"Is it all here?" he asked. "No tricks--no lyin'--the truth? for I'll
search you."
"You may," replied the other, with confidence; "and you may shoot me,
too, if you find another farthing in my possession."
"Now, then," said Trailcudgel, "get home as well as you can, and reform
your life as you promised--as for me, I'll keep the pistols; indeed,
for my own sake, for I have no notion of putting them into your hands at
present."
He then disappeared, and the baronet, having with considerable
difficulty gained the box-seat, reached home somewhat lighter in pocket
than he had left it, convinced besides that an unexpected visit from a
natural apparition is frequently much more to be dreaded than one from
the supernatural.
The baronet was in the general affairs of life, penurious in money
matters, but on those occasions where money was necessary to enable him
to advance or mature his plans, conceal his proceedings, or reward
his instruments, he was by no means illiberal. This, however, was mere
selfishness, or rather, we should say, self-preservation, inasmuch
as his success and reputation depended in a great degree upon the
liberality of his corruption.
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