It had travelled all night, and must have shifted horses at
Kimballton, at three in the morning.
"Now we shall hear all the particulars," shouted the crowd.
The coach rumbled up to the piazza of the tavern, followed by a
thousand people; for if any man had been minding his own business till
then, he now left it at sixes and sevens, to hear the news. The
pedlar, foremost in the race, discovered two passengers, both of
whom had been startled from a comfortable nap to find themselves in
the centre of a mob. Every man assailing them with separate questions,
all propounded at once, the couple were struck speechless, though
one was a lawyer and the other a young lady.
"Mr. Higginbotham! Mr. Higginbotham! Tell us the particulars
about old Mr. Higginbotham!" bawled the mob. "What is the coroner's
verdict? Are the murderers apprehended? Is Mr. Higginbotham's niece
come out of her fainting fits? Mr. Higginbotham! Mr. Higginbotham!!"
The coachman said not a word, except to swear awfully at the
hostler for not bringing him a fresh team of horses. The lawyer inside
had generally his wits about him even when asleep; the first thing
he did, after learning the cause of the excitement, was to produce a
large red pocket-book.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21