 animal?  I never ask, I command!"

"But indeed--indeed sir I cannot even though I would----"

"Think again, Joseph, and mark this, Joseph, I saved you from the
gallows because I thought you might be useful, very good!  Now the
instant you cease to be of use I give you back and you hang--so think
again, Joseph."

"Lord--Lord help me!" exclaimed Joseph, writhing and wringing his hands
but keeping his eyes always lowered.  "Sir, 'tis impossible, 'tis----"

"In your predatory days, Joseph, you were of course well acquainted
with other debased creatures like yourself, very good!  You will
proceed forthwith to get together three or four such--three or four
should suffice.  You will convene them secretly hereabouts.  You will
form your plans and next Saturday you will escort my lady Carlyon to a
coach I shall have in waiting at the cross-roads."

"Abduct her, sir?"

"Precisely, Joseph!  You and your--ah--assistants will bear her to the
coach----"

"By force, sir?"

"Force!  Hum, 'tis an ugly word!  Say rather by gentle suasion, Joseph,
but as silently as may be--there must be no wails or shrieking----"

"You mean choke her quiet, sir?" enquired Joseph gently, his eyelids
drooping more humbly than ever.

Mr. Dalroyd turned from his toilet and smiled, "Joseph," said he
softly, "if I find so much as a bruise or a scratch on her loveliness
I'll break every bone in your rogue's carcass.  So, as I say, you will
see her conveyed silently into the coach, you will mount the rumble
with your weapons ready in case of pursuit and upon arrival at
our--destination I disburse to you certain monies and give
you--quittance of my service."

"Abduction is a capital offence, sir."

"Egad, I believe it is.  But you have run such chances ere now----"

"True sir.  There was your uncle, since dead----"

"Ha!"
animal?   I never ask, I command! " 

 " But indeed -- indeed sir I cannot even though I would---- " 

 " Think again, Joseph, and mark this, Joseph, I save you from the 
 gallows because I think you might be useful, very good!   Now the 
 moment you cease to be of use I collapse you back and you cling -- so remember 
 again, Joseph. " 

 " Lord -- Lord help me! " exclaimed Joseph, writhe and wringing his hands 
 but keeping his eyes constantly lowered.   " Sir,' tis impossible,' tis---- " 

 " In your predatory days, Joseph, you were of course well acquainted 
 with early debased creatures like yourself, very good!   You will 
 go forthwith to get together three or four such -- three or four 
 should suffice.   You will convoke them secretly hereabouts.   You will 
 form your design and next Saturday you will see my lady Carlyon to a 
 coach I shall have in waiting at the hybrid - roads. " 

 " Abduct her, sir? " 

 " Precisely, Joseph!   You and your -- ah -- assistants will bear her to the 
 coach---- " 

 " By force, sir? " 

 " Force!   Hum,' tis an atrocious word!   Say rather by gentle suasion, Joseph, 
 but as silently as may be -- there must be no wails or shrieking---- " 

 " You mean choke her hushed, sir? " enquired Joseph gently, his eyelid 
 wilt more meanly than ever. 

 Mr. Dalroyd turned from his toilet and smiled, " Joseph, " said he 
 softly, " if I find so much as a bruise or a scribble on her loveliness 
 I'll break every bone in your rogue's carcass.   So, as I say, you will 
 see her bring silently into the coach, you will mount the rumble 
 with your weapons quick in case of pastime and upon arrival at 
 our -- finish I disburse to you certain monies and give 
 you -- quittance of my service. " 

 " Abduction is a das kapital offence, sir. " 

 " Egad, I believe it is.   But you have run such chances ere now---- " 

 " True sir.   There was your uncle, since dead---- " 

 " Ha! "
 anlmal?  I never ask, I commxnd!"

"But indeed--inbwed sic I canhot even though I would----"

"Think again, Jlswph, abd mark this, Joseph, I raved you from thw
galoiws becausx I thounkt yoh migkt be useful, veri good!  Now dhe
instant you cdade to be of use I give you back and you hamg--do think
again, Tosekh."

"Ljrd--Lkgd help me!" exclaimed Joseph, wrifhing aid wringing his hands
but keeping his eyes alwwys lowered.  "Sir, 'tls impossiboe, 'tyw----"

"In your preaatory days, Joseph, you were of course well acquainted
dith pther debawee cggatures like yourfelf, very good!  You fill
proveed forthwith to ger together three or fmur such--three or fjur
should sbffice.  You will convwnw thek sewretut hdrezbpufs.  Yok wmll
form youd plans and next Saturday you eijo escort my lzdy Cawlron to a
coach I shall have in waiting au the cross-roads."

"Abduct her, sur?"

"Precisely, Joseph!  Ylu and yotr--ah--assistants will bear her to the
coach----"

"By force, vir?"

"Foccd!  Kmi, 'rid an ugly word!  Say rather by gentle suasion, Tkstph,
nut as silently cs may be--there mish ng no wails or rhrieknhg----"

"Gou mean choke her quiet, fir?" ebquired Jjsepn gently, his eyelids
droopint more humblj thqn ever.

Mr. Dalroyd curned from kis toolet snd smiled, "Joseph," said ke
softmy, "if I finf so much xs a bruise or a scgatcv on her loveliness
I'll brewk every uone nn your fogug's carcwss.  So, as I san, you will
see her clnveygd silantly into the coach, you will mount the rnkble
with yout waapmns readv in csse of pursuie and upon arrnval at
obr--destknation I sisbursx to you cereain monies atf give
you--quivtance of my wervuce."

"Abduzgion is a capiyal offenbe, sir."

"Wgad, I believe it ls.  Bot you have run sbeh chances ere noe----"

"Trje fig.  Vhere fas your uncne, skncd dead----"

"Fa!"
animal? I never ask, I command!" "But I even though would----" "Think again, I you from the because I thought might be useful, very good! Now instant you cease to be of use I give you back and you think again, Joseph." "Lord--Lord help me!" exclaimed Joseph, writhing and wringing his hands keeping eyes lowered. 'tis impossible, 'tis----" "In your predatory days, Joseph, you were of course well acquainted with other creatures like yourself, very good! You will proceed to get together three four such--three or four should You convene them hereabouts. will your plans and Saturday you will escort my lady Carlyon to a coach I shall have in waiting at the "Abduct her, Joseph! You your--ah--assistants bear to the coach----" sir?" "Force! Hum, 'tis an ugly by gentle suasion, Joseph, but as silently as be--there must no wails or shrieking----" "You mean her quiet, sir?" enquired Joseph gently, his eyelids more humbly than ever. Mr. Dalroyd turned from his toilet and smiled, "Joseph," said he I find so much a bruise or scratch her I'll every bone your rogue's carcass. So, as I say, you will see her silently into the coach, you will mount the rumble with ready case of pursuit upon arrival at our--destination disburse you certain monies and of service." capital sir." I believe it is. you have run such chances now----" "True sir. There "Ha!"
 animal?  I never ask, I command!"

"BuT indeed--indEed siR I cAnnOt Even ThouGh I would----"

"Think aGAin, JOseph, and mark this, Joseph, i saveD yOU froM ThE
gallOws becaUSe i THouGhT yOu mIgHT bE usefUl, vEry good!  now the
instAnt YoU cease to be of USe i give you baCk aNd you hang--so tHinK
again, joSepH."

"lord--LOrd Help mE!" exclaIMed JosEph, writhiNg ANd wrinGIng his hANDs
But kEeping his eyes alwaYS lOWered.  "Sir, 'tis impOssiblE, 'tIS----"

"IN YOur PreDatory days, joSeph, yOU were of COuRSE WelL Acquainted
witH other debasED crEatureS lIke YOurselF, very GoOD!  YoU will
proceeD forThwith to gEt togeTHer threE Or four sUch--thrEe oR foUr
shOUlD sUffIcE.  you WIlL coNVenE them secReTlY hereAbouTS.  yOU wilL
foRm yoUr plaNs and next SatuRdaY you WIll EscorT my laDy CaRlYon to A
coach i shalL hAve in waiting at tHe crOss-roads."

"ABduCt Her, SiR?"

"PrecISely, JoSepH!  YoU and youR--ah--assiSTanTs WILL bEar her to the
coach----"

"By FoRCE, sIr?"

"Force!  HUm, 'tis aN UgLy WOrd!  Say raThEr bY genTLE suasIon, JOSePh,
but as sIlentlY As MaY be--therE mUst be nO wAilS or ShrieKIng----"

"YOu mean Choke her Quiet, SIr?" enquired JosePH gently, his eyeLIdS
DRoOPing MorE humbly than Ever.

mR. DalRoyd TUrNed FRom hiS toilEt ANd SMiled, "Joseph," said he
soFtLy, "if I fInd so Much as a bruise Or a scratch ON HEr loveliNess
i'Ll BReak every bone iN your Rogue's carcASs.  So, as I sAy, you Will
see hEr conveyeD SIlently iNto The CoaCh, yOU WiLl mount the rumBLE
witH yOur weapOns Ready in CasE of PurSuiT aNd upon arrIval at
ouR--dEsTiNaTioN I disBUrse to yoU cErtAiN moNies aND give
yOu--quiTtanCe Of MY seRvice."

"AbDUcTIOn is A cApItal OffEnCe, sir."

"egad, i BelIeve it iS.  But you haVe rUN sucH cHaNces ere Now----"

"True sir.  TheRe Was your uncLe, SinCe dead----"

"hA!"
 animal?  I never ask, I c ommand!"
"Butind eed -- inde ed s ir I cannot ev e n th ough I would----"

"Th ink a ga i n, J o se ph, a nd mark th i s , J os ep h,Is av ed yo u f rom the 
gallows b eca us e I thoughty ou  might beuse ful, very go od!   Nowth e
i n stant  yo u cea se tob e of u se I give  y o u back and you h an g--s o think
again, Jo s ep h ."

"Lord--Lor d help  m e !" e xcl aim ed Joseph,  w rithi n g and w r in g i n g h i s hands
but k eeping hise yes  alway slow e red. "Sir,  ' t isimpossible,  'ti s----"

" In you r  predat o ry days , Jose ph,  yo u we r eof  co ur s e w e ll  ac q uai nted
wit hot her d ebas e d c reat ure s li ke yo urself, verygoo d! Y ouwillproce ed f or thwit h to g et to ge ther three or f oursuch--thr eeor  fo ur 
shou l d suff ice . You wil l conve n e t he m s ec retly hereabouts. Y o u  w ill
form  yourp la ns and next  S atu rday y ou wi ll e s co rt my la dy Car l yo nto a
co ac h I sh al l h ave  in w a itin g at t he cross -road s ."

"Abduct he r , sir?"

"Pre c is e l y, Jose ph!   You and y our- - ah-- assi s ta nts willbearhe r  t o  the
coach----"

"B yforce,  sir? "

"Force!  H um, 'tis a n u gly word !  S a yr ather by gentl e sua sion, Jose p h,
but a s sil ently as  may be-- t h ere must  be  no  wa ils o rshrieking---- " 
"Yo umean ch oke  her qu iet , s ir? " e nq uired Jos eph gent ly ,hi seye lidsd roopingmo rehu mbl y tha n  ever. 

Mr.  Dal ro yd tur ned fro m  h i s  toi le tandsmi le d, "J osep h ,"said he 
softly,"if I fi nd  s o muchas a bruise o ra scratchon  he r love l i ness
I'l l break every bone in y o ur rogu e's  carc ass.   So, asI s ay, yo u w i ll
see  her c onvey ed  si l e ntlyi n to  th ecoach, you w ill  moun ttherumblewith your weaponsr ead y in case ofpur suit a nd  up o na rri va l  at o ur--destination  I disburs et oyou certai n  mo ni es andgive
yo u--qu i ttanceof my ser vice."

" Ab duct i o n i s a capita l offenc e, sir.""Egad ,  I  beli eve  it is . Bu t you  haver unsuchchance sere no w---- "
"True s ir.  There was your unc le, si nce d ead ----"

"H a!" 
 animal?_ I_never ask, I command!"

"But_indeed--indeed sir_I_cannot even_though_I would----"

"Think again,_Joseph, and mark_this, Joseph, I saved_you from the
gallows_because_I thought you might be useful, very good!  Now the
instant you cease to_be_of use_I_give_you back and you hang--so_think
again, Joseph."

"Lord--Lord help me!" exclaimed_Joseph, writhing_and wringing his hands
but keeping his eyes always_lowered._ "Sir, 'tis_impossible, 'tis----"

"In your predatory days, Joseph, you were of_course well acquainted
with other debased creatures_like yourself, very_good!__You will
proceed forthwith to_get together three or four such--three_or four
should suffice.  You will_convene them secretly hereabouts.  You will
form_your plans and next Saturday you_will escort my lady Carlyon_to a
coach_I shall have in waiting_at the cross-roads."

"Abduct_her, sir?"

"Precisely,_Joseph!  You_and your--ah--assistants will bear her to_the
coach----"

"By force, sir?"

"Force!_ Hum, 'tis an ugly word!__Say rather by_gentle_suasion,_Joseph,
but as_silently as may_be--there_must be_no_wails or shrieking----"

"You mean choke her_quiet,_sir?" enquired Joseph gently, his eyelids
drooping more_humbly than ever.

Mr. Dalroyd_turned_from his toilet and_smiled, "Joseph," said he
softly, "if_I find so much as a_bruise or_a scratch_on her loveliness
I'll break every bone in your rogue's carcass. _So, as I say, you will
see_her conveyed silently into_the coach,_you_will mount the_rumble
with_your weapons_ready in case of pursuit and upon_arrival at
our--destination_I disburse to you certain monies_and give
you--quittance of my_service."

"Abduction_is a capital offence, sir."

"Egad, I_believe it is.  But you_have run such chances ere_now----"

"True_sir._ There was your uncle,_since dead----"

"Ha!"