A Fleet Street Journalist

Front matter

A FLEET STREET JOURNALIST BY THE SAME AUTHOR. DICK WYLDER, A ROMANTIC STORY. In 2 Vols. By RICHARD PENDEREL, Author of " Wilfred Waide, Barrister and Novelist." At all Libraries and Booksellers, EXTRACTS FROM LONG NOTICES: " A thoroughly ingenious story, rattled off without break or pause in dashing fashion, and bearing the impress of a facile pen inspired by exuberant animal spirits, ■ Dick Wylder ' is essentially an en tertaining book." — The Daily Telegraph. "A rattling romance with plenty of go in it." — The World. "There is merit ofa melo-dramatic order in 'Dick Wylder.' People deprived from any cause, of a seat at the Adelphi, should find Mr. Penderel an excellent substitute." — Tlu Saturday Review. " It may be read by all who like novels of the old-fashioned sen sational kind, people who are more numeous than some superior persons care to admit." — Vanity Fair.

" Mr. Penderel scored a success with ' Wilfred Waide ' last year, he has repeated and emphasised this success in ' Dick Wylder.' " — The Idler. "Full of life and go, and with plenty of incidents of all sorts." — The Lady. "Altogether a novel with which to pass a pleasant hour." — The Sunday Times. •Entertaining and interesting. The story has variety and vivacity." — The Scotsman " Plot and counterplot are interwoven with complex subtlety." — The Bookseller. REMINGTON & Co., (Ltd.), 15, King Street, Covent Garden, and Sydney. A FLEET STREET JOURNALIST BY RICHARD PENDEREL K Author of" Dick Wylder ; a Romantic Story," &c, &c Come the three corners of the world in arms, And we shall shock them ; Naught shall make us rue, If England to itself do rest but true. King John, Act v., Sc. 7. REMINGTON AND COMPANY, LIMITED LONDON : 15, KING STREET, COVENT GARDEN AND SYDNEY l895 A II Rights Reserved CONTENTS.

Chap. pAGE i. Near Riverdown - - - i ii. The Crown at Appleford - - 18 hi. At the " Empire " and after - 25 iv. Reypert's Chambers - - 35 v. East Woodcote - - - - 48 vi. Giles's Rents 59 vii. A Newspaper Article - - - 70 viii. Riverdown Hall - 76 ix. The Beacon Hill Farm 94 x. The Elopement. - - - 120 xi. The Dawn of Love - - - 142 xii. At Ventnor - - - - 161 xiii. The Appleford Guardians - - 171 xiv Oldbury Jail - - - - 183 xv. The Escape - - - - 190 xvi. The " Idyllic " Club - - 201 xvii. The Fall of the Cliff - - 221 xvm. Freshwater Gate - - - 229 xix. Sommering Grange - 244 xx. The "Daily Grumbler" Office - 262 xxi. Sommering Grange by Night - 282 xxn. Everyone's Fate - 293 xxiii. " Last Scene of all " - -

Chapter I

near riverdown. The air is thick and close, no breath of wind stirs either the tall corn stalks, now ready for the sickle, or the wild tangle of the hedgerows ; the ground is parched and dry, and shows in places deep cracks, telling of long-continued drought ; all Nature is hushed, the almost absolute stillness is unbroken, save for a faint rustling, as of leaves gently moving on the highest of the tree tops. But this indistinct murmuring whisper, heard when heavy clouds and dark rolling masses of vapour are overcasting the sky, and obscuring the blue vault of Heaven with a canopy of gloom, B speaks in low, yet unmistakable accents of the storm soon to break forth, the storm which so frequently follows upon heat, more or less con tinued in this our English climate. The scene which I am attempting to paint, not with a brush, but with a very inadequate pen, is a dusty winding lane, or road, in a part of the country not far removed from the civilization of a small town.

No house is, however, in sight, for although the fields are fairly well cultivated, and bear witness to the spasmodic care of the husbandman, the lonesomeness of the landscape appears strange to one who imagines that land, which is rich and capable of the utmost production, should naturally be studded with smiling homesteads, the residences of prosperous farmers. Alas ! prosperity has long departed from English farmers ; the yeoman class, at one time the back-bone of the nation's strength, has been banished from the soil, and the vast majority of the agricultural labourers have been driven by want to seek shelter in the towns, there to swell the ranks of paupers, or to compete in the labour market with an already over-crowded population. If you do not believe that this is true, look forth from the carriage windows as the train speeds on its way, when next you travel on business or pleasure bent ; look forth and see the squalor and overcrowding of the environs of the towns, and then the miles and miles of partially-cultivated waste, which, in the fitness of things, should give employment to thousands of men, and produce the food which now is purchased from the foreigner, and paid for out of the nation's savings : out of the accumulated wealth which was amassed before the days of fierce competition, and starvation prices.

Yet this scene to which I draw your attention is frequent one in the land ; ho house or hut, save for the shelter of cattle, is within miles; the fields are tended and cultivated by men, who, after a long day's work, must trudge drearily and stolidly through dust and heat, or rain and mire, to far distant cottages, where, tired out, they must seek for rest during the few hours that intervene, be fore their weary round of toil recommences. Opposite to us is a gate leading into a field, and in this field, near to the entrance, is a rude shed open upon one side ; the roof is of thatch, decay ing with age; the walls, originally formed of tarred boards, have long since lost their colour, having been weather-beaten by storms, and cracked by the sun. B Within this shed, lying upon some dried fern, which he had thrown down, from a quantity stacked above the tie-beams of the roof, is a man, asleep ; his ragged clothes and dirty appearance proclaim him "tramp," but he has youth upon his side, and his face, although sunburnt and any thing but clean, shows unmistakable signs of re finement and intellect.

The healthy features, clear eyes, and well-formed head, the hands bronzed but not worn with manual labour, prove that the sleeping wastrel there, began life with opportuni ties unknown to the poor, and that his position had once, and not long ago, been very different, from that which his garb and appearance now show that he has acquired. But hark ; there is a distant rumbling as of thunder far away, and the rustling in the tree tops increases, and the sky is entirely overcast ; darkness falls upon lane and hedge, upon copse and field, and large drops of rain descend at intervals to be sucked up at once by the thirsty earth ; and hark again ! a crash is suddenly heard as if the heavens were split in twain, and see a forked stream of lightning strikes a lofty elm by the road side ; it falls crashing to the ground, levelling the hedge, and blocking the road with its mighty branches ; and after this the pent up rain descends at last, let loose from its imprisonment in the clouds, and peal follows peal, and flash follows flash, the latter blinding in their vividness.

The noise of the thunder, and the falling of the tree close by the open shed, awoke our sleeper, he sprang up and gazed upon the storm ; his tall well proportioned active figure and intelligent face can scarcely be reconciled with his evident poverty. Presently he listened intently, footsteps could be heard as of persons hurrying down the lane. " By Jove ! " he murmured " I'm not dressed for any decent company ; better see who they are before I appear." Leaping up, he seized one of the beams overhead, and raising himself above it, took refuge upon the stack of fern which had been stored upon a few boards laid across the ties. He had hardly disappeared when two men entered the shed. "Strike me ugly, Bill," said one of them, " We're well out o' that, I'm blowed if I ain't wet through." " So 'm I ; think yer got all the bloomin' water ?

" said the other stamping about, and shaking his pot hat. " I'm like a drownded rat." " Well, we're lucky to 'ave found this 'ere rotten ole shed ; tip us the lush, my pippin." "Not likely, fust come, fust served. I'm fust." "Orl right, don't yer drink the bloomin' lot." The individual who evidently rejoiced in the name of Bill, having at last surrendered a flat bottle, which at one time contained nearly a pint of an alcoholic compound entitled by its vendor, brandy, but which had little real claim to the name, and his associate having in his turn taken a liberal supply of the stimulant, the couple pro ceeded to light their pipes and converse with the freedom of intimate friends, who were under the impression that no one was within earshot. " Say, Conky, we might jist as well be 'ere as in a pub, an better.

Now 'ow about the game we come about ; we've 'ad a look round, a bit rocky, aint it ? " " Never mind, ole man, we'll tork over that to night, I got the plan o' the 'all in me 'ed. The fust dark night, old Madely 'ill lose 'is plate, yer bet, but them 'ere girls we see down the road '11 be 'ere soon, there ain't no shelter but this, for ever so fur, an tho' the storm's a bit over, the bloomin rain ain't stopped." " If they does, tip us the wink, we may as well 'ave anythink they've got to spare." " Quiet, Bill, 'ere they cums, I 'ears their purty footsteps, look small will yer, don't fright' em." The footsteps were certainly heard, and in another moment the voice of a girl also, saying " Here, Lina, here is the shed, I told you it was our only chance, there's no other shelter for another mile ; though we are wet enough, we had better wait until the rain is over."

A reply came in a voice of different and weaker intonation. " Stay, Gladys, I'm quite out of breath ; " the next minute, two girls appeared, one almost fainting. Her companion, a strong healthy girl, was so entirely taken up with her friend's condition, that she did not notice that the hut had other occupants ; so pushing a heap of fern into a corner, she seated her friend upon it and began to fan her. She was startled by seeing her eyes enlarge, and at hearing her ejaculate, " The men 1 The men ! " Turning round she saw the two cronies, Bill and Conky, the latter of whom came forward, and touching his cap, with a most sub missive whine, said : " Can't I be of no use, miss? Me and my mate is allus reddy to do orl we can fur young leddies as ain't got no gents wi' 'em. 'Ere, Bill, why don't yer come for'ard ?

" " We do not want any assistance, thank you, my friend is much better already," said Gladys Madely, for that was her name, and as if to corroborate her words, Selina Hammond, her friend, companion, and in some sort governess, rose from her seat and interposed with, " I am quite well now, I think we had better go on, Gladys, the rain does not look like ceasing, and it will be no good to stay here." " Perhaps so ; are you really equal to the walk ? " replied Gladys. " Oh ! yes, I am quite strong now," and in an undertone she added, "get me away, those men are dreadful." They were proceeding to leave the shed almost as quickly as they had entered it, when the two men barred their passage, and Conky, ever the foremost, said, " S'cuse me, my dear gals, me an my pal is rather down on our luck, ain't yer got nothink ter give us ?

" " What do you mean ? " replied Gladys, " please allow us to pass," and she drew herself up to her full height, and looked with scorn upon the pair of them, while the timid Selina clung to her arm, and shivered with fright. " No, miss, yer don't. If yer ain't got no chink, them's purty little tickers yer both on yer's got there," and the ruffian stretched out his hand, and he tried to seize the watch attached by a brooch to her dress. It is impossible to say which party was most astonished at what next happened, for a ragged form dropped from the roof, and immediately the Conky one received a well-directed blow between the eyes that levelled him on the ground, and made him see more stars than he had ever before dreamt of, and upon Bill coming to the rescue, he was forced to accept one, two, three, given in such a scientific manner, that he was entirely knocked out of time.

The two picked themselves up, and sneaked off, without looking again at their assailant; they knew already a great deal too much of him, and did not in the least wish to renew the acquaintance. When the girls found themselves so suddenly freed from the danger that had threatened them, they hardly knew what to do or to say, to the individual who had behaved in such a chivalrous manner, and yet appeared to be one of those "whom fortune had cruelly scratched," especially as they both could not help noticing that the stranger, ragged though he was, was undeniably handsome, and in the prime of health and man hood. Gladys, however, thanked him in a few well-chosen words, and Selina looked her gratitude, but was in such a collapsed condition, that Gladys became quite alarmed, knowing as she did, that her friend's heart was weak, that being the euphemism by which medical men frequently imply that there is incurable disease, or that they know nothing about the subject.

Again she was astonished, when their ragged deliverer produced a silver-mounted flask, which he assured them contained only the dryest of sherry, and although Selina could not be prevailed upon to taste it, Gladys appreciated the kindness shown to her friend. Being under such manifold obligations to a stranger, who in his attire seemed the lowest of the low, but who in language and manner, appeared to be a gentleman, Gladys found herself in a very awkward position, as she hardly liked to offer him money, although it was apparently so much needed, or to hint that the sooner they were out of his company, the better they would be pleased. She was, however, soon relieved from part of her difficulty by the stranger suggesting that as the rain had now ceased, they might make the best of their way home ; and that if they would go on, he would keep them in sight until they were in a place of safety ; he added that as they would probably not like to be seen with such an unfor tunate as himself, he would not inflict his presence on them longer.

Gladys then summoned up courage to ask him if she could not in any way make a return for his ser vices. Would he come to the Hall, and see her father ? He replied in the negative, saying that she would probably never see him again, although he should always remember with pleasure that he had been able to be of use to her. Gladys Madely by nature was a kind-hearted girl, and she felt that she could not thus leave one whose poverty was evident, and she at last said, with diffidence, " We should like to be of service to you in some way ; tell me where my father may send at least a money recompense — if you will not see him, and allow him to do more for you." " Thank you very much ; if you really mean what you say, and will not think that I am trying to rob you, give me one of the rings that I see you wear — one of the least costly ; I will treasure it as a memento of having been for a brief but happy space of time in your presence."

However strange this request might be, what could she do ? This man had been of the greatest possible assistance. She could not refuse him so small a boon ; therefore, taking off a diamond gipsy ring — one of the many gifts of her father — she gave it to the stranger, and again thanking him for the service that he had rendered to them, the two girls walked on down the road, the tramp following at a respectful distance, but within reach if any other adventure should befall them. Having watched those that he had taken under his charge, until they were nearing the lodge gates which gave entrance to the park surround ing their home, the anomaly that we have been introduced to, raised his tattered cap with the air of one in an entirely different sphere of life, and bounding over a gate, disappeared from the view of the girls, who had looked back to see if he were still following them, now that they had so nearly reached their destination.

Gladys and Selina proceeded on their way to the Hall, there to find a welcome change of dry garments for those wetted by the sudden storm, and to explain their adventure to the wondering ears of the housekeeper, for both the Squire and his wife were away from home. The custodian of the keys suggested that information should be sent to the one solitary policeman residing in the village, and that the ruffians who had attempted to rob her young mistress should be pursued and brought to justice ; but Gladys over-ruled her, as she decidedly objected to become the talk of the country side, and to achieve notoriety as the central figure in a story of attempted robbery, in which the heroine was saved by a tramp, belong ing, apparently, to the lowest stratum of the "submerged tenth." Besides, she hardly liked the idea of the episode of the ring being publicly proclaimed ; to say the least, it was a peculiar incident.

On the spur of the moment, she had given the trinket without hesitation, but, on con sideration, the more she thought of the request of the stranger, the more she was puzzled, and in spite of herself, she found that the ragged vaga bond frequently obtruded himself upon her thoughts, sometimes with pity, not unmingled with disgust, and at other times with a kind of admiration, as she recalled his courage and pic turesque appearance. Now that my heroine has reached her home in safety — for I may as well admit at once that whether you are inclined to like her or not, Gladys Madely will be the central figure in the drama which I am attempting to enact before you — it is high time that she should be more fully des cribed ; and as a planet, the satellite of a sun, receives some of the light diffused around, I feel obliged to give some description also of Selina Hammond, the satellite of the glorious being that we have been introduced to under such curious circumstances.

Gladys was tall and fair, divinely fair, as our late Poet Laureate would have ex pressed it ; her figure was superbly modelled, and had not been ruined by any attempt to produce the fashionable waist, but was as it had been formed by that exquisite artist, Nature. Her every movement was graceful, her very appearance was a poem ; her features were regular, and clean cut, as by a sculptor's chisel, and had not been moulded out of some flabby dough, as are the faces of many of the people we meet. Her hazel eyes, shaded by long lashes, seemed to speak of intelligence and truth, and her hair was of that lovely shade of golden brown, which in some lights shows an auburn tint ; it was fine and silky, and had the natural wave, which never can be entirely imitated by art. Gladys had but recently celebrated her twenty first birthday, and was the only and idolized child of Sir Richard and Lady Madely.

She was one whose naturally sweet disposition had not been spoilt by indulgence, for Sir Richard held the opinion, that true love does not show itself to ad vantage, when weakly giving way to a child, who is by reason of its age and consequent want of experience, unable to judge rightly for itself. It may be said that good taste in dress is not required by one to whom money is no object, and who, therefore, has at command the services of those whose business it is to study such questions ; but how often do we see women of rank and means, the effect of whose clothing, perhaps of the richest material, is horrible to the artistic eye, simply through their want of that indescrib able faculty which we call " taste." It is therefore with extreme pleasure that I am able to assert that Gladys possessed the gift of good taste in a high degree, and that consequently her vestments did not detract from, but rather added, if it were possible, to the natural charm of her personality.

Selina Hammond, the paid companion, but at the same time, friend of Gladys, was one of the increasing number of girls, who have developed intellectuality, at the expense of their physical system ; and in her case, the latter had almost entirely given way under the strain of work which she should never have undertaken. The possession of languages that she was never likely to require to use, some of which are even more dead than good Queen Anne, and a knowledge of the higher mathematics, utterly use less either to her or to any other female, was but poor compensation for the loss of a good constitu tion, and the acquirement of a frame, entirely un equal to those duties of the wife and mother, which it should be the great aim and object of woman to fit herself for. Selina was thin and pale ; her eyesight having been weakened, she wore glasses ; her circulation being bad, she wore mittens ; she could not be accused of being pretty, but she was with all her faults, a good-hearted, lady-like girl, whose energy had been sapped, and life ruined by a system of education suitable enough for boy or man, but to the last degree unsuitable for a girl, by nature physically unfit for exhausting and long-continued study.

Leaving our heroine within the friendly shelter of her childhood's home, surrounded by every luxury which wealth and good taste could procure ; tended with loving care by domestics grown old in her father's service ; let us follow the ragged knight errant, that houseless vagabond, who apparently fills up his spare time, by the rendering of much needed succour, to damsels in distress. C

Chapter II. The

" CROWN " AT APPLEFORD. Having quickly crossed three or four intervening fields, the anomaly I have described, strode with elastic step down another country lane, which was the only direct highway fiom the village of River down to the neighbouring township of Appleford. Upon nearing the latter place, after a brisk walk of about an hour's duration, he changed his vigour ous stride into a slouching gait, and his face, which up to this time, although dirty, yet had the appear ance of health, was quickly transformed into that of a scorbutic individual, whose blood had been vitiated by excesses of alcohol, combined with low diet ; this was easily effected by the application of small pieces of cork of various sizes, covered with cross strips of diachylon plaster, which he had evidently prepared beforehand, and carried in his pocket for use when necessary.

THE "CROWN" AT APPLEFORD 19 With the addition of a shade of dirty green silk, of the pattern usually supplied by an eye hospital, and a large boil of cork on his neck, his appearance became absolutely repulsive, and his eyes, giving up their bright appearance of con scious strength, assumed a shifty glance, a glance of evident distrust, distrust of their owner, distrust of all others, a shifty glance in which humility and cunning were strangely mixed. Dragging his travel-stained feet, as if tired and wrearied by a long tramp, he slouched into an ale house, which, by its appearance of dirt and general decay, proclaimed itself the resort of such as he, when they were in funds, and not obliged to accept the frugal hospitality of the casual ward. As he entered, the reek of stale beer and bad tobacco almost drove him back, but puffing at the black and discoloured clay pipe which he had recently lighted, he forced his way in, and took his place in a corner of the room allotted for the re ception of the guests of the house.

The ceiling of this room was low, and black with smoke, a few faded coloured prints adorned the walls, which had been originally panelled and painted, but the wood was cracked, and the paint long since covered up by dirt and the deposit from the fumes C — of the incense daily offered up in honour of the great goddess Nicotina. The bare sanded floor, composed of worm eaten boards, and decorated with a number of spittoons filled with sawdust, was almost invisible through its coating of mud mingled with tobacco ash. A few deal tables and benches, not distin guished by the most spotless cleanliness, com pleted the furniture of the apartment. On the tables were mugs of coarse earthenware contain ing beer, and the atmosphere could have been cut with a knife, so dense was it with tobacco-smoke and the emanations from damp garments of cor duroy, which had been thoroughly soaked by the recent storm.

The majority of the guests were strangers to the town, either Irish, or denizens of Whitechapel, out upon their annual tramp, in search of harvest work. Our anomaly called for a pint of beer, which he soon discovered to be quite undrinkable by anyone who set the least value upon his in terior economy, for innocent as it was of either hops or malt, it appeared to be a compound of quassia and coarse sugar, especially designed to upset the digestion, and produce rheumatism. THE "CROWN" AT APPLEFORD 21 Scarcely touching it, therefore, he having anathe matised the legislation which permitted such stuff to be sold, devoted himself to a study of the men who surrounded him, repeating to himself their quaint idioms, and storing within his brain such snatches of their conversation as he was able to overhear.

After a short time had elapsed, the door opened, and the two individuals entered, whom he had previously enjoyed an interview with in the cattle-shed during the storm, an in terview so extremely unpleasant to themselves ; however, they did not in the least recognize him, and seated themselves upon the bench by his side. He pushed the nearly full mug along the table, saying : " Take a drink, mates, you look dry." Conky nodded, and promptly swallowed half its contents, then passing the mug to Bill, he said, " Dry ain't the word, but never yer mind for the swipes, we'll soon 'ave in sum more, we ain't a-goin' to sponge on yer, as yer seems rayther down on yer luck, mate." " Well, I is, and I ain't," was the reply, spoken in an undertone ; " if I had two pals as I cud trust, I knows a thing or two as 'ud soon bring in the rhino."

" 'Ear him, Bill ! Wot's the lay ? " said Conky, softly. " No, stow that, I don't know yer. Wot's yer name, an' yer pal's ? " answered the anomaly. "Wot's yourn?" " Bob Blinker ; they knows me in the Cut.' " Wot, the lad as sneaked the blunt oft' the banking cove ? " " You 'eerd that, did yer ? " replied Bob. " Now, who's your pal ? " "Bill Nutter ; I'm Jarge Paffet." " Wot Conky Paffet ? Tip us yer flapper, old man, thort I knowed yer." "Veil, blow me, ain't this 'ere a game," said Bill. " Now what's yer lay ? " " Know Riverdown 'All ? " " She'lp me, Bill, if 'e aint on the same strike." After this, the three newly-met friends chatted away with the utmost confidence in one another, and Bob Blinker was soon in possession of the details of the scheme, which had been elaborated in the fertile brain of Conky, for the purpose of successfully annexing the plate well known to be in the possession of the Squire of Riverdown, Sir Richard Madely.

Conky and Bill explained that they had chosen THE "CROWN" AT APPLEFORD 23 the " Crown " as their quarters, simply because it was the resort of strangers and tramps, and therefore their goings in and comings out, would be less likely to be noticed, or to cause suspicion as to the business that they had in hand. It was agreed that the two partners should re main on the look out, picking up all kinds of information likely to be useful, and that Bob should proceed to town, some thirty miles distant, and should return in a day or two, with a light cart and good horse, in the guise of a commercial traveller — so that when the robbery had been effected, there would be no difficulty in transport ing the proceeds to a safe hiding-place, where the plate could be melted down, and removed to town as occasion suited.