ery stable, where you can easily obtain a horse
and driver."

The dinner proceeded, and Fairfax made himself unusually social and
agreeable, so that Colonel Preston congratulated himself on the
prospect of beguiling the loneliness of the way in such pleasant
company. Fairfax spoke of stocks with such apparent knowledge that the
colonel imagined him to be a gentleman of large property. It is not
surprising that he was deceived, for the adventurer really understood
the subject of which he spoke, having been for several years a clerk
in a broker's counting-room in Wall Street. The loss of his situation
was occasioned by his abstraction of some securities, part of which he
had disposed of before he was detected. He was, in consequence, tried
and sentenced to three years' imprisonment. At the end of this period
he was released, with no further taste for an honest life, and had
since allied himself to the class who thrive by preying upon the
community.

This was the man whom Colonel Preston proposed to take as his
companion on his otherwise lonely ride home.

CHAPTER XVIII
RIDING WITH A HIGHWAYMAN

"Get into the chaise, Mr. Fairfax," said Colonel Preston.

"Thank you," said the adventurer, and accepted the invitation.

"Now we are off," said the colonel, as he took the reins, and touched
the horse lightly with the whip.

"Is the road a pleasant one?" inquired Fairfax.

"The latter part is rather lonely. For a mile it runs through the
woods--still, on a summer day, that is rather pleasant than otherwise.
In the evening, it is not so agreeable."

"No, I suppose not," said Fairfax, rather absently.

Colonel Preston would have been startled could he have read the
thoughts that were passing through the mind of his companion. Could he
have known his sinister designs, he would scarcely have sat at his
side, chatting so easily and indifferently.

"I will postpone my plan till we get to that part of the road he
speaks of," thought Fairfax. "It would not do for me to be
interrupted."

"I suppose it is quite safe traveling anywhere on the road," remarked
the adventurer.

"Oh, yes," said Colonel Preston, with a laugh. "Thieves and highway
robbers do not pay us the compliment of visiting our neighborhood.
They keep in the large cities, or in places that will better reward
their efforts."

"Precisely," said Fairfax; "I am glad to hear it, for I carry a
considerable amount of money about me."

"So do I, to-day.