A young lady and a young gentleman sat in the chaise, and the first
glance told they were newly married. They sat in the chaise, and
held each other by the hand, while the horses were changing.
And because I had a bundle of tracts that fitted their condition, and
because the newly married often pay for a thing beyond its worth, I
approached the chaise-door.
The fresh horses were in as I began my apologies; and the post-boy
was settling himself in the saddle. Judge of my astonishment when he
leant back, cut me sharply across the calves with his long whip, and
before I could yell had started his horses up the opposite hill at a
gallop. The hind wheel missed my toes by an inch. In three minutes
the carriage and red coat were but a speck on the road that led up to
the downs.
I returned to my mug, emptied it moodily, broke a fine repartee on
the sergeant's dull head (he was consumed with mirth), and followed
the same road at a slow pace; for my business took me along it.
I was on the downs, and had walked, perhaps, six miles, when again I
saw the red speck ahead of me. It was the post-boy--a post-boy
returning on foot, of all miracles. He came straight up to meet me,
and then stood in the road, barring my path, and tapping his
riding-boot with the butt of his whip--a handsome young fellow, well
proportioned and well set up.
"I want you," he said, "to walk back with me to Bleakirk.
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