32 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



Thinking of this inn brings to our recollection 

 an anecdote of this Mr. Elton, when travelling 

 together with my father up to London. On stop- 

 ping to change horses there, they were told by the 

 landlord that a Captain Melluish — I believe this 

 was the name — had been shot by a highwayman 

 only the night before on the heath, and was then 

 lying dead upstairs. 



" It is late, gentlemen,'' Boniface urged, " and I 

 strongly advise you not continuing your journey in 

 this dark night." 



*' We must go on," Mr. Elton replied, " having 

 made a very early engagement in London for to- 

 morrow morning ; so order out four horses, and tell 

 your ostler to bring in here a small mahogany box 

 he will find on the seat of the carriage. Now," 

 said Elton to my father, *' you watch that rascal's 

 face whilst I am reloading the pistols ; for report 

 goes that he is connected with the highwaymen on 

 this road." 



The ostler, having placed the pistol-case on the 

 table, was leaving the room, when Elton desired 

 him to remain, and my fether immediately detected 

 a change in his countenance, betokening, as he 

 imagined, a guilty conscience. The pistols having 

 been reloaded and fresh primed, Elton, handing one 

 brace to my father and pocketing the other, gave 

 the empty case to the ostler to replace in the car- 

 riage. A few minutes after, the landlord announc- 

 ing that the horses were ready, the two friends left 

 the house, and Elton, before taking his seat, going 

 up to the postilion on the wheel-horses, said, loud 



