The Argosy — page 111: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

96 The Village Blacksmith. Freeman. If Mrs. Ryot-Tempest wore the diamonds the robbery must be committed later in the night, after her return, Freemar was anxious to have the job done as soon as possible, and would have preferred that night or the following, but Mark would not agree to this. The robbery must be committed on a night when his master and mistress were out, because, in case of accidents, he had then a legitimate excuse for being up if discovered, as he always sat up for them. Moreover, there was the chance that Mrs. RKyot-Tempest would not wear her diamonds; she did not always do so; and: Freeman agreed that in that event Tuesday night was the best time to fix. Finally it was settled Freeman was to be under the dressing-room window at midnight on Tuesday, and to remain there till Mark gave him the jewels; he was then to hide Mark’s fifty pounds in the hollow tree, and to get out of the country with his spoil as quickly as possible. Mark, on his side, was to take special care to lock Lion up as soon as his master and mistress had started, and on no account to leave him in his kennel for the night; for Freeman was far more afraid of the dog than of the Archdeacon’s revolver, of which he had heard. But, ‘‘ nothing venture, nothing have” was his motto; and relying on Mark’s promises because he saw Mark was greedily longing for the fifty pounds he was to earn by keeping them, Freeman parted from his new friend. It was true Mark was anxious to earn the money, but that was not his sole reason for undertaking to be an accomplice in the crime. The desire of revenge was stronger than the desire of gain in his mean nature, and he thought this robbery might, if cunningly carried out, supply him with the means of revenging himself on Vera, for the diabolical idea of throwing suspicion on her had occurred to him. He had little doubt that Mrs. Ryot-Tempest, whose dislike to Vera he had gauged accurately, would believe anything he chose to tell her against her step-daughter. He had not yet told her of Vera’s midnight scene with Reuben; he would do so when the diamonds were missed, and if Reuben were suspected as well as Vera all the better ; he would then be revenged on both. Such a trifling deviation from the truth as to declare Vera’s meeting with Reuben took place a few nights before the robbery instead of a year ago was not likely to trouble Mark’s conscience ; he was prepared to swear it in a court of justice if necessary. It is strange how quickly some natures develop evil. Mark’s character had never been very good; his was a mean, cunning, selfish nature; but up to his hypocritical conduct at his baptism, when, indeed, the devil seemed to enter into him, he had committed no scandalous sin, His passion for Janet had proved a very hot-bed for forcing all the evil which lay latent in his soul. Had his love prospered it is probable he would have gone to his grave with no worse sins on his soul than selfishness, meanness and ill-temper, and (E@INMIICE CKO KS (E(0)