Hast ever that
pistareen about thee?"
This question, which was put in a lowered tone, and only to the ear of the
party concerned, was answered in the affirmative.
"Give it me, lad; in the morning, thou shalt be paid, with usurer's
interest."
Another summons from Content, who had now led the nag loaded with the
carcass of the sheep without the postern, cut short the secret conference.
Eben Dudley, having received the coin, hastened to follow. But the
distance to the out-buildings was sufficient to enable him to effect his
mysterious purpose without discovery. Whilst Content endeavored to calm
the apprehensions of his wife, who still persisted in sharing his danger,
by such reasons as he could on the instant command, the credulous Dudley
placed the thin piece of silver between his teeth, and, with a pressure
that denoted the prodigious force of his jaws, caused it to assume a
beaten and rounded shape. He then slily dropped the battered coin into the
muzzle of his gun, taking care to secure its presence, until he himself
should send it on its disenchanting message, by a wad torn from the lining
of part of his vestments.
Pages:
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106