The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-31
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A TERRIBLE Temptation
CHARLES READE Z



Moses Moss, my lady"
"Mr, Moss. | wish to ask you ques-
tion or two. May I?' r.
THAT you may, my lady"
'I want you 10 explain. IL you will be
so good, how the proprietor OF 'Splat-
chetts' can shoot all Sir Charles pheas-
| ants"
Lord my lady. we amt come down TO
that. But he do shoot more than his
| share that's sure, an sartin Well, my
| laUy, if you please. game Is just IKE
| Christians; 1t will make for sunny spots.
| Highmore has got many or them there,
| with good cover; so we breeds for him.
As for 'splatchetts,' that don't hurt we.
| my lady: IL Is all arabic land and dead
hedges, with no bottom: only there's one
little tongue OF 1t runs into North Wood.
1 and planted with larch; and if you
\ please. my lady, there is always kind
OF coarse grass grows under young
larches. and makes strong cover for
| game. So, beat North Wood which way
| you will, them artful old cocks Will run
ahead OF We, or double back into them
| larches And you see Mr.. Bassett Is
! not a gentleman. like Sir Charles he Is
| always a-mouching about, and the big
| gest poacher In the parish; and so he
drops on TO 'em out OF bounds"
us there no way OF stopping this, sirY'
eve might station a dozen beaters
1
but don't think they'd mind that much
II you had set your heart on 1t, my lady.
/ Dalld IL / would. for one"
"Oh, Mr.. Moss, Heaven for bid that
any man should be shot for me. No, not
| for all the pheasants in the world. I'll
try and think OF some other way. !
should like to see the place. May I?'
Yes my lady. and welcome"
How shall ! get 80 IL. sir?'
1 rid 'WOO0man
Rest my lady, and tits scarce stone s
throw from there; hut tits baddish travel
| ing for the likes OF you"
| She appointed an hour. rode with her
groom 10 the public house; and thence
was conducted through bush. through
brier. TO the place whe9 her husband
had been so much annoyed
Moss Comments became very intellgi-
| BILE TO her the moment she saw the place.
She said very little. however, and and
| rode home.
Next day she blushed high and asked
Sir Charles for a hundred pounds TO spend
| upon herself.
Sir Charles smiled, we'll pleased. and
gave It her. and ? kiss into the bar
! gain.
''Ahl but" said she, that is not ALL
III am glad of t. You spend too little
! money on yourself--a great deal too Ut
| tie" tf rrt
"That Is a complaint you won't have
! long to make. I want to cut down few
trees. May T.
"Going to build"
Don't ask me. II is for myself"
THAT Is enough. Cut down every stick
| on the estate IL you like. The barer II
leaves US the better"
4 "Ah Charles. You promised me not.
shah cut with great discretion, l as
sure you"
"As YOU please" said Sir Charles. IF
| you want 10 make me happy, deny your
self nothing. Mind, / shall be angry
| IL you dog
! Soon after this a gaping quidnunc came
to Sir Charles and told him Lady Bas-
sett was telling trees In NORTH Wood.
And pray who has a better right TO
! fell trees in any wood of miner"
| But she Is building wall"
"And who has better right to bufd a
wall?"
With the delicacy OF gentleman, he
would not go near the place after this
| till she asked him; and that was notslong.
/ She came into his study. all beaming, and
| invited him to ride. She took him into
| North Wood. and showed him her work.
! Richard Bassett's plantation, hitherto d.
| vided from North Wood only by boun-
dairy scarcely visible. was now shut on
by a brick wall; on Sir Charles side OF
| that wall every stick OF timer was felled
! and removed for n distance OF f1fty yards
and about twenty yards from the wall a
belt OF rarches was planted, a little higher
4 than cabbages.
Sir Charles looked amazed at first but
soon observed how thoroughly his enemy
was defeated. my poor Bella" said he,
Ito think of your taking all this trouble
1 about such thing" He stopped to kiss
her very tenderly, and she shone with Joy
and innocent pride And / never thought
OF this! You sstonish me- Bella
'Ay." said she. in high spirits now
"and what Is more. have astonished Mr.
Moss He said. Il wish ] had your head
piece, my lady ] could have told him
| love sharpens woman's wits: but / re-
served that little adage for you"
ITS all mighty fine, fair lady. but you
/ have told me fib You said II was 10 be
all for yourself. and got a hundred
pounds out OF me-"
And so II was for myself. you silly
thing. Are you not myself? and the part
OF myself ] love the best9' And her SUP
pie wrist was around his neck in a mo-
ment
They rodo home together like lovers
! and cnmferted each other
Richard Bassett. with Wheeier's assist.
ance. had borrowed money on Highmore
10 buy "splatchett's:" he now borrowed
money on "Splatchett's" and bought
4 ttdn y Nopu-a Npon. Win DdtCneS Ol
| grass. that lay on the east Of Sir Charles
boundary. ne gave seventeen hundred
| pounds for ~. and sold two thousand
4 hounds worth of timber of IN the nrsi
year. This sounds incredfbie, but. OWNS
m the custom Of telling only ripe trees
/ landed proprietors had no sure clew 10 the
I value of-all the timber on an acre. Rich
ard Bassett had found this out. and
bought Deans Wood upon the above
| terms-i p. the vender gave him the soil
and three hundred pounds gratis. He
| grubbcd the the roots and SOLD them for
fuel. and planted larches 10 catch the
| overflow Of Sir Charles game. The grass
| grow beautifully. now the trees were
down apd nc let II for pasture
lie then. still under Wheeier's advice
| camo out into the world again. Improved
| his dress. and called on several county
] families. with Wow 20 marrying money.
Now IN tho country they do not desplse
| poor gentleman OF good lineage and
Bassett was one ~ the oldest names IN
the country; 80 every door was open 90
him; and indeed. his late hermit hfe had