s sallow cheeks blanched when lie saw me. No doubt 'twas the
apparition he least expected. He whips out his sword and springs
back to have space to cut at me; but I parried the stroke with my
musket, and he skipped back and entrenched himself behind the
table. I own that I could have cheerfully slain him there and then
but for my anxiety concerning Mistress Lucy's whereabouts. There
was Vetch, glaring at me from behind the table, upon which, as I
now saw, there were books and money, and two lighted candles.

"You have no right here," said Vetch, and his voice was unsteady,
"breaking into my house--"

"Your house!" I replied. "And as for right, I have the right of
every honest man to catch a villain and present him to the
hangman."

"Mind your words, sir," cries the fellow, and I saw by his manner
that he was desperately anxious to gain time. "I warn you I am
steward of this estate by virtue of authority deputed to me by Sir
Richard Cludde, the guardian appointed by the Court of Chancery."

"Your stewardship and Sir Richard's guardianship ended yesterday,"
I said curtly.

"You mistake," says he, beginning to recover himself, "I tell you
again that this is an unwarrantable intrusion, and you stand there
at your peril."

"Stuff!" I cried impatiently. "'Tis you who are an intruder, a
trespasser; you are in this house against the will of the owner,
who is now of full age. But I won't bandy words with you about
that. You and I have other accounts to settle, Cyrus Vetch, and if
you do not yield at once, I swear I will show you no mercy."

I advanced towards the table, and Vetch lifted his sword as though
to defend himself. But his courage failed him, and indeed his was a
hopeless case if it came to a tussle, as he very well knew.
Incontinently he dropped his sword point, and with a shrug of the
shoulders, said:

"I will not fight a couple of bullies. I yield now, but let me tell
you, Humphrey Bold, the law will have something to say to this."

"It will indeed," I said grimly. "Hand over your sword."

He took it by the blade; I placed my musket against the table and
reached forward to take the hilt, but with a sudden swift movement
he swept the candles to the floor and the room was in total
darkness. I sprang forward, but before I could vault over the
obstructing table Vetch had dashed through a door behind him that
opened on to the veranda. I was after him in an instant, and he
escaped me by no more than an arm's