J50 THE MASTEB OF THE HOUNDS. 



The Captain stated that, having arrived that evening at 

 Cherrington, he was standing in the hall of the hotel, waiting 

 for his horse, when a carriage and four drove up, and Lord 

 Vancourt staggered up the steps, supported by his valet, with 

 his arm in a sling and a broken nose, telling the landlord he 

 had been stopped by highwaymen on Marston Common, and 

 requesting a surgeon might be immediately sent for to set his 

 arm, which had been broken by a pistol-shot. Being shown 

 into a room, his valet went down into the stable-yard, where he 

 followed, and heard him ask the ostler if Major Shirley's horses 

 were ready (the name Lord Vancourt had assumed). 



" ' Ay, to be sure, and gone up the road an hour agone,' 

 replied the man. 



" ' My master is Major Shirley,' said the valet ; ' so how can 

 that be 1 * 



" ' All gammon,' persisted the ostler ; * Major Shirley's gone, 

 I tell ye, and a young lady along with 'un.' 



" ' A young lady along with him ! ' repeated j;he valet. ' What 

 sort of looking person was she ? ' 



"'Can't tell — boxed up tight together — doors shut and 

 window blinds down — runaway job, I expect ; but there, that's 

 no business of mine/ 



" ' Well,' exclaimed the valet, ' I must have two pair of 

 horses out in ten minutes.' 



" ' Can't have what we haven't got,' replied the ostler, 

 sulkily ; ' there's only one pair left.' 



" ' Then the same leaders must go the next stage,' said 

 the vaiec. 



" ' Speak to the master about that,' replied the man, as he 

 turned away. 



" The facts of the case were these. Vernon had resolved 

 to carry off Miss Mervyn the same night, and having been 

 annoyed by Lord Vancourt's refusal to pay him down the sum 

 he had promised for his co-operation in the plot, calculating also 

 on the hour Lord Vancourt would reach Cherrington, he 

 determined to be beforehand with his lordship, and, by assuming 

 the same name, to take advantage of the relays of horses 

 ordered on the road, thinking by this ruse to baffle all pursuit 

 of himself; in short, it was diamond cut diamond, Vernon 

 proving the sharpest of the two. This I have since learnt," 

 said Captain Melville, " but I remained at Cherrington until I 

 saw Lord Vancourt (after having his arm set and bandaged 

 up, with a large plaster on his nose) enter his carriage, notwith- 



