6o STAGE-COACB AND MAIL IN DA YS OF YORE 



Avere l)oiiii(l to fiu-lit tlio Frencli, or any other 

 enemy ; and that footpads were invaders of the 

 people's rights and properties, and ought to be 

 resisted hy men Avhose profession it was to fight, 

 and who were well paid for so doing. It was for 

 money all the officers in the army served the 

 Kino^ and fouiirht his hattles, and wliv should tliev 

 not as well tio'ht for monev in a stai?e-coach as 

 in a castle or a field ? She insisted that only one 

 of them could have been killed by the liighAvay- 

 nian, or perhaps l)ut wounded, and there were 

 several chances that he might have missed them 

 both. But, supposing the worst — that one had 

 l)een shot — it Avas only the chance of Avar, and 

 the other might have secured tlie robber, Avliich 

 Avould liaA'C been of more service to the country 

 than the life of the officer. In short, she ol)served, 

 it had the apj)earance more of coAvardice than 

 disregard for money, for tAvo officers to surrender 

 their purses to a single higliAvayman, Avho had 

 nothing but one pistol. 



The lady's reflections Avere scA'crely felt by 

 the young sAvordsman, and produced a solemn 

 silence in the coach for a quarter of an hour, 

 during Avliich time some fell asleep, and so con- 

 tinued until coming to the next inn, Avhere the 

 horses Avere changed. There tAvo or three glasses 

 of port restored the officer's courage, and he 

 determined, in case of an attack, to defend every 

 one from the assaults of all liio'liAvaA^men Avhat- 

 socA'cr. To show tlie courage that sometimes 

 animated him, he told the story of how he had 



