The Honourable Mr. Tawnish   By: Jeffery Farnol (1878-1952)

THE HONOURABLE MR. TAWNISH

BY

JEFFERY FARNOL

AUTHOR OF "THE BROAD HIGHWAY," AND "THE AMATEUR GENTLEMAN"

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHARLES E. BROCK

BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1913

Copyright , 1913, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. All rights reserved

Published, October, 1913

THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.

TO

DOROTHY

THE BEST AND GENTLEST OF SISTERS

THE TRUEST AND BRAVEST OF COMRADES

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK

JEFFREY FARNOL

LONDON, August 28, 1913

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I Introducing Mr. Tawnish, and what befell at "The Chequers" 1

II Of the further astonishing conduct of the said Mr. Tawnish 39

III Of a Flight of Steps, a Stirrup, and a Stone 70

IV Of how We fell in with a Highwayman at the Cross Roads 87

V Concerning the true Identity of our Highwayman 113

VI Of the Dawning of Christmas Day 123

VII Which deals, among other Matters, with the Ring of Steel 132

VIII Wherein the Truth of the old Adage is made manifest to wit: All's well that ends well 152

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Very slowly, Sir Harry obeyed, swearing frightfully Frontispiece

"I believe I have the felicity of addressing Sir John Chester?" PAGE 12

"Oh! Ha! Hum!" says Bentley, "Did Jack tell you all that, Pen?" 80

"Father," says she, "this is my husband and I am proud to tell you so 159

THE HONOURABLE MR. TAWNISH

CHAPTER ONE

Introducing Mr. Tawnish, and what befell at "The Chequers"

Myself and Bentley, who, though a good fellow in many ways, is yet a fool in more (hence the prominence of the personal pronoun, for, as every one knows, a fool should give place to his betters) myself and Bentley, then, were riding home from Hadlow, whither we had been to witness a dog fight (and I may say a better fight I never saw, the dog I had backed disabling his opponent very effectively in something less than three quarters of an hour whereby Bentley owes me a hundred guineas) we were riding home as I say, and were within a half mile or so of Tonbridge, when young Harry Raikes came up behind us at his usual wild gallop, and passing with a curt nod, disappeared down the hill in a cloud of dust.

"Were I but ten years younger," says I, looking after him, "Tonbridge Town would be too small to hold yonder fellow and myself he is becoming a positive pest."