# Wallace D. Wattles Ultimate Collection — Chapter-58: Hellfire Harrison Chapter Two - **Source**: /library/Wallace D. Wattles Ultimate Collection/source-file.pdf - **PDF pages**: 218–224 - **Pages without text**: 221 - **Note**: Work: *Hellfire Harrison*, section 2 of 8. --- Chapter Two Table of Contents "I WAS never so pleased," said Lady Alicia, " to see any person in all my life, as I am this day to see you." She sat in the pleasant drawing-room at Farnham Court, and Harrison, bright- eyed and smiling, sat across from her. "I take that to mean," said he, "that I am better worth seeing —" "Don't flatter yourself! It is because I have need of you; you come in the very nick of time. But of that we will speak later. And yes, my friend, I am glad to see you for your own sake ; to see how fresh and young you look, although you make me sense my wrinkles and sunken cheeks more keenly. Do not interrupt me; you know 'tis so. Women grow old faster than men in these times, for we must sit at home with our sorrows and let them eat out our hearts, while you forget yours in battle and diplomacy. Well, never mind. I was delighted with your son, Gerald, when I met him during the one week I spent in London last winter; a right noble youth." "As of course he must be, with my example —" "Chut, chut! If he does well, it is in spite of your example, and not because of it. And he is a splendid young fellow ; even in these days of loose living, he has no bad habits." "One," said Harrison. "He will go to church." "Why, so I heard," said she, "and I rejoiced that you had not been able to make him into a case-hardened, sneering cynic, like Wycherly and the rest of you. His mother must have been a rare woman, Gerald." "She was, Alicia," he answered. The change in his tone was very, very slight, but she noticed it and understood; and she changed the subject instantly. "Now, as to the matter I mentioned awhile ago," said she. "Gerald, do you remember Andrew Hogg? " "Ay; very well indeed." "And do you, by any chance, remember his son?" "A dark-faced little boy, when I left England?" "Yes! Dark-faced and sullen, like his father, and with a worse temper, even then." "I remember; I cuffed him, once, for torturing a helpless kitten. And has he grown up to fulfill the brilliant promise of his childhood?" "He is a very devil! Drunken, brutal, licentious, fearing neither God nor man. He lives at Hackthorn Hall with three ruffians he brought with him from the wars, who are well dubbed the bloody three; renegade fighting men. He keeps no other servants than these three; they are all good swordsmen, and more than one life has been lost hereabout by incurring their ill-will. Andrew is nearing forty now; and as he grows older he grows worse in every way. The country people call him 'The Black Hogg.' He and his men are often away for long periods; 'tis thought that they go far from home and play the highwayman. When they are here, they spend their days in sleeping, and their nights in roistering at the hall, or at the Blue Goose Inn, in Farnham village. The whole county is afraid of Andrew Hogg." "And what, Alicia," said Harrison, as she paused, "have I to do with this merry gentleman?" "Do you remember Janet Ainslie? " "Oh, right well! Gad, but she had spirit! She married Billy Chester, so they wrote me." "Sir William Chester; and he died when their child, little Mary, was ten years old. Then, after three more years, Janet, being homeless and dependent, and very proud, married a squire of this neighborhood, Sladden by name; and shortly afterward she also died, leaving him to rear the child. Sladden was a somewhat dull and stubborn man, and he has grown duller and more stubborn with the passing of the years, but under his care Mary has grown to be the fairest girl in all England, and 'The Black Hogg' has set his mind on marrying her." "Well?" "Well? It is not well. Sladden favors Andrew Hogg with all his stupid strength, and they have sworn, together, that the marriage shall take place before the end of June, and 'tis near the middle of May." "But, Alicia, surely there is little harm in a maid's being married against her will? Why, she is not supposed to have a will afterward, in any case!" "Not the least harm in the world," said Lady Alicia, calmly. "Even if she does not love him," Harrison went on, "she will undoubtedly come to do so, if he flogs her frequently enough?" "And he will certainly do that," agreed the lady. Harrison took snuff, regarding her with his bright eyes, and his most cynical smile. "Oh, hang it, Alicia," said he, "what do you wish me to do?" "Why, sir," said she, knowing her man perfectly, "but you are conceited! I have not asked that you shall do anything. What can you, a single man, do against Hogg and his bloody three? I have merely given you a bit of neighborhood gossip, so that you might understand the situation and guard your tongue; for I am, going to call on Mary this afternoon, and you shall ride along to protect me on the highway. It was for that I said I needed you. The roads are not safe for a woman with no protection but a couple of footmen. While you are here, I may go a-visiting." "Humph," said Harrison. So they set forth presently, Harrison riding a horse beside Lady Alicia's sedan- chair, and they passed the gates of Hackthorn Hall before they came to Sladden's farm, which was a little further on. When the Virginian was introduced to Mary Chester he drew one quick breath of astonishment, and owned to himself that Lady Alicia had told the truth when she called her the fairest girl in all England. He talked with her for an hour, and found that she had a pleasant wit, and that she lacked not for a double portion of her mother's spirit. "I have come to England," he told her as he was leaving, "seeking a wife. Are you ready to receive proposals?" "Oh, surely, sir," said she. "What maid is not?" "I do not seek for myself," he went on, "but for my son ; and I have taken a mighty fancy that I should like you for a daughter-in-law." "Thank you, sir! But is your son to have no voice in the matter?" "He is a very bashful youth. But he is coming down from London in a day or so, and he shall fall in love with you." "Ah! And can you make him do that, sir?" "If he is so stupid as not to do it, I will flog him till he does." "Oh, poor young man! What a dreadful alternative!" "And if you do not fall in love with him," Harrison went on, "I will pull your ears." "My precious ears! I'll not let them come to harm, sir. I think I love your son a little already. And does he take his bashfulness from his father, sir?" "I think so." "I think so too; for if you ever had any, some one has taken it." So they bade each other a laughing farewell, and Harrison rode away beside the sedan-chair. Once out on the highway, they saw coming toward them a strange looking fellow, whose spine seemed afflicted about the hips. He wavered from side to side as he walked, and flourished his arms as if he found it hard to keep his balance. Lady Alicia stopped her bearers and Harrison at sight of him. "See, Gerald," said she, "yonder comes Dicky Dirk. When he was born his mother was a servant at Hackthorn Hall; it was during the old Hogg's time. Young Andrew had a petty spite against this woman, and one day he snatched the babe from her breast and dashed it on the floor. Still he held his grudge against her, and a few months later, in a drunken rage, he killed her husband, and she died of a broken heart. The boy grew up to walk as you see him; strangely crippled about the hips, and yet he is said to be as strong as a very giant in the arms and shoulders. He carries a great knife, and so got the name of Dick o' the dirk, now shortened to Dicky Dirk. He lives, the Lord knows how, mostly by doing odd jobs for the country people, and he rarely speaks, even when spoken to. Dicky, this is Mr. Harrison, of Virginia." "Give 'ee good day, zur," said Dicky, wavering past them, and looking neither to right nor left. "Good day, Dicky," said Harrison, riding on; and he performed the difficult feat of taking snuff on horseback, with more than his usual carefulness. Lady Alicia watched him closely, but in silence. "Alicia," said he, after a while, "this Hogg of yours seems to be a rare soul." "Why, so he is; and I have told you only a few of his pleasant eccentricities." "I think I will stay in the neighborhood for a while; I was always fond of Farnham. And to prevent scandal, I will take quarters at the Blue Goose Inn." He beamed upon her with his most pleasant smile, but she shuddered and grew cold, even as she felt that her point was gained, for the thought came to her that she had caused sentence of death to be passed on Andrew Hogg. Harrison went on quietly: "I will write Richard, and have him down to stay with me. Get up a party of some sort for next week, Alicia, and invite Mary Chester. I will bring the boy, and we will trust in the Lord, who does all things well — with proper management on our part." "Don't scoff," said Lady Alicia, " I will give the party on Wednesday."