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Author’s Note
Chapter 1. The Diligence
Chapter 2. The Hacienda
Chapter 3. Sir John Bell
Chapter 4. Stephen Strong Goes Bail
Chapter 5. The Trial
Chapter 6. The Gate Of Darkness
Chapter 7. Crossing the Rubicon
Chapter 8. Bravo The A.V.’S
Chapter 9. Fortune
Chapter 10. Jane Meets Dr. Merchison
Chapter 11. The Coming of The Red-Headed Man
Chapter 12. The Shadow of Pestilence
Chapter 13. Harvest
Some months since the leaders of the Government dismayed their supporters and astonished the world by a sudden surrender to the clamour of the anti-vaccinationists. In the space of a single evening, with a marvellous versatility, they threw to the agitators the ascertained results of generations of the medical faculty, the report of a Royal Commission, what are understood to be their own convictions, and the President of the Local Government Board. After one ineffectual fight the House of Lords answered to the whip, and, under the guise of a “graceful concession,” the health of the country was given without appeal into the hand of the “Conscientious Objector.”
In his perplexity it has occurred to an observer of these events – as a person who in other lands has seen and learned something of the ravages of smallpox among the unvaccinated – to try to forecast their natural and, in the view of many, their almost certain end. Hence these pages from the life history of the pitiable, but unfortunate Dr. Therne.[1] Absit omen! May the prophecy be falsified! But, on the other hand, it may not. Some who are very competent to judge say that it will not; that, on the contrary, this strange paralysis of “the most powerful ministry of the generation” must result hereafter in much terror, and in the sacrifice of innocent lives.
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Then the tragedy began. Several of the villains seized the first merchant, and, stopping his cries and protestations with a blow in the mouth, stripped him to the shirt, abstracting notes and gold and everything else of value that they could find in various portions of his attire where he had hidden them, and principally, I remember, from the lining of his vest. When they had done with him, they dragged him away and bundled him roughly into the diligence.
Next to this merchant stood the two priests. Of the first of these the brigands asked a question, to which, with some hesitation, the priest – that man who had shown so much terror – replied in the affirmative, whereon his companion looked at him contemptuously and muttered a Spanish phrase which means “Man without shame.” Of him also the same question was asked, in answer to which he shook his head, whereon he was conducted, though without violence or being searched, to the coach, and shut into it with the plundered merchant. Then the thieves went to work with the next victim.
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