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Wallace D. Wattles Ultimate Collection — Chapter-59: Hellfire Harrison Chapter Three
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- PDF pages: 225–228
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- Note: Work: Hellfire Harrison, section 3 of 8.
Chapter Three Table of Contents SO young Richard Harrison first met Mary Chester at Lady Alicia's party, and, because their curiosity had been artfully aroused beforehand, the two young people took a mighty interest in one another. “I've heard much of you, sir,” said she, as they sat together. “We famous men are always being talked about,” said he. “And I have heard much of you, sweet Mistress Chester.” “We famous ladies are always being talked about,” said she. “Famous indeed,” he answered. “Lady Alicia told me that you were the fairest girl in England; I was a little doubtful at the time, but I will swear now that she might have included Scotland, Wales and the Continent.” “Why not America also?” she asked. “But no doubt you have left some one there who is fairer than I.” “In America,” he replied, “most of the good looks are given to the men, as you may have noticed.” “Why, so I had,” said she, “and yet the men are not conceited, which is very strange. But I must believe all you say, for your father told me that you were a most proper youth.” “I respect my father too highly to question anything he says,” said the young man. “He told me,” she went on, daringly, " that if you did not fall in love with me you should be flogged.”
“I never wilfully gave him cause to flog me,” said he, “and I shall not do so now.” “And he said,” Mary continued, “that if I did not fall in love with you he would pull my ears.” “Such beautiful ears shall never be pulled; I shall see to it that you fall in love with me.” Most of that evening they were together, and in a day or so he called at Sladden's farm; and from that time on it was evident that they were in truth falling very deeply into love with each other. Young Richard rode to Sladden's every day, for he was no slack wooer; and Lady Alicia looked on, trembling for what might come to pass, but with a thankful heart; Harrison looked on, bright eyed and smiling, and was always near at hand when the boy passed Hackthorn Hall; Dicky Dirk, hiding in the bushes or lurching along the road, looked on, muttering to himself; and Andrew Hogg looked on, cursing. Presently he summoned Sladden to a conference, and the latter, a square-built, square-jawed, square-headed man of sixty, took his stepdaughter to task. “What do you mean, you hussy,” he demanded, “by letting this young cockerel come upon the place? Dost want to see me pitch him out upon the highway?” Now, though Mistress Mary had received but little kindness from her stepfather, she had never treated him with disrespect, or disobeyed him until he began trying to make her accept the love of Andrew Hogg, but upon that issue she was in open war with him. Yes, sir,” said she with a curtsey. “I think I should much enjoy looking on while you undertook to pitch Master Harrison into the highway.” “His father's a dirty rebel,” said Sladden. “But for your life, you dare not say so to his face,” said she. “If you were my own daughter,” he growled, “full-grown as you are, I would whip you till you took up with Squire Hogg.” “If I were your daughter,” she said with her head held very high, “no doubt but I would be willing to marry Squire Hogg; but my father was a gentleman.”
“I shall forbid that whelp to come on the farm,” shouted Sladden in a passion. “And he'll come, none the less,” said Mary. Sladden did not forbid Richard the place, but when, on the next day, Mary told the young man what had happened, he urged her to marry him at once, and she refused. “We have known each other scarcely three weeks,” she said, “and if we wed now, people will say ‘twas but the fear of Andrew Hogg drove me to you. Sir, I wish to be courted with all due pomp and circumstance. I sometimes think I like you very well, but again I am not sure of it, nor am I certain that you love me. Make me sure of both, and I will marry you, but I will not be driven to do so by Sladden and the black Hogg.” “By Heaven, they shall not hurry you!” said Richard, looking very like his father. “Take your time, sweet mistress, for all of them. But I will not say that I shall not hurry you myself; for I am asking you to marry me because I love you. I am as sure of that as if I had known you all my life. And love me you shall, and marry me you shall, and I am coming to see you every day, Hogg or no Hogg, Sladden or no Sladden, until you say yes to me.” And so he did, riding into the farmyard every day, tossing his bridle rein and a coin to the stable boy, and receiving Sladden's sour look with a high head and a careless smile. But Hell-fire Harrison, having been told all, redoubled his watchfulness, for he knew that the crisis was at hand. And it was; for sitting over their liquor at Hackthorn Hall, Hogg and the bloody three were taking counsel as to the safest way of killing Richard. “Meet the cub on the road, and run him through,” said Trainor, the most reckless of the four, and the best swordsman. “Ay; but his father is always with him, or close at hand,” said Hogg. “And they say he is the best swordsman in England. Some of us will lose blood if we try that, and why run needless risk? Here is a better plan: When the young whelp is safe at Sladden's to-morrow, Harrison will ride back to the Blue Goose Inn to wait until nearly sunset; then he will come out to meet the boy and convoy him home. Now, an hour before sundown, let Trainor go to the Inn and get into conversation with this rebel. Drink with him, if he will, and fall to arguing if he
will not; quarrel, but do not come to blows. Carry it off in such a way that if he leaves ‘twill appear to the bystanders that he is afraid, but do not cross swords, or he will do for you.” Trainor sniffed doubtfully, but Hogg went on, “Keep him there until after sunset, and then get away; apologize and eat humble pie if you must; you shall give it back to him later. Meanwhile we three will settle the young popinjay, and if the old one attacks us here, later, we will meet him at the door with our pistols, and give him no chance to come to close quarters. Will that do?” The others accepted the plan, and so on the following afternoon, as the sun was getting low, Trainor set off for the Blue Goose Inn, and shortly after, the other three rode out upon the highway, and took their stand beneath a clump of trees to wait for Richard.