couple of common fowls, for a sick wife or child,
I might have been inclined to overlook it--for I am not fond of
sending men to prison--but to steal a dozen valuable fowls, for the
pot, is a little too much. Besides, the matter has gone too far,
now, for me to retract, even if I wished to--which I certainly do
not."

"He is a good husband, sir."

"He may be," Captain Ripon said, "though that black eye you have
got does not speak in his favor But that has nothing to do with it.
Matters must take their course."

The woman changed her tone.

"I have asked you fairly, sir; and it will be better for you if you
don't prosecute Reuben."

"Oh, nonsense, my good woman! Don't let me have any threats, or it
will be worse for you."

"I tell you," the woman exclaimed, fiercely, "it will be the worse
for you, if you appear against my Reuben."

"There, go out," Captain Ripon said, opening the front door of the
hall. "As if I cared for your ridiculous threats! Your husband will
get what he deserves--five years, if I am not mistaken."

"You will repent this," the gypsy said, as she passed out.

Captain Ripon closed the door after her, without a word.

"Well, who was it?" his wife inquired, when he returned to the
drawing room.

"An insolent gypsy woman, wife of the man who stole the fowls. She
had the impudence to threaten me, if I appeared against him."

"Oh, Robert!" the young wife exclaimed, apprehensively, "what could
she do? Perhaps you had better not appear."

"Nonsense, my dear!" her husband laughed. "Not appear, because an
impudent gypsy woman has threatened me? A nice magistrate I should
be! Why, half the fellows who are committed swear that they will
pay off the magistrate, some day; but nothing ever comes of it.
Here, we have been married six months, and you are wanting me to
neglect my duty; especially when it is your pet fowls which have
been stolen.

"Why, at the worst, my dear," he went on, seeing that his wife
still looked pale, "they could burn down a tick or two, on a windy
night in winter and, to satisfy you, I will have an extra sharp
lookout kept in that direction, and have a watchdog chained up near
them.

"Come, my love, it is not worth giving a second thought about; and
I shall not tell you about my work on the bench, if you are going
to take matters to heart like this."

The winter came and went, and the ricks were untouched, and Captain
Ripon forgot all about the gypsy's threats. At the