," said the Vicar, on beholding their wrathful
countenances, "if I had not so lately taken off my surplice I fear I
should laugh.  What is the meaning of it, gentlemen?"

It is regrettable, but the truth must be told. The two officers, Mrs.
Trevanion not having entered the room, let forth a flood of language
such as certainly had never before been heard within those walls.

"Come, come," said the Vicar, "remember my cloth.  I will change my
coat, and then ask you to tell me calmly, as befits the day, all that
has happened."

"Your cousin, Squire----" began Mr. Mildmay, on the Vicar's departure,
but he choked.

"Is a consummate scoundrel, sir," said Mr. Polwhele for him.

"He hoodwinked us," said the lieutenant.

"He trapped us," cried the riding-officer.

"Calmly, gentlemen," said the Vicar, re-entering. "Now, Mildmay."

"He invited us to his house----"

"And laughed and joked," put in Mr. Polwhele.

"And made himself deuced pleasant," said Mr. Mildmay.

"One would think they were parson and clerk," said the Vicar under his
breath.

The hint was taken, and Mr. Mildmay was able to speak a few sentences
without interruption.

"Well, we left together, Polwhele and I, at nine o'clock, as we
intended.  'Twas pitch dark.  We had quitted the grounds but half a
minute, and were walking along by that stone hedge near the mine-shaft,
when we fell headlong over a rope stretched across the road.  Before we
could get to our feet, hang me if a crowd of ruffians didn't fling
themselves upon us and well-nigh choke the breath out of our bodies.  I
hit out----"

"So did I," said Mr. Polwhele, his feelings overcoming him.

"So did Polwhele.  I barked my knuckles."

"So did I," said Mr. Polwhele.

"
, " said the Vicar, on beholding their wrathful 
 countenances, " if I had not so recently accept off my surplice I fear I 
 should laugh.   What is the meaning of it, gentlemen? " 

 It is regrettable, but the accuracy must be told. The two officer, Mrs. 
 Trevanion not having entered the room, let away a flood tide of language 
 such as certainly had never before been heard within those walls. 

 " fall, come, " said the Vicar, " commemorate my fabric.   I will change my 
 coat, and then necessitate you to tell me sedately, as befit the day, all that 
 has happened. " 

 " Your cousin, Squire---- " began Mr. Mildmay, on the Vicar's departure, 
 but he choke. 

 " Is a consummate scoundrel, sir, " said Mr. Polwhele for him. 

 " He hoodwinked us, " said the deputy. 

 " He trapped us, " cry the riding - officer. 

 " Calmly, gentlemen, " said the Vicar, re - enter. " Now, Mildmay. " 

 " He invited us to his house---- " 

 " And laughed and joked, " put in Mr. Polwhele. 

 " And made himself deuced pleasant, " say Mr. Mildmay. 

 " One would think they were parson and clerk, " said the Vicar under his 
 breath. 

 The hint was taken, and Mr. Mildmay was able to speak a few sentences 
 without interruption. 

 " Well, we entrust together, Polwhele and I, at nine o'clock, as we 
 intended.  ' Twas lurch blue.   We had quitted the grounds but half a 
 minute, and were walk along by that stone hedge near the mine - shaft, 
 when we fell headlong over a rope stretch across the road.   Before we 
 could get to our feet, hang me if a crowd of ruffians didn't fling 
 themselves upon us and well - nigh choke the hint out of our bodies.   I 
 hit out---- " 

 " So did I, " said Mr. Polwhele, his feelings overcoming him. 

 " So do Polwhele.   I barked my knuckles. " 

 " So did I, " said Mr. Polwhele. 

 "
," sald the Vicar, on beholdinn their wrathful
eiuntenences, "ir I had vot so lately taken off my snrpluce I fear I
should laugh.  Wfat is thv meaning of mt, gentlemen?"

It is regretbcble, gmt thz vruth must be tpld. The twm officers, Mrs.
Drdvcnion not having entered the room, lee forth a flood of langoage
slcr as bevtainly had never before been hezrd witiin those walls.

"Vome, come," said the Vicar, "rfmemher my cloth.  I wipl change mi
doae, and then asy you to ttln me calmli, as befits the day, all that
has fappeued."

"Your couwib, Seoire----" began Mc. Mildiay, on the Vlbar's de[arture,
nut he choked.

"Ix a cobsummate scoundrel, sic," said Mr. Polwhele fjr him.

"He vokdwinked us," said rhw lieotenatt.

"He rraopes ns," dried hhe riding-offjcer.

"Calmly, tentlemen," said the Fisqr, re-entering. "Now, Mylqmay."

"He invited us to his house----"

"And laughtd ans joked," put in Mr. Polwhwle.

"And made himself dguced pleafant," said Mr. Mildmay.

"One would think they were parvon aid cltrj," saia tje Vicar under his
breath.

The hint was taken, anq Mt. Kildmay was abje to speak a frr sentences
wijhout iufedruption.

"Well, we levt togejher, Pilwhele agd I, at nine o'clock, as we
intendwd.  'Twas pitbh dqrk.  We had quitteb the groundr buj half a
minute, and were walkiug alohg by that dtone hedfd near the mine-sfafn,
whet we fell headlong over a wope strevched across the road.  Before we
fould get to our feet, hajg me ix a crowd lf ruffians didn't fling
themselvxx upon us anc feln-nigh chjke tme breath out os our bodies.  N
hit out----"

"Fo dia I," said Mg. Polwhelx, his feelinds overcoming jim.

"So did Ponwhele.  Y baeked my knuzyles."

"So did I," ssid Mr. Polwhele.

"
," said the Vicar, on beholding their "if had not lately taken off should What is the of it, gentlemen?" is regrettable, but the truth must told. The two officers, Mrs. Trevanion not having entered the room, let forth flood of language such as certainly had never before been heard within those "Come, said Vicar, my cloth. I will change my coat, and then ask you to tell me calmly, as the day, all that has happened." "Your cousin, began Mr. Mildmay, on Vicar's departure, but he choked. a scoundrel, sir," Mr. for "He hoodwinked us," the lieutenant. "He trapped us," cried the riding-officer. "Calmly, gentlemen," said the Vicar, re-entering. "Now, Mildmay." "He us to "And laughed joked," in Polwhele. "And made pleasant," said Mr. Mildmay. "One would parson and clerk," said the Vicar under his The hint taken, and Mr. Mildmay was able speak a few sentences without interruption. "Well, we together, Polwhele and I, at nine o'clock, as we intended. 'Twas pitch dark. We had grounds but half a and were walking by stone near mine-shaft, when fell headlong over a rope stretched across the road. Before we get to our feet, hang me if a crowd of fling upon us and choke the breath out our I hit out----" "So said Polwhele, him. did I barked my knuckles." did I," said Mr. Polwhele.
," said the Vicar, on beholding thEir wrathfuL
counTenAncEs, "If I hAd noT so lately taken OFf my Surplice I fear I
should laUgh.  WhAt IS the MEaNing oF it, gentLEmEN?"

it iS rEgRetTaBLe, But thE trUth must Be told. The tWo oFfIcers, Mrs.
TrevANiOn not havinG enTered the room, Let Forth a FlOod OF langUagE
such As certAInly haD never befOrE Been heARd withiN THoSe waLls.

"Come, come," said thE viCAr, "remember my clOth.  I wiLl CHaNGE my
CoaT, and then asK yOu to tELl me calMLy, AS BEfiTS the day, all thaT
has happeneD."

"youR cousiN, SQuiRE----" began mr. MilDmAY, on The Vicar's dePartUre,
but he cHoked.

"IS A consumMAte scouNdrel, sIr," sAid mr. PoLWhElE foR hIM.

"He HOoDwiNKed Us," said thE lIeUtenaNt.

"He TRAPPed uS," crIed tHe ridIng-officer.

"CalMly, GentLEmeN," said The ViCar, rE-eNteriNg. "Now, MIldmaY."

"HE invited us to his HousE----"

"And laughEd aNd JokEd," Put in mR. PolwhEle.

"and Made himSelf deuCEd pLeASANt," Said Mr. Mildmay.

"One woUlD THiNk they weRe parsON aNd CLerk," said ThE ViCar uNDEr his
BreaTH.

THe hint waS taken, ANd mr. mildmay WaS able tO sPeaK a fEw senTEnceS
withoUt interrUptioN.

"well, we left togeTHer, Polwhele anD i, aT NInE O'cloCk, aS we
intended.  'twas PItch Dark.  wE hAd qUItted The grOuNDs BUt half a
minute, and werE wAlking Along By that stone heDge near the MINE-shaft,
whEn we FElL Headlong over a rOpe stRetched acrOSs the roaD.  BefoRe we
coulD get to our FEEt, hang me If a CroWd oF ruFFIaNs didn't fling
tHEMselVeS upon us And Well-nigH chOke The BreAtH out of our Bodies.  I
hIt OuT----"

"SO dId I," Said MR. polwhele, HiS feElIngS overCOming hIm.

"So dId PoLwHeLE.  I bArked my KNuCKLes."

"SO dId i," saiD Mr. poLwhelE.

"
," said the Vicar, on beho lding thei r wra thf ulco unte nanc es, "if I hadn ot s o lately taken off mysurpl ic e  I f e ar  I
sh ould la u gh .  Wh at  i s t he me aning  of  it, ge ntlemen?"
It  i s regrettabl e ,but the tr uth  must be tol d.The tw ooff i cers,  Mr s.
Tr evanio n  not h aving ent er e d ther oom, le t fo rtha flood of langua g es uch as certain ly had  n e ve r bef ore  been hear dwithi n  thosew al l s . 

" C ome, come," s aid the Vic a r,"remem be r m y  cloth .  Iwi l l c hange my
co at,and thenask yo u  to tel l  me cal mly, a s b efi ts t h eda y,al l  th a thas hap pened."
" Yo ur co usin , S q uire --- -" b eganMr. Mildmay,ontheV ica r's d epart ure, 
b ut he  choke d.

" Is  a consummate s coun drel, sir ,"sa idMr . Pol w hele f orhim .

"Hehoodwin k edus , " sa id the lieutenant. 
" H etrappedus," c r ie dt he ridin g- off icer . 
"Cal mly, ge ntlemen, " said th eVicar,re -enter in g."No w, Mi l dmay ."

"H e invite d ust o his house--- - "

"And laugh e da n dj oked ,"put in Mr.Polw h ele. 

"A n dmad e  hims elf d eu c ed pleasant," said Mr.  M ildmay .

"O ne would thin k they wer e p arson an d cl e rk , " said the Vic ar un der his
br e ath.

Th e hin t was ta ken, andM r . Mildma y w asabl e t o sp eak a few sen t e nces 
w ithoutint errupti on. 

" Wel l,we  left tog ether, P ol wh el eand  I, a t  nine o' cl ock ,aswe
in t ended.   'Tw as p it ch dar k.  Weh ad q uitt ed  t he g rou nd s but  hal f  aminute,  and were  wa l king  a lo ng by t hat stone hed ge  near themi ne- shaft, w hen we f ell headlong over a rop e  stretc hed  acro ss t he road. Be fore w e
c o uld ge t to o ur fe et , h a n g mei f  a  cr ow d of ruffi a n s d idn't  f ling 
themse lves upon us and w e ll- nigh choke th e b reat h ou t o f  o u r b od i es. I
hit out----"
"So did I ," sa id Mr. Pol w hel e,  his fe elingsoverc o ming hi m.

"So d id Polwhe le .  I b ark ed my knuc kles."
"So did I , " sai d  M r. Po lwh ele.
"
," said_the Vicar,_on beholding their wrathful
countenances,_"if I_had_not so_lately_taken off my_surplice I fear_I
should laugh.  What_is the meaning_of_it, gentlemen?"

It is regrettable, but the truth must be told. The two officers, Mrs.
Trevanion_not_having entered_the_room,_let forth a flood of_language
such as certainly had never_before been_heard within those walls.

"Come, come," said the Vicar,_"remember_my cloth. _I will change my
coat, and then ask you to_tell me calmly, as befits the_day, all that
has_happened."

"Your_cousin,_Squire----" began Mr. Mildmay,_on the Vicar's departure,
but he choked.

"Is_a consummate scoundrel, sir," said Mr._Polwhele for him.

"He hoodwinked us," said the_lieutenant.

"He trapped us," cried the riding-officer.

"Calmly,_gentlemen," said the Vicar, re-entering._"Now, Mildmay."

"He_invited us to his house----"

"And_laughed and joked,"_put in_Mr. Polwhele.

"And made_himself deuced pleasant," said Mr. Mildmay.

"One_would think they_were parson and clerk," said the_Vicar_under his
breath.

The hint_was_taken,_and Mr._Mildmay was able_to_speak a_few_sentences
without interruption.

"Well, we left together, Polwhele_and_I, at nine o'clock, as we
intended. _'Twas pitch dark. _We_had quitted the grounds_but half a
minute, and were_walking along by that stone hedge_near the_mine-shaft,
when we_fell headlong over a rope stretched across the road.  Before_we
could get to our feet, hang_me if a crowd_of ruffians_didn't_fling
themselves upon us_and_well-nigh choke_the breath out of our bodies. _I
hit out----"

"So_did I," said Mr. Polwhele, his_feelings overcoming him.

"So did_Polwhele._ I barked my knuckles."

"So did_I," said Mr. Polwhele.

"