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answered； sulkily。
‘Why I’ll tell you what； brother；’ said Dennis； with a friendly
smile； ‘when you don’t want me to know which way you’re riding；
you must wear another sort of bells on your horse。 Ah！ I know the
sound of them you wore last night； and have got quick ears for
’em； that’s the truth。 Well； but how are you； brother？’
He had by this time approached； and now ventured to sit down
by him。
‘How am I？’ answered Hugh。 ‘Where were you yesterday？
Where did you go when you left me in the jail？ Why did you leave
me？ And what did you mean by rolling your eyes and shaking
your fist at me； eh？’
‘I shake my fist！—at you； brother！’ said Dennis； gently checking
Hugh’s uplifted hand； which looked threatening。
‘Your stick； then； it’s all one。’
‘Lord love you； brother； I meant nothing。 You don’t understand
me by half。 I shouldn’t wonder now；’ he added； in the tone of a
desponding and an injured man； ‘but you thought； because I
wanted them chaps left in the prison； that I was a going to desert
the banners？’
Hugh told him； with an oath； that he had thought so。
‘Well！’ said Mr Dennis； mournfully； ‘if you an’t enough to make
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a man mistrust his feller…creeturs； I don’t know what is。 Desert the
banners！ Me！ Ned Dennis； as was so christened by his own
father！—Is this axe your’n； brother？’
Yes； it’s mine；’ said Hugh； in the same sullen manner as before；
‘it might have hurt you； if you had come in its way once or twice
last night。 Put it down。’
‘Might have hurt me！’ said Mr Dennis； still keeping it in his
hand； and feeling the edge with an air of abstraction。 ‘Might have
hurt me！ and me exerting myself all the time to the wery best
advantage。 Here’s a world！ And you’re not a…going to ask me to
take a sup out of that ’ere bottle； eh？’
Hugh passed it towards him。 As he raised it to his lips； Barnaby
jumped up； and motioning them to be silent； looked eagerly out。
‘What’s the matter； Barnaby？’ said Dennis； glancing at Hugh
and dropping the flask； but still holding the axe in his hand。
‘Hush！’ he answered softly。 ‘What do I see glittering behind the
hedge？’
‘What！’ cried the hangman； raising his voice to its highest pitch；
and laying hold of him and Hugh。 ‘Not soldiers； surely！’
That moment； the shed was filled with armed men； and a body
of horse； galloping into the field； drew up before it。
‘There！’ said Dennis； who remained untouched among them
when they had seized their prisoners； ‘it’s them two young ones；
gentlemen； that the proclamation puts a price on。 This other’s an
escaped felon。—I’m sorry for it； brother；’ he added； in a tone of
resignation； addressing himself to Hugh； ‘but you’ve brought it on
yourself； you forced me to do it； you wouldn’t respect the soundest
constitootional principles； you know； you went and wiolated the
wery framework of society。 I had sooner have given away a trifle in
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charity than done this； I would upon my soul。—If you’ll keep fast
hold on ’em； gentlemen； I think I can make a shift to tie ’em better
than you can。’
But this operation was postponed for a few moments by a new
occurrence。 The blind man； whose ears were quicker than most
people’s sight； had been alarmed； before Barnaby； by a rustling in
the bushes； under cover of which the soldiers had advanced。 He
retreated instantly—had hidden somewhere for a minute—and
probably in his confusion mistaking the point at which he had
emerged； was now seen running across the open meadow。
An officer cried directly that he had helped to plunder a house
last night。 He was loudly called on； to surrender。 He ran the
harder； and in a few seconds would have been out of gunshot。 The
word was given； and the men fired。
There was a breathless pause and a profound silence； during
which all eyes were fixed upon him。 He had been seen to start at
the discharge； as if the report had frightened him。 But he neither
stopped nor slackened his pace in the least； and ran on full forty
yards further。 Then； without one reel or stagger； or sign of
faintness； or quivering of any limb； he dropped。
Some of them hurried up to where he lay；—the hangman with
them。 Everything had passed so quickly； that the smoke had not
yet scattered； but curled slowly off in a little cloud； which seemed
like the dead man’s spirit moving solemnly away。 There were a
few drops of blood upon the grass—more； when they turned him
over—that was all。
‘Look here！ Look here！’ said the hangman； stooping one knee
beside the body； and gazing up with a disconsolate face at the
officer and men。 ‘Here’s a pretty sight！’
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‘Stand out of the way；’ replied the officer。 ‘Serjeant！ see what he
had about him。’
The man turned his pockets out upon the grass； and counted；
besides some foreign coins and two rings； five…and…forty guineas in
gold。 These were bundled up in a handkerchief and carried away；
the body remained there for the present； but six men and the
serjeant were left to take it to the nearest public…house。
‘Now then； if you’re going；’ said the serjeant； clapping Dennis
on the back； and pointing after the officer who was walking
towards the shed。
To which Mr Dennis only replied； ‘Don’t talk to me！’ and then
repeated what he had said before； namely； ‘Here’s a pretty sight！’
‘It’s not one that you care for much； I should think；’ observed
the serjeant coolly。
‘Why； who；’ said Mr Dennis rising； ‘should care for it； if I don’t？’
‘Oh！ I didn’t know you was so tender…hearted；’ said the serjeant。
‘That’s all！’
‘Tender…hearted！’ echoed Dennis。 ‘Tender…hearted！ Look at this
man。 Do you call this constitootional？ Do you see him shot through
and through instead of being worked off like a Briton？ Damme； if I
know which party to side with。 You’re as bad as the other。 What’s
to become of the country if the military power’s to go a
superseding the ciwilians in this way？ Where’s this poor feller…
creetur’s rights as a citizen； that he didn’t have me in his last
moments！ I was here。 I was willing。 I was ready。 These are nice
times； brother； to have the dead crying out against us in this way；
and sleep comfortably in our beds arterwards； wery nice！’
Whether he derived any material consolation from binding the
prisoners； is uncertain； most probably he did。 At all events his
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being summoned to that work； diverted him； for the time； from
these painful reflections； and gave his thoughts a more congenial
occupation。
They were not all three carried off together； but in two parties；
Barnaby and his father； going by one road in the centre of a body
of foot； and Hugh； fast bound upon a horse； and strongly guarded
by a troop of cavalry； being taken by another。
They had no opportunity for the least communication； in the
short interval which preceded their departure； being kept strictly
apart。 Hugh only observed that Barnaby walked with a drooping
head among his guard； and； without raising his eyes； that he tried
to wave his fettered hand when he passed。 For himself； he buoyed
up his courage as he rode along； with the assurance that the mob
would force his ja