98 THE EXETER ROAD 



of oxide of iron, which prevents drainage of the soil, 

 with a blue sandy clay underlying. This stratum of 

 iron rust requires to be broken through, and the blue 

 clay subsoil raised to the surface and mixed with the 

 black sand, before anything will grow here. 



There is to be seen on the summit of the steep hill 

 that leads out of Bagshot an old inn called the ' Jolly 

 Farmer.' This is the successor of a still older house 

 which stood at the side of the road, and was famous 

 in the annals of highway robbery, having been once 

 the residence of William Davis, the notorious ' Golden 

 Farmer,' who lived here in the century before last. 



The airriculturist with this auriferous name was a 

 man greatly respected in the neighbourhood, and 

 acquired the nickname from his invariable practice of 

 paying his bills in gold. He was never known to 

 tender cheques, bank-notes, or bills, and this fact was 

 considered so extraordinary that it excited much com- 

 ment, while at the same time increasing the respect 

 due to so substantial a man. But respect at last fell 

 from Mr. William Davis like a cloak ; for one night 

 when a coach was robbed (as every coach was robbed 

 then) on Bagshot Heath by a peculiar highwayman 

 who had earned a great reputation from his invariable 

 practice of returning all the jewellery and notes and 

 keeping only the coin, the masked robber, departing 

 with his plunder, was shot in the back by a traveller 

 who had managed to secrete a pistol. 



Bound hand and foot, the wounded highwayman 

 was hauled into the lighted space before the entrance 

 to the ' King's Arms,' when the gossips of the place 

 recognised in him the well-known features of the 



