comfort　and　tranquillity。　　The　smoke　which　curled　from　its　hospitable
  chimney　spoke　of　warmth　and　good　fare。
  To　pass　it　was　to　spurn　the　last　chance　of　a　bottle　for　many　a　weary
  mile；　and　the　prudent　traveller　would　always　rest　an　hour　by　its　ample
  fireside；　or　gossip　with　its　fantastic　hostess。　　Now；　the　hostess　of　the　little
  inn　was　Ellen　Roach；　friend　and　accomplice　of　Sixteen…String　Jack；　once
  the　most　famous　woman　in　England；　and　still　after　a　weary　stretch　at
  Botany　Bay　the　strangest　of　companions；　the　most　buxom　of　spinsters。
  Her　beauty　was　elusive　even　in　her　triumphant　youth；　and　middle…age　had
  neither　softened　her　traits　nor　refined　her　expression。　　Her　auburn　hair；
  once　the　glory　of　Covent　Garden；　was　fading　to　a　withered　grey；　she　was
  never　tall　enough　to　endure　an　encroaching　stoutness　with　equanimity；　her
  dumpy　figure　made　you　marvel　at　her　past　success；　and　hardship　had
  furrowed　her　candid　brow　into　wrinkles。　　But　when　she　opened　her　lips
  she　became　instantly　animated。　　With　a　glass　before　her　on　the　table；　she
  would　prattle　frankly　and　engagingly　of　the　past。　　Strange　cities　had　she
  seen；　she　had　faced　the　dangers　of　an　adventurous　life　with　calmness　and
  good　temper。　　And　yet　Botany　Bay；　with　its　attendant　horrors；　was
  already　fading　from　her　memory。　　In　imagination　she　was　still　with　her
  incomparable　hero；　and　it　was　her　solace；　after　fifteen　years；　to　sing　the
  praise　and　echo　the　perfections　of　Sixteen…String　Jack。
  ‘How　well　I　remember；'　she　would　murmur；　as　though　unconscious　of
  her　audience；　‘the　unhappy　day　when　Jack　Rann　was　first　arrested。　　It
  was　May；　and　he　came　back　travel…stained　and　weary　in　the　brilliant　dawn。
  He　had　stopped　a　one…horse　shay　near　the　nine…　mile　stone　on　the
  Hounslow　Roadevery　word　of　his　confession　is　burnt　into　my　brainand
  had　taken　a　watch　and　a　handful　of　guineas。　　I　was　glad　enough　of　the
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  money；　for　there　was　no　penny　in　the　house；　and　presently　I　sent　the　maid…
  servant　to　make　the　best　bargain　she　could　with　the　watch。　　But　the　silly
  jade；　by　the　saddest　of　mishaps；　took　the　trinket　straight　to　the　very　man
  who　made　it；　and　he；　suspecting　a　theft；　had　us　both　arrested。　　Even　then
  Jack　might　have　been　safe；　had　not　the　devil　prompted　me　to　speak　the
  truth。　　Dismayed　by　the　magistrate；　I　owned；　wretched　woman　that　I　was；
  that　I　had　received　the　watch　from　Rann；　and　in　two　hours　Jack　also　was
  under　lock　and　key。　　Yet；　when　we　were　sent　for　trial　I　made　what
  amends　I　could。　　I　declared　on　oath　that　I　had　never　seen　Sixteen…String
  Jack　in　my　life；　his　name　came　to　my　lips　by　accident；　and；　hector　as　they
  would；　the　lawyers　could　not　frighten　me　to　an　acknowledgment。
  Meanwhile　Jack's　own　behaviour　was　grand。　　I　was　the　proudest　woman
  in　England　as　I　stood　by　his　side　in　the　dock。　　When　you　compared　him
  with　Sir　John　Fielding；　you　did　not　doubt　for　an　instant　which　was　the
  finer　gentleman。　　And　what　a　dandy　was　my　Jack！　　Though　he　came
  there　to　answer　for　his　life；　he　was　all　ribbons　and　furbelows。　　His　irons
  were　tied　up　with　the　daintiest　blue　bows；　and　in　the　breast　of　his　coat　he
  carried　a　bundle　of　flowers　as　large　as　a　birch…broom。　　His　neck　quivered
  in　the　noose；　yet　he　was　never　cowed　to　civility。　　‘I　know　no　more　of　the
  matter　than　you　do；'　he　cried　indignantly；　‘nor　half　so　much　neither；'　and　if
  the　magistrate　had　not　been　an　ill…mannered　oaf；　he　would　not　have　dared
  to　disbelieve　my　true…hearted　Jack。　　That　time　we　escaped　with　whole
  skins；　and　off　we　went；　after　dinner；　to　Vauxhall；　where　Jack　was　more
  noticed　than　the　fiercest　of　the　bloods；　and　where　he　filled　the　heart　of
  George　Barrington　with　envy。　　Nor　was　he　idle；　despite　his　recent　escape：
  he　brought　away　two　watches　and　three　purses　from　the　Garden；　so　that
  our　necessities　were　amply　supplied。　　Ah；　I　should　have　been　happy　in
  those　days　if　only　Jack　had　been　faithful。　　But　he　had　a　roving　eye　and　a
  joyous　temperament；　and　though　he　loved　me　better　than　any　of　the
  baggages　to　whom　he　paid　court；　he　would　not　visit　me　so　often　as　he
  should。　　Why；　once　he　was　hustled　off　to　Bow　Street　because　the　watch
  caught　him　climbing　in　at　Doll　Frampton's　window。　　And　she；　the
  shameless　minx；　got　him　off　by　declaring　in　open　court　that　she　would　be
  proud　to　receive　him　whenever　he　would　deign　to　ring　at　her　bell。　　That　is
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  the　penalty　of　loving　a　great　man：　you　must　needs　share　his　affection　with
  a　set　of　unworthy　wenches。　　Yet　Jack　was　always　kind　to　me；　and　I　was
  the　chosen　companion　of　his　pranks。
  ‘Never　can　I　forget　the　splendid　figure　he　cut　that　day　at　Bagnigge
  Wells。　　We　had　driven　down　in　our　coach；　and　all　the　world　marvelled　at
  our　magnificence。　　Jack　was　brave　in　a　scarlet　coat；　a　tambour　waistcoat；
  and　white　silk　stockings。　　From　the　knees　of　his　breeches　streamed　the
  strings　（eight　at　each）；　whence　he　got　his　name；　and　as　he　plucked　off　his
  lace…hat　the　dinner…table　rose　at　him。　　That　was　a　moment　worth　living
  for；　and　when；　after　his　first　bottle；　Jack　rattled　the　glasses；　and　declared
  himself　a　highwayman；　the　whole　company　shuddered。　　‘‘But；　my
  friends；''　quoth　he；　‘‘to…day　I　am　making　holiday；　so　that　you　have　naught
  to　fear。''　　When　the　wine　's　in；　the　wit　's　out；　and　Jack　could　never　stay　his
  hand　from　the　bottle。　　The　more　he　drank；　the　more　he　bragged；　until；
  thoroughly　fuddled；　he　lost　a　ring　from　his　finger；　and　charged　the
  miscreants　in　the　room　with　stealing　it。　　‘‘However；''　hiccupped　he；　‘‘'tis
  a　mere　nothing；　worth　a　paltry　hundred　poundsless　than　a　lazy　evening's
  work。　　So　I'll　let　the　trifling　theft　pass。''　　But　the　cowards　were　not
  content　with　Jack's　generosity；　and　seizing　upon　him；　they　thrust　him　neck
  and　crop　through　the　window。　　They　were　seventeen　to　one；　the　craven…
  hearted　loons；　and　I　could　but　leave　the　marks　of　my　nails　on　the　cheek　of
  the　foremost；　and　follow　my　hero　into　the　yard；　where　we　took　coach；　and
  drove　sulkily　back　to　Covent　Garden。
  ‘And　yet　he　was　not　always　in　a　mad　humour；　in　fact；　Sixteen…　String
  Jack；　for　all　his　gaiety；　was　a　proud；　melancholy　man。　　The　shadow　of　the
  tree　was　always　upon　him；　and　he　would　make　me　miserable　by　talking　of
  his　certain　doom。　　‘‘I　have　a　hundred　pounds　in　my　pocket；''　he　would
  say；　‘‘I　shall　spend　that；　and　then　I　shan't　last　long。''　　And　though　I　never
  thought　him　serious；　his　prophecy　came　true　enough。　　Only　a　few　months
  before　the　end　we　had　visited　Tyburn　together。　　With　his　usual
  carelessness；　he　passed　the　line　of　constables　who　were　on　guard。
  ‘‘It　is　very　proper；''　said　he；　in　his　jauntiest　tone；　‘‘that　I　should　be　a
  spectator　on　this　melancholy　occasion。''　　And　though　none　of　the　dullards
  took　his　jest；　they　instantly　made　way　for　him。　　For　my　Jack　was　always
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  a　gentleman；　though　he　was　bred　to　the　stable；　and　his　bitterest　enemy
  could　not　have　denied　that　he　was　handsome。　　His　open　countenance　was
  as　honest　as　the　day；　and　the　brown　curls　over　his　forehead　were　more
  elegant　than　the　smartest　wig。　　Wherever　he　went　the　world　did　him
  honour；　and　many　a　time　my　vanity　was　sorely　wounded。　　I　was　a　pretty
  girl；　mind　you；　though　my　travels　have　not　improved　my　beauty；　and　I　had
  many　admirers　before　ever　I　picked　up　Jack　Rann　at　a　masquerade。　　Why；
  there　was　a　Templar；　with　two　thousand　a　year；　who　gave　me　a　carriage
  and　servants　while　I　still　lived　at　the　dressmaker's　in　Oxford　Street；　and　I
  was　not　out　of　my　teens　when　the　old　Jew　in　St。　Mary　Axe　took　me　into
  keeping。　　But　when　Jack　was　by；　I　had　no　chance　of　admiration。　　All　the
  eyes　were　glued　upon　him；　and　his　poor　doxy　had　to　be　content　with　a
  furtive　look　thrown　over　a　stranger's　shoulder。　　At　Barnet　races；　the　year
  before　they　sent　me　across　the　sea；　we　were　followed　by　a　crowd　the
  livelong　day；　and　truly　Jack；　in　his　blue　satin　waistcoat　laced　with　silver；
  might　have　been　a　peer。　　At　any　rate；　he　had　not　his　equal　on　the　course；
  and　it　is　small　wonder　that　never　for　a　moment　were　we　left　to　ourselves。
  ‘But　happiness　does　not　last　for　ever；　only　too　often　we　were　gravelled
  for　lack　of　money；　and　Jack；　finding　his　purse　empty；　could　do　naught　else
  than　hire　a　hackney　and　take　to　the　road　again；　while　I　used　to　lie　awake
  listening　to　the　watchman's　raucous　voice；　and　praying　God　to　send　back
  my　warrior　rich　and　scatheless。　　So　times　grew　more　and　more　difficult。
  Jack　would　stay　a　whole　night　upon　the　heath；　and　come　home　with　an
  empty　pocket　or　a　beggarly　half　crown。　　And　there　was　nothing；　after　a
  shabby　coat　that　he　hated　half　so　much　as　a　sheriff's　officer。　　‘‘Learn　a
  lesson　in　politeness；''　he　said　to　one　of　the　wretches　who　dragged　him　off
  to　the　Marshalsea。　　‘‘When　Sir　John　Fielding's　people　come　after　me　they
  use　me　genteelly；　they　only　hold　up　a　finger；　beckon　me；　and　I　follow　as
  qui