Her chair is now at the door with her
ChaTmen."
What devilry is forward" 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 / have said before
at the entrance Of the long room out
side the trees We're hung with colored
lamps: the place was as bright as in the
sunshine Of noon. One would think that
nothing could be done in such place
which would not be observed There is
however, one thing which is never OBJ
served-it is the personal appearance OF
servants. No one regards the boatmau
Of the ferry or the driver Of the hackney