THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL. 193 



But their appreciation of his kindness was 

 more than negatively shown ; they took active 

 steps and a signal opportunity of proving their 

 devotion to Russell by coming forward, of their 

 own accord, to protect his dwelling-house, when 

 they had reason to believe it was threatened 

 by burglars. A desperate gang had infested the 

 neighbourhood for some time, the houses of the 

 clergy having been made the chief object of 

 their depredations, far and near. At length it 

 was whispered about that Russell's, which had so 

 far escaped, would be the next to suffer, the 

 gipsies not being the last to hear the rumour. 



The alarm, however, after some time passed 

 off ; and one day, as Russell was riding near 

 Stonecross, on his way to Exmoor, he met Seth, 

 the stalwart son of the King of the Gipsies, 

 and thus accosted him: "Is it true, Seth, that 

 you and your men, hearing that my house 

 was likely to be attacked, have been keeping 

 watch over it for many nights together?" 



"Quite true, sir; and let me tell you, if we 

 had caught them on your premises, they would 

 never have gone home alive." 



But, long before that event happened, Rus- 

 sell had secured the goodwill of the Romanies 

 for ever, by a somewhat risky transaction on his 

 part. He was riding down to Haccombe on a 

 visit to Sir Walter Carew, and passing by Part- 

 ridge Walls, near Eggesford, was hailed by a 



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