Out of the town he fled, past the end of the Stafford road,
along which two hours of Sultan's best would bring me to the Hanyards and
mother and Kate, and I kept him at it for a full two miles before I gave
him a breather and settled down to think out what it meant.
I did not know the man from Adam, but he had me and my name quite pat. He
was obviously a friend, for his bearing and his warning alike bespoke his
goodwill towards me. He must be waiting there for some purpose, and he
must have seen me somewhere and learned enough about me to know from what
source danger to me was certain to come. In this case it was plain that
the danger was within the inn. The carousers might be, nay, almost
certainly were, soldiers, though there had been none in the town when Job
Lousely had left it less than two hours ago. The news of my escapade might
well have leaked into Stafford by now; I was very well known in the town,
and the stranger might be some Stafford chap benighted at Uttoxeter after
his business at the market. As I say, I did not know the man, but he might
very well know me; he was, perhaps, some old schoolfellow, grown out of
recollection by moonlight, and still willing to serve an old butty.
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