Year: 1878

The sun was setting behind the hills
OF Maldon, one June evening in the year
1845, when an acrobat, with his wife,
were seen plodding along the road to.
ward the next market town.


They were weary and sad. The acrobat
himself was man about thirty, of dark
complexion, with raven-b black hair curl
ing over his forehead. His eyes were
black and piercing, and there was some
thing in his look which bespoke nature
above that of mountebank.


His wife was some years younger, and
carried an infant child on her breast.
She too had the appearance of person
superior to her lot, and her face was
comely to look upon.


Their life was hard one, but they
bore it well. Nor, as yet, had all the
hardships which poverty had brought
into their door sent love, as the proverb
has it, flying out of the window.


dRhey were now iourneying to the mar
ket town of Maldon, and as to- morrow
would be market day, Duval thought he
might come III. for portion of the money
that would be changing hands. But as
it was very desirable that he and his wife
should have supper after long days
journey, and place to sleep in, he was
anxious to earn few pence in the town
or before reaching it, and presently an
opportunity arose by which, as he
thought, he might do so.


Almost opposite to him, at two or
three hundred yards distance, was the
lodge and noble gateway of gentleman's
park. AS Duval approached it he heard
voices sounding high and mirthful in
the air-the voices of children making
merry, with their light, young hearts,
and their clear, ringing laughter.


AS he came nearer and looked through
the gate, he saw between twenty and
thirty children, in holiday attire, playing
upon the lawn before an old and spacious
mansion, which had belonged to the
Windus family for many generations,
and was now in the possession of Sir
Windus, the tenth baronet and it was
the birthday of his little daughter which
the children were celebrating.


The acrobat's eyes kindled as he
looked in at the bevy of holiday-makers.
Here was grand chance for him.
Surely it would delight the children to
see him fash his golden balls in the air,
whirling them up and up, like the ever
springing stream of fountain. Surely
all the other wonderful things he could
do would be the very thing for them.
Surely the great and wealthy parents
would pay handsomely for the amuse-
ment of the little ladies and gentlemen.
He paused for n moment, then slowly
pushed open the gate, and walked in to-
ward the lawn, followed by his wife.


Had there been any enc there whose
permission he could have asked, he
would have done so. But there was no
one but the children themselves; and,
therefore, addressing one of the Oldest,
he asked her if they would like to see
some OF his feats The girl smilingly
replied that they would; and all the lit.
tie faces, with their great eyes, were
turned upon the acrobat and the wonder
ful box which ne took from his shoulders
and laid upon the ground.


And now the eyes of wonder opened
as far as they could go. And so intent was
his little audience in watching the aero
bat, and so intent was Duval in catching
his brass balls, that none of them per-
ceived that Sir William Windus was ap-
preaching with his gamekeeper. He
came forward with rapid strides, and
when within a few PAGES of Duval, he
~~-iC1 N"V :" Liihi III NOiO0 VI uhuhuor'


Vagabond ! how dare you enter
here ?"


For moment Duval stood astounded
and dumb at this sudden interruption.
He saw before him gentleman much
taller than himself, in shooting coat and
boots, with felt hat, narrow shouldered,
fair, with a shaven lip and chin, but
bushy whiskers of deep tawny hue; his
eyes, of blush gray, large and bright,
and his bearing that of an aristocrat,
with a strong dash of the bully.


"Come, pack up your trumpery and
begone /" said the baronet, seeing that
Duval stood looking at HIM.


But the acrobat had recovered his
self-possession, and now said, with a
firm voice: