hat everyone was waiting avidly for his
words.
"The story is short and proves itself," he began. "A week ago the Lady
Barbara Gordon was traveling toward London attended only by her
father's servants. My Lord Farquhart, with a party of his friends,
among whom I was included at that time, awaited her at Marmaduke Bass'
tavern, The Jolly Grig. A short time before the Lady Barbara was to
arrive, Lord Farquhart withdrew to his room, presumably to sleep,
until----"
"Ay, and sleep he did," interrupted young Treadway, who spoke for the
first time. "We both slept in my room on the ground floor of the
tavern."
"You slept, no doubt, Mr. Treadway," answered Lord Grimsby. "But, if
so, how can you vouch for the fact that Lord Farquhart slept?"
"I can vouch for it--I can vouch for it because I know he slept,"
spluttered Treadway.
"I fear me much that your reasoning will not help to save your
friend," answered the councillor, a little scornfully. "Let me beg
that Mr. Ashley be not again interrupted to so little purpose."
"While, according to his own account, Mr. Treadway slept," continued
Ashley, "while he supposed Lord Farquhart was also sleeping, I heard
Lord Farquhart singing in his room overhead. At the time I paid little
heed to it. In fact, I did not think of it again that night, although,
if I remember rightly, I commented on Lord Farquhart's voice to Mr.
Cecil Lindley, who sat with me in the tavern. It was full fifteen
minutes after that when the Lady Barbara drove into the inn, crying
that she had been waylaid by the Black Highwayman. Her rings had been
stolen, her rings and a jeweled gauntlet and a rose. She was strangely
confused and would not permit us to ride in pursuit of the villain,
averring that she had promised him immunity in exchange for her own
life."
"A pretty tale," Jack Grimsby again interrupted, in spite of his
father's commands. "It's a lie on its own face. 'Tis well known that
the Black Devil has never taken a life, has never even threatened
bodily injury."
"Be that as it may"--Ashley's level voice ignored the tone of the
interruption, although his nervous fingers were on his sword--"when
the Lady Barbara's companion, Mistress Benton, tried to say that the
Lady Barbara had recognized her assailant, that the Lady Barbara had
willingly descended from the coach with the highwayman, the Lady
Barbara silenced her peremptorily and ordered that we hurry with all
speed to London. 'Twas the follow
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