But there was no mercy for him.
Richard Bassett had a candle lighted, and inspected the prisoner. He
lifted his crape veil, and said "Oho!"
"You see it was only a lark," said Reginald, and shook in every limb.
Richard Bassett smiled grimly, and said nothing. He gave Jessie strict
orders to hold her tongue, and she and he between them took Reginald
and locked him up in a small room adjoining the kitchen.
They then went to look for the other burglar.
He had emptied his pockets of all the plate, and crawled away. It is
supposed he threw away the plate, either to soften Reginald's offense,
or in the belief that he had received his death wound, and should not
require silver vessels where he was going.
Bassett picked up the articles and brought them in, and told Jessie to
light the fire and make him a cup of coffee.
He replaced all the plate, except the articles left in Reginald's
pocket.
Then he went upstairs, and told his wife that burglars had broken into
the house, but had taken nothing; she was to give herself no anxiety.
He told her no more than this, for his dark and cruel nature had
already conceived an idea he did not care to communicate to her, on
account of the strong opposition he foresaw from so good a Christian:
besides, of late, since her daughter came home to back her, she had
spoken her mind more than once.
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