run in one of the houses where's he
known an' you might as well try to foller a fox as has darted into a
drain. Some o' them ale houses an' boozin' kens has got passages
a-runnin' one into the other."

"That's very terrible Mr. Stephen. You quite alarm me," cried Lavinia.

But she was not so alarmed as she would have been had she been brought
up a fine lady. She had had highwaymen pointed out to her in Drury Lane
and Dyott Street and knew that the majority were boasting, bragging
fellows and cowards at heart. But there were others of a different
quality who did their robberies with quite a gentlemanly air.

They took the way through Whitton Park. As the housekeeper said, the
journey was cross-country so far as roads were concerned, but Stephen
knew the short cuts and they reached the long, straggling, mean-looking
Hounslow High Street--the future town was at that time little more than
a street--at about a quarter to six.

They entered the "George"--a house of greater pretensions than the
rest--and Lavinia found she was in plenty of time for the London coach.

"She'll be late," said the landlord. "A chap as just come in says he
rode past her t'other side o' the heath an' she was stuck fast on a
nasty bit o' boggy road and one o' the leaders--a jibber--wouldn't stir
a step for whip or curses."

"That's bad," said Stephen. "Still it would ha' been far worse if some
o' them High Toby gentry had stopped the coach."

"Aye," rejoined the landlord dropping his voice. "We had a fellow o'
that sort in about half an hour ago. He was on a mare as wiry an'
springy as could be, could clear a pike gate like a wild cat I'll bet. I
didn't like the scoundrel's phizog and I'll swear he didn't want to know
for naught what time the London coach passed the George. I wouldn't
wonder if he was hanging about Smallbury Green at this 'ere very minute.
But don't 'ee let the young leddy know this. She might be afeared, an'
after all I may be wrong."

Stephen nodded.

"The High Toby gen'elmen are gettin' monstrous darin'. I'm told as
they've been stickin' up bills on the park gates of the Quality
a-warnin' their lordships not to travel with less than ten guineas in
their pocket an' a gold watch an' chain, on pain o' death. What think
'ee o' that for downright brazenness?"

Stephen could only raise his hands deprecatingly, but as Lavinia was
drawing near him he made no reply.

"I've booked my seat," said she, "so please don't stay any l