was of embossed
silver and very brave to view.

"Can you read it out, my little man?" a deep rich voice as of a lady
sounded in mine ears.

I said, with much trembling, "that I thought I could spell out the
words, if time and patience were accorded me."

"There is little need, child," the voice resumed. "I will read it to
thee;" and a black-gloved hand came from beneath her robe, and she took
my hand, and holding my forefinger not ungently made me trace the
writing on the silver. But I declare that I can remember little of that
Legend now, although I am impressed with the belief that my kinswoman's
married name was not mentioned. That it was merely set forth that she
was the Lady D----, whose maiden name was A. G., and that she died in
London in the 90th year of her age, King George I. being king of
England. And then the smoke of the tapers, the smell of the cloth and
the wax, and the remembrance of my Desolation, were too much for me, and
I broke out into a loud wail, and was so carried fainting from the
room; being speedily, however, sufficiently recovered to take my place
in the coach that was to bear us Eastward.

We rode in sorrowful solemnity till nigh three o'clock that morning; but
where my Grandmother was buried I never knew. From some odd hints that I
afterwards treasured up, it seems to me that the coaches parted company
with the Hearse somewhere on the road to Harwich; but of this, as I have
averred, I have no certain knowledge. In sheer fatigue I fell asleep,
and woke in broad daylight in the great state-bed at Hanover Square.

FOOTNOTES:

[D] The Austrian, not the Prussian Trenck.--ED.

[E] This does not precisely tally with the Captain's disclaimer of
feeling any apprehension when passing Execution Dock.--ED.

[F] I do not find it in the memoirs of his adventures, but in an old
volume of the _Annual Register_ I find that, in the year 1778, one
Captain Dangerous gave important evidence for the crown against poor Mr.
Tremenheere, who suffered at Tyburn, for fetching and carrying between
the French King and some malcontents in this country, notably for giving
information as to the condition of our dockyards.--ED.

[G] Captain Dangerous was, unconsciously, of the same mind with Samuel
Taylor Coleridge.--ED.

CHAPTER THE FIFTH.

I AM BARBAROUSLY ABUSED BY THOSE WHO HAVE CHARGE OF ME, AND FLYING INTO
CHARLWOOD CHASE, JOIN THE "BLACKS."

IN the morning, the wicked people into whose power