The Four Canadian Highwaymen Part 7

'If you will just remain standeen where you are and keep your eyes open you will see.'

Presently our hero saw a strange head rise from the cavern; and then the entire figure appeared. The disguise was most complete, and the robber, whichever one he was, held a buck-saw in his hand.

'Off buckeen,' whispered The Lifter. The fellow wore a very ragged coat, and corresponding breeches; but our hero could not remember having seen him before. He stood close to the mouth of the pit looking first at Nancy, and then upon Roland. The jealous glare setted the point in our hero's mind. The disguised ruffian was Murfrey. The next moment out popped a sleek, respectable looking personage, carrying a Bible under his arm, and a walking stick in his hand. He was dressed like a dissenting clergyman, wearing at his throat the white bow that characterizes the Wesleyan preacher.

'The fear of G.o.d is the beginning of all righteousness. Tread ye in His ways, my children,' he said, raising his hand above the group.

And then p.r.o.nouncing a benediction, the miscreant departed.

The robber chief next appeared, and him our hero could never have identified. Under his wide-brimmed hat tufts of curly chestnut hair were visible; and his jaws and chin had a huge beard to match in colour.

'Cattle dealer,' whispered The Lifter. The robber's clothing were such as to harmonize with a man who bought and sold horses, bullocks and flocks of sheep. In his hand he carried a heavy, knotted stick.

'We return at moonrise,' he said to the old woman as he turned away.

'Good luck, good luck to ee,' quavered the crone. 'A pocket-full o'

yallow shiners for yourself, me fine dear.' And she waved her withered arm after the robber many times. 'Seventy-two years I've lived in this bush, girl an' woman, an' he's the finest one that ever come into it; barrin' my other son the Slugger that the p'lice bagged when he was drunk. But not apeach would he, even when they put the rope around his neck. He's the sort of a man for you to pattern by, my young one,' the old woman said, turning to Roland and addressing him for the first time.

'Why, old dame, ought I be anxious to have myself hanged in the end, as I understand this Slugger was?'

'Bah! you haven't courage enough to earn your hanging. I do not know what the captain wants to bring such coves as you here for,' she said, darting a malignant glance at our hero. 'I would be ashamed to eat other people's bread and accept their shelter, without trying to make myself useful.'

Roland was in one of his irritating moods so he said:

'I perceive that you are a very wicked old lady; and I am quite sure that if the officers could only lay hands upon you, they would give the birds something to peck at. Do you know what they do with bad old ladies like you? Why, they hang them up to trees that stand alone upon a bleak common; that the boys may pelt and the crows may feed.'

The rage of the old gentlewoman was now so great that she was unable to articulate; and when her fury reached the most impotent stage, Roland arose and walked away.

'Do you wish to take a turn with the rod?' Nancy asked.

'Yes, I should like to get out of sight of our uncharitable grandmother here.'

'Hush! I would not advise you to provoke her too far. If you knew what her career of crime has been you would shudder to bring her ill-will upon you. I am afraid you have brought a great danger upon your head.' Our hero and Nancy emerged from the wood and there lay spread before them a lake of shining water, though dark as soot. Its area was probably about twenty acres; and although its depth seemed to be great, a black stump rose here and there from the surface. The two had not walked far when the shrill voice of the old woman was heard calling.

'Nancy, Nancy!'

'I must leave you; but I will return as soon as I can. I have many things to tell you and many warnings to give. The Lifter, I think, has taken a great fancy to your ways; and I think you will be able to credit what he says to you. I will join you up the brook and we'll have a fish together. Good-bye, dearie;' and the girl flung a kiss to him from her finger tips and was away.

A minute later The Lifter came whiffling along and joined our hero.

'Well, stranger, what do you think of the pa.r.s.een?'

'I think that he is a blasphemous villian; and I wonder that G.o.d Almighty does not send a bolt from heaven upon such a wretch.'

'But it is said that they have a good deal of patience in heaveen.

Well, I think they must or they never would suffer the Rev. Mr. Jonas to walk the earth. I often sit a thinkeen about him; and always come to the conclusion that he is not _sincere_.'

'Cease your knavery, fellow. What purpose can it serve to talk in this fashion to me?'

'Well, I will. I like you, because you knocked down the bully. I have a great likeen for the fellow's gal; but till you came she cared best for Joe. I'd like to tell you summat of my brethreen. But say, are you here hard and fast?'

'I fear, alas, I am.'

'What did you do; kill your man in a duel?' Roland sighed and bowed his head.

'Then you cannot go away and peach, so I'll give you a bit of our indoor history. You saw these as went out to-day. Wall, they are off spotteen (spotting). Joe will go to some comfortable farm house and ask for a job saween wood. He can be very good natured and obligeen; and pretty soon he gets the run of the house. If there is a silver spoon or a watch in the house he seldom leaves--though he often returns day in and day out to the same house--without bringeen it away. Sometimes he hears of a man who has a lot of shiners, and if he can be sure that he keeps it in the house, he makes himself at home for a few days about the place doeen ch.o.r.es cheap. His next visit is when they are all asleep; when there is no moon, and the storm makes much clatter. He escaped from Newgate in the ould country; came to Muddy York and got jugged. He broke bars and was picked up one evening as you were on the edge of this swamp. He was the very man they needed here.

'But there is a very interesting history belongeen to the Rev. Mr.

Jonas. That is, as to how he became the Rev. Mr. Jonas. Well, it was like this. He was caught when very young at Piccadilly pickeen a gentleman's pocket. He learnt the trade under one f.a.gan, a jew, the cheese toaster that you read about in that new book, _Oliver Twist_. He was sentenced to three years; but when he got out he joined the pickpockets again; was again caught and transported to Australia. From that far away place he beat his pa.s.sage to Halifax; and worked his way from that town, too, till he got to York. He was prime always at workeen anything. Well, he got tired of idleness in York, and one night climbed into the residence of Sir Edmond Bond Head, the gov'nor, and stole his watch. The gov'nor fired, but harmed notheen except the gla.s.s. The next day he sold the watch to a Jew; but the detectives were on his track and nabbed him. He was sent down for six years.

'When two years were served he began to long for a more active life; and slippeen one night through the bars he came away. They pat up the hue-and-cry next morneen, and had half the country at his heels. The capteen met him; said he was just the young man he wanted; and took him to the heart of the establishment.

'And now comes the interesteen part of the story. Mr. Sykes was not an idle man; he would scorn to eat a crumb that he did not work for; so he was every day abroad, and if he could bring in notheen better he was sure to return a little after dark with half a dozen chickeens, or a couple of quarters of lamb or veal around his neck. One day he came in with something that was not lamb, nor veal, nor fowl. Now, what do you think it was? _Blow my eyes if it wasn't a Methodist parson!_

'The parson was a meek-lookeen man, with a white bow under his throat; and his name was Mr. Jonas.

'"What in thunder did you bring that Sky-pilot here for?" the capteen asked in his most angry tones; while ould missus run a ecreecheen to the cavern.

'"I have good reason, I a.s.sure you, capteen, for the capture," was the reply. "Give the man of G.o.d sometheen to eat. He must pray for us this eveneen. It'll be as good as a circus to listen to him. It's been so long since we had divine service in here."

'Ah, young man, but it was good fun to hear that parson pray and preach that night. The very

'Aisles of the dim-wood rang to the anthem'

that he raised; and I am sure he thought that he had carried our hearts by storm. He prayed G.o.d to soften our obdurate hearts; and especially asked heaven to cause these misguided men to relent in their intensheens, and permit him to go and carry the refresheen rain of the Gospel to thirsty ground. After the prayer was ended I showed him his couch, the same whereon you slept last night, and before I said good night I asked him to pray for me. He squeezed my hand and said:

'"Is your heart softened? May I depend on you?"

'I answered, "Fear not. I have been a burneen brand and you have s.n.a.t.c.hed me from the fire." He turned his eyes toward the clayey roof and gave thanks. When I returned to upper air Mr. Sykes had gathered Mr. Jonas' late congregasheen about him, and thus addressed the meeteen:

'"Brethreen and sisters, I intend to amend my life. I have been a wicked man; but he good parson below has carried the grace of G.o.d to my heart. Henceforth my mission shall be to preach the word. So zealous am I in this respect that _I intend to preach instead of Mr. Jonas!"_

'For several minutes I could not gather what he meant; but it became quite clear when he added:

'"This congregasheen is large and wealthy enough to retain a preacher unto itself. Capteen, with your permission we will keep Mr.

Jonas!" The capteen, who long before had caught Mr. Sykes' intention, nodded a hearty approval.

'That eveneen Mr. Sykes took possession of Mr. Jonas' private letters, recommendations, etc.; and likewise bore away to his own diggeens a Bible, several prayer books, and three or four hymn books belonging to the preacher.

'"Brethreen and sisters," he said, "I am no longer the wicked Ned Sykes, but the good and Reverend Mr. Jinas."

'That day, clad in the clergyman's very robes, with a white tie under his chin, and three holy books under his arm, he set forth. He visited every Wesleyan family in the neighbourhood; presented his credentials at each house, and received from one and all a cordial and Christian welcome. Since that time he has preached regularly every Sunday; he has "the run" of every Christeen house in the denomination through the county of York. More than this, he is noted for his piety and eloquence, and people who will not trust the banks, deliver their wealth into his hands for safe keepeen. About twice in the year he preaches a charity sermon, for the help of the widow, the orphan, and the distressed, generally; and requests that the amounts be forwarded to him for disposal.

'During his ministerial missheen he has collected about thirty watches; close upon a basketful of silver spoons; while he has led a nightly attack upon just ten houses belonging to his parishioners. He has killed, with his own hand, in his own bed, the cla.s.s-leader in the Wesleyan Sunday School, and wounded one of the church trustees.

But he attended afterwards, with much concern, and read words of consolation to the wounded man.'

'My G.o.d!' Roland interrupted, 'this is shocking. Does he still continue at this work of infamous hypocrisy?'

'Bless your heart, yes.'