AN ADVENTURE.
Scott intended to start on his homeward journey the next morning, but an
hour before he was to leave he received a telegram to the following
effect:
"Wait for letter. TOWER."
Scott understood at once that the letter would contain instructions from
the firm, and therefore informed the earl that he would remain a day
longer.
"That will suit me admirably," said the earl. "If you are at leisure, we
will take a long drive."
"I shall have nothing to do till I receive my letter," answered Scott.
"Then you can join me?"
"I shall be glad to do so."
It turned out that the earl wished to ride across the country to a point
some twenty miles distant. What the attraction was it is not necessary
here to state. Probably the trip was undertaken chiefly for the drive.
At the end of twenty miles a village was reached, which contained a
passable hotel. Here the two tourists dined, and did not leave on their
return till about six o'clock.
"We shall be rather late," said the earl. "Still, our horse is a good
one, and we ought to reach the hotel in two hours, or little more."
"That won't be very late."
"Then we can stop on the way somewhere."
When the travelers had proceeded half a dozen miles on their way, the
horse suddenly showed signs of lameness. What had occasioned it neither
could tell, but as he appeared to be in pain, it was decided, upon
consultation, to stop at the next house and make arrangements to pass
the night. It would be easy to start again on the following morning with
the horse they had, or, if necessary, a substitute. Neither felt in
haste, and the time lost would not be serious.
The next house proved to be situated on the edge of the woods. It
occupied a lonely location, and seemed in rather a dilapidated state.
Everything about it bore an aspect of neglect.
Scott jumped from the carriage, and went to the door.
It was opened, after he had knocked two or three times, by a careworn
woman of middle age. Her face was lined, and she wore a look of
depression and discouragement.
"What's your will?" she asked.
"Our horse has fallen lame, and we would like to stop here overnight,
and let the horse rest. I see you have a barn."
"I don't know," said the woman, slowly. "We don't keep a hotel."
"I am quite aware of that, and we must apologize for intruding. We shall
give you some trouble, but we are willing to pay for it. If five dollars
will compensate you we will be glad to pay that sum for supper, lodging
and breakfast for ourselves, and accommodation for our horse."
The woman seemed surprised by the liberality of the offer. In such a
household five dollars was a good deal of money.
"You can come in," she said, "and I will get you some supper. My man
will soon be home, and if he is willing you can stay all night."
"I hope he will soon be back, as we would like to know what to depend
upon."
"He'll be here in an hour, likely."
"May we put the horse in the barn?"
"Yes, if you can do it yourself. There ain't no men folks 'round."
"Oh, yes, we will attend to it."
"I'll go right to work getting supper. I've got some eggs and bacon in
the house, if that will do you."
"That will do very well, I think. You can give us some tea, too, I
presume?"
"Yes, or you can have some whisky. My man always wants some."
"Thank you, but I think we should prefer tea."
"That's just as you like. I have tea for myself. My man won't drink it.
He says it's only fit for women."
"Consider us women, then," said Scott, laughing. "I will go and tell my
friend that you will receive us."
"If my man agrees."
"That is understood."
"What is your friend's name?"
"Mr. Grant," answered Scott, knowing that the earl would not care to
have his rank known in such a place. It might have led to extravagant
terms for the accommodation rendered, and Scott considered that he had
already offered liberal compensation.
He communicated to the earl the result of his mission.
"Do you think we shall get decent fare?" the earl inquired.
"I think so, but we may have to rough it a little. It won't be equal to
our hotel."
"Oh, well, it will be an adventure. I have roughed it before."
"I thought earls always fared luxuriously," said Scott, smiling.
"Earls, as well as other men, are subject to circumstances, and can
rough it, if necessary. Some time I will tell you how I fared in Italy
last winter. I confess that my appetite has been sharpened, and I am
exceedingly hungry."
"So am I. We are to have bacon and eggs. I hope you have no prejudice
against such a dish."
"No, it is a favorite with me. My only apprehension is, that they won't
have enough to satisfy me."
In the barn the visitors found stalls for two horses, both of them
unoccupied. They unharnessed their horse, or rather Scott did, for the
earl, who had always had this work done for him, seemed awkward and
inexperienced.
"I am sorry to put all the work upon you, Scott," he said.
"Never mind. It is no trouble."
"I suppose I ought to be ashamed of my awkwardness."
"I can easily understand that you never had to do it. In England, father
for a time kept a horse, and I had the care of him."
When the horse was safely stalled, Scott and the earl came out into the
yard.
"Shall we go into the house?" asked Scott.
"No, we might be in the way. Here is a fence rail. We can sit upon
that."
"You are making yourself very democratic," Scott said.
"Why should I not be?"
"Our new acquaintance, Mr. Alderman Burton, would be surprised to see
you sitting on a fence rail."
"I shouldn't do it before him. I should keep up my dignity, or he might
be shocked."
"What do you think he asked me last evening, when you were out of the
room?"
"What was it?"
"He asked me if you ever dined with the queen?"
"What did you answer?"
"Only when you were invited."
"Quite correct. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever was honored
by such an invitation, or, as we consider it, a command."
"He also asked me to inquire of you whether the queen wore her crown at
the dinner table."
"Poor old lady; I should pity her if she were obliged to do so."
Half an hour later the woman came to the door, and looking toward them,
called out: "Supper's ready."
"And so am I," said the earl, in a low voice. "I hope our hostess has
made a liberal provision for us."
On entering the kitchen, where the table was spread, they found she had
done so. A dozen eggs, flanked by several slices of bacon, were on a
dish in the center, and there was an ample supply of butter and corn
bread.
An expression of profound satisfaction lit up the faces of the two
travelers.
"Thank you, madam, for kindly complying with our request. We appreciate
it more because we know you do not keep a hotel."
"I hope you'll like it," replied the woman. "I misremember what the boy
said your name was."
"Mr. Grant," said Scott.
"Is he your brother?"
"No; my name is Walton."
"Be you in any business, Mr. Grant?" asked the woman, who began to show
curiosity.
"No, madam, not at present. I am an Englishman. Possibly my friend and I
might buy out a store in Buffalo."
Scott could scarcely forbear smiling. It seemed a great joke to him to
think of going into a business partnership with an earl.
They ate supper with evident enjoyment. They had about concluded it,
when a heavy step was heard outside.
"That is my man," said the woman, nervously.
Scott and the earl looked up with curiosity to see him enter.