But at last he died raving,
and they found as he'd left all his property, Warrens and all, to a
Lunnon Charity, and that's how the Warrens came to be Charity land;
though, as for the stables, Mr Lammeter never uses 'em- they're out o'
all charicter- lor bless you! if you was to set the doors a-banging in
'em, it 'ud sound like thunder half o'er the parish.'
'Aye, but there's more going on in the stables than what folks
see by daylight, eh, Mr Macey?' said the landlord.
'Aye, aye; go that way of a dark night, that's all,' said Mr
Macey winking mysteriously, 'and then make believe, if you like, as
you didn't see lights i' the stables, nor hear the stamping o' the
hosses, nor the cracking o' the whips, and howling, too, if it's
tow'rt daybreak. "Cliff's Holiday" has been the name of it ever sin' I
were a boy; that's to say, some said as it was the holiday Old Harry
gev him from roasting, like. That's what my father told me, and he was
a reasonable man, though there's folks nowadays know what happened
afore they were born better nor they know their own business.'
'What do you say to that, eh, Dowlas?' said the landlord, turning
to the farrier, who was swelling with impatience for his cue. 'There's
a nut for you to crack.'
Mr Dowlas was the negative spirit in the company, and was proud
of his position.
'Say? I say what a man should say as doesn't shut his eyes to
look at a finger-post.
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