Colonel Thorndyke's Secret

all degree to Squire Thorndyke, who owned the whole of the parish, and by whom and his tenants the greater portion of th

ace sadly changed from what it had been when he had left it twenty years before. His first act was to dismiss Newman; who, completely unchecked, had, he found, been sadly mismanaging affairs. It was not long, however, before his hand made itself felt. Two out of the three public houses were shut up in six months, a score of their habitual frequenters had, weeks before, been turned out of their houses, an order had been issued that unless a cottage was kept in go

tion of the wages was not spent at the alehouse, who would take an interest in the people, and would lend a helping hand in bad times. There was a feeling of regret that the Squire was

mined he would take nothing out of the estate beyond the necessary expenses of the position, and that all surplus should be expended in improving it in every way possible, so that he could hand it over to her in the most perfect condition. Therefore, when he came into possession he made a close inspection of th

cattle in good condition, and everything going on as it ought to be, out you go next Christmas. The estate at present is a disgrace to the county, but it sha

r ready to put his hand into his pocket for any repairs needed for the church, and bore on his shoulders almost the entire expense of the village school. In the latter respect there had been no falling off, he having give

went from bad to worse. Drunken men would shout jeeringly as they passed the Rectory on their way home from the alehouse; women no

st instantaneous. As soon as it became known that the Rector was backed, heart and soul, by the Squire's authority, and that a complaint from him was followed the next day by a notice to quit at the end of a week, his own authority was establish

solitary alehouse remaining had but few customers, and those few were never allowed to transgres

bar parlor alongside, where quiet men can sit and smoke their pipes and talk and take their beer in comfort, and have liberty to enjoy themselves as long as their enjoyment does not cause annoyance to other people or keep their wives and children in rags. I will do anything for y

nd John Thorndyke, having settled matters to his satisfaction, now began to attend more to other affairs. He had been, when he first came back, welcomed with great heartiness by all the gentry of the neighborhood; his father had been a popular man, and young Thorndyke had been regarded as a pleasant young fellow, and would i

n, a pleasant one. He had not been conscious before that time hung somewhat heavily on his hands, but here he had duties to perform and ample employment. His nature was naturally somewhat a masterful one, and both as a magistrate and a landlord he had scope and power of action. Occasionally he went up to London, always driving his gig, wit

leaving the army and coming home at his father's death, George Thorndyke had chosen to remain abroad and leave the estate to the management of agents, had specially prejudiced him in the eyes of the people of that part, and had height

cultivating. He did absolutely nothing beyond collecting the rents. He let the whole place go to rack and ruin.

the Rector of the place that his conduct was not satisfactory. I remember that we wrote to him ab

ord; you should have sent down someone to find out the true state of things. Why, the place has been an eyesore to the whole neighborhood, the resort of poaching, thie

ng when the Rector did not come up to smoke a pipe an

broils at the alehouse, and I hear that he consorts with a bad lot of fellows down at Reigate. One of my tenants-I won't mention names-complained to me that he had persecuted hi

here. Of course they have all gone, but several of them only moved as far as Reigate, and he kept up their acquaintance. I thrashed him again and again

eek for being drunk and making a disturbance down at Reigate. Why do you let him have money? You may have no authority over him; but at least you should refuse to open your purse to him. Don't you see t

better; and I have thou

t is no reason why you should. The question is what is to be done with him? The best thing he could do would be to enlist. He might be o

voice, "and he has simply laughed in my face, and said that he was

t in the morning?" John

e o'clock, and has his break

morrow morning and have

one o'clock. Mr. Bastow had just finished his meal; his son, a young f

n Thorndyke said quietly. "I have been asking your father wh

ked up with an air o

business of yours, Mr. Thor

re annoying some of the girls on the estate, and altogether you are making yourself a nuisance. I stopped at the alehouse as I came here, and have or

f the peace, you have not the power to dictate to

rden to him, and he is desirous of your absence, I can and will order th

at his father. "He has not been compl

d that it were best for him and all concerned that he should close his doors to you. I don't want to have to send the son of my old friend to prison, but I can see well enough that that is what it will come to if you don't give up your evil courses. I should think you

y decline to obey your orders

Bastow, do I understand that you desire that your

I have no other course before me but to resign my livi

, I shall give it you. The best thing you can do is to take your place for town on the outside of the coach that comes through Reigate this afternoon, and tomorrow morning proceed either to the recruiting officer for His Majesty's s

Bastow

cally. "I have my own plan

ld just be as well for you to come home with me. I don't thin

or rose

ot told you before, that my son has more than once raised his ha

pable even of th

oodby, my son, and may Heaven lead you to better ways! If ever you come to me and say, 'Father, I have turned over a new leaf, and

ention to the offered han

Squire Thorndyke, I shall not forget your meddlesome int

age, and still more I am doing my duty to an old friend, and I am not likel

at the house of Knapp, the village constable; and said a few wo

to you; but it is one sharp wrench, and then it will be over. Anyth

r coming home. Since you returned, and matters in the parish have been put straight, this trouble has come in to take the place of the other, and I have

thing for him, as he will not take up the only trade open to him. At any rate, it would separate him f

g money. He must get it somewhere else, for when I have paid my bills, as I always do the hour that I receive money, there is but little over for him to take. He is often away all night,

e how it can be,"

steps to have him watched, and to nip the matter before it went too far.

ow shook

ll boy punishment only had that effect with him. He will come back tonight probably

the doors and b

to being out at night, but he a

l breaks into the house I will have him down at Reigate tomorrow on the charge of house breaking; or, at any rat

uire, for, to say the truth, I feel uneasy as to the ste

nwearied worker when there was an opportunity for work, but he had always shrunk from unpleasantness, and was ready to yield rather than bring about trouble. He had for a long time suffered in silence, and had not the Squire himself approached the subject of his son's delinquencies, he wo

e. "It is just as well that he should be present if your son comes back again.

e should be another witness to his son's conduct, but he s

closed and barred?" Jo

sees to that as so

ed now, Elisa," her master

ur ago, and is sitt

n myself when I wa

Mr. Bastow having gone to the cellar to fetch up a bottle of old brandy that wa

ot a jug of beer there. You had better get a couple of hours' sleep on that settle. I shall keep watch,

the door of the parlor. "The door opening

fast now, I suppose? That is right. Now lie down and get an hour o

or him to come in. You told me that she had been with you a good many years. I dare say she has left that door unbarred for him many a time. I should advise you to get a man to

through. However, I won't have him taken away without your being present, and will call you when we want you. Of course, if he will gi

mes home late, he brings someone with him; I have heard voices downstairs. I have never seen who it was-for what co

hunting crop is a good weapon; but I don't suppose they will show fight, even if anyone is with him. Besides, Knapp has a stout oaken cudgel with him-I noticed it standing ag

. I don't want him to know that there is anyone in the house till we get hold of him. I am goi

when the constable shook John Thorndyke. "The

ore I lay down. I will go up and see what they are going to do. If they

ding his heavy hunting crop in his hand, he went quietly upstai

ladder in the stable, and I will get in at that window up there and open it for you. Or you may as well

e went ha

enough for us to see them as they get in. I will take the last fellow, and I will warrant that he will give no trouble; then I will fall upon the second, and do you spring on young Bastow. The two highwaymen are sure to have pistols, and he may have some also. Gi

their positions the top of the stable ladder appeared above the sill of the window. Half a minute later young Bastow's head appea

"then you won't tumb

hn's Thorndyke's whip fell with tremen

no further. Again the heavy whip descended, this time on his right arm; it dropped useless by his side, and the pistol fell from his

ly, "if you don't surrender

believe that you have broken my

fellow was lithe and sinewy, but he was no match for the constable, who,

tols, Knapp?" t

my pocket. There," he went on, as a sharp click was heard

chen fire: you will find a pair standing on the parlor table. Don't be long a

I go, Squire. I have got anoth

ists of the insensible man he ran downstairs

e Squire said. "I was afraid that

n, and he cannot get away unless he takes the whole bed with him; and as I don't think he would get it out eithe

l leave you a candle here, and you can keep g

and down his room in great distress. He had not

Squire entered. "I heard two heavy falls, and

home with him two men who are, I have little doubt, highwaymen; anyhow, they each had a brace of pistols in their belt, and from what he said I think they have been stopping a coach. At any rate, they have something with them that th

e-entering the house could not be looked upon as an act of burglary. As it is, the affair is altogether changed. Even if I wished to do so, as a magistrate I could not release those two highwaymen; they must appear as prisoners in court. I shall hear down in the town tomorrow morning what coach has been stopped, and I have no doubt that they have on them the proceeds of the robbery. Your son was consorting wit