When night came on, however, that happened which caused me to go into the town, and it was well I did so, else had all things happened different to me. Not that I meant to leave the place until I mounted Black Ben to ride to Goodlands, but as I looked out of the window, I saw Peter Blewitt hurrying by with an eager look in his eyes as though he were bent on a matter of importance.
"Ah, whither go you, Peter?" I heard mine host say.
"That is my business, Jonathan Coad," was the reply.
"Thy business," laughed the other.
"Ay, mine, and such as I will not tell the landlord of the General Fairfax."
"Ah, ah!" laughed the landlord, "as though thou ever had business in thy life. Thou could'st never catch a thief even if he took thine own horse."
"Ah, could I not?" said Peter.
"Why, no," said the landlord. "If thou could'st have caught aught, thou wouldst have caught Mistress Constance Leslie. That would have meant a hundred pounds, and yet thou did'st e'en let her slip through thy fingers."
"Wait a bit!" said Peter.
"Ay, wait till doomsday, and thou will never catch her."