within five minutes' distance of this place."

"Oh, I don't want to bother. I only wanted to ask some one's opinion
in a general way."

"Well, what's the point?"

"Why this," said Dacres, after a little hesitation. "You've heard of
outlawry?"

"Should think I had--Robin Hood and his merry men, Lincoln green,
Sherwood Forest, and all that sort of thing, you know. But what the
mischief sets you thinking about Robin Hood?"

"Oh, I don't mean that rot. I mean real outlawry--when a fellow's in
debt, you know."

"Well?"

"Well; if he goes out of the country, and stays away a certain number
of years, the debt's outlawed, you know."

"The deuce it is! Is it, though? _I've_ been in debt, but I always
managed to pull through without getting so far. But that's convenient
for some fellows too."

"I'm a little muddy about it, but I've heard something to this effect.
I think the time is seven years. If the debt is not acknowledged
during the interval, it's outlawed. And now, 'pon my life, my dear
fellow, I really don't know but that I've jumbled up some fragments of