It was the time of year
when Stagshaw Bank Fair was held, and Mr. Hall, meaning to attend the
fair, had instructed this young man to join him there at a certain hour,
and himself had ridden over to Corbridge, there to pass the night. In
the morning, when Jack Hall reached the fair at the appointed hour, he
was astonished to find his servant, very dejected in appearance, being
led away in charge of a man on horseback. Hall questioned the lad, who
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.
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