When George, that dismal eve, at home arrived,
With much emotion he sat down and cried;
But, having always on his God relied,
He thank’d th’ Almighty that the hand was stay’d,
Which at one moment threaten’d to have laid
Him low. Gray then observ’d a something, which
Made her unhappy, so with anxious speech
Besought her Master, thus: “Sir, pray thee—why
Art thou so sad?” George wiped his tearful eye
And answered her:—“Ah! Gray, I’m back again,
But coming homeward four unholy men
Molested me and took my cash, and more—
The rogues decamp’d with all our weekly store.”
Those words had scarce escaped poor George’s lips
When he was struck with the advancing steps
As of a horse (’twas now just nine o’clock)
And then obedient to a hurried knock
The door was open’d, and a voice enquired
If master Hollybrand had yet retired
To rest. “Oh! no, Sir,” Gray replied, “he’s not.”
“Will you be kind enough to say that Scott,[224]” * * *
George knew the voice and hasten’d to receive
The man of order, vengeance, or reprieve:
He said. Now finding that the men were ta’en,
George felt reliev’d from an oppressive strain;
And on the following morning, by command,
He went to prosecute th’ inhuman band,—
He strode his pony at the hour of nine,
To be in attendance at th’ appointed time.
When near the place where they attack’d him, there
George saw the fragments of some earthenware,—
A portion of his stores,—which in their haste
The robbers had incautiously laid waste:
As may be well conceived—just at this spot,
George ponder’d sadly o’er the direful plot,
But yet rejoiced to think what had befell
The treacherous vagabonds at Ruttendell.[225]
So he proceeded, and, when he had gain’d
The Justice’ Court, beheld all four arraign’d;
Who, when they saw the prosecutor there,
Hung down their heads in deep and sad despair:
No doubt their hearts were wrung, and well they might
When they observ’d their unpropitious plight,—
Especially he who beckon’d on the rest,
And held the pistol straight to George’s breast:
The one who had received a sabre-cut
Sat moaning piteously with eyes half shut,—
For on his thigh the cutlass made a gash,
And struck the bone beneath an inch of flesh:
In years of youth the others seem’d to be,
Who had forsook the path of honesty—
Intent on mischief and misrule, but now
Remorse and horror sat upon their brow.
God grant them mercy! but the law decreed
That England of such demons should be freed;
And so in time all four were sent away
To end their lifetime in old “Bot’ny Bay,”—
The merited reward of infamy.
[224] Chief of the constabulary force at Ruttendell.
[225] The market town, before alluded to.