brightened up vastly at sight of his master, but could give no
explanation as to the cause of this interference. All he knew was that
as he stood waiting for Mr. Hall, this man had ridden up, claimed him as
a prisoner, and was now marching him off. Hall looked at the mounted
man, and recognised him as one of a family named Widdrington, who
claimed to be invested by the Government of Queen Anne with authority to
arrest from time to time sundry persons who, so far as the general
public knew, were guilty of no crime, but who nevertheless were in the
end sent to the dreaded Plantations. These Widdringtons were greatly
feared throughout the countryside, but as they had always selected their
victims from amongst people who had few friends, and who were little
likely to have the means of making any great outcry, no person of
influence had yet been moved to take the matter up, or to make
troublesome inquiries.

Hall, however, was not the man to let his servant be taken without
protest, even if this Widdrington really had the authority he claimed to
possess. But to all Hall's remonstrances Widdrington merely replied
haughtily that he was accountable to no one, save only to her most
gracious Majesty the Queen; that he was there in the execution of his
duty, and that anyone interfering with him did so at his own peril. The
situation was awkward. On the one hand, if this man really was acting
within his rights and in the execution of his duty, then Hall himself
was likely to get into serious trouble; on the other, he was not going
to see a young man, his own servant, a man, so far as he knew, innocent
of all offence against the law, marched off in this way, if by any means
he might be saved. As mere remonstrances appeared to be of no avail,
Hall hotly pressed his horse close up to Widdrington's, completely
barring his way, and demanded that, if he were really acting within the
law, he should show his authority.