268 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



matters were. Yet the coolness and assurance of the 

 highwayman, who stood at the door, while Stevens 

 knelt in the dusty road at some couple of yards 

 distance, staggered him. He placed his hand in a 

 pocket of the carriage, and drawing forth one of his 

 travelling pistols, levelled it deliberately at Turpin's 

 head. 



" Stevens ! " shouted he. 



" Stevens knows better than to stir," replied the 

 highwayman, pointing his pistol for an instant in the 

 direction of the valet. 



His lordship seized the opportunity, and drew the 

 triooer but no sound was heard but the click of the 

 flint. Our hero turned to him with a smile. 



'■' Upon my word, my lord," said he coolly, " I'm 

 obliged to your lordship for rebuking my bad manners 

 in not attending to you first. I have to apologise " 



The enraeed nobleman had snatched the other 

 pistol from its receptacle, but again the provoking 

 Hash of the priming powder whiffed off in smoke ! 

 He angrily hurled the harmless weapon at Turpin, 

 who, ducking his head, avoided the missile. His 

 lordship then threw himself back on his seat, with 

 the air of a man who has left all to fate, and is per- 

 fectly resigned to the inevitable. 



" Much obliged, certainly, for your kind intention," 

 resumed Dick, "but, my lord, next time you feel 

 inclined to shoot anybody, take the precaution of 

 seeing your pistols haven't had their charges drawn. 

 It is a bad world we live in," added he, without 

 altering the tone of his voice or dismissing the smile 

 which played on so much of his face as was not hidden 

 by the mask he wore. His lordship was thoroughly 

 amazed at his impudence and at the condition of his 

 firearms. " And now, if you please, we'll discuss 



