HIGHWAY ROMANCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 76

HIGHWAY ROMANCES.

Bt John Robinson*

TO GRETNA GREEN*

(For the Witness.) "You* want a story, gentlemen. Very "Well, I'll tell you one of the days when tie world and I wen young together; of tli© day* of th« gay bucks and fashionable Corinthians, when a man had to prove nimself a man of honour before he was considered a gentleman. .And, in good sooth, the men of those _ days were » gay party indeed. As I sit in my armchair and throw my mind back to St. James's and the Mall of that time I can see the whole army of them now — their cravats, their wonderful waistcoats, their perukes and ruffles, for they were aB gay a pageant as ever the world could see. There was Dick Farrander, who was as blithe a rogue as ever pinked an enemy or paid court to a fair dame. Whilst gaming he lost his whole estate, and blew his brains out the same eyening. There was Sir Anthony Perry, who gave his life ' in defence^of his honour one morning before breakfast, and if the walls of the Fleet could, speak they, could tell tales Of the 'many gay .and fashionable Corinthians wha- were enclosed within -them. A hkrct-drinlciHg, gambling, gay, reckless creW* who hia the finer feelings of humanity -under the " mask of flippancy. Such" were "the "bucks of the days vrhen I va& young. I,' as you know, am' the only son -of Sir William ChadbTOoke, <of Chadbrooke Hall, and long before I reached the age of maturity I took the liberty of facing in love with no less a person ,tban Mistress Dorothy Belmore, the daughter of one of the richest landowners in those -parts. But I was not the only one who loved her, for half the country would only have been too happy to wed her, and, in good sootb, gentlemen, she was as fair a damsel as ever played the devil with the heart of man. But Dorothy loved -but me alone, and 'tis a true saying which says 'the course of true love , never runs smooth,' as neither of our parents would sanction the match at any. cost, ' and with that contrariness of human nature which can be traced to our first parents, especially Eve, we loved each other a!ll the more because we were forbidden. The reason

we were forbidden did, not arise from monetary difficulties, fdr both families could show a substantial rent roll ; but

from an old feud which had existed from the youth of my father and of Master Belmore- ■ About this time the countryside was upset 'by the'Hoings of one of the jprigbffi of the King's highway, ofcrwhom H was'Baid that he was oriee a fashionable Corinthian, who, by his wild excesses, had contracted dtebfe which he never could hare paid, had -left London and the delights of the Ifail; and had taken to the road in preference to the Fleet. He rode -under the sobriqwet of 'Will o' the Night,* and every day news would reach as of the doings • of . this gentlemanly blackleg, * who would express his regret to gentlemen while he relieved them of their purses, and pay courteous compliments to fair ladies while he acted to them in a like manner. And so it happened that one beautiful moonlight night, while returning to their home, Dorothy and her father had received the command to 'Stand and deliver!' As they opened the carriage window, a solitary horseman met their view. He was gaily dressed in the fashion of the time, and was mounted tm a superb black horse. He approached the carriage, pistol in hand, and, taking off his hat with his disengaged hand, hoped that the occupants would not be greatly inconvenienced by the necessity of handing over their purses. 'For, curse me,' quoth he. ' 'tis a scurvy trade which makes a man take a purse or a necklace, and bring sadness into the fairest face it has been his lot to gaze upon/ " 'Why not save yourself thV-pain, an it pains ye,' quoth Masler Belmore. "'Nay. sir.' quoth Will o' the Night — for it was he, "tis but a paltry" rogue who would shrink from duty even if he knew no peace till the end of his days.' * 'Seeing resistance was useless, they handed over their purses and stfdi jewellery, as •.Mistress Dorothy .carried upon her person, upon which" he thanked them . v agaift^with r a gallant speech, saying: 'I " hope .the -fair mistress will not grieve the loss of her jewels, for I wquld not for twice their value have tears dim her bright eyes by act of mine.' He then made them his most gallant bow, and with a word to his horse was gone.

"Master Belmore returned home vowing vengeance against all highwaymen in general, and this one in particular— at least so Dorothy told me one evening, for we used to meet under the elms at the end of the park on Master Belmore's estate. She told me more than that, too, forsooth. She told me that her cousin had come from London, and her father had commanded her to accept him in the event of hir proposing to marry her, and, *Oh, Dick,' quoth she, 'I'll marry none but you ; but they're stronger than I, and I have no one to help me.'

" 'Faith an' you have some one to help you,' quoth I, 'for he is a miserable poltroon who would fail the woman he loves.'

"'But what can we do, Dick? What can we do?' faltered she.

" 'Come with me, and. we'll > ride to Gretna \Green,' quoth I, in return. " ' Oh, ho ! Will you, my buck ? ' roared a voice behind us. "We both sprang round, to see who spoke, and there we saw Master Belmore and two of Jris keepers, f " 'You'll take her to Gretna Green, will you?' And he at once broke into such a torrent of oaths as are not. fit for your ears, gentlemen; let alone those of the fair maid who heard them. " ' Were you a young- man,' angrily cried I, 'I would make you eat thoke -words — every one of them.' " ' 'Tis well,' replied he, 'to sport your fourage before an old man.. } Twoul3

show you more a man to take your sword or pistols and rid the King's highway of the blackguards who live on it than to loiter about turning the head of an innocent girl.. Yes, pmk me, sir, but between you and the highwayman, the highwayman is the better of the two.' 'If I capture this highwayman, will you give .me Dorothy?' questioned I. But he only answered with -a curse, caight hold of his daughter, and departed, not, 'lowever, before I warned him that I would yet fly with his daughter to Gretna Green.

"Faith, and I meant it, gentlemen, for being a man of honour I intended to keep my word. And Dorothy helped me, too 4 the sly puss, for in Master Belmore*^ household there was an old servant who longed to see friendly relationship once more established between the two families, and through this medium we were able to send and receive messages to and from each_other, for 7V>rothy was kept almost a prisoner at her home 'Twas rumoured, too, that a date had been set for her marriage with her cousin. Then I knew I would have to be quick to act, so through the aforesaid medium it was aranged that I should carry her off from under her father's nose. So on another moonlit night I set off with two horses, riding one. and leading the - other, in the direction of Master .Belmore's estate. The horse I was leading I bitched to the gatepost at the. end of the avenue, and, putting spurs into the one I was riding, I cantered easily up the avenue into the direction of the house. I had muffled myself up to avoid instant recognition, and so .assured myself it would hot be long before I had Mistress Dorothy in my arms. I was provided with an extra cloak in which to wrap my fair mistress, for had she made preparations suspicions would undoubtedly have been aroused. I drew in sight of the mansion, and there, sure enough, stood the maid, at the front door, enjoying as it were the delights of the moonlit evening, and beside her 6tood her cousin, plying her no doubt with soft words and honeyed speeches. They say ' faint heart ne'er won fair lady,' but I confess mine beat a little faster as I drew up at tjje doorstep and saw Master Belmore appear at the door, to where he had been brought by the sound of hoofs. Before a word could be 6poken Dorothy ran to my horse's side, and in a jiffy she was behind me in the saddle, like the Fair Ellen of Young Lochinvar, and in another jiffy I had turned the horse's head and we were off to Gretna Green. 'To Gretna Green ! to Gretna Green ! ' I called out blithely as we galloped away. I could hear Dorothy's furious father give orders for horses to follow us, but what cared I, for were not' my love and I galloping towards the King's highway on the road to Gretna Green! We reached the horse I had left' at last, and Dorothy was soon seated' thereon, and we were away. On and on we galloped, and I cried aloud with Young Lochinvar that ' they be fleet steeds that follow.' Never shall I forget the sensations which' filled me as our horses' hoofs thundered 6n the frost-bound road on that moonlit night. I even caught myself listening to their beat, and they seenwd to say, 'To Gretna Green ! to

Gretna Green !' And I seemed to transmit my humour to , Dorothy, for she also cried aloud to her horse with laughter on her lips, ' On^ Pansy, on to Gretna Green ! ' I knew we had not much time to spare, so when we reached the old toll gate 1 took hold of Dorothy's arm to steady her, and our horses cleared it in a bound, which done I threw a piece of' money for toil to the keeper, Mho had come out of his lodge, and. once more we were clear away. At- this part the road lay between an avenue of trees, and as we galloped along I thought I could descry something like a horseman a few hundred yards ahead. But there was no time to bother about people in front. It was those behind who worried ■ me. As we approached I saw I had not ! been mistaken, for he drew his horse to j the middle of the road, and presenting a ! pistol in each hand calfed out : 1 "'Whither away so fast, mj friend?'

"'To Gretna Green,' quoth I. "I knew it was 'Will o*' the Night' from the description which had been given me of him, and I at once began to pull out my pui'se to give to him so that we should not be delayed. "'Now, fair sir,' said I, 'pray you, will let us depart, for we are pursued?' And indeed we ctiuld hear the sound of our pursuers' horses becoming louder every second. "'Keep your purse, young sir.' quoth he, ' for you will need it. It shall never hi said that 'Will o' the Night' w«s a

I spoil sport. Now, away with you before • I change my mmd, for I have decided

to uphold those in the iear, and, by my y faith, you'll have a lony s.tart, for I'll drive them back to where they came from.' "And so it happened, gentlemen, that while ~xve were allowed to canter easily away he held up our pursuers, and in spite of the promises made by Master Belmore, Will o' the Night insisted, with the aid of a couple of pistols, on their le- , turning home and giving up the chase. "Dorothy and I were married at Giehia ' Green, and now I had something to trouble me which I had scarcely thought of before, and that was, What would my father say? However, in for a penny in for a pound. I rosolvtd to take the bull by , the horns and return to the hall, taking

Dorothy with me. When_we reached the village we learned from the old innkeeper that my father was very wroth with me, and resolved never to see my face again. Nothing daunted, we resolved, at least to hear what he had to 6ay from h;s own lips. When we reached the hall the old butler informed us that my father

was taking his usual after-dinner nap, the hearing of which gave Dorothy an idea. Stealing softly into the room wheie the old man was sleeping, she took a seat beside him. and waited patiently till he should awake. And awake he did, at which Dorothy came forward before the old gentleman had time to collect his thoughts and impiinted a kiss upon his

forehead, and then gave the fire a pojse as she resumed* her seat, sweetly remarking at the same time, 'I hope you are comfortable, dad !' •

"The old gentleman saifl nothing, but he stared. He stared hard at Dorothy, who waS ready at any moment to burst into tears. . And as he continued to 6tare •who knows what thoughts were passing through his mind. Perhaps he was thinking what a comfort it would be to have a sweet little Dorothy hovering about him like an angel of love to comfort his old age, or perhaps he thought of one who was long since dead, and who filled the place at his fireside now filkd by Dorothy, and the same place in his heart as Dorothy did in mine. Who knows? However, he could not continue to stare forever, so he cleared his throat, which had suddenly become husky, and said:

"'Where is that vagabond?' "Having an idea he meant me I presented myself, upon which the old gentleman called for his hat.

"'Father,' I cried, 'I hope you will hear us.'

"'I think I have heard you,' he replied, trying to look angry, and again calling for his hat. When his hat was brought he bade us accompany him, which we did. He led the way across the fields, and never stopped or spoke. till he arrived a 6 Master Belmore's door. Telling the footman he wished to speak to the master alone, and bidding us to wait, he disappeared 1 inside the house. We waited there for some, considerable time, till at last the door opened, and both Master Belmore and my father appeared, wringing each other's hands again and again. On his appearaflce Dorothy at once flew to her father, and we were at once assored that our ride to Gretna Green was forgiven, and that we had been the means of bringing about a reconciliation between them. I aunnot help thinking,, though, that had we been caught they would have continued enemies till the end of their days. So we, Dorothy and I, give not a little of the credit to 'Will o' the Night' of the King's Highway." -* * - '