The Birthright

in, and seemed to be collecting his thoughts

mountain peak. It seems a strange idea to build a big house like that on a rocky eminence, but the Penryns have always been a strange people. However, it is said

s do yo

y miles up and down the coast-as far as Bude Harbour on the one hand, and Gurnar

" aske

by a long way, my boy. The rent

l, g

what I can gather spoiled. Well, he waited until he was over thirty before he got married; indeed, both his parents were dead before he saw Naomi'

was Naomi

cousin of mine, George

el

've managed a good many women in my day, but never one who was so difficult as she. Anyhow, John Penryn and she lived a cat-and-dog life. John, I suppose, was a fine fellow in his way, but imperious, impatient, and at times

e awfully slow

e was expected to become a mother. Anyhow, she taunted him with being unfaithful to her, and irritated him so with invective and abuse that, forgetting everything, he tried to crush her by brute force. Of course, in her state this was a mad thing to do, especially as she was very weak an

Whew!" c

discovered it was much bruised and battered. Of course the affair was hu

out the

and it is said that all arrangements were made for her funeral. Presentl

e mothe

lived and enjoyed a fair amount of health. I suppose, too, that her conduct impr

did man

o get my own way; but I think it would have

, gra

er in hand, and togethe

establish a claim on her sympa

I've had to visit Trevose many times, and have suffered more abuse than I

ked Nick,

and I am constituted her sole guardian. She cannot

s

everything

ha

u know what your granny is. She pleaded that I was a cousin, and a h

s to me every

if not, then when she arrives at that age the lawyer who has to do with the estates will naturally want

as a Catholic

Naomi's religious views should not be interfered with, an

her to marry

iest wanted to persuade her mother that the child ought to be placed in Mawgan Convent, and her property given to t

me without speaking; then R

n love with her,

tle bit, and she

areful. You are no fool, Nick; Naomi has her little weaknesses like other folks; find 'em out and humour 'em. Now you

tion I had heard, and which, according to the best of my ability, I have faithfully described. I saw that Naomi was brought to this house because of her money. I saw, too, that every sort of pressure would be brought to bear upon her to make her marry Nick Tresidder, and I felt assured

tratagem of the woman who had caused my grandfather to disinherit his own son? These questions, as may be imagined, greatly exercised my mind

foot of the cliff under the mouth of my hiding-place. When I had eaten I went into the inner cave, and lay a-thinking again and again of what I must do. I recalled to mind the words that had passed between Naomi and me, of the joy I had felt when she

otsteps near me, but the first thing of which I have a clear recollection was

and so I concluded that they were strangers to our part of the county. They were not altogether ill-favoured men, although I co

resently, after staring at me for s

e smugglers who infested the coast, and who knew the secret of Granfer Fraddam's Cave. Probably they belonged to Jack Truscott's famous

trength from the size of their bare arms, and the breadth of their chests. Al

ask who you are,"

k we may, so we'll tell 'ee, es you'll nev

a living man

es wot you call convainient. See, matey? Well, ef othe

en worse than that. Perhaps you belong to Jack Truscott's gang. Ah, I see yo

e done. You zee, dead men kip their saicrets well; livin' ones do'ant. You be a

coolly, "I'm n

us the fust fair cha

oba

so-" He drew his finger acro

o my heart; but I did not betray any fear, and a

before, I expect?" I said, watch

looking significantly at his companion,

ned, as though he was p

d heard of many bloody deeds being done off the Lizard, but, as I said, the coast of St. Eve had

ious twitch of his lips, "a good bit ruther. Et do come ai

ther can I describe the careless way in which they spoke of murder. But in

f them holding a smuggler's lantern in his hand, and th

bin sayin'?" said the

N

a daicent fella, an' we do'ant want to

ith a sneer, for I thou

t zo. Well, then,

les w

mus' be olf. I spoase you

es

et way

odd

fe which hung in a

he Cap'n comed, an' then 'ee might 'ave tooked 'ee on. Besides, ther's a special cargo comin' in d'reckly, deffe

o be kille

et," he said, as coolly as though I were

ou, I'm not,"

It's 'bout wawn o'clock in the mornin' no

cave. Then I turned to Bill Lurgy. My idea was to master him before Sam should recover, and then escape up the secret way to th

hild in my hands. He went on the floor of the cave with a thud, and then I fastened my hands around his throat. I felt mad at the moment, and, remembering that time, I can quite understand h

have been able to save myself or no, I know not; I have sometimes thought it would have bee

Sam

the average. He had a large head, well shaped, while his features were clearly cut and, I thought, pleasing. His face, too, was cleanly shaved, and he was dressed wi

as though he knew it wel

that? Strick un down in a moment wethout givin' ev'n a chance to say hes

led me, cap'n,

mber the Scripters, an' turn

, seeming to understand the situation,

ing to me. "Never be rash, young man, an' rem

ken man, and had not Sam called him "Cap'n," I should have thou

n Jack Trusco

Truscott, or spoase others do call me Jack Fraddam, what do I care? I'm a man as es friends weth everybod

o you

'ave knifed 'ee, my deear. You was born to live a good ould age, and die in bed at Pennington, in the best room, my deear, with yer cheldern and grancheldern cal around '

to make one's blood run cold. It was reported that he had a house in a gully which runs up from Kynance Cove, which was the

deear, but I do comfort myself, I do, for what do the Scripters say?-'Blessed are they that are abused.' I ain't a

very cool and collected. His white eyes wandered all over the cave, and exchanged meaning glances with the two men with whom I had been struggling, but I knew that h

ntend doing with me? You are t

in' vexed now. Wha'

ying to kill me, and would, perha

th-fresh as paint, my deear, and shinin' like a makerl's back. Plenty of rail good

xcited, and scarcely expected to live until morning,

eears; we cudden bear that, could us, Jasper? Do 'ee smok' then, Jasper? I zee you do. Lot

o and lit it while Cap'n Jack, with evident satisfaction, smoke