ut under the name of "Old Cumberland."
Each was soon perched upon a settle, with a cup of ale; and the ostler,
who valued himself upon his affability, began to entertain the company,
still with half an eye on Nance, to whom in gallant terms he expressly
dedicated every sip of ale. First he told of the trouble they had to get
his Lordship started in the chaise; and how he had dropped a rouleau of
gold on the threshold, and the passage and doorstep had been strewn with
guinea-pieces. At this old Jonathan looked at Mr. Archer. Next the
visitor turned to news of a more thrilling character: how the down mail
had been stopped again near Grantham by three men on horseback--a white
and two bays; how they had handkerchiefs on their faces; how Tom the
guard's blunderbuss missed fire, but he swore he had winged one of them
with a pistol; and how they had got clean away with seventy pounds in
money, some valuable papers, and a watch or two.

"Brave! brave!" cried Jonathan in ecstasy. "Seventy pounds! O, it's
brave!"

"Well, I don't see the great bravery," observed the ostler,
misapprehending him. "Three men, and you may call that three to one.
I'll call it brave when some one stops the mail single-handed; that's a
risk."

"And why should they hesitate?" inquired Mr. Archer. "The poor souls who
are fallen to such a way of life, pray what have they to lose? If they
get the money, well; but if a ball should put them from their troubles,
why, so better."

"Well, sir," said the ostler, "I believe you'll find they won't agree
with you. They count on a good fling, you see; or who would risk
it?--And here's my best respects to you, Miss Nance."

"And I forgot the part of cowardice," resumed Mr. Archer. "All men
fear."

"O, surely not!" cried Nance.

"All men," reiterated Mr. Archer.

"Ay, that's a true word," observed Old Cumberland, "and a thief, anyway,
for it's a coward's trade."

"But these fellows, now," said Jonathan, with a curious, appealing
manner--"these fellows with their seventy pounds! Perhaps, Mr. Archer,
they were no true thieves after all, but just people who had been robbed
and tried to get their own again. What was that you said, about all
England and the taxes? One takes, another gives; why, that's almost
fair. If I've been rooked and robbed, and the coat taken off my back, I
call it almost fair to take another's."

"Ask Old Cumberland," observed the ostler; "you ask Old Cumberland, Miss
Nance!" and he best