The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-02-19

tanimal TO the right-about, left the
worthy divine with hands uplIfted iii
pious horror
Stand, or fire.
The ominous words broke like a
thunderbolt on the occupants of the
travelling coach. The coachman,
paralyzed with terror, hastily drew up;
and the black horseman, his face now
concealed by a velvet mask, flung
open the carriage door.
Your jewels, madam! Your purse,
sir!" -,
Great-uncle Pennington, rudely
aroused from slumber, was fain to
make an outcry, but the sight of a
pistol levelled straight at his head
made him promptly produce the de-
sired article.
Now, madam"
But Dorothy scorned the notion of
an easy surrender. "
Think you, sir, that lady of quail
lty carries her jewels about her at risk
OF meeting such company"
| matters little what | think,
madam. Hand over the gewgaws
without further bandying of words
| That will not. / defy you!"
| Il give you while | count ten,
madam.
Dorothy S. courage was of the finest;
but 1T was not easy to maintain it at
the required pitch, looking into the
barrel of a highwayman's revolver.
| With a little sob, she slowly drew up
the pomander box that depended from
her girdle, and opened it. Instead of
the usual powder puff and other vani-
ties, there lay coiled string Of
emeralds. Reluctantly she handed
them over to the coach door. The
horseman took them, glanced at Them
and broke into contemptuous laugh.
And you think to cozen Black Dick,
young madam! | tell you | will have
the stones l saw you wearing at the
assembly rout.
You saw me wearing?" echoed
Dorothy, haughtily.
i Ay, and that warned you Black
Il Dick would risk his neck to- possess
himself Of"
There flashed across Dorothy's mem
DRY the picture of a fop, costumed in
plunl-colered attire, who had uttered
these very words And she had
4 danced with him! Danced with high
! Wayman!
So It's Of no avail to throw dust
in my eyes. Out with them at once!''
/ Il pledge you my word | have not
them about me-
T take your word for that. But, by
your leave, madam
And Dorothy found herself uncere.
moniously deposited on the roadside !:
while the highwayman, stepping into
the coach, ransacked and probed every
corner of it.. Another moment, and he
lifted the judge bodily in his muscular
arms. Dorothy cried aloud:
20 sir, you would not disturb an old
man! | entreat you not to eject him.
He has but recently recovered from an
attack of govt"
You are vastly concerned about
your relatives health, madam, For the
ailments, you mention there is .nought
so. efficacious as a brief sojourn in the
open air. ]"
And the invalid Facant, seat under
went the same rigid scrutiny, Dorothy
watching, breathless.
Hal" calculated the highWayman
He had torn off the leather that GOV,
cred the floor ofRthe coach, and a
chink in the boards became visible,
just where the Judges feet had re.
posed.
Quick as thought, the masked rider
pried open the planBs, and from Gun.
ningly devised aperture extracted a
case. Leaping from the coach, he held
up to. view its contents, a complete
parure of large emeralds.
"Ay, these are in truth, the gems
that graced Mistress Pennington when
she honored me with dance!"
Great-uncle Pennington, true son of
Adam, FASTENED to exculpate himself.
1 protest, sir, I knew nothing
But it was too much for Dorothy
Dignity and prudence alike momentar.
lily deserted her. She raised her little
hand, and ringing soufflet, of no I'M
certain aim, descended on the velvet
mask.
The highwayman treated the affront
as a jest. Sweeping his three cornered
hat in salute to his victims, he rode
Off, hearing for some minutes the
Judges doleful lamentations, and
; Dorothy's reproachful rejoinder.
'Alackaday, Uncle, | vow you are
more discomposed at the loss of your
scantily replenished purse than at that
of my jewels.''
Late the following day the gentle
man of the mask might have been seen
making his way cautiously through a
certain quarter of London. Arrived at
his destination-the abode of Jew
dealer. who asked no inconvenient
questionable produced his precious
spoils. He had already determined on
the goodly amount of coin of the realm
he would exact as their value
Here, Isaac,-here's prize that
doesn't often come your way. No
haggling now"
The Jew stretched out an eager
hand, and, clutching the case, pro-
ceeded to test its contents.
Wei, how much are you thinking
you can cheat me. off," demanded the
lcustomer. You've taken long enough