An' _I_ had the handling o' the villain he should roast, or I am no true man!" The jailer laughed a pleasant hyena laugh, and said-- "Give him a piece of thy mind, old man--they all do it.

Thou'lt find it good diversion." Then he sauntered toward his ante-room and disappeared.

The old man dropped upon his knees and whispered-- "God be thanked, thou'rt come again, my master! I believed thou wert dead these seven years, and lo, here thou art alive! I knew thee the moment I saw thee; and main hard work it was to keep a stony countenance and seem to see none here but tuppenny knaves and rubbish o' the streets.
I am old and poor, Sir Miles; but say the word and I will go forth and proclaim the truth though I be strangled for it." "No," said Hendon; "thou shalt not.

It would ruin thee, and yet help but little in my cause.

But I thank thee, for thou hast given me back somewhat of my lost faith in my kind." The old servant became very valuable to Hendon and the King; for he dropped in several times a day to 'abuse' the former, and always smuggled in a few delicacies to help out the prison bill of fare; he also furnished the current news.