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Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration -t en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaltra sur la dernlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmis A des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est film6 d partir de I'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagranimes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■m IX'U 5( 'f9f 5^ DO ^ <^'--XAXA^\....C'^ THE SPLENDID SPUR 'A scholar. I perceiie. i.et me .serw you sir ? •• - Page 30. THE SPLENDID SPUR BEING MEMOIRS OF THE ADVENTURES OF MR. JOHN MARVEL. A SERVANT OF HIS LATE MAJESTY K]V« CHARLES I, IN THE YEARS 1642-3! WRITTEN BY HIMSELF »DrriD W MODIRN rNQlIM BT (ARTHUR T. QUILLER COUCH) IDuitrtced by Arthur M. Bom '•>,■■> a^C^- 'Se3o. GEORGE J MoLEOD P'lBtlSKKkS A' KNT 5 King srnn: Weit Tt-ftO*rTT> '"^^•■{'♦iHHtB^M •A*.hoh,r. tp^Kciv. Let n.e .^ervvv,,., s. ' " ''HKe30. THE SPLENDID SPUR BEING MEMOIRS OF THE ADVENTURES OF MR. JOHN MARVEL, A SERVANT OF HIS LATE MAJESTY KING CHARLES I., IN THE YEARS i64x.3: WRITTEN BY HIMSELF SOrriD IN MOOIRN KHOUSN SV CI (ARTHUR T. ftUILLER COUCH) Illustrated by Arthur M. Booe GEORGE J. McLEOD publishers' agent 5 Kino Street West Toronto Copyright, ib97 R. P. P8NNO & COMPAKT 7%e Spltndid S^ur .. TO EDWARD GWYNXE EARDLEY-WILMOT. Mr DEAR Eddie, Whatever view a story-teller may take of his business, His happy when he can think, " This book of mine will please such and such a friend;^ and may set that friend^s name after the title page. For even if to please (as some are beginning to hold) should be no part of his aim, at least Hwill always be a reward- and {m unworthier moods) next to a Writer I would choose to be a Lamplighter, as the only other that gets so cordial a » God bless him I- in the long winter evenings. To win such a ivelcome at such a time from a new friend or two would be the happiest fortune for my tale. But to you I could wish it to speak particularly seeing that under the coat o/ Jack Mauvel beats the heart of your friend Torquay, August 22d, 1889. INTRODUCTOEY NOTE. A YEAR or two ago it was observed that three writers were using the curiously popular signa- ture " Q." This was hardly less confusing t°han that one writer should use three signatures (Grant Allen, Arbuthnot Wilson, and Anon), but as none of the three was willing to try another let- ter, they had to leave it to the public (whose deci- sion in such matters is final) to say who is Q to it. The public said. Let him wear this proud let- ter who can win it, and for the present at least it is in the possession of the author of " The Splen- did Spur " and " The Blue Pavilions." It would seem, too, as if it were his " to keep," for " Q " is like the competition cups that are only yours for a season, unless you manage to carry them three times in succession. Mr. Quiller-Couch has been champion Q since 1890. The interesting question is not so much. What has he done to be the only prominent Q of these years, as Is he to be the Q of all time ? If so, he will do better work than he has yet done, though 8 Introductory Note. several of his latest sketchos-and one in particu- Jar-are of very unconnnon n.erit. Mr. Quiller- Couch is so unlike Mr. Kipling that one in.medi- ately wants to compare tl.oni. They are both young and they have both shown such promise tha It will be almost sad if neither can write a book to hve-as, of course, neither has done as yet. Mr. K.pling is the more audacious, which is probably a matter of training. He was brought qu.ckor than at Oxford, and where 3 ou not only become a man (aud a cynic) in a hurry, but see m.d hear strange things (and print them) such as the youth ot Oxford miss, or, becoming acquainted with would not dare insert in the local magazine of the moment. So Mr. Kipling's first work be- tokened a knowledge of the world that is by no means to be found in "Dead Man's Rock." the first book published by Mr. Quiller-Couch. On the other hand, it cannot truly be said that Mr. Kip ing s latest work is stronger than his first, win le the other writer's growth is the most re- markab e thing about him. Ic is precisely the same Mr. Kipling who is now in the magazines that was writing some years ago in India (and a rare good Mr. Kipling too), but the Mr. Quiller- Couch of toKlay is the Quiller-Couch of "Dead Man s Rock grown out of recognition. To com- pare their styles is really to compare the men. Mr. Kipling s 18 the more startling, the stronger [ Introductory Note. n (as yet), and the more uiiinnered. Mark Twain, it api)ears, said lie reads Mr. Kipling for his style] whioh is reully the sunio thing us Siiying you read him for his books, though the American seems only to have meant that lie cuts the beef because he likes the salt. It is a journalistic style, aiming too constantly at sharp effects, always succeeding in getting them. Sometimes this is contrived at the expense of grammar, as when (a common trick with the author) he ends a story with such a para- graph as "Which is manifestly unfair." Mr. Qiiiller^Couch has never sinned in this way, but his first style was somewhat turgid, even melo- dramatic, and, compared with Mr. Kipling's, hicked distinction. From the beginning Mr. Kip- ling had the genius for using the right word twice in three times (Mr. Stevenson only misses it about once in twelve), while Mr. Quiller-Couch not only used the wrong word, but weighted it with adjec tives. The charge, however, cannot be brought against him to-day, for having begun by writing like a Mr. Haggard not quite sure of himself (if one can imagine such a M- Haggard), and chang- mg to an obvious imitation of Mr. Stevenson, he seems now to have made a style for himself. It 18 clear and careful, but not as yet strong winged. Its distinctive feature is that it is curiously mu- sical. " Dead Man's Hock " is a capital sensational story to be read and at once forgotten. It was lO Introductory Note. followed by "The Astonishing History of Troy Town," which was humorous, and proved that the author owed a debt to Dickens. But it was not sufficiently humorous to be remarkable for its humor, and it will go hand in hand with " Dead Man's Rock » to oblivion. Until « The Splendid Spur" appeared Mr. Quiller-Couch had done little to suggest that ai. artist had joined the ranks of the story-tellers. It is not in anyway a great work, but it was among the best dozen novels of its year, and as the production of a new writer it was one of the most notable. About the same time was published another historical romance of the second class (for to nothing short of Sir Walter shall we give a first-class in this de- partment), "Micah Clarke." by Mr. Conan Doyle. It was as inevitable that the two books should be compared as that he who enjoyed the one should enjoy the other. In one respect " Micah Clarke " 18 the better story. It contains one character, a soldier of fortune, who is more memorable than any single figure in " The Splendid Spur." This, however, is effected at a cost, for this man is the book. It contains, indeed, two young fellows, one of them a John Ridd, but no Diana Vernon would blow a kiss to either. Both stories are weak in pathos, despite Joan, but there are a score of humorous situations in " The Splendid Spur " that one could not forget if he would-which he would not— as, for instance, where hero and Introductory Note. 11 heroine are hidden in barrels in a ship, and hero cries throiigli liis bunghole, "Wilt marry me, sweetheart? " to which heroine replies, " Must get out of this cask first." Better still is the scene in which Captain Billy expatiates, with a mop and a bucket, on the merits of his crew. But the passages are for reading, not for hearing about. Of the characters, this same Captain Billy is not the worst, but perhaps the best is Joan, Mr. Quiller-Couch's first successful picture of a girl. A capital eccentric figure is killed (some good things are squandered in this book) just when we are beginning to find him a genuine novelty. Anything that is ready to leap into danger seems to be thought good enough for the hero of a fighting romance, so that Jack Marvel will pass (though Delia, as is right and proper, is worth two of him, despite her coming-on disposition). The villain is a failure, and the plot poor. Never- theless there are some ingenious complications in it. Jack's escape by means of the hangman's rope, which was to send him out of the world in a few hours, is a fine rollicking bit of sensation. Where Mr. Quiller-Couch and Mr. Conan Doyle both fail as compared with the great master of romance is in the introduction of historical figures and episodes. Scott would have been a great man if he had written no novel but " The Ab- bott " (one of his second best), and no part of "The Abbott" but the scene in which Mary 12 Introductory Note. signs away her crown. Mr. Qniller-Conch almost entirely avoids such atten.pls, and even Mr. Conan Doyle only dips int.. them timidly. There 18, one has been told, a theory that the romancist has no right to picture history in this wav. livt he makes his rights when he does it as Scott did it. Since " The Splendid Spur," Mr. Qniller-Couch has published nothing in book form winch can be considered an advance on his best novel, but there have appeared by him a number of short Cornish sketches, which are perhaps best considered as ex- permients. They are perilously slight, and where they are successful one remembers them as sweet dreams or like a bar of music. All aim at this ettect, so that many should not be taken at a time, and some (as was to be expected with such del- icate work) miss their mark. It might be said that in several of these melodies Mr. Quiller- Couch has been writing the same thing again and again, determined to succeed absolutely, if not this time then the next, and if not the next time then the time after. In one case he has succeeded absolutely. '^The Small People," is a prose "Song of the Shirt." To my mind this is a rare piece of ^york, and the biggest thing for its size that has been done in English fiction for some years. These sketches have been called experiments, iney show (as his books scarcely show) that Mr. I Introductory Note. »3 Quiller-Coiich can feel. They suggest that ho may bo able to do for Corinv;.ll what Mr. Hardy has done for Dorset-though the methods of the two writers are as unlike as their counties. IJ„t that can only be if in filli. g his notebook with these little comedies and tragedies Mr. Qniller- Couch is preparing for more sustained efforts. '• Oar hope and heart is with thee We will stand and mark." J. M. Babeib. ' I Contents. OHIPTBB p^O, I. The Bowlino-Obeek OF THB *' Crown". . 17 II. The Young Man in the Cloak of Ambee Satin 28 III. I Find Myself in a Tavebn Bbawl ; and Babely Escape 33 IV. I Take the Road . . . . , 55 V. My Adventure at the "Thbee Cups" . 71 VI. The Flight in the Pine Wood .... 88 VII. I Find a Comrade 101 VIII. I Lose the King's Letter; and am Car- ried to Bristol 113 IX I Break Out of Prison 130 X. Captain Pottery and Captain Settle . . 159 XI. I Ride Down into Temple; and am Well Treated There i7g XII. How Joan Saved the Army of the West* AND Saw the Fight on Braddock Down, 188 XIII. I Buy a Looking Glass at Bodmin Fair; AND Meet with Me. Hannibal Tingcomb, 200 XIV. I Do NO Good in the House of Gleys . . 211 XV. I Leave Joan and Ride to the Wabs . . 223 XVI. The Battle of Stamford Heath .... 234 16 i6 Contents. XVII. I Mebx with a Happy Adventure by BuBNiNooF A Geeen Light. .... 260 XVIII. Joan Does Me Hee Last Service .' [ [ 269 XIX. The Adventure op the Heaese .... 286 XX. The Adventuee op the Ledge; and How I Shook Hands with My Comrade . . 303 r I ] £ s 8 t h THE SPIEIDID SPUE. CHAPTER I. THE BOWLING-GREEN OF THE "CROWN" 'Tvvas on November 29th, A«- 1642 n .^ frosty day-that the Kin^ wifl. H T '^'^'' wales (newly recovered of the measles^ thl to Mr. Rob. Drury fo f„v fll 7 ""'"'"" ™^^ Ws lodging, empty. ' "°"« '''^°"' ' <■<>""<» » ar i8 The Splendid Spur. They stood at the corner of Ship Street, as you turn into the Corn Market— a low wainscoted chamber, ill-lighted but commodious. " He is off to see the show," thought I as I looked about me ; and finding an easy cushion in the window, sat down to await him. Where presently, being tired out (for I had been carrying a halberd all day with the scholars' troop in Magdalen College Grove), and in despite of the open lattice, I fell sound asleep. It must have beert an hour after that I awoke with a chill (as was natural), and was stretching out a hand to pull the window close, but sud- denly sat down again and fell to watching in- stead. The window look'd down, at the height of ten feet or so, upon a bowling-green at the back of the " Crown " Tavern (kept by John Davenant, in the Corn Market), and across it to a rambling wing of the same inn; the fourth side— that to my left— being but an old wall, with a broad syca- more growing against it. 'Twas already twilight ; and in the darkening house, over the green, was now one casement brightly lit, the curtains un- drawn, and within a company of noisy drinkers round a table. They were gaming, as was easily told by their clicking of the dice and frequent oaths : and anon the bellow of some tipsy chorus would come across. 'Twas one of these catches, I dare say, that woke me : only just now my eyes u d ff t i y e 1 The Bowling-Green of the "Crown." 19 were bent not toward the singers, but on the still lawn between us. The sycamore, I have hinted, was a broad tree, and must, in summer, have borne a goodly load of eaves: but now, in November, these were strewn thick over the green, and nothing left but stiff, ^.aked boughs. Beneati, it lay a crack'd bowl or two on the rank turf, and against the trunk a garden bench rested, I suppose for the conven- seated. ^^'^''''* ^" ^^'' ^ '"^'^ ^""^ "°^ . ^^^^' ^'^^^^^g i" a little book; and this first jogged my curiosity: for 'twas unnatural a man should read print at this dim hour, or, if he had a mmd to try, should choose a cold bowling-green for his purpose. Yet he seemed to study his vol- ume very attentively, but with a sharp look, now and then toward the lighted window, as if the r vellers disturb'd him. His back was partly turnd to me; and what with this and the grow- mg dusk, I could but make a guess at his face : but a plenty of silver hair fell over his fur collar, and his shoulders were bent a great deal. I judged him between fifty and sixty. For the rest, he wore a dark simple suit, very straitly cut, with an ample furrd cloak, and a hat rather tall, after the fashion of the last reign. Now why the man's behavior so engaged me, I don t know : but at the end of half an hour I was still watching him. By this, 'twas near dark. bifc. 20 The Splendid Spur. ter cold, and his pretence to read mere fondness: yet he persevered-thongh with longer glances at the casement above, where the din at times was nt to wake the dead. And now one of the dicers upsets his chair with a curse, and gets on his feet. Looking up, I saw his features for a moment-a slight, pretty boy, scarce above eigl.teen, with fair curls and flush'd cheeks hke a girl's. It made me admire to see hun m this ring of purple, villainous faces. 'Twas evident he was a j-oung gentleman of quality, as well by his bearing as his handsome cloak of am- ber satin barr'd with black. « I think the devil's in these dice I " I heard him crying, and a pretty hubbub all about him : but presently the drawer enters with more wine, and he sits down quietly to a fresh game. "^ As soon as 'twas started, one of the crew, that had been playing but was now dropp'd out lounges up from his seat, and coming to the case- ment pushes it open for fresh air. He was one that till now had sat in full view-a tall bully with a gr(,s8 pimpled nose; and led the catches in a bill s voice. The rest of the players paid no fteert to his rising; and very soon his shoulders hid them, as he loan'd out, drawing in the cold breath. Oimug the late racket I had forgot for a while my friend under the sycamore, but now, looking that way, to my astonishment I saw him risen from his bench and stealing across to the house The Bowling-Green of the "Crown" 21 "Hist!" «nyl tife " r"°" '"^ *'' "»' '»«'' '» find deJdl ■ "'"'^'"■g-S™"" "t that hour. I„. dressed him ^"" °" "» '»'■'» t'""'"!- »tudied :j^:i:'Z7^T 'i ■"™ their next moves. ' «"ns.der,ng After a bit, however, tlie hiillv iif(„.i <. , disappears. '^ " " "'"''' <"■ l"-" ""d «-.dhetra,„,e,,Lpre:::,;";its:;rt! 22 The Splendid Spur. ing) heard the latch of the back porch gently ;iaed and spied the heavy form of the bully com- ing softly over the grass. A^ow, I would not have my readers prejudiced, and so may tell them this was the first time in my lite 1 had played the eavesdropper. That I did so now I can never be glad enough, but 'tis true, nevertheless, my conscience pricked me ; and I was even making a motion to withdraw when that occurred which would have fixed any man's attention, whether hq wish'd it or no. The bully must have closed the door behind him but carelessly, for hardly could he take a dozen steps when it opened again with a scuffle, and the large house dog belonging to the "Crown" flew at his heels with a vicious snarl and snap of tne teeth. 'Twas enough to scare the coolest. But the fel- low turn'd as if shot, and before he could snap again, had gripped him fairly by the throat. The struggle that follow'd I could barely see. but I heard the horrible sounds of it-the hard, short breathing of the man. the hoarse rage working in the dog 8 throat-and it turned me sick The dog-a mastiff-was fighting now to pull loose, and the pair swayed this way and that in the dusk, panting and murderous. I was almost shouting aloud-feeling as though twere my own throat thus gripp'd-when the end came. The man had his legs planted well apart. 1 The Bowling-Green of the "Crown." 23 Lrr t'' '•'■'""''^ h^ove up and bend a8 he moments dead s.lence, then a hideous gurgle and the^mastiff dropped back, his hind U^JtZt .In!!! """"^ ''"'' ""■ '° '"'• " f"» »">""«. peering close to make sure he was dead, and then without oosemng h.s hold, dragged him across the grass under my window. By the sycamore he halted but only to shift his hands a little ; and so, sway! ng on his h,ps, sent the earcase with a heave over the^wall. I heard it drop with a thud on the far During this fierce wrestle-which must have asted about two minutes-the clatter and shou" hr!I "'VTP''"^ '^"^ ''^'J g°ne on without a break , and all this while the man with the white But now he steps up to where the bully stood topping his face (for all the coolness of the eve„- ng) and. -vith a finger between the leaves of hs book, bows very politely. "You handled that dog, sir, choicely well," says he in a thm voice that seemed to have a chuS hidden m it somewhere. "-uucKie ^^ The other ceased mopping to get a good look at "But sure," he went on, "'twas hard on the s:;;:::^^' "'"' »^-' "-"> "f captam lucL: H The Splendid Spur. I thought the bully ,vould have had him by the J.ndp.pe and pitched him after the mastiff/so fiercely he turu'd at the sound of this name But the old gentleman .kipped back quite nin,bly and iield up a finger. ^ bet'ter-'l-"''" "^ '"'"'■ " '"""'"" «"^ ^""^ y- "Where the devil gotyou that name?" growled the bnlly and had half a mind to come on Ig^, but the other put in briskly ^ " I'm on a plain errand of business. No need «3 you hn.t, to mention names; and therefore et a" habeT'- T"" " ""'■ ^^ '''" ^^'O- »f ">« alphabet .s at your service to pick and choose •' My name is Luke Settle," said the big man hoarse y (but whether this was his natural vdce or no I could not tell). "Let us say ' Mr. X.' I prefer it- head o„f «'"f"]'"!l «^ ho said this, popped his lead on one si.le, laid the forefinger of his nVht hand^cross the book, and seem'd tol considc £ ^^o^^'hTe at/Xarllir '" '"' ' """'^ bit X':^d" "'™ "'^ '"'"'" ""'"^'^ t''^ ^^"»-. a Now all this from my hiding I had heard very 1 The Bowling-Green of the "Crown." 2; But as the old gentle.nan paused to let his ques- t.on s,„k ■„, and the bully to catch the drift o?Tt before answenng, one of the dicers above struck up to sing a catc. "With a hey, trolly-lolly. « leg to the Devil. And answer him civil, and off with your cap: S.ng-Hey, rolly-loliy I Good-morrow. Sir Evil, We've finished the tap, And, saving your worship, we car^ not a rap! " While this din continued, the stranger J,eld un one forefinger again, as if beseeching filencte other ren.a.ning still between the jlges of Z " Pretty boys ! " he said, as the noise died away • to^ucl'^"^' 'T^--^^ -n they have a bi^d " He's none of my plucking." "I'll tell you what," interrupts the big man :'next fme you crack one of your deatlX-head jokes, over the wall you go after the dog Whafs to prevent it ? " ^ ^ ® mily. There s money to be made by doins no Z So" a v"', ' '""■' """-^ " ^" '^- -' ^ "noe." '"''• ""''' ^''' """^ b-^iness at I'flii m 26 The Splendid Spur. They moved away toward fh^ cno* - . »yca™„.e, a.,d no /their word; ^ealheTr''' longer-oniy the low „,u™„. IT.^ °'° ''° (to be correct 1 „f ti„ "™"' »' '"e'r Toices or only sp„ke„t\tdLf :'"":''= ^r the other seeded' Pre Jn ,;' f^^^ P"' " ^l^-'ion. as it and saw the bullv start ™..« f" ^PP*"" ''"'• the other. „„d '^--S-^; n w:!^'..-:" ' l' -''<• down affain tk«; « » ^^ he sat the shalw." I Zel^ ''""'',7"' '-' -">i„ time and Tad a ^al •"" "'"' »»»gh by this nevertheless IZZf '" T ''«-•"" % »«". n>y ears. ^ '^^ ^'"' ""^ ■>« «•»■« I atrain'd 'Hh:;^X:tr^i:»„^%r^- was saying. thony. and aU you fild 0' th^ '"""^ ^'' ''"• wager " '"^ ?*""• which I'll They passed out of hearino. h„t * and came back asain T^ ^' '""^^ ™""'' ing this time ^ '" *"« '»»'' was speak- ing " tht" ''°' " ' ''"°" """* S'""^ ^-'^ Play- The elder chuckled softly. "I'll b„ „!..•,, mean you to," said he '■"" '^ ^ came"! cJi^eZ't: Jr'i '^"'*- ^" "- the.. Bobert Dru ; Ld ^ ?°"' ''"■'■"' ■""• ""'' «'• ury reeled m, hicoupmg a maudlin bal- the no or ler it It, 3d at in is I, )- If The Bowling^reen of the "Crown." 27 i'lf r\" '^'\''''^ ^^""^ ^^^^' ^^^>^ ^«y. ^■ neath he haycock shade-a,- &c., &c., and cursing to find his fire gone out, and all in darkness WlT.Tr'' ^^ "'"'*'"' ^"^ *°-d^3^ the King's health had been a fair excuse. He did not spy me, but the roar of his ballad had startled the ^Z T"^ '"*'!f'' '"^ '"' ""^^^ ^^ ^^« stumbling out m the darkness, and downstairs into the street* CHAPTER n. d^pp-d asleep f' .^Ji: %"' »'«'-'= before I thoughts were 8111^^,, ?""'•>'' "'"' »'^ '"»' heard. No, on ^ '""• """^ "'"■ds I had With .„ef ' ha :;rr-"f " '"■■■ ""^ "^"^ dent-Dr, Ralpl K tie to^ "T"' ""'' P'''^'- fore the whole'c.as! Hrw" 'hTfie'' "' "" ''" «» being older than the g^s of .f^f n "P™ """ "«. and (as ],e thouri.tf .2 ^ f^How-sohol- discipline. "A tuS U ? " ''""''^ '""'«' hourglass enlarged to'tt'!, "•"''• """ '""' »'" even a rhetoriof ottr : ';r : ::r- d^"' toss,«g „,^ gown to the porter I set '»; f'"^!"' Magdalen Bridge, where tl », ■"' ''''"' '^"^ building, along the PW r . " '"'™'='-'do was Gate. ^"'^"'^™«'"den,iu front of East The day was dull and low'rinrr ti,„ ,, were too busy to heed fh.I V ^"^ "^ ""« 1 past the smaVlte i,. th Z'' *"" '''"'"'''y "»« shower of hail f^d 1? f"^ "'"" ''''^'' » brisk the Pig MaXt , ! i ' f''''^^ "-e to shelter in vinity lohoo 4i" f''"'T^"«) ^"^"re the Di. y nool. Tis an ample vaulted passage, as 88 The Young Man in the Cloak. 29 1 dare say you know; and here I found a neat company of people already driven by th: fZ tractedtne, ir?Jr'°" ""^ '" 'hose dis- iractea tunes, winch I have neither wif ., for IJi.f !,„ 1 . ueitner wit nor time lor. But here, to-day, along with many doctors an-i scholars, were walking courtiers, Vooperr mountebanks, eut-purses. astrologers, iL es a, d gamesters ; together with many of the IZU and gentlemeu of England, as tie Pri to Man r the lords Andover, Digby and Colepepper mv TLZt \":^ '■"*''"' °™' f^om '"^ house c" d^ t^;: g.™;^re^7,f • f ■'"^•" ■" 'Ms in. her.waspVngrriut::t:h':hrrd stTe Tr a""!,:'""' '"'^/'-"'-- and Co: "be aealiist th. r ""P»dently puffing his specific bfg.;;: to'trdt :: ^"'"^""■" "'"'" "'-"^ ■•^^ ^«« -^ -'^^^^^^> «^<^ never vet fai7pf7 I was standing before this jackanapes, when I 30 The Splendid Spur. heard a stir in the crowd behind me, and another calling, "Who'll bu!/f Who'Ubv^f" " Turning, I sawa young man, very gaily dressed »ov.ng quickly about at the far eVdof thX Market, and behind him an old lackey, b2? hcatilf Th\Tt\"'*"°^^^''' '•-''''' '^«' ne carried. The baskets were piled with books clothes, and gewgaws of all kinds ,• and 'twas the stop to utfnW r \^'^' ^'«'"""S' »"<• ^"Id stop to unfold his merchandise, holding up now a book, and now a sUk doublet, and running oTer their ments like any huckster-but with the mer- riest conceit in the world. intt 1^ ^" 'T' *"" '"^ ""«' «^"* "•y heart flying into my mouth at the sight of him. For by hU cloak with the black bars, I knew him at once for A I stood H ^'^-/-'--'''y -ong the dice™ AS 1 stood there, drawn this way and that hv »any reflections, he worked his way Zough the press, selling here and there a trme from Z baskets, and at length came to a halt in fronl hl^^ V ^" °"°^' P"'""S "ff hi' P'"n>ed hat, and bowing low, "a scholar, I perceive Let me serve and'he";?? " ""' ' "'^'"y "f Saint Georgt •" and he picked out a thin brown quarto and held .t up ; " written by Master Peter Heylin , a r pe book they tell me (though, to be sure, i nZ: The Young Man in the Cloak. 31 s'hUUngT' *' ""'^' '"" '"^ P"- " P»» *- Now, all this while I was considering what to oui the Tj,r 7 ^'f '" ■">• P-oketfand drew out the shUhngs, I said very slowly, looking him not tar'Ci''"' ""'^' ^° *•"" ""^ '--^^y -gh' and mv'lv.r" ''"*/"" '''P''''^^ "t the dice: to!hI ffn! T'"*;' ""'''' "^ '"*' h» ''«'" white to the hps ; then clapped his hand to his sword withdrew .t. and answered me. red as a tuXyl "Shalt be a parson, yet, Master Scholar.- but «rt in a damn'd hurry, it seems." Now, I had ever a quick temper, and as he raised a brawl. My own meddling tongue had brought the rebuSf upon me: but yet my heart was hot as he walked away. ^ I was standing there and looking after him Gerf"Th"en" ""'«'"""' *« "'''" ""s^^' •^eorge, when my fingers were aware of a slin of paper between the pages. Pulling it ou^''? scowrii A wmn my coat, 6d. ; at botvh, 5a , 68. lOd.j/or 32 The Splendid Spur. hleadmg me, Is. Od. ; for t King^s speech, 3d • for f:'t^'-^ (z.eV/. Marjory), ^l 4d.; for LeiZ r Ji/nnoceros, 4d.; at y^ Eanter-go-roundTu. for apa^r of silver buttons, 2s. 6d. ;L aZe^ 2*6 ! for a7e,6d.; at ye ^ice, il7 6s • Z W W ' {again), 4s. 6d." ' ^ ^ ^s. , /or sptc d ivtne And so on. As I glanced my eye down this paper, invanwr oo^e. away, and a great feeling of pfty c2e of!r J hod heard spoken in the bowling-green last n.ght-but also to see that monstrous ftem '? ilT at er all, that I was angry with, that had spent fourpence to see the rhinoceros at a fair, and rode as twas for her, no doubt, the silver buttons were bought). So that with quick forgiveness, I hur! ned after h.m, and laid a hand on his shoulder. He stood by the entrance, counting up his money, and drew himself up very stiff. ^ ^ "" " I think, sir," said I, " this paper is yours." thony."^''** '''*'• '""^*'' " yo" "'""» !•« An- "Master Anthony Killigrew is my name sir- now serving under Lord Bernard StewJ-H Hi Majesty's troop of guards." The Young Man in the Cloak. 33 « And mine is Jack Marvel," said I. " Of the Yorkshire Marvels ? " «flw^' ^?' *^''"^^' ^"* ^ «^°«* «f that good Sre""' '' '" Cumberland, and there sldly " 'Tis no matter, sir," said he politely ; « I shall oe proud to cross swords with jou." "Why, bless your heart!"! cried out, full of laughter at this childish punctilio ; "d'ye think I came to fight you ? " ye cmnK i „ "If «ot, sir "-and he grew colder than ever- ^you are going a cursed roundabout way to avoid Upon this, finding no other way out of it I be- gan my tale at once : but hardly had come to the meeting of the two men on the bowling-green when he interrupts me politely ^ ^ ' "I think, Master Marvel, as yours is like to be back to my lodgings. He's a long-ear'd dog that I am saving from the gallows for so long fs my conscience allows me. The shower is done I see^ If you know of a retir'd spot, we will tllk there more at our leisure " He dismiss'd his lackey, and stroll'd off with me to he Trinity Grove, where, walking up and nth'befr ''"^ '' ' '-' ''-' -^ -' *'^« "And now," said I, "can you tell me if you 34 The Splendid Spur. have any such enemy as this white-hair'd man, with the limping gait ? " He had come to a halt, sucking in his lips and seeming to reflect . "-^ ^rT. """^ "^an,"he began: "but no-'tis impossible. ' As I stood, waiting to hear more, he clapp'd his tand in mine, very quick and friendly: " Jack " he cried;-" I'll call thee Jack-'twas an honest good turn thou hadst in thy heart to do me, and I a surly rogue to think of fighting-I that could make mincemeat of thee." " I can fence a bit," answer'd I. "Now, say no more. Jack : I love thee." Pxo iook'd in my face, still holding my hand and mailing. Indeed, there was something of the foreigner in his brisk graceful ways-yet not un- r^easing. I was going to say I had never seen the like-ah, me ! that both have seen and know the twin image so well. " I think," said I, " you had better be consider- ing what to do." He laugh'd outright this time ; and resting with his legs cross d, against the trunk of an elm. twirl d an end of his long lovelocks, and looked at me comically. Said he : « Tell me, Jack, is there aught in me that offends thee ? " "Why, no," I answered. «I think you're a jery proper young man-such as I should loathe to see spoil d by Master Settle's knife." The Young Man in the Cloak. 35 "Art not quick at friendship, Jack, but better at advising; only in this case fortune has pre- vented thy good offices. Hark ye," he lean'd for- ward and glanc'd to right and left, "if these twain intend my hurt-as indeed 'twould seem-they lose their labor: for this very night I ride froni Oxford." " And why is that ? " " I'll tell thee. Jack, tho' I deserve to be shot. I am bound with a letter from His Majesty to the Army of the West, where I have friends, for my fathers sake-Sir Deakin KiUigrew of Gleys. in Cornwall. 'I'ls a sweet country, they say, tho' I nave never seen it." " Not seen thy father's country ? " "Why no_for he married a Frenchwoman, Jack, God rest her dear soul I "_he lifted his hat -"and settled in that country, near Morlaix, in Brittany among my mother's kin ; my grand- tather refusing to see or speak with him, for wed- ding a poor woman without his consent. And in France was I born and bred, and came to England two years agone ; and this last July the old curmudgeon died. So that my father, who was an only son, is even now in England returning to his esates: and with him my only sister Delia. 1 shall meet them on the way. To think of it ' " (and I declare the tears sprang to his eyes): i^elia will be a woman grown, and ah f to see dear Cornwall toeether I " "^K^ 36 The Splendid Spur. '■ Now I myself was only a child, and had been made an orphan when but nine years old, by the smallpox that visited our home in Wastdale Village, and carried off my father, the Vicar, and my dear mother. Yet his simple words spoke to my heart and woke so tender a yearning for the small stone cottage, and the bridge, and the grey fells of Yewbarrow above it, that a mist rose in my eyes too, and I turn'd away to hide it "'Tis a ticklish business," said I after a minute, "to carry the Kingis letter. Not one in four of his messengers comes through, they say. But since It keeps you from the dice " " That's true. To-night I make an end " "To-night I" " Why, yes. To-night I go for my revenge, and ride straight from the inn door." "Then I go with you to the 'Crown,'" I cried, very positive. He dropp'd playing with his curl, and look'd me in the face, his mouth twitching with a queer smile. "And so thou shalt Jack : but why?" blulhhi ^^^ "° '^'*'''"'" '^'^ ^' ''''^ ^"''^ ' ^^« ^ " Tlien be at the corner of All Hallows' Church M ."'L^^^'f «* ««ven to-night. I lodge over ^^18ter Simon's, the glover, and must be about my affairs. Jack,"_he came near and took my hand — " am sure thou lovest me." sen }he lie nd to he ey in The Young Man in the Cloak. 37 He nodded, with another cordial smile, and went his way up the grove, his amber cloak flaunting like a belated butterfly under the leaf, less trees ; and so pass'd out of my sight. :e, of 36 CHAPTER III, I FIND MYSELF IN A TAVERN BRAWL: AND BARELY ESCAPE. It wanted, maybe, a quarter to seven, that evening, when, passing out at the College Gate on my way to All Mallows' Church, I saw under the lantern there a man loitering and talking with the porter. 'Twas Master Anthony's lackey ; and as I came up, he held out a note for me. Deare Jack m«ff wi.r^' r *o *^' "Crowne" at VI. o'clock, I having n ett with Captain Settle, who is ou dewty with the horse to nite, and must to Abendouu hy IX. I looke forVou— Your unfayned loving A K The bearer has left my serviee, and his helth conserus me nott. Soe kik him if he tarrie. ocrus me This last advice I had no time to carry out with any thoroughness : but being put in a great dread by this change of hour, pelted off toward the Corn Market as fast as legs could take me, which was the undoing of a little round citizen into whom I ran full-tilt at the corner of Balliol College; who before I could see his face in the darkness, was' tipp d on his back in the gutter and using the 88 I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 39 most dismal expressions. So I left him, consider- mg that my excuses would be unsatisfyinff to his present demands, and to his cooler judgment a superfluity. ^ The windows of the "Crown " were cheerfully ht behind their red blinds. A few straddling grooms and troopers talked and spat in the bright- ness of the entrance, and outside in the street was a servant leading up and down a beautiful sorrel mare, ready saddled, that was mark'd on the near hind leg with a high white stocking. In the passage, I met the host of the « Crown " Master John Davenant, and sure (I thought) in what odd corners will the Muse pick up her fav- ori es ! For this slow, loose-cheek'd vintner was """i? ^}'T!f^'' *" ^^^^ Davenant, our Laureate, and had belike read no other verse in his life but those at the bottom of his own pint-pots. " Top of the stairs," says he, indicating my way, " and open the door ahead of you, if y'are the young gentleman Master Killigrew spoke of." I had my foot on the bottom step, when from the rooni above comes tlie crash of a table upset- ting with a noise of broken glass, chairs thrust back and a racket of outcries. Next moment, the door was burst open, letting out a flood of light and curses ; and down flies a drawer, three steps a a time, with a red stain of wine trickling down his white face ^ ti Murder I "he gasped out; and sitting down 40 !ii The Splendid Spur. on a stair, fell to mopping his face, all sick and trembhng, I was dashing past him, with the landlord at my heels, when three men came tumbling out at the door and downstairs. I squeez'd myself against the wall to let them pass: but Mas r Davenant was pitch 'd to the very foot of the stairs. And then he picked himself up and ran an^ i ;. '^ ''"" ''"■'^*' *^« ^^^-- after h!m and both shouting « Watch I Watch I » at the top Ih bvr^'' '"^ 7 ''^' '^' three felbws to push by the women already gather'd in the pas- sage, and gain the street at their ease. AlUhis happen d while a man could count twenty; and n half a minute I heard the ring of steel and was standing m the doorway. Shed by the fire and two tallow candles that gut- ter d on the mantelshelf. The remaining candle- sticks lay in a poo of wine on the floor, amid broken glasses, bottles, scattered coins, dice boxes and pewter pots. In the corner to my right cower d a potboy, with tankard dangling in his liis wide terrified eyes were fix'd on the far end of «tnJ''™;.''^r "^"^^^"^ ""^ *^^« brute Settle stood with a shatter'd chair between them. Their swords were cross'd in tierce, and grating together as each sought occasion for a lunge : wMch might have been fair enough but for a dog-fac'd trooper :^ I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 4, Twas Anthony that fac'd me win, i,- u , against the wainsootine and ^2J, '''"' ala™.he call'd out chf rf:?,;: f,' ^^ "^ "^ f shoulder, but without lifting ^lyj^''^'''''' ' Just m time, Jack ! Take nff\h^ « j that's a sweet boy I " *^' '""^"^ ^"'» his chaise. ^ ''^'"°'' *''" •*»"• "ai'ed acIri^o'otCw'the''^ 'l"?'."^ ^ ^""■» scribe a small crdeTf il.''^'"' '^"'^ "^''• with a sharp crv An,i ^ ' ""* """* ™°'"«''t. and stagger'd aliL^?. "^„"''"S'" «' "'» "ade, chest jz ta?ri';^ """' '"'^"''^ "'™"«'> «■« 4t;o::\ir;Lt^t':rfT''.««"^^ dowl" yuick. fool— the win- oai'mas* Sln/offteThT"' "f ''^"'' '^''* ««' ^ -^o on the shell i and, save for the 42 The Splendid Spur. II flicker of tho hoarth, we were in darkness. I felt, rather than saw, his rush toward me ; leap'd aside; and brought down my chair witli a crash on his skull. Ho went down like a ninepin, but scram- bled up in a trice, and was running for the win- dow. There was a shout below as the Captain thrust the lattice open: another, and the two dark forms had clambered through the purple square of the casement, and dropp'd into the bowling-green below. By this, I had m&de my way across the room, and found Anthony sunk against the wall, with his feet outstretched. There was something he held out toward me, groping for my hand and at the same time whispering in a thick, choking voice " Here, Jack, here : pocket it quick ! '* Twas a letter, and as my fingers closed on it they met a damp smear, the meaning of which was but too plain. "Button it— sharp—in thy breast: now feel for my sword." " First let me tend thy hurt, dear lad." " Nay— quickly, my sword ! 'Tis pretty, Jack, to hear thee say 'dear lad.' A cheat to die like this— could have laugh \i for years yet. The dice were cogg'd— hast found it ? " I groped beside him, found the hilt, and held it up. " So— 'tis thine. Jack: and my mare, Molly, and I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 43 the letter to take. Say to IJeIi„-Il„,k I they are on tho stairs. Say to " the threshold stood the Watch, their lanterns held h gh and sh.ning in Anthony's white face, and on the black stam where his doublet was thrown open. In numbers they were six or eight, led by a small, wryneckcd man that hold a long staff, and wore a g.it chain over his furr'.l colhu- Beiiind in the doorway, were hu.ldled half a dozen women' peering: and Master Davenant at the back of all' his^great face looming over their shoulders like a " Now, speak up, Masto- aort ' " "Aye, that I will-that 1 will: but my head is couHulermg of affairs," answer'd Master Short-he of the wryneck. " One, two, three " He look d round the room, and finding but one capa! in a fit), clea, d his throat, and spoke up Jn the king's name, I arrest you all— so heln me God I Now what's the matter ^ " ^ "Murder,'' said I, looking up from my work of staunching Anthony's wound. "Then forbear, and don't do it " th^.^^' ^^""'"' ^^'''^ '^'y^""' been forbearin' these ten minutes," a woman's voice put in. law an'alWI iT- ^''''' ^^'''''' ^e knows the law, an all the dubious maxims of the same." 44 The Splendid Spui Aye, aye: he says forbear i' the King's name, which IS to say, that other forbearing is neither law nor grace. Now then. Master Short ! " Thus exhorted, the man of law continued i charge ye as honest men to disperse ' " "Odds truth. Master Short, why you've just laid 'em under arrest I " *• n.!lf '"' Tu '' ^^Z"" ^'* ''™ '^^y ««-"^ «^e ting's name— and have done with it " Master Short, in fact, was "growing testy: but at 1 1' irriF"?'^ ^' ^^"^' ^"^' by screaming Dragging them back by the skirts, he told me he i^rLrn ^'P^'^^^«°«' ^"^ P""'d out pen and «ofif "k " 1 ^^'^ '' ^^^'"^ P^°^ Anthony's head sof ly back, "you are too late: whilst ye were cackling my friend is dead." "Then, young man, thou must come alona." "Come along?" ^ " The charge is homocidnm, or manslaying, with or without malice prepense " "But " I look'd round. The potboy was insensible and my eyes fell on Master Davenant, who slowly shook his head. "I'll say not a word," said he, stolidly: "lost twenty pound, one time, by a lawsuit." anl 'l^Tt ^""^"! " ' '''''^' ^""^» b«^«"d endur. mZ:, V ^"''*^^ °"'' ^^'^ «««^P'd th^se ten minutes. Now stop me who dares I " I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 45 ■ And dashing my left fist on the nose of a watch- man who would have seized me, I clear'd a space with Anthony's sword, made a run for the case- ment, and dropp'd out upon the bowling-green A pretty shout went up as I pick'd myself off the turf and rush'd for the back door. 'Twas un- barr'd, and in a moment I found myself tearing down the passage and out into the Corn Market, with a score or so tumbling downstairs at my heels, and yelling to stop me. Turning sharp to my right I flew up Ship Street, and through the Turl, and doubled back up the High Street, sword in hand. The people I pass'd were too far taken aback, as I suppose, to interfere. But a many must have join'd in the chase : for presently the street behind me was thick with the clatter of footsteps and cries of "A tliief-a thief I Stop At Quater Voies I turn'd again, and sped down toward St. Aldate's, thence to the left by Wild Boar Street, and into St. Mary's Lane. By this, the shouts had grown fainter, but were still fol- iowmg. Now I knew there was no possibility to get past the city gates, which were well guarded at night. My hope reach'd no further than the chance of outwitting the pursuit for a while longer. In the end I was sure the potboy's evi- dence would clear me, and therefore began to en- joy the fun. Even my certain expulsion from College on the morrow seem'd of a piece with the The Splendid Spur. rest of events and (prospectively) a matter for laughter. For the struggle at the « Crown " had unhinged my wits, as I must suppose and you must believe, if you would understand my behav- ior in the next half hour. A bright thought had struck me : and taking a fresh wind, I set off again round the corner of Oriel College, and down Merton Street toward Master Timothy Carter's house, my mother's cousin. This gentleman-who was town clerk to the Mayor and Corporation of Oxford-was also !?9nn'r»^ u^ guardian, holding it trust about .£200 (which was all my inheritance), and spend- ing the same jealously on my education. He was a very small, precise lawyer, about sixty years old, shaped like a pear, with a prodigious self-im- portant manner that came of associating with great men : and all the knowledge I had of him was pick'd up on the rare occasions (about twice a year) that I din'd at his table. He had early married and lost an aged shrew, whose money had been the making of him : and had more respect tor law and authority than any three men in Ox- ford. So that I reflected, with a kind of desperate hilarity, on the greeting he was like to give me. This kinsman of mine had a fine house at the east end of Merton Street as you turn into Logic Lane : and I was ten yards from the front door, and running my fastest, when suddenly I trino'd and fell headlong. ^ ^^^ I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 47 Before I could rise, a hand was on my shoulder, and a voice speaking in my ear "Pardon, comrade. We are two of a trade, I see." 'Twas a fellow that had been lurking at the corner of the lane, and had thrust out a leg as I pass'd. He was pricking up his ears now to the cries of " Thief— thief I " that had already reach'd the head of the street, and were drawing near. " I am no thief," said I. " Quick I " dragged me into the shadow of the lane. ♦ ! i^.i, a crown in thy pocket ? " "Why?" " Why, for a good turn. I'll fog these gentry for thee. Many thanks, comrade," as I puU'd out the last few shillings of my pocket money. " Now pitch thy sword over the wall here, and set thy foot on my hand. 'Tis a rich man's garden, t'other side, that I was meaning to explore myself; but another night will serve." " 'Tis Master Carter's," said I ; " and he's my kinsman." " The devil !— but never mind, up with thee I Now mark a pretty piece of play. 'Tis pity thou shouldst be across the wall and unable to see." He gave a great hoist : catching at the coping of the wall, I pull'd myself up and sat astride of it. " Good turf below— ta-ta, comrade I " I!' Th Splendid Spur. By now, the crowd was almost at the corner Dn)ppi„g about eight feet on to good turf aTthe " Whifh ta ' ' ''Tr-''' "' andltnT^ cament ^^^^^"^^^^'-"'^-.asthey "Hu'^lTr !.\V!rf-'' :""''' "Pt^elane!" h. Tl , ^^ ^''^ ^^"«' ^'^^ be sworn." «Here hand the lantern ! " &c., &c * I was in a small, turfed garden, well stock'r? "It was a frog leap'd into a pool- Fol--de-.ridd]e, went sonse in the middle! + I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 49 "-Your Royal Highness, have some pity! What h'Jeous folly ! Oh, dear, dear " ^ "With n fa-la-tweedle-'tweedle. Tiddifol— iddifol— ido ! " A "T/rf 3:^^^^ Highness, I cannot sing the dreadfulstuff! Think of my grey hairs !" ^ Tush I Master Carter-nonsense, 'tis choicely well sung. Come, brother, the chorus I " ^ " With a fa— la " laughter and chnking of glasses. Then came an interval of mournful appeal, and my kinsman's voice was again lifted "^lusman s "He ecatter'd the tadpolea, and set 'em agoc Hej ! nod-noddy-all head and no body ! Oh, inararay ! Ob, nunky ! " Now meantime I had been searching about tho gavden and wa. lucky enough to iind I tool shed and .ns.de of this a ladder hanging, which now I ca,.r.ed across .nd planted beneath the window I had a shrewd not.o., of what I should find at Pph,Z' ""'^™''«™g "°^ to have heard that the Pnnces Rupert and Maurice were lodging with Master Carter : but the truth beat all m^y f!„ci s For cl.mb.ng softly up and looking in, I beheld my poor kinsman perch'd on his chair a.;,p „f ^e 4 The Splendid Spur. table, in the midst of glasses, decanters, and des- serts: his wig askew, his face white, save where, between the eyes, a medlar had hit and broken and his glance shifting wildly between the two pnnces, who in easy postures, loose and tipsy lounged on either side of him, and beat with their glasses on the board. " Br&^/issimo I More, Master Carter— more I " "O mammy, O nunky, here's cousin Jack Froir— With a fa— la " '^ I lifted my knuckles and tapp'd on the pano ; whereon Prince Maurice starts up with an oath, and coming to the window, flings it open. "Pardon, your Highness," said I, and pull'd myself past him into the room, as cool as you please. 'Twas worth while to see their surprise, i .ince Maurice ran back to the table for his sword : his brother (being more thoroughly drunk) dropp'd a decanter on the floor, and lay back staring in his chair. While as for my kinsman, he sat with mouth wide and eyes starting, as tho' I were a very ghost. In the which embarrassment I took occasion to say, very politely " Good evening, nunky I " " Who the devil is this ?" gasps Prince Rupert. " Why the fact is, your Highnesses," answered I, stepping up and laying my sword on the table, while I pour'd out a glass, "Master Timothy I! n J » I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 51 Carter here is my guardian, and has the small sum of £200 m his possession for my use, of which I happen to-night to stand in immediate need. So yc't see " I finish'd the sentence by tossing off a glass. « This is rare «tuff I " I said. " Blood and fury ! " burst out Prince Rupert, fumbling for his sword, and then gazing, drunk and helpless. " Two hundred pound t Thou jackanapes- began Master Carter. " I'll let you off with fifty to-night," said I. "Ten thousand 1" " No, fifty. Indeed, nunky," I went on, " 'tis very smiple. I was at the ' Crown ' tavern " "At a tavern I" "Aye, at a game of dice " " Dice ! " " Aye, and a young man was killed " « Thou shameless puppy I A man murder'd I " " Aye, nunky ; and the worst is they say 'twas I that kiU'd him." " He's mad. The boy's stark raving mad I " ex- claim'd my kinsman. "To come here in this trim I "Why, truly, nunky, thou art a strange one to talk or appearances. Oh, dear I " and I burst into A wild fit of laughing, for the wine had warm'd me up to play the comedy out. " To hear thee smg " 'With a fa— la— tweedle— tweedle J » 52 I II fl i I I The Splendid Spur. Oh, nuukj, that medlar on thy face is and- so funny ! " Maurice. "Am I mad, or only drunk? Rupert If you love me, say I am no worse than d S '' Lord knows," answer'd his brother. "I for one was never this way before " T "^"^"^^'/^"r Highnesses be only drunk " said aVyl\:^^^^^^^^-^^-^-^-^erthat'is::^ " An Older 1 " .'.' nt ''^'^ *""* ""^ sates to-night." pert "'mth ''!.'"• "'T'""'^'"S'°^''''l P"""* Ru- pert . my head is whiilijig." auotl!f n Z'"™'" ^ ^^P'"'"'''' P^-ri-g out one hit! Im ",? ""^ "'"P''^' ■»""-. -d one that a child could understand. You see this young „. ,„,, ^,^^ ^^ -ah. !r ' '° ""y I ™n. ind the Watch after me: and therefore I wish to pass the city gates. And a T tall-i" ' "^ "■■" °™'' ^^^' Carter's "Oh^wln^'T,,'"^ ""'''" "■'P'"'^'* Master Carter. Oh well ,s thy poor mother in her grave I " -Why, therefore I came for monev" I wou^d up. sipping the wine, and noddiugt all rt7r' "* ,'1"'' """"^"'^ ""'*- oatohing my eye the Pnnce Maurice slapp'd his leg, afd leanTng I Find Myself in a Tavern Brawl. 53 back, broke into peal after peal of laughter. And in a moment his brother took the jest also ; and there we three sat and shook, and roar'd un- quenchably round Master Carter, who. staring b ankly from one to another, sat gaping, as though the last alarm were sounding in his ears. ." nt ! ""l ; ""^ ■ "^* "'^ ^'" ^^'^ b^^k' Maurice ! " r.rf / • .''""'^*-'*^' killing me-Master Carter, for p.ty's sake, look not so ; but pay the lad his money. ' " Your Highness " " Pay it I say ; pay it : 'tis fairly won." "Fifty pounds!" ^ ;; Every doit," said I: "I'm sick of schooling." Be hang d If IdoI"snapp'd Master Carter, llien be hang d, sir, but all the town shall hear to-morrow of the frog and the pool I No. sir : I am off to see the world " 'Says he: "This is better than moping in school!" ' " ^^ "Your Highnesses," pleaded the unhappy man, If, to please you, I sang that idiocy, which, for Jitty years now, I Jiad forgotten " " Exc'U'nt shong," says Prince Rupert, waking up ; " less have t again I " ^ * * * » « To be short ten o'clock was striking from St. Mary s spire when, with a prince on either side of me, and thirty guineas in my pocket (which was all the loose gold he had), I walked forth from The Splendid Spur. 54 Master Carter's door. To make up the defloienoy. «. .r h,gh„esses had insisted o„ furnishing II w tl^ a smt made up from the simplest in their »ash pistols, cloak, and feather'd hat, .11 of which fitted me excellently well. By the doors of Chritt Church, before we came to the south gate. Prince Rupert, who had been staggering in L J.l^Jl denly puird up, and leaned against the wall. for hTm'f-rticr '''-'- '-^o' " "»- "Indeed, your Highness," I answered, "if my «ck hods the sanje, I shall find one' bfth^ 6en^rri7'"-"M 1'®"""^ "' "■» E"''- "•>«'» the sentry recognu d the two princes and open'd the w eket at once. Long after it had clos'd behind m'ZI} ■ .*; '™'""« ^"""^ "' Oxford towers, all bath d m the winter moonlight, I heard th two voices roaring away up the street: " It w»8 a frog Icnp'd into a pool- _M iy.tV^''^^) *^'^ '^''^ "^^^ ^^^^^«« 5 ^«d. hugging he kings letter in my breast, I stepped bifkly forward on my travels. ^ ^ CHAPTER IV. I TAKE THE KOAD. So puffed up was I by the condescension of the two princes, and my head so busy with big thoughts, that not till I was over the bridges and climbing the high ground beyond South Hinck- sey, with a shrewd northeast wind at my back, could I spare time for a second backward look. By this, the city lay spread at my feet, very deli- cate and beautiful in a silver network, with a black clump or two to southward, where the line of Bag- ley trees ran below the hill. I pulled out the let- ter tiiat Anthony had given me. In the moon- light the brown smear of his blood was plain to see, running across the superscription : ''To our trusty and tvell beloved Sir Ralph Hop. ton, at our Army in Cormvall—these" 'Twas no more than I look'd for; yet the sight of it and the king's red seal, quicken'd my step as I set off again. And I cared not a straw for Dr. Kettle's wrath on the morrow. Having no desire to fall in with any of the royal outposts that lay around Abingdon, I fetched well away to the west, meaning to shape my course for Faringdon, and so into the great Bath 55 56 The Splendid Spur. length my itinerary, but rather to reserve my pen iter Oni?" .7""^ ''''''' ^'^^ overtook me iater. Only in the uncertain light I must hav! selsleigh) that led me round to the south- for oTndVrl'^^'"^' to a considerable town I* found It to be, not Faringdon, but Wantage There was no help for it so ! «pf oK \ '"'^^^^ge- ^- bed. r,/u,ji::LztTj;z7r tne liear nor the " Three Nunc " ,,.,,. *u bed to be had. But at lenglh^t L "C-r cTu;;: ^r." '"""• ' '™"'' °- J-* vacate byt Said to Tir"""'* ^""« ''"^^"'O '''^"h-"'- t..e^r;,::f„:r^-/™'-.- fast set on drowning me," he continued with a wink, « tliey couldn't spare time to look i' my pockef -the ruffin cly them I " He pull'd the clay ball out of the fire, crack'd It, and lo I inside was a hedgehog oook'd, the spikes sticking in the clay, and coming away with It. bo he divided the flesh with his knife, and upon a slice of bread from his wallet it made very delicate eating: tlio' I doubt if I enjoyed it as much as did my comrade, who swore over and over that the world was good, and as the wintry sun broke out, and the hot ashes warm'd his knees, began to chatter at a great pace. "Why sir, but for the pretty uncertainty of things I'd as lief die here a? I git " "^ I Take the Road. 63 He broke off at the sound of wheels, and a coach with two postillions spun past us on the roaa. J,,L^^ j^^^ti'ne to catch a glimpse of a figure huddled m the corner, and a sweet pretty girl with chestnut curls seated beside it, behind the glass After the coach came a heavy broad- shoulder d servant riding on a stout grey; who flung us a sharp glance as he went by, and at twenty yards' distance turn'd again to look. " That's luck," observed the pickpocket, as the travelers disappear'd down the highway : " To- morrow, with a slice of it, I might be riding in such a coach as that, and have the hydropsy, to boot^ Good lack I when I was ta'en prisoner by the Turks a-sailing i' the Mary of London, and sold for a slave at Algiers, I escap'd, after two mon hs. with Eli Sprat, a Gravesend man, in a small open boat. Well, we sail'd three days and nights, and all the time there was a small sea bird following, flying round and round us, and calling two notes that sounded for all the world like Wind'ardl Wind'ardr So at last says ^• Tis heavens voice bidding us ply to wind'ard.' And so we did, and on the fourth day made Mar- seilles ; and who should be first to meet Eli on the quay but a Frenchwoman he had married five years before, and left. And the jade had him clapp d in the pillory, alongside of a cheating fish- monger with a collar of stinking smeltsfthat 64 The Splendid Spur. turn'd poor Eli's stomach completely. Now there's r;te^:•rlat:r^^^'--'^^"«Sn B Jt r SZ f" '"'•'""S «>« old rascal good-bye But he offer'd to go with me as far as Hungerfofd where we should turn into the Bath rofd At first I was shy of accepting, by reason of Wscoat wherem patches of blue, orange-tawny and flame color ,u,te „,,,,,ij ,^^ .^ K 7 nd flaj^ w,th h,m upon his promise to teach me the W manship that I so sadly lacked. And by time" e entered Hungerford town I was advanc'^^dTofrr would h!ri? "^ '""P'' *"<• ''^•' »' "" inn. if he would but buy a new coat: to which he agreed saying that the world was good. ^ ' By this, the day was clouded over and the rain co».ng down apace. So that as soon as my com" rade was decently array'd at the first slopshop we came to, 'twas high time to seek an iL We found quarters at "The Horn," and sought 1 travelers' room, and a fire to dry ourselves.^ who IoowTm' "' *''' ^'"''""' ""'' *"» n>en Who look d lazily up at our entrance. They were re"!"' " r^' ""<"■ -- - oaer 7ZZ wH K 7 ?."■'' "P " P""' °f g'»8S and wager Which should prove the faster. ^ "A wet day I " said my comrade, cheerfully. Ihe pair regarded him. "I'll lay you a crown It clears within the hour I" said one I Take the Road. 6f th."»"tv * ' "nother," put in the other ; and with that they went back to their sport. th.v * ^^.r""' ' ""^'^'f "^^ ^"on as eager as ;^»aow over which the/^ oUi l^ ^^.^ out for mv bpnpfif ti ^. ^°®°* copied iUaVr? • '''"' ''^ ""^"^^ ^^°' ^^ ^ wayfardingers ; to seek 77.e Sj^lendid iSpur. " ^^ °° *^« °««k8 Of prince or hound. Nor on a woman's finger twin'd, May gold from the deriding ground - Keep sacred that we sacred bind • Only the heel Of splendid steel Shall stand secure ou sliding fate. When golden navies weep their freight. "The8carlethat,theIaareL ..tav6 in a w fe s lap, as in a grave, Mans airy notions mix with earth. Seek other spur Bravely to stir T^\tH*°*^'''«"^^«^H and tread AIp.h,gh among . , whisp'ring dead. 6 -p- 66 The Splendid Spur. " ^^^"^ »■» %8eZ/,— then spur amain : So shall Charybdis wear a grace, Grim ^tna laugh, the Lybian plain Take roses to her shrivell'd face. This orb — this round Of sight and sound- Count it, the lists that God hath built For hauqh cv hearts to ride a- tilt. " Finis— Master Tucker's Farewell." "And a vi:/ pretty moral on four gentlemen that pass their afternoon asetting snails to race I " At these words, spoken in a delicate foreign voice we all started round: and saw a vouL-^ladv standing behind us. ^ ^ j- Now that she was the one who had passed us in the coach I saw at once. But describe her-to be plam-I cannot, having tried a many times. So let me say only that she was the prettiest creature on God s earth (which, I hope, will satisfy her) : that she had chestnut curls and a mouth mad. for laughing; that she wore a I'-rtle and bod' e of grey silk taffety, with a gold , .mander-box iiung on a chain about her neck; and held out a drink- ing glass toward us with Fre: cLned grace. "Gentlemen, my father is sick, and will taste no water but what is freshly drawn. I -,k you not to brave Charybdis or iEtna, hv to step out mto the rainy yard and draw me p .a« .1 from the pump thero : for our servant i ibruad in the town " To my auep disgust, before I could find a word. I Take the Road 67 «... .. .h bS. ::dr'r ,;";, "- «. ..KM, .., ^ H,. in, '""• ■■•i »• M. .. Twas he, too, that eaiii'd fi.^ +1 i return. ^ ^^® ^^^^iiks on our "Mistress," said he wifli o k friend is raw. but has good will°"c 7 """'^ for his edifieation-for he It ,'''' '"""* Jo«n..y westward, wl.:,; they teu't « " '""/ wo„ik,„r,t3::rd " V"^ "™" "^"^ht with ueiMue a (lashing manner." ^^Theyo ,g ge„t,ewomau laughed, shaking her ^ide), let ;.i, .4 : ' ,t i from !v "V"' '""^'' «outh, for the road betwe „ uZh -"''T'" "'^ M, thev tell me all h!u T T'"""'" and Bristol I...... aVoid'anrl ten' t. T''\T' '^' innocent cup „f wate and lufer, '"''"• thee, unless fhxr fo« T •^' ^®* ^""^ shun Shall I^i'LtV" ' '" """ """' «■? 'ong-- her. • ''* "''''^<'' »' the d.or shut behind 68 The Splendid Spur. And, indeed, I was fain, next morning, to agree to this. For, awaking, I found my friend (who had shar'd a room with me) already up and gr)ne, and discover'd the reason in a sheet of writing pinn'd to my clothti ''YoumSiB,-! convict myself of ingratitude: but habit 18 hard to break. So I have made oflf with the half of thy guineas and thy horse. The residue, and the letter thou bear- est, I leave. 'Tis a good world, and experience should be bought early. This golden lesson I leave in return for the gumeas. Believe me, 'tis of more worth. Read over those verses ou the windowpane before starting, digest them, and trust me, thy obliged, ^ „„ . " Pbtee, the Jackman. Raise not thy hand so often to thy breast: 'tis a sure index of hidden valuables." Be sure I was wroth enough : nor did the calm interest of the two snail owners appease me, when at breakfast I told them a part of the story. But I thought I read sympathy in the low price at which one of them offer'd me his horse. 'Twas a tall black brute, very strong in the loins, and I bought him at once out of my shrunken stock of guineas. At ten o'clock, I set out, not along the Bath road, but bearing to the south, as the young gentlewoman had counsell'd. I began to hold a high opinion of her advice. By twelve o'clock I was back at the inn door, clamoring to see the man that sold me the horse, which Imd gone dead lame after the second mile. "Dear heart! " cried the landlord; "they are I Take the Road. 69 X gone, the both, this hour and a half. But they are commg agam within the fortnight; and I'm expressly to report if you returu'd, as they had" wager about it." ' * ro^.T^''* 'r™^' P°"''"'°g- Two days on the road had put me sadly out of conceit with myself For nule upon mile I trudged, dragging the hor e after me by the bridle, till my armffelf as f com Mg from their sockets. I would have turu'd t^e hidit not' r' ''r^'"' "^^"f '''" 1"" "^ '■ - •Twas about five in the evening, and I still abonng along, when, over the low^Ldge L ty ngl t, a man on a sorrel mare leap'd easilv a, I swallow, and alighted some ten payees" Ls in front of me; where he dismounted and stood bar ring my path. The mnzzle of his nistol w», • »y face before I could lay hand to mfown " " Good evening I " said I. ' ero'wkd"th'T """""{ ''''°"' y°"' doubtless," me start. For by his voice and figure in the dn.Ir i}^Z ■•i"' 1- Captain Settle = fnd in the so"rd "re Mouf th'^t"' ^'"""'"^ ' recognized th mare, Molly, that poor Anthony KiUierew had g.ven me almost with his last breath. ^ The bully did not know me, having but seen 70 The Splendid Spur. me for an instant at « The Crown," and then in very different attire. "I have but a few poor coins," I answer'd. "Ihen hand 'em over." "Be shot if I do! "said I in a passion; and pulhng out a handful from my pocket, I dash'd them down in the road. For a moment the Captain took his pistol from my face and stooped to clutch at the golden coins as they rickled and ran to right and left. The next, I had struck out with my right fist, and down he went staggering. His pistol dropp'd out of his hand and exploded between my feet. I rush d to Molly, caught her bridle, and leap'd on her back. Twas a near thing, for the Captain was rushing toward us. But at the call of my voice the mare gave a bound and turn'd: and down the road I was borne, light as a feather. A bullet whizz'd past my ear: I heard the Cap- tain s curse mrngle with the report : and then wL out of range, and galloping through the dusk. CHAPTER V. Mr ADVENlnBE AT THE "THEEB CUPS'. Si. miles bX'z- izir^xr : r to it engraved o?!v''''^?;''""'^'''^''»"°'' c»sio„ of the Jft ,! .''"'^"''""""''koo- saddle flap ^ " '"P'"^^ "'" ''"k'^s and dor;"4"theXr*"''V"" o'.ed, no gold. ^ "^ '"'""' "'«• f""'"! tliom to be wit.t,,e„ortbii,:ar;;\:r°""'^'-^<''''-« All the same. I bad no relish fo. ,,di„g thus till n n 72 The Splendid Spur. morning. For the night was chill enough to search my very bones after the heat of the late gallop: and, moreover, 1 knew nothing of the road, which at this hour was quite deseited. So that, commg at length to a tall hill with a black ke a fish s fin I was glad enough to note below brill iT' . ''*'°'' ^'"™ "^^ *^'^««' ^ window ta"ntent ' ' '"'''^ '""'^'^ '" ^^^^^ «^ ^"^^- The building was an inn, though a sorry one Nor, save for the lighted window, did it weTrany grace of hospitality, but thrust out a bare shouf- der upon he road, and a sign that creaked over- head and look'd for all the world like a gallow Round t is shoulder of the house, and 'to the main yard (that turn'd churlishly toward the hill- side) the wind howled like a beast in pain. I chmb'd off Molly and pressing my hat d'own on my head, struck a loud rat-tat on the door. Curiously, it opened uf, once; and I saw a couple of men in the lighted passage. W.U riu^^ "^^'''^ ^^^^' «" ^^'^ road. Cap . WiJlo What in the fiend's name is this ? " S»aid r : '< If you are he that keeps this house T " Ye '11 get neither, then." " Your sign says that you keep an inn." . Aye-the « Three Cups ' ; but we're full." My Adventure at the "Three Cups." 73 ^ JJour manner of speech proves that to be a I i "n tl ""^ ^'"'"''' ""'"^ "> ''*"« tl>at 'tis odds LTa tv'™ T"""'^-* ^""^ and ridden a4 but at this instant there floated down the stafr^ sound 1 ""f "■' '^""''-.emng passage a " Hey nonni-— nonni— no ! Men are fools that wish to die ! Is't not fine to laugh and sing When the bells of death do ring '» There was no doubt upon it. The voice belonged the young gentlewoman I had met at Hunger- tord. I turned sharply toward the landlord and that till now had stood well back in the shadow ms gaze Twas hard to read his features, but then and there I would have wagered my fe L was^no other than Luke Settle/comrade'Btclc My mind was made up. " I'll nnf r!,i» » . further, to-night," said I. '"^^ " "'*? Ia,;2d" ""'" "'"'" '""■ ^'•^^-•" —'d the He was for slamming the door in my face when lit°t e h 7'1'''"' '^ "■« ''™ and, M "Igt- : — - tni. ,„c^ut, ouj resolved not to draw back; 74 The Splendid Spur. ik. and presently the landlord's voice began again, betwixt surly and polite " Have ye too high a stomach to lie on straw?" " Oho ! " thouglit I to myself, » then I am to be kept for the mare's sake, but not admitted to the house : " and said aloud that I could put up with a straw bed. "Because there's the stable loft at your service. As ye hear" (and in fact the singing still went on, only now I heard a man's voice joining in the catch) " our house i^ full of company. But straw is clean bedding, and the mare I'll help to put in stall. "Agreed," I said, "on one condition— that you send out a maid to me with a cup of mulled sack: for this cold eats me alive." To this he consented : and stepping back into a side room with the other fellow, returned in a minute alone, and currjing a laatoni which, in spite of the moon, was needed to guide a stranger across that ruinous yard. Tlie flare, as wo pick'd our way along, fell for a moment on an open cart shed and, within, on the gilt panels of a coach that I recognlz'd. In the stable, that stood at the far end of the court, I was surprised to find half a dozen horses standing, ready saddled, and munching their fill of oats. They were un- groom'd, and one or two in a lather of sweat that on such a night was hard to account for. But I asked no questions, and my companion vouchsafed ■^* My Adventure at the "Three Cups" 7^ fat, lumbering fellow, and made fl,. oi w u creak 4f fiT ^ , tiie old timbers 1^0118 your bed," he growled- nn,l \ f r the walK and t r„ugra .cj etft"' •""'%'""' when I heard foot.f. ' ^ ''''' ^"'^"^ P''^^^^"«« The wench iia,l a kind %.,. «,n'-„„^ . , eyes that did her more or,'- i't t! " ,' "f " P"' "^ "And wl,..f. i ,™ °'^'""' '■''■^1 her tongue. on her Tip. "'"''^ ""'' ''^^""ff ''<"■ ''« palm i!ll t! .3 lij ! 76 The Splendid Spur. to'Z'l:^Z:^-r '-••• -<• r. " when it co.e, '•Lud -^ ;; *e cried, " what a dull young man I " „„"f ^ »~'° ""''" "« "* *■">• «■ kiss in 80 many words:" and with the back of her left hand she w.ped her mouth for it frankly, while she held oul the mug m her right. "Oh ! " I said, " I beg your pardon, but my wits are frozen up, I think. There's two, for interest and another if you tell me whom yo'ur mafter e ! tertains to-night, that I must be content with this She took the kisses with composure and said r«, ,! , ^'^"'' *^''''« *^^ gentlefolk that can e this afternoon with their own carriage and heathenish French servant: a cranky old gLidee and a daughter with more airs than a peacock : brr^ Something-or-other Killigew-Lord bless the .Z^'u Y '^'?P^'^ *'•' '"^^^' and split the hot sack all about the straw, where it trickled away with a fragrance reproachfully delicious. fhl I mT-^ .^'^ ^'T P''''^"" ^ ^""^''^d ««^es : but the c nil IS in ray bones worse than the ague ; " and huddling my shoulders up, I counterfeited a shiv- '""poo'rrdV'*''''^'^"^"''' ^^'^^ '"'^"''^ "^^^^^^• My Adventure af the "Three Cups." 77 "There, now!" "—And goose flesh and flushp^ aii body." ^Jiisnes all over my g-W a'pr;.."'' '» P-» "^e -ght i„ this «n" = but t-ivLAing hard, neverthpIfi *%^ .-v- ^ 82 The Splendid Spur. Let me try to describe that on which my eves rested as I push'd the door wide. 'Twas a Ion- room, wainscoted half up the wall in some dark wood, and iu' daytime lit by one window only, which now was hung with red curtains. By the fireplace, where a brisk wood fire was crackling, lean'd the young gentlewoman I had met at Hun- gerford, who, as she now tura'd her eyes upon me, ceas'd fingering the guitar or mandoline that she held against her waist, and raised her pretty head not without curiosiliy. But 'twas on the table in the centre of the cham- ber that my gaze settled; and on two men beside It, of whom I must speak more particularly. The elder, who sat in a high-back'd chair, was a little, frail, deform'd gentleman of about fifty, dress'd very ric^hly iu ,lark velvet and furs, and w..re on his head a velvet skullcap, round which his white hair stuck up lilco a ferret's. But the oddest thing about him was a complexion that any maid of sixteen would give her ears for— of a pink and white so transparent that it seem'd a soft light must be glowing beneath his skin. On either cheek bone this delicate coloring centred m a deeper flush. This is as much as I need say about his appearance, except that his eyes were very bright and sharp, and his chin stuck out like ft vicious mule's. The table before him was cover'd with bottles and flasks, in the middle of which stood a silver ^ ■ 1 + i My Adventure at the "Three Cups." 83 lamp burning, and over it a silver saucepan that sent up a rare fragrance as the liquid within it bimmer d and bubbled. So eager was the old gentleman in watcliing the progress of his mixture, that he merely glanc'd up at my entrance, and then holduig up a hand for silence, turn'd his eyes on the saucepan again. The second man was the broad-shouldered lackey I had seen riding behind the coach: and now stood over the saucepan with a twisted flask in his hand, from which ho pour'd a red syrup very gingerly, drop by drop, with the tail of his eye turn d on his master's face, that he might Know when to cease. Now it may be that my entrance upset this ex- penment in strong drinks. At any rate. I had scarce come to a stand about three paces inside the door when the little old gentleman bounces up in a fury, kicks over his chair, hurls the near- est bottles to right and left, and sends the silver saucepan spinning across the table to my very feet where it scalded me clean through the boot, and made me hop for pain. "Spoil'd-spoil'd!" hescream'd: "drenched in taste^I '♦ ^'''''' '^^''" '^ '^''"^'^ ''"""^^ ^''^*^''^ ^"* * And, to my amazement, he sprang on the strap- ping servant like a w,ld-cat, and began to beat, cutt, and belabor him with all the strength of hia puny limbs. ® Uii.i 1 84 The Splendid Spur. Twas like a scene out of Bedlam. Yet all the while the gill lean'd quietly against the mantel- shelf, and softly touched the st. ings of her instru- ment; while the servant took the rain of blows and slaps as though 'twere a summer shower, grinning all over his face, and making no resist- ance at all. Then, as I stood dumb with perplexity, the old gentleman let go his hold of the fellow's hair, and, dropping on the floor, began to roll about in a fit of co-ighing, the like of which no man can imag. me. Twas hideous. He bark'd, and writhed, and bark d again, till the disorder seem'd to search and rack every innermost inch of his small frame. And m the intervals of coughing his exclamations were terrible to listen to. "He's dying ! " I cried ; and ran foi J to help. The servant pick'd up the chair, and together we set him in it. By degrees the violence of the cough abated, and he lay back, livid in the face, with his eyes closed, and i.is hands clutching the knobs of the chair. I turn'd to the girl. She had neither spoken nor stirr'd, but now came forward, and calmly ask'd my business. "I think," said I, "that yoi r name is Killi- grew ? Q- "i T ^.!^'^ Killigrew. and this is my father, oir Deakin." "Now on his way to viJt his estates in Corn- wall ? My Adventure at the "Three Cups."' 85 She nodded. "Then I have to warn you that your lives are m da.,ger. And, gently as possible, I told her what 1 had seen and heard downstairs. In the middle of my tale, the servant stepp'd to the door, and ret«rr/d quietly. There was no lock on the inside. After a minute he went across, and drew the red curtains. The window had a grating within of iron bars as thick as a man's fhul! strongly clamp'd in tho stonework, and not four "iches apart. Clearly, he was a man of few words; for, returning, he merely pull'd out his sword, and waited for the end of my tale The girl, also, did not interrupt me, but listen'd in silence. As I ceas'd, she said " Is this all you know ? " "No," answer'd I, "it is not. But the rest I alive. Will this content you?" She turn'd to the servant, who nodded. Where- upon she held out her hand very cordially. "Sir, listen: we are travelers bound for Corn- wall, as you know, and have some small posses- 810,18, that will poorly reward the greed of these violent men. Nevertheless, wo should be hurry- ing on our journey did we not await my brother Anthony who was to have ridden from Oxford to jom us here, but has been delayed, doubtless on tne King s business " She broke oflf, as I started: for below I heard 86 The Splendid Spur. brisk as evpr « t r ' """'^ "°^ ^^t up all France ' " "'^^^ ^^^^^^ ^n "Hey, nonni— nonni— no I Men are fools that wish to die I Is t not fine to inugh and ein« When the bells ofdeath do ring? Is'tuot fine to drown in wine. And turn upon the toe, And sing, hcj-nonni-no? Hey, nonui— nonni- »» "-C„mo and sit, sir. nor spoil sport. You »„ My Adventure at the ''Three Cups." 87 too raw, I'll wager, to be of any help ; and bog- gling I detest." "Indeed, sir," I broke in, now thoroughly an- ger'd, "I can use the small sword as well as an- other." " Tush : Try him, Jacques." Jacques, still wearing a stolid face, brought his weapon to the guard. Stung to the quick, I wheel'd round, and made a lunge or two, that he put aside as easily as though I were a babe. And then--I know not how it happen'd, but my sword slipp'd like ice out of my grasp, and went flying across the room. Jacques, sedately as on a mat- ter of business, stepp'd to pick it up, while the old gentleman chuckled. I was hot and asham'd, and a score of bitter words sprang to my tongue-tip, when the French- man, as he rose from stooping, caught my eye, and beckon'd me across to him. He was white as death, and pointed to the hilt of my sword and the demi-bear engrav'd thereon. "He is dead," I whisper'd : "hush !--turn your face aside— killed by those same dogs that are now below." I heard a sob in the true fellow's throat. But on the instant it was drown'd by the sound of a door opening and the tramp of feet on the stairs. \ 1 1 4 CHAPTER VI. THE ruQHx IK THE PTOE WOOD. drink, .nd afterJTrd fo 'd ^^-''^'^^ ^" ^^-^ '" and was mixing Lia u i ^ ^ " "P *"e lamp " Vivre en tout cas C'est le grand sonlas "— ^[th a glance at his daughter's f«^n *i. . White to the lips, but firmlfset ''' ^^'^^ ^^« Hand me the nutmeg yonder " h. -a . tlien, "why, daughter, wlfatCtM^; \^'^' ^"'^ hand?" ' ^"^^ ^ *«^s ?— a trembling Como.nl-cairdSirDeakin. At this, Jacques, who stood readv fc, i, x., , the entrance, wheeled round shot /? t"'"'.''^ " master, and droDDinff h;= 1 '"'>'' »' his "> do the saTn'r"'- '"''''*''»«« to me open, and Captain S^e tie," is^rcoS"' '""^'^ eye, and sham drunkenn.«l . ',?* d over one ^- the room. With t:,:i;"ir;r^d 66 i i). The door was thrii'*t rudi.ly opeu. — I>age 8,S. The Flight in the Pine Wood. 89 . T d,5'"«'ly back, 80 as to cover the girl. C th!" .°"'' r*""' ^""^'"S "P- but rub. b.ng the nutmeg calmly up and down the grater: be spS" too much, and the whole punfh will JL^^- **" ^'P'*'" "'""'''• "■"• ••« »«»« to a stand, eyeing us, who look'd back at him without Zw." '^"'^ "^ discompos-d hun still „ Jf"' ''f.' .* """'« "^"""S ''bich the two Deakm set down the nutmeg, wiped his thin white BwfetTy.!!'' "'^^"'" """' ^^"'''^ «"« Captain you and your c- paay to taste this liquor, which m the court of France "-the old genUemkrook a s.p from the mixing ladle-" has had the extreme honor to be pronounced divine." He smack'd his hps and m.ng to his feet, let his right hand rest c"^ain ™' '""' "' *' """P ^ "«'"-<• '» 'be Captain Settle's bravado was plainly oozing Snf 7 ?k" P°"'^ audacity: Id seeing S°f Deakin taste the punch, he puU'd off his cap in a shamefaced manner and sat down by the table with a word of thanks. '^ "Come in, sirs-come in I" call'd the old gen- 9° The Splendid Spur. t^7lL"f '°"°'' ^'"" «»"'''« «'=''»?'-'• 'Twill wie jainp, as if for steadiness T oa™ u- wnere the Captain was seated. Jacques, bring glasses frnm fj,« . , yonder I And D^lm fJ? ^^ cupboard our guests no « i ' "^ '^"^ ''^^''^ ^r ur guests-no, sirs, pray do not move I " I touch'd the girl's arm, and we made as if tn "Smell, sir," he cried airilv «„ j your friends o„ the fo/etaste"'^' ""' '"'"^ *» The Flight in the Pine Wood. 9, ^vay and out to the head of the stairs, I ca.i• "'" I»'Hling and rZ V-f"""?/- B«"'^» the flash and the leport I fe t a sudden scrape, as of a red-hot wire across my left thigh and just above the knee. ear-'™''""',"'"'''^'*" '""' ^""i"''' ™-<=e in my ear; "a mo, la porte-il vons le mattre, IJ-bas-" and he pointed down the staircase, where, by the glare of the conflagration that beat past u ,Tsaw the figures of Sir Deakin and his daughter stand lug. 9^ The Splendid Spur. doLTv' '"'^ '"'" ^°" ''^^P "■" ^00' against . smSlI'"""""'"' ^""'SS'-l "is shoalderswitha "Mais— com me 5a! " past us, a quiet pass of steel .LT, ^'•'"'"'S -.iowi„g\„ h? faoi^^^Vth i r r room tumbled back t:^^^^^^^^^'' -e=s::Tea^.'te-/r'-"^^^^^^^ bounds. "" '""' ■" a oouple of •>/the""an'd ^'P'^J ""f '"'"g'>' *« old baronet ^.^ eaKin with us out into the cold The yard was no longer dark. In the room The Flight in the Pine Wood. 93 t.ng m the w,„d : a„d by this 'twa. very evident he room was on fire. Indeed, the curtains had caught, and as we ran, a penuon of flame shot out over our heads, lielting the thatch. In the gllre Clearly out from the n,^ ,. I heard the trampling of feet, the sound of Settle's voice shouting af order, and then a dismal yell and clash of stefl a^ we flung open the gate. "Jacques I" scream'd the old gentleman : "my poor Jacques I Those dogs will mangle him w«h their cut and thrust " swer to Sir Deakm's cry, we heard the brave fel- low svo.ce ,• and a famous shout it must have been to reach us over the roaring of the flames^ Mon maitre— raon maitre I " he call'd twice cTe. "T;«r™ ""'" in a fainter voice, yet' clear And after that only a racket of shouta a^d outcries reaeh'd us. Without doubt the vli^s had overpower-d and slain this brave sorvan In .p.te our peril (for they would be aft us at once) twas all we could do to drag the old mm from he gate and up the road: and as he went^ wept like a child. * After about fifty yards, we turn'd in at a gate and began to cut across a field : for I hop'd ta not^only to baffle pursuit for a while, but'also o gain the wood that we saw dimly ahead. It I,: Si' If!' 94 The Splendid Spur. burst open with loudcLs and f^' '"" ''r' ""^'"^ Bteps r„„,,„g „p e^: ::-X^^ Jf; -«..« of foot- brilliantly lit wh!! ^ ^ ^^^ ^ S^^'^^* Patch sadlv IT! ^^^^ ^^S^'^ to trail and iL y Jitch, and av with, h^ . *'"' *'''™ '° " .nainder taring oS '17 ""? '"^ "'"-the re- M.rda™a„r:i'-;tt;.dtr-"'''-- sUeut for awhile. '"' ">*' ''^ «'»» »' The Flight in the Pine Wood. 93- ^,- J^'t ""^^ ^ ^^''^ *^"gl« «f l>ratnbles in the i? or one of the men. coming our way nassVl w. h.n two yards of us. with the flat h'^s sword beating the growth over our heads. b/Xt^ Reuben Gedges I" eall'd a voice branch e twigs, I saw the moonlight glittering on his blade. A narrow, light-hair'd man he was wi h a ^ k ehm : and since then I have pa dlim out for the fright he gave us. "What's the coil? "he shouted back. Ihe stable roof's ablaze-for the Lord's sake come and save the bosses I " Clear. Creeping out with caution, I grew aware of two mournful facts: first thnf ih^t u^ indeed afire, as I perceiv'd by standing on tiptoe knl w .^ ?r '^' ^''^^''' '-^"d second, that my cle h?/ 'tiff Vt ''^^''^ ^""^^- The mZ cles had stiffened while we were crouching, and Tstald r'""^- Y^* ^ ^^ept it to mysdf as we started off again to run. . ,^"* '^'^ *^e stile that, at the top of the field led into the woods. I pull'd up ' ^ oul'me7 ^ '™ '' ''^ ^'' *'"' ^°" "^"^^ ^« °» ^ith. " 0_oh I " cried the girl. "'Tis for your safety. See, I leave a traU of 96 The Splendid Spur. blood behind me, so that when day rises they will track us easily." ^ And sure enough, even by the moon, 'twas easy to trace the dark spots on the grass and earth be- side the stile. My left boot, too, was full of blood. She was silent for awhile. Down in the valley we could hear the screams of the poor horses. The light of the flames lit up the pine trunks about us to a bright scarlet. e wunjts "Sir, you hold our gratitude cheaply." She unwound the kerchief from her neck, and s'k^lliufi;::-'.'" *^V^^^«'b-«d up my knee depths of the wood, treading silently on the deep carpet of pme needles. The ground rose steeply foil T •■ '"^ '" ^^' ^"^' *^°' *h« «ght grew Wd'us ''^'' ""'^ "*"*'"'' ^^ *^' valley fol. Toward the hill's summit the trees were sparser. Looking upward, I saw that the sky had grown thickly overcast. We cross'd the ridge, and after a minute or so were in thick cover again. * 'Twas here that SirDeakin's strength gave out. Almost without warning, he sank down between our hands, and in a second was taken with that hateful cough that once already this night had frighten'd me for his life. The Flight in the Pi„e Wood 97 the sound would b'^ al tlf j^ l"'" ' f-'" heels. " I'm not fit for it "IT ^ "f °" °" eough left him. and hai back hXr- " "•<" the pine needles helpless, among «tntXXara:a^tSt " "^'" ,"" ^'^ -- properly spoken- nn ? , "" very decent and ^UeS^o::::^^^^^ «ta2^^jr:b*a:d.7e ^ir- ^'"i-^ -^ »<> " Whv M ^- .y^ *""iK I "1 unsu ted ? » ^y. to die, sir-to be sure I " Heart alive] '^t unfi tT/T'"^'^^ ^"'^P^^^*' absurd body I " ^'^' ^ ^'"^ ^^^d to this I suppose my attitude exnressV? m,, i , . comprehension, for he lifted Tfi ^ 1^'^ °^ on- . "'^'^ a fi"ger and went ' andSoyThrm'r'"^'" ''' '^^'' ^"^ ^-«k beer. " ^hy, yes." heX'^^-^oSitrntrr'V'^'-"'' J^ e a step. This mght's work has kili'd me; F -r I III 1 ii 98 The Splendid Spur. I feel it in my lungs. 'Tis a pity, too ; for I was just beginning to enjoy it." I lifted him as I would a babe, and off we set agam, my teeth shutting tight on the pain of my hurt. And presently, coming to a little dingle, about half a mile down the hillside, well hid with dead bracken and blackberry bushes, I consulted with the girl. The place was well sheltered from the wind that rock'd the treetops, and I fear'd to go much further, for we might come on open country at any moment and so double our peril. It seem'd best, therefore, to lay the old gentleman snugly in the bottom of this dingle and Wait for day. And with my buff-coat, and a heap of dried leaves, I made him fairly easy, reserving my cloak to wrap about Mistress Delia's fair neck and shoulders. But against this at first she protested. "For how are you to manage ? " she ask'd. "I shall tramp up and down, and keep watch," answer'd I, strewing a couch for her beside her father: "and 'tis but fair exchange for the ker- chief you gave me from your own throat." At last I persuaded her, and she crept close to her father, and under the edge of the buflf-coat for warmth. There was abundance of dry bracken in the dingle, and with this and some handfuls of pme needles, I cover'd them over, and left them to find what sleep they might. For two hours and more after this, I hobbled to and fro near them, as well as my wound would ( t Ci The Flight in tlie Pine Wood. 99 allow, looking „p ^t the sky throurt th. ■ tops, and listening to fh« .„kk V ""^ P'"» Now and then I Intl ^^ "' ""« ^''"^• -;nth, and b Jthe"rn.n;|e.7t:rw'" sorely benumb'd : and all ni , ^m , ^^""^ . on the alert, but Crd nlth;:/'"'^ "''' "^ -™ othe. like kits ::fy t^Z^'T' f » - do^e- i ^ * '""« "S''' ^-"^ ^'^oke from her "Snow: see, 'tis falling fast... breathing"' ""'"' '"" '^"^"'^ *» h- father', •'•Twill kill him," she said simply. -•'- me in ^ :::^'^^,7 XT'', 'd ^a:h^eXS:r°""^^''°"'"--.btt; oa'P-alMnCh^ttSietalt-i: 17-1 lOO The Splendid Spur. above it. Time after time, as I tramp'd to and fro, I paus'd to brush the fresh-ibnning heap from the sleepers' coverlet, and shake it gently from the tresses of tiie girl's hair. The old man's face was covered completely by the buff-coat: but his breathing was calm and regular as any child's. Day dawn'd. Awaking Mistress Delia, I ask'd her to keep watch for a time, while I went off to explore. She crept out from her bed with a little shiver of disgust. "Run about," I advis'd, "and keep the blood stirring." She nodded: and looking back, as I strode down the hill, I saw her moving about quickly, swinging her arms, and only pausing to wave a hand to me for goodspeed. 'Twas an hour before I return'd : and plenty I had to tell. Only at the entrance to the dingle the words failed from off my tongue. The old gentleman lay as he had lain throughout the night. But the bracken had been toss'd aside, and the girl was kneeling over him. I drew near, my step not arousing her. Sir Deakin's face was pale and calm : but on the snow that had gather'd by his head, lay a red streak of blood. 'Twas from his lungs, and he was quite dead. fi CHAPTER VII. I FIND A COMRADE. prints in the s ,ow we ^'^^, "IV''" '"^ ^-t- 0U3 to them ,„I • t "^^ <''Sree danger- straight tThe 1,2"' r" '"""^ """ "^ "- for some mi„„ e, XiuJ^'Lh™' ?"■ ' "'""O less of the v,oJTe^ !u ' ^" ''■'»™ the still. feint sound alof /utin;"'."' '""' ^'"^^'^^ » andhelp'd »e to anTdr'' ^"'^ "'"'«''' "^ '"• The soundseem'd to come from mv left T •»g aside I made across the d f . ^"""■ after two hundred Z toward it, and brook not f w„ f . ^ °' ^ '=''"'« »« » tiny slo^e w" > 1"° t ''"•'.!f' «"" g"sh-d down he palence The'bed TfTt ""^ "Matter and im- here and therl lirttZ '"'''"'^ ^"^'h, with toe: so that, as I stenn-d "^ ^r"' *° ""'«'' «>« m to thread my w fdown It "'"'■' """ •-" -;n„w.wnfcessfr;r,^rc:::f-X' Here and there the brook fetch-da leap down* (l ^H i' ■ t ^M i I • I ' • ^H i, ' ^H ! ^H ,1 1 Hi 102 The Splendid Spur. sharper declivity, or shot over a hanging stone: but, save for the wetting I took in these places, my progress was easy enougli. I must have waded in this manner for half a mile, keeping the least possible noise, when at an angle aliead I spied a clearing among the pines, and to the riglit of the stream, on the very verge, a hut of logs standing, with a wood rick behind it. 'Twas a low building, but somewhat long, and I guess'd it to be, in summer time, a habitation for the woodcutters! But what surpris'd me was to hear a dull, moaning noise, very regular and disquieting, that sounded from the interior of the hut. I listen'd, and hit on the explication. 'Twas the sound of snoring. Drawing nearer with caution, I noticed, in that end of the hut which stood over the stream, a gap, or window hole. The sound issued through this like the whirring of a dozen looms. " He must be an astonishing fellow," thought I, "that can snore in this fashion. I'll have a peep before I wake him." I waded down till I stood under the sill, put both hands upon it, and pulling my- self up quiet as a mouse, stuck my face in at the window— and then very nearly sat back into the brook for fright. For I had gazed straight down into the upturn'd faces of Captair. Settle and his gang. How long I stood there, with the water rushing past my ankles and my body turning from cold to I Find a Comrade. ,„ hot and back again, r cannot tell yon But •, until, lieanng uo namo in n /°"- **«' twas found courage LZlhZ ''''"''' "''°"''' ^ l>»ve been sole thne ^''"'" ""' """ ""«" and suol, a riffle o7 r \ j ,! J'"' ' *'"'"«'" ^)' '-".•d faces as they naVe j !! ""'" "''""<'" "P" Fop they were mcvTT f-^ ^'"' *" P'"'"™- hut was filld np vtfn '7' '""•'"«»' ""d the above their heads, extLjdV ' ° '^' ^""J"'-. now were heap'd vUh ^tt T "'" ^''*'^-">a' the spoils of ?he lardeT „ I '"'■y«"--ed to be Holding my breath »,/ I " ^'"''^ ^ups." shoulder into he room fS '"' ''^'"' ^""l -- quickly pos es -d of'a bdrrh*"' "°"^ ■""» « loaf, the half of a cold niP .''"'•,''™ ""P""'- i«g three dozen egl l,?!', rl^a^k't hold- o-e by one, with iStetiltt" '""" ' "'"''«'* --inrhrwVnltLret^l'^-^^ "^ •■- " on j;'yrz Kt^h^tf 1;!, I I J "I ri fei 104 The Splendid Spur. grasp'd by the knuckle in my left, made my way up the stream. 'Twas thus laden that I enter'd the dingle, and came on the sad sight therein. I set down the ham as a thing to be asham'd of, and bar'd my head. The girl lifted her face, and turning, all white and tragical, saw me. " My father is dead, sir." I stoop'd and pil'd a heap of fresh snow over the blood stains. There was no intent in this but to hide the pity that chok'd me. She had still to hear about her brother, Anthony. Turning, as by a sudden thought, 1 took her hand. She look'd into my eyes, and her own filled with tears. 'Twas the human touch that loosen'd their flow, I think : and sinking down again beside her father, she wept her fill. ^ "Mistress Killigrew," I said, as soon as the first violence of her tears was abated, " I have still Bome news that is ill hearing. Your enemies are encamp'd in the woods, about a half mile below this " — and with that I told my story. " They have done their worst, sir." "No." She looked at me with a question on her lip. Said I, "you must believe me yet a short while without questioning." V msi-i^^ring for a moment, she nodded. "You hrfc . i'lght, sir, to be trusted, tho' I know not so m; ^b. as your Lame. Then we must stay close in t 111 r I Find a Comrade. ,o^ But ia time, having cover'd the dead baronet's iier to a little distance and prevail'd on her to nibble crust of the loaf. Now, all this wh " ^ and the ^^"^r^'u''^ '''' inmyshirtsleees and the weather bitter cold. Which at len. th her sorrow allow'd her to notice. ^ runn^t^'f" ^'' shivering, sore! " she said, and running drew my buflf-coat from her father's body, and held it out to me "Indeed,"! answer'd, "I was thinking of an other expedition to warm my blood." And prom -ng to be back in half an hour, I follow'd down iny former tracks toward the stream. Within twenty minutes I was back, runnii ir and well-nigh shouting with joy. ^ yo;lT^:''^^^'^^^*^^-'"--andseefor What had happen'd was this:-Wading cau S'no n"" ''^ ^r^'Ihadcausesuddfrnyt pack up my ears and come to a halt. 'Twas the a biff Ir^^T^' '°f ^''^^ ' ^--^' -^ -Tp 5 a bt further, I caught a glimpse, beyond the hut ItTttf, ^f •.^r^--^ ^own the wood : t e sZkI f '^ '^' P"'*^' ^' I g"«««'d from d VI thf sW^^ ^"^. J-^^-^ of bits further aown the slope. Advancing on the hut with mora Hi io6 The Splendid Spur. boldness, I found it deserted. I scrambled up on the bank and round to the entrance. The snow before it was trampled and sullied by the foot- marks of men and horses : and as I noted this, came Settle's voice calling up the slope " Jerry — Jerry Toy ! " A nearer voice hail'd in answer. "Where's Reuben?" " Coming, Captain— close behind ! " "Curse him for a loitering idiot! We've wasted time enoug^i, as 'tis," called back the Captain. "How in thunder is a man to find the road out of this cursed wood ? " " Straight on, Cap'n— you can't miss it," shouted another voice, not two gunshots below. A volcano of oaths pour'd up from Settle. I did not wait for the end of them: but ran back for Mistress Delia. Together we descended to the hut. By this time the voices had faded away in distance. Yet to make sure that the rascals had really departed, we follow'd their tracks for some way, beside the stream ; and suddenly came to a halt with cries of joyful surprise. The brook had led us to a point where, over a stony fall veil'd with brown bracken, it plunged into a narrow ravine. Standing on the lip, where the water took a smoother glide before leaping, we saw the line of the ravine mark'd by a rift in the pines, and through this a slice of the coun« t\'i\ I Find a Comrade. ,o- L 71"^ ^oOed hills clos'd the vW and enough, i„ spite of mlnoflC'JZ/Z ^^nifjrdtet^^^^^^^^ ^oapirair-^^^^^^^^^^^ w.th many bright glances of light and ^o" ,1' oC^erft'Lte.lV'""-''--"-- «igh^. »d'rf; "'^ P™ ^^^y "f "eligU, then for the basket ^n orable mission, I for my father's estate of Gleys wherefrom (as your tale proves) some unseen hands are thrusting me. Alike we carry our lives m our hands. You must go forward : I may not go back. For from a King who cannot right his own aflFairs there is little hope ; and in Cornwall I have surer friends than he. Therefore take me, sir— take mo for a comrade I Am I sad ? Do you fear a weary journey ? I will smile-laugh-sing -put sorrow behind me. I will contrive a thou- sand ways to cheat the milestones. At the first ''!' 1 1 .i V t , i ] 112 The Splendid Spur. hint of teArs, d.scnici .ne, ami go your wpv with no pnck of conscience. Only Vy J^,Zh th» shame of speaking tinis ! " ' ^ "'^ »'', the Her voice hud grown more rapid toward tim to cover her face, that was hot with bluaheT I went over and took them in mine, ' .aid l"" '"'™ """*' '"' "'« •'«"'»»' •»»» alive," She drew back a pace with a frighten'd look and would have pull'd her hands away ' me this Wh " ' T" "" l"'"""^' "y'" ""« P»M me th,s h,gh compl,^,e„t, to trust me. Proud was w h you for comrade. And so I say-Mistress K.%rew, take me for your servant." ha,!d° 7, *"""""' discomposure, as I dropp'd her h« ds, her eyes were twinkling with laughfer -ttirngiifCr"''""^'-''-'"'-''^- "But " " Indeed, sir, please yourself. Only as I int.n.J to call you 'Jack,' perhaps 'Delia' ImL , a piece than -Mistress Kiligrew "" Shtd""" °i me a mo.ik curtsey <'A,TZ r , f ''"PP'' boy.aud hitch mTthis^; .rait LeVnr? bought it yesterday at a cottage biw here-L" -«t:^rs:t:lrL*.s^---"- ^b.k,.,,,s_ CHAPTER VIII. I WSE THE KINO'S LETOEB : AND AM .. the woods into th pt";t "' »'P'"g fro"> all things Dot trf,:''^* "f ""« «P-ad over elms and nopIa,rtSl! ? Tf «""" "^^ '" ^^'« the twisti .gCnote of fi » i' '"'' """""K them «"d there !nd ,t '''™''™<' ^-^ ""ttage, here against tfosrX„;hUh?T' "li* ""^ ''"" knew nor (bei„7b„;h ''^°"''' "» ""'her time, pretty dp^nLlr'vf "'"' •>™- ''J' this "■eeting with a J, ^ ''"* ^'""^^y ■="'»• Yet "P to enquire. ^^""^ "'"' "'^ '»■""• "^ « feee purple.red above, by reasZ o ,J .'I. «" J purple-blacic below, for hck of » / . '°^' P""'-! "P his mouth and Wk'dull . "" down. '°°* " ™ slowly up and 1'! 8 113 114 The Splendid Spur. " Come," said I, "you are not deaf, I hope, nor dumb." "Send I may niver!" the fellow ejaculated, slowly and with contemplation : " 'tis an unseemly sight, yet tickling to the mirthfully minded. Haw — haw ! " He check'd his laughter suddenly and stood like a stone image beside his horses. " Good sir," said Delia, laying a hand on my arm (for I was growing nettled), " your mirth is a riddle : but tell us our way and you are free to laugh." " Oh, Scarlet— Scarlet I " answer'd he : " and to me, that am a man 9' blushes from my cradle ! " Convinc'd by this that the fellow must be an idiot, I told him so, and left him staring after us ; nor heard the sound of his horses moving on again for many minutes. After this we met about a dozen on the road, and all paus'd to stare. But from one — an old woman — we learn'd we were walking toward Marlboro', and about noon were over the hills and looking into the valley beyond. 'Twas very like the other vale ; only a pleasant stream wound along the bottom, by the banks of which the road took us. Here, by a bridge, we came to an inn bearing the sign of " The Broad Face," and entered : for Captain Settle's stock of victuals was now done. A sour-fac'd woman met us at the door. "Do you stay here," Delia advis'd me, "and I Lose the King's Letter. nr drink a mug of beer while I bargain with the hostess for fresh food." She foUow'd the sour- fae'd woman into the house. But out she comes presently with her cheeks flaming and a pair of bright eyes. " Come I " she commanded, " come at once I " Setting down my half emptied mug, I went after her across the bridge and up the road, wondering. In this way we must have walk'd for a mile or more before she turn'd and stamp'd her little foot " Horrible ! " she cried. " Horrible— wicked- shameful! Ugh I" There were tears in her eyes. " What is shameful ? " She made no reply, but walk'd on again quickly. "I am getting hungry, for my part," sigh'd I, after a little. " Then you must starve ! " "OhI" She wheel'd round again. " Jack, this will never do. If you are to have a comrade, let it be a boy." "Now, I am very passably content as things are." "Nonsense: at Marlboro', I mean, you must buy me a suit of boy's clothes. What are you hearkening to ? " "I thought I heard the noise of guns— or is it thunder?" " Dear Jack, don't say 'tis thunder ! I do mor- tally fear thunder— and mice." 'I' > ' I 1 f 4 * i.i ! f Il6 The Splendid Spur. "Twouldn't be thunder at this time of year. No, 'tis guns firing." " Where ? — not that I mind guns." " Ahead of us." On the far side of the valley we enter'd a wood, thinking by this to shorten our way : for the road here took a long bend to eastward. Now, at first this wood seem'd of no considerable size, but thicken'd and spread as we advanced. 'Twas only, however, after passing the ridge, and when daylight began to fail us, that I became alarm'd. For the wood grew denser, with a tangle of paths criss-crossing amid the undergrowth. And just then came the low mutter of cai?non again, shak- ing the earth. We bogan to run torward, tripping^ in the gloom over brambles, and stumbling into holes. For a mile or so this lasted : and then, without warning, I heard a sound behind me, and look'd back, to find Delia sunk upon the ground. "Jack, here's a to-do I " "What's amiss?" " Why, I am going to swoon I " The words were scarce out, when there sounded a crackling and snapping of twigs ahead, and two figures came rushing toward us — a man and a woman. The man carried an infant in his arms: and tho' I call'd on them to stop, the pair ran by us with no more notice than if we had been Btones. Only the woman cried, " Dear Lord, save I Lose the King's Letter. 117 us ! " and wrung her hands as she pass'd out of sight. " This is strange conduct," thought I : but peer- ing down, saw that Delia's face was white and mo- tionless. She had swoon'd, indeed, from weari- ness and hunger. So I took her in my arms and stumbled forward, hoping to find the end of the wood soon. For now the rattle of artillery came louder and incessant through the trees, and ming- ling with it, a multitude of dull shouts and out- cries. At first I was minded to run after the man and woman, but on second thought, resolv'd to see the danger before hiding from it. The trees, in a short while, grew sparser, and between the stems I mark'd a ruddy light glow- ing. And then I came out on an open space upon the hillside, with a dip of earth in front; and be- yond, a long ridge of pines standing up black, be- cause of a red glare behind them; and saw that this came not from any setting sun, but was th') light of a conflagration. The glare danced and quiver'd in the sky, as I cross'd the hollow. It made even Delia's white cheek seem rosy. Up amid the pines I clamored, and along the ridge to where it broke o£f in a steep declivity. And lo ! in a minute I look'd down as 'twere into the infernal pit. There was a whole town burning below. And in the streets men were fighting, as could be told by their shouts and the rattle and blaze of mus- 1 \ i i i i ^ f i h ii8 The Splendid Spur. li : ■ ketry. For a garment of smoke lay over all and hid them : only the turmoil beat up as from a fur- nace, and the flames of burning thatches, and quick jets of firearms like lightning in a thunder- cloud. Great sparks floated past us, and over the trees at our back. A hot blast breath'd on our cheeks. Now and then you might hear a human shriek distinct amid the din, and this spoke ter- ribly to the heart. Now the town was Marlboro', and the attacking force a body of royal troops sent from Oxford to oust the garrison of the Parliament, which they did this same night* with great slaughter, driving the rebels out of the place, and back on the road to Bristol. Had we guess'd this, much ill luck had been spared us; but we knew nought of it, nor whether friends or foes were getting the bet- ter. So (Delia being by this time recover'd a httle) we determin'd to pass the night in the woods, and on the morrow to give the place a wide berth. Retreating, tlien, to the hollow (that lay on the lee side of the ridge, away from the north wind), I gathei'd a pile of great stones, and spread my cloak thereover for Delia. To sleep was im- possible, even with the will for it. For the tumult and fighting went on, and only died out about an hour before dawn : and once or twice we were troubled to hear tlie sound of people running on the ridge above. So we sat and talked in low I Lose the King's Letter. 119 voices till dawn; and grew more desperately hunger'd than ever. With the chill of daybreak we started, meaning to get quit of the neighborhood before any espied us; and fetch'd a compass to the south without another look at Marlboro'. At the end of two hours, turning northwest again, we came to some water meadows beside a tiny river (the Kennet, as I think), and saw, some way beyond, a high road that cross'd to our side (only the bridge was now broken down), and further yet, a thick smoke curling up; but whence this came I could not see. Now we had been avoiding all roads this morning, and hiding at every sound of footsteps. But hunger was making us bold. I bade Delia crouch down by the stream's bank, where many alders grew, and set off toward this column of smoke. By the spot where the road cross'd I noted that many men and horses had lately pass'd hereby to westward, and, by their footmarks, at a great speed. A little further, and I came on a broken musket flung against the hedge, with a nauseous mess of blood and sandy hairs about the stock of It ; and just beyond was a dead horse, his legs sticking up like bent poles across the road. 'Twas here that my blood went cold on a sudden, to hear a dismal groaning not far ahead. I stood still, holding my breath, and then ran forward again. The road took a twist that led me face to face |!-J * 120 The Splendid Spur. with a small whitewashed cottage, smear'd with black stains of burning. For seemingly it had been fir d in one or two places, only the flames had died out: and from the back, where some out- building yet smoulder'd, rose the smoke that I spied But what brought me to a stand was to see the doorway all crack'd and charr'd, and across it a soldier stretch'd-a green-coated rebel- -and quite dead. His face lay among the burn'd rums of the door, that had wofully singed his beard and hair. A stain of blood ran across the door stone and into the road. I was gazing Upon him and shuddering, when again I heard the groans. They issued from the upper chamber of the cottage. I stepp'd over the dead soldier and mounted the ladder that led upstairs. The upper room was but a loft. In it were two beds, whereof one was empty. On the edge of the other sat up a boy of sixteen or thereabouts, stark naked and moaning miserably. With one hand he seem 'd trying to cover a big wound that gaped m his chest : the other, as my head rose over the ladder, he stretch'd out with all the fi..gers spread. And this was his last effort. As I stumbled up. his fingers clos'd in a spasm of pain; his hands dropp'd, and the body tumbled back on tlie bed, where it lay with the legs dangling. Ihe poor lad must have been stabb'd as he lay asleep. For by the bedside I found his clothes 1. i i 'Oh, Jack they dj not ft at all ! -i' Ige 131. I Lose the King's Letter. 121 neatly folded and without a speck of blood. They were clean, though coarse; so thinking they would serve for Delia, I took them, albeit with some scruples at robbing the dead, and covering the body with a sheet, made my way downstairs Here, on a high shelf at the foot of the ladder, I discover d a couple of loaves and some milk, and also, lying hard by, a pair of shepherd's shears, which I took also, having a purpose for them. By this time, being sick enough of the place. I was glad to make all speed back to Delia. She was still waiting among the leafless alders, and clapp d her hands to see the two loaves under my arm. Said I, flinging down the clothes, and munchine at my share of the bread "Here is the boy's suit that you wish'd for." "Oh, dear I 'tis not a very choice one." Her lace fell. "All the better for escaping notice." " Bwt— but I nice to be notic'd I " Nevertheless, when breakfast was done, she con- sented to try on the clothes. I left her eyeing them doubtfully, and stroll'd away by the liver's bank. In a while her voice call'd to me ' Oh, Jack— they do not fit at all 1 " 'Why, 'tis admirable I " said I, returning, and scanning her. Now this was a lie : but she took r^T'^.u'"''.' ""^"''''^ P'"**^ ^"d comical she look a m the dress. "- "er come change. "^ ""'' *"'' ">is was a wel- Instead of answerine cIioorf..ii„ /,. t •- f 7 M /, i * If! If': 132 The Splendid Spur. for), she gave a little nod of the head, rather sor- rowful, and answer'd' " Father's abed with the ague." "Now you cannot expect me to be sorry." " Nay," she said ; and I caught her looking at me with something like compassion in her blue eyes, which mov'd me to cry out suddenly "I think you are woman enough to like a pair of lovers." "Oh, aye: but where's t'other half of the pair?" " You're right. The youiig gentlewoman that was brought hither with me— I know not if she loves me : but this I do know— I would give my hand to learn her whereabouts, and how she fares." "Better eat thy loaf," put in the girl very sud- denly, setting down the plate and pitcher. 'Twas odd, but I seem'd to hear a sob in her voice. However, her back was toward me as I glanc'd up. And next moment she was gone, locking the iron door behind her. I turn'd from my breakfast with a sigh, having for the moment tasted the hope to hear something of Delia. But in a while, feeling hungry, I pick'd up the loaf beside me, and broke it in two. To my amaze, out dropp'd something that jingled on the stone floor. 'Twas a small file: and examining the loaf again, I found a clasp-knife also, and a strip of paper, neatly folded, hidden in the bread. r Break Out of Prison. ^33 Deare Jack, ^it, with a dowa«rof his In ^*'«"*»"«« °«der Ws eye, to Wee dwell ia a private Jou«r"^'"**""*' " ^'^'^^^ ^''^oh- Btreet. i„ Kedcliffe'^^lLt^'j^^'^^^^^^^ Thomas his (Jack, 'tis kideous), but othe^w Le 1« "^ ''*^ "P''" "« care of thyself, -^eare Wei^ L tho'?h?r .n/V ^"^ ^'^'^ man, he is press'd by them about kim ^ * ^^'^ ''^ « ««""^ I noted a mischief fn hLeve r 1 '^ "* °" '^* ^°^«"i«^ care: all the gates I saw gTrded wthT ^^^'^ ^'« ^-(*>ut take by one who hath been'!; Jl^;'' J^wh" "'t^'^ ™« Paperup. And beleeve you^ e^XuIr;::: J: ^^ '^« " D. K.»' " Vivre en tout cas, C'est le grand soulas- _»i and Ibroke off to hear the key turning m^y meal Her eyes were red with weeping. Sa.d I. .Does your father beat you? » to4!" ""''•" '"' "fiod'-l-utnot i t w The Splendid Spur. <( t( Then why do you weep? Not for that." " For what then ? " "For you— oh, dear, dear I How shall I tell it? They are going to— to " She sat down on the chair, and sobb'd in her apron. " What is't they are going to do ? " " To — to — h-hang you." "The devil I When?" "Tuttut-to-morrow mo-horning I " I went suddenly very cold all over. There was silence for a moment, and then I heard the noise of some one dropping a' plank in the courtyard below. "What's that?" " The gug-gug " "Gallows?" She nodded. " You are but a weak girl," said I, meditating. " Aye : but there's a dozen troopers on the land- ing below." " Then, my dear, you must lock me up," I de* cided gloomily, and fell to whistling "Vivreen toutcas, C'est le grand soulna— — " A ^ workman's hammer in the court below chim'd in, beating out the tune, and driving the moral home. I heard a low sob behind me. The jailer's daughter was going. I Break Out of Prison. »35 a »elt^'"'"' """ ''°'"''"' '"y 0-. for She pull'd it out and gave it to me. a Ji't/r'/"''°r«'""*''y°' Stop: here-, I eat down fop a while, feeling doleful. Fop I ^. 't soon the rfa«^_„A„^/ „{ t,,, h^mmep be- -hat rascal ,s do.ng, at any rate," and pulling the We from my pocket, began to attack the window great height above the ground : and besides, the hammering continued lustily. ' * Daylight was closing as I flnish'd mv task and Directly under me, and about twenty feet fmm ertr;"'' "" " '''"' p-i-«ngf«b:^t " Under T-r * '"' "f ''""^''y i» the wall. Under this beam, on a ladder, was a carpenter timbers that rested on the sill of the doorway everrir^'d™""^'' "'"' '"« i""'- "-d pansTd tfoup of soldiers that stood idling below, where Jl/ n; fi«i I' f I. ri -I 136 The Splendid Spur. the fellow's workbag and a great coil of rope rested by the ladder's foot. " Reckon, Sammy," said one, pulling a long to- bacco pipe from his mouth and spitting, « 'tis a long while since thy last job o' the sort." "Aye, lad : terrible disrepair this place has tan n into. But send us a cheerful heart, say 1 1 Instead o' the viper an' owl, shall henceforward be hangings of men an' all manner o' diversion." I kept my head out of sight and listen'd. "What time doth 'a swing ? " ask'd another of the soldiers. "I heard the Colonel give orders for nine o clock to-morrow," answer'd the first soldier. Bpittmg again. ^ The clock over the barbican struck four : and m a mmute was being answer'd from tower after tower, down in the city. " Four o'clock I " cried the man on the ladder • "time to stop work, and here goes for the last nan I He drove it in and prepar'd to descend. "Hi I "shouted a soldier, "you've forgot the rope. "That'H wait till to-morrow. There's a staple beer"''^ '"' *''''' ' *'" ^°" ^'"^ ^'^^ ^"^ ""^"^ "^^ He whipp'd his apron round his waist, and gath- ering up his nails, went down the ladder. At the foot he pick'd up his bag, shoulder'd the laddt,., and loung'd away, leaving the coil of rope lying I Break Out of Prison. ,37 there. Presently the soldiers saunter'd off also and the court was empty. ' Kor up to this moment I had but one idea of avo.d.„g my fate, and that was to kill myself. Twas to th.s end I had bor.ow'd the bodkf. the maid. Afterward I had a notion of fli„gi°t -yself from the window as they came toTZ But now, as I look'd down „n that coil of rZ yn,g d.rectly below, a prettier scheme struekT I sat down on the floor of my cell and puU'd off my boots and stockings. •Twas such a pretty plan that I got into a fever of impatience. Drawing off a stocking and pilt .ng out the end of the yarn, I began^to unravel Wn f l"^ f '^'" '««.""«' the whole lay a heap of thread, oa the floor. I then serv'd ibl other m the same way: and at the end had two lines, each pretty near four hundred yards in length: „h,ch now I divided into eight lines of about a hundred yards each. With these I set to work, and by the end of twenty mmutes hadplaited a rope-if rope indeed -t coud be called-woak to'be s«re,'but long enough to reach the ground with plent^ to spare^ Ihe^, having bent my bodkin to the form of a hook, I tied it to the end of my cord, weighted it with a crown from my pocket, and clamber'd up igmari: ' "'' ^°'"^ *° -«■« ^- ">' ■Twas near dark by this; but I could just dis- I I'! ■38 The Splendid Spur. tinguish it on the paving stones below, and look- ing about the court, saw that no one was astir. I wriggled first my head, then a shoulder, through the opening, and let the line run gently through my hand. There was still many yards left, that could be paid out, when I heard my coin tinkle softly on the pavement. Then began my difficulty. A dozen times I pull'd my hook across the coil before it hitch'd ; and then a full three score of times the rope slipped away before I had rais'd it a dozen yards. My elbow was raw, almost, wit; . lee^ning on the sill, and I began to lose heart and head, .v hen, to my delight, the bodkin caught and held. It had fasten'd on a kink in the rope, not far from the end. I began to pull up, hand over hand, trem- bling all the while like a leaf. For I had two very reasonable Tears. First, the rope might slip away and tumble before it reach'd my grasp. Secondly, it might, after all, prove a deal too short. It had look'd to me a new rope of many fathoms, not yet cut for to-morrow's pur- pose ; but eyesight might well deceive at that dis- tance, and surely enough I saw that the whole was dangling off the ground long before it came to my hand. But at last I caught it, and slipping back into the room, pull'd it after me, yard upon yard. My heart went loud and fast. There was nothing to fasten it to but an iron staple in the door, that I Break Out of Prison. ; 139 meant losing the width of my cell, some six feet. This, however, must be lisk'd, and I made the end fast, lowerM the other out of window again, and climbing to a sitting posture on the window sill, thrust out my legs over the gulf. Thankful was I that darkness had fallen before this, and hidden the giddy depths below me. I gripp'd the rope and push'd myself inch by inch through the window, and out over the ledge. For a moment T dangled, without courage to move a hand. Then, wreathing my legs round the rope, I loosea my left hand, and caught with it again some six inches lower. And so, down I went. Minute follow'd minute, and left me still de- scending, six inches at a time, and looking neither above nor below, but always at the grey wall that seem'd sliding w^ in front of me. The first dizzi- ness was over, but a horrible aching of the arms had taken the nlace of it. 'Twas growing intoler- able, when suddenly my legs, that sought to close round the rope, found space only. I had come to the end. I look'd down. A yard below my feet the beam of the gallows gleam'd palely out of the darkness. Here was my chance. I let my hands slip down the last foot or so of rope, hung for a moment, then dropp'd for the beam. My feet miss'd it, as I intended they should; but I flung both arms out and caught it, bringing myself up with a jerk. While yet I huTi« nlcw. 1 11 IH m '4! HO The Splendid Spur. ing, I heard a footstep coming through the gate- way between the two wards. Here was a fix. With all speed and silence I drew myself up to the beam, found a hold with one knee upon it, got astride, and lay down at length, flattening my body down against the timber. Yet all the while 1 felt sure I must have been heard. The footsteps drew nearer, and pass'd almost under the gallows. 'Twas an officer, for, as he pass'd, he called out . "Sergeant Downs! Sergeant Downs I" A voice from the guardroom in the barbican answer d him through the darkness. " Why is not the watch set ? " "In a minute, sir; it wants a minute to six." five? '*^''"^''* *^^ ^°^°"«^ o^^ie^'d it at half past In the silence that follow'd, the barbican clock began to strike, and half a dozen troopers tumbled out from the guardroom, some laughing, some grumbling at the coldness of the night. The officer reti. n'd to the inner ward as they dispersed to their posts : and soon there was silence again, save for the tramp-tromp of a sentry crossing and recrossing the pavement below me. All this while I lay flatten'd along the beam, scarce daring to breathe. But at length, when the man had pass'd below for the sixth time, I lound heart to wriggle myself toward the doorway k I Break Out of Prison. 141 over which the gallow protruded. By slow de- glees, and pausing whenever the fellow drew near, I crept close up to the wall: then, waiting the proper moment, cast my legs over, dangled for a second or two swinging myself toward the sill, flung myself oflf, and, touching the ledge with one toe, pitch 'd forward in the room. The effect of this was to give me a sound crack as I struck the flooring, which lay about a foot below the level of the sill. I pick'd myself up and listen'd. Outside, the regular tramp of the sentry prov'd he had not heard me ; and I drew a long breath, for I knew that without a lantern he would never spy, in the darkness, the telltale rope dangling from the tower. In the room where I stood all was right. But the flooring was uneven to the foot, and scatter'd with small pieces of masonry. 'Twas one of the many chambers in the castle that had dropp'd into disrepair. Groping my way with both hands, and barking my shins on the loose stones, I found a low vaulted passage that led me into a second chamber, empty as the first. To my delight, the door of this was ajar, with p. glimmer of light slanting through the crack. I made straight toward it, and pull'd the door softly. It open'd, and show'd a lantern dimly burning, and the stair- case of the keep winding past me, np into darkness. My chance was, of course, to descend : which I did on tiptoe, hearing no sound. The stairs rf .-I, III «^w ii, 142 The Splendid Spur. twisted down and down, and ended by a stout door with another lamp shining above it. Aftev istening a moment I decided to be bold, and Ifted the latch. A faint cry saluted me. I stood face to face with the jailer's daughter. The room was a small one, well lit, and lin'd about the walls with cups and bottles. 'Twa as i guess'd, a taproom for the soldiers: and the drl had been scouring one of the pewter mugs v. h.n my entrance startled her. She stood up, white as if painted, and gasp'd f J* ^""'"^T^T^ ^ ^°^" '^^'^ behind the counter for your life I " There was scarce time to drop on my knees be- fore a couple of troopers loung'd in, demanding muUd heer. The girl bustled about to serv! them while the pair lean'd their elbows on the counter and in this easy attitude began to chat. " A shrewd night I " "Aye, a very freezing frost ! Lucky that sol- dienng ,s not all sentry work, or I for one 'ud en- sue my natural trade o' plumbing. But let's be cheerful: for the voice 0' the turtle is heard i' the " Hey ? " J^n ""^^ *°°^ ^ ^"" ^* *"'' ^""^ ^^^"^ ^^^^'■^ ®^' ^ "The turtle signifieth the Earl o' Stamford, that IS to-mght visiting Colonel Essex in secret: an' tius IS the imporfc-war, bloody war. Mark me." . I I Break Out of Prison. H3 " Stirring, striving times I " " You may say so ! 'A hath fifteen thousand men, the Earl, no farther off than Taunton— why, my dear, how pale you look, to be sure ! " " 'Tis my head that aches," answer'd the girl. The men finish'd their drink, and saunter'd out. I crept from under the counter, and look'd at her. "Father 'U kill me for this ! " "Then you shall say— Is it forward or back I must go ? " " Neither." She pull'd up a trap close beside her feet, and pointed out a ladder leading down to the darkness. " The courts are full of t."oop- ers," she added. "The cellar?" She nodded. " Quick ! There's a door at the far end. It leads to the crypt of St. John's Chapel. You'll find the key beside it, and a lantern. Here is flint and steel." She reach'd them down from a shelf beside her. " Crouch down, or they'll spy you through the window. From the crypt a passage takes you to the governor's house. How to escape then, God knows I 'Tis the best I can think on." I thank'd her, and began to step down the ladder. She stood for a moment to watch, leav- ing the trap open for better light. Between the avenue of casks and bins I stumbled toward the door and lantern that were just to be discern'd at III i H 1. I ■44 The Splendid Spur. flint, I heard the trap close : and since then have never set eyes on that kind-hearted girl. rtJ 1 i"",!'" "'■ ^ ^^ *''' ^^y »"d fitted it to the lock. It turned noisily, and a cold whiiT of Zl""^ "^ ^*''"- '^'''"S ™»"d this new ohamber, I saw two lines of squat pillars, sun-ort- hf .J ,"°^'' """• '^"'" *^ "Wt benoath trickW""'' r^" ^"''^- ^ K'«n moisture tnckled down the pillars, and dripp'd on the tombs beneath them. doit' .*"" •'?■'' "' *'''' ^'*"y ?■«<=« ''^^ « •'"'ten door, consisting only of a plank or two that I easily pnll'd ,way : and beyond, a narr I "X! ove which I heard the tread of troopers plaint the r r ' '^•"" '™ ' "'^o '"e muffled note of the clock, sounding seven. hi Jf M r'"*"' "■'"* '■""'^ straight, but was block d here and there with fallen s ones over suddenlv r:""^' ".""' ' «°""'- ^»"C of st!n tT,."T P'""""S ''°'"' " ^hort flight of steps. I held the lantern aloft and look'd. whereof thf''",' ^""'/'den-d out a low room. Whereof the ceiling, like that of the crypt, rested on pi ars. Between these, every inch o Ite Trot'Zt "jr^'V"-'^- '"'d'great pyraS Pikes Of »; 1 ^^ ™"''' '">' " •>«»? °f ™»ty stood in ?h ,' ""^ «gnification was clear. I stood in the munition room of the Castle. But what chiefly took my notice was a great I Break Out of Prison. f -Ping L ianteX\:t t n?'«""'' "' loose powder. 'Twr..= &« ,.?eVd """« ""^ »ith the knife i„ L " "';"«'" ^''""^k »« that «way the wood arou.M TC. , ?' P"''""'" '» """ 'aid I: and pullil-f f t , "*• "Courage I" Luck in lifH, ^, ""■' ^"''" -iown to work -a, steadi,,, ,et had ZV\7t itT' ""*"« And then, pressing the knil Jl ''"'! '"■''^'■*'»- Wade off short Th. ^ ^'''P' ^ •"■»''« the cas'd With iron. '*°°' ''^™ «>« ^^^ «ide was p-amp—tramp / ear'aZvd to bfde"' "r"^ '"''"'"' ""d ^ «"» .he oL sMfomer: "irf '"'*''-" keyhole : then stenn'd , ™' '"^ «"' 'o 'he »tood handy Lft^J" \«^^,t of bullets that pocket for Dehv, LIIKT " '^'"'"' ^^1' '" ">/ «»"Sht up a p ke fr l":.^' ":*' ^""^ '■"O given n,!, ner. and softly blowi,V f' ''*"''''' '" "'« <=»' to be conceal'd btThe dn 7 "«'"■ '">«' ''»«k Tho f„„f * •'^ ° °°'"'' when it onen'd ihe footsteps still descended t 1 . voice muttering "'"^Med. I heard an aged "Shrivel my bones-ugh!-„ah I W * -wintry wort I Here's »,.., . Wmtrywork fatherly „aa a-groping for a k - ° """' " ^'"«'- ^^ 5 f i^ lor a Jvc^ o powder I " ill : - 1 •« hind I shal7f„lW /'"■°'='- ^ ""^'^ "'»'«1' be- parallel for a wavTlt"^ '"^''^ "> northward- CornishZ. a^'^'aU r'n'T' '™™'Si«g. The on them witrdol/r .h ""''• .^* ^'"'" «°™« «K Can'Jou'l^t-sre"^''^-'-'- ^^^Scaroely, with the Earl of Stamford for Gen- ooSLtnt "" '~ ^^ "--P-d to notice this wl^7-L!:i r'fu::" rrt-"''.' '''''' "'"°-"' ton is all T. . ^** ''<' t""* '^^'^t that Hop. shfp^dtr Wat, r""' '"'"' "•» Mar, fa Mohun." ''= "'"' "' "'^egers drawn with Said the Colonel slowIv_"Av. .1, .- . good enough. Were r , If • ,Z^' ^ "'"""• '» »ot thinklwice List ' ' " """■'""•' ^ ^""''I they forc'd me tn "°'^- ""'^ ""» ""raing Who' migh'^ r,. t^t hVfS ™7'^ '"'"^'"^• « ..ews of value' I Zd nlS:."""^ '° '"' .■ 5'' 11 150 The Splendid Spur. " He that you caught with the King's letter?" *' Aye- -a trumpery missive, dealing with naught but summoning of the sheriff's posse and the like. There is more behind, could we but wait to get at it." " The gallows may loosen his tongue. And how of the girl that was taken too ? " " I have her in safe keeping. This very evening I shall visit her, and make another trial to get sop^e speech. Which puts me in mind " The Colonel tinkled a small hand bell that lay on the table. The pause that followed was broken by the Earl. " May I see the letter ? " The Colonel handed it, and tinkled the bell again, more impatiently. At length steps were heard in the hall, and a servant opened the door. " Where is Giles ? " ask'd the Colonel. " Why are you taking his place ? " " Giles can't be found, your honor." "Hey?" " He's a queer oldster, your honor, an' maybe gone to bed wi' his aches and pains." (I knew pretty well that Giles had lone no such thing: but be sure I kept the knov-ledgo safe behind my screen.) " Then go seek him, and say No, step : I can't wait. Order the coach around at the bar- bican in twenty minutes from now — twenty min- I Break Out of Prison. 151 utes, mind without fail. And say-'twill sava nouse m bt. Thomas' Street— sharp I" As the man departed on his errand n,. i? 1 laid down His Majesty's letter ' " ^'"^ th"i[f*°^ '^ fel,„w,"he said, "if they want it • the blame, .f any, will be theirs. Bu inthlTame' of Heaven, Colonel, don't fail i„ lendiL me tH thousand men I 'Twill fi„i.h the J-Zj^t "ril do it," answered the Colonel slowly. And 111 remember it," said the Earl "To ""orrow, at six o'clock, I set out." The two men shook hands on their bargain and left the room, shutting the door after them! I crept forth from behind the screen, my heart earTndV" 7 "''■ ^'"" '"' " '>''^" -- " lear and tremblniff with dip- I.nf ««„ *i- ohang'd to a kind rf pantirjov 'T ! .T"' T hari «. • J i-t- . i^**"""g joy. I was not that I had spied the prison keys hanging near the ^ ter of public welfare: and also that the way to escape lay plann'd in my head ^ -■ -^*"«J» i elub d up the King's l\ 1 ' 1 .- - » 1 1 . ii 152 The Splendid Spur. letter, and sticking it in my brefist, cauglit down the bunch of keys and made lot the door. . The hall was void. I snatch';? d:;yn l cloak and heavy broad-brimm d hat from one of tLf, pegs, «i d donning them, slipp'd back tho bolts of the iiaavy clooi. It opened without noise. Then, with a iasi .uitch 01 the cloak, to bring it well about ka :, 1 stepp'd forth into the night, shutting the dooi <£uletly on my heels. My foet were on the pavement of tlje inner ward. Above, one stkr only broke the blackness of the night. Across the court was a Bentry tramping. As I walk'd boldly up, he stopp'd short by the gate between the wards and regarded me. Now was my danger. I knew not the right key for the wicket : and if I fumbled, the fellow would detect me for certain. I chose one and drew nearer ; the fellow look'd, saluted, stepp'd to the wicket, and open'd it himself. " Good night. Colonel ! " I did not trust myself to answer : but passed rapidly through to the outer ward. Here, to my joy, in the arch'd passage of the barbican gate, was tho carriage waiting, the porter standing be- side the door ; and here also, to my dismay vms a torch alight, and under it half a dozen . lers chatting. A -vhisper pass'd on m" ap>' oach— *' The Colon i • ' and they hurried into ita, j,^uard- room. I Break Out of Prison. 153 To Mistress Finch's, is it not?" Ay, I muttered; "and quickly." Ihecoacliman touched up his nair Tl,« 1, , Ji'owfhetd^vr^'j^th^rt*^^'"' tience at our slow nace T ««f u "^^^^ ''"P^" ton'd sharp to the left 1^; „ t ^ ^''"'"" ''^ fare: and tLn suddet^ dr,,;"'" ""'™"^''- "Are we come?" I wondpr'rl r.,^. the city gate, and here we h d io wa . 7 '' ^^^ minutes at least till fZ f • ^'* ^"""^ *^^«® ;, ^^^''» t"^ *he sentries recoeniz'd fh^ Colonel's coach and open'd the doors to uT Th stood on this side and that iZV ^^^ we rattled through and '-^^ ''"''' "' crossing a broad l!-4e"^^^^^ 7°?«»t I was .. ...Kige, With ihe dark Avon on 9' 11 ^S4- The Splendid Spur. either side of me, and the vessels thick thereon, their lanterns casting long lines of yellow on the jetty water, their masts and cordage looming up against the dull glare of the city. Soon we were between lines of building once more, shops, private dwellings and warehouses in- termix'd ; then pass'd a tall church ; and in about two minutes more drew up again. I look'd out. Facing me was a narrow gateway leading to a house that stood somewhat back from the street, as if slipping away from between the lines of shops that wedg'd it in on either hand. Over the grill a link was burning. I stepp'd from the coach, open'd the gate, and crossing the small court, rang at the house bell. At first there was no answer. I rang again : and now had the satisfaction to hear a light foot- fall coming. A bolt was puU'd and a girl ap- pear'd holding a candle high in her hand. Quick as thought, I stepp'd past her into the passage. "Delia I" "Jack!" "Hist I Close the door. Where is Mistress Finch?" " Upstairs, expecting Colonel Essex. Oh, the happy day I Come " she led me into a narrow back room and setting down the light regarded L'» One enio n't was fix-d". " kT' '; '"' *''« ^P- «ithadbee:r:.^,:";,;':°r'^f'^- II 158 r The Splendid Spur. myself on the other, I found it sink gently from the pulley, as the weight below moved slowly up- ward : and sinking with it, I held on till my feet touch'd the deck. Still the figure in the bows was motionless. I paid out my end of the rope softly, lowering back the bale of wool : and, as soon as it rested again on deck, signall'd to Delia to let herself down. She did so. As she alighted, and stood beside me, our hands bungled. The rope slipp'd up quickly, letting down the bale with a run. We caught at the rope, and stopp'd it just in time : but the pulley above creak'd vociferously. I turn'd my head. The man in the bows had not mov'd. CHAPTER X. CAPTAIN POTTEKV AND CAPTAIN SETILB. touch d hitn on the shoulder. ^ He fac'd round with a quick start. get f ;orout-ltr r ar? '^'°^\'^ ^^'^^^ will be nl«in T .7^ ^'^ in your hands. I S:::zTJ'""' *i '"^^ "-^ -"tf „r;; NowL Tin' "'^' ""' ""'^ P^''^'''"'^ h^' Vilely. T ; ^"' ' *"««' "ot which side vou be hL there's our case in a nutehell." ^ ' ''"' 169 i la i6o The Splendid Spur. " My name's Pottery — Bill Pottery, eap'n o' the Godsend— &n' you can't make me hear, not if you bust yoursel' ! " You may think this put me in a fine quandary. " I be deaf as nails ! " bawl'd he. 'Twas horrible : for the troopers (I thought) if anywhere near, could not miss hearing him. His voice shook the very rigging. "... An* o' my crew the half ashore gettin* drunk, an' the half below in a very accomplish'd state o' liquor: so there's no chance for *ee to speak ! " He paus'd a moment, then roared again " What a pity I 'Cos you make me very curious — that you do ! " Luckily, at this moment, Delia had the sense to put a finger to her lip. The man wheel'd round without another word, led us aft over the blocks., cordage, and all manner of loose gear that en- cumber'd the deck, to a ladder that, toward the stern, led down into darkness. Here he sign'd to us to follow ; and, descending first, threw open a door, letting out a faint stream of light in our faces. 'Twas the captain's cabin, lin'd with cup- boards and lockers : and the light came from an oil lamp hanging over a narrow deal table. By this light Captain Billy scrutiniz'd us for an in- stant: then, from one of his lockers, brought out pen, paper, and ink, and set them on the table be* fore me. i o* the if you mdary. ight) if I. His gettin* plish'd 'ee to }uriou8 n snse to round blocks^ lat en- ,rd the yn'd to open a in our ih cup- rom an B. By an in- ;ht out ble be- It 1 1 I 3 bt s M I i 0. a "3 a 'i T. 3 bt s M s IK 2 Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. .6, Jjaug,,t up the pen, dipp'd u, ,„„ ^.^^^ ^^ his big redfrce.^' ™"'"^ ""^ '""'» «" "ver histlkt:i?/L"tT' ' r" '"'"'"'' -»«'- of and a chisel N„/ ^''"" '""tern, a mallet, I following at hiHeet *'' "''"'• °^'''' «»<» other lad'de.. Z*: ; ^Ttrn'T""' ^"■ the bowels of the shin Ti i' ' ''"™ """ fully = and found oi^eive?::,:Lrr>'"''''r"^ our noses .twixtfingerlTftUb! '""•'"""'"''* -d ever^ inoh'oTit contes e^r t"" """'"' essences, the n„„ „f ""^'^'^" "/ two puissant water With wool /""; "'°'"'' *''^ ""'-=' "' W'^o not.c'd, nT farfrol V r. T ^"'''^ """ "''o I 0"thei;e„ds:\:ror:t';— ,r^«* * ■ I) i 162 The Splendid Spur. They were about a dozen in all, stack'd close together: and Master Pottery, rolling two apart from the rest, dragg'd them to another trap and tugg'd out the bungs. A stream of fresh water gush'd from each and splash'd down the ' p into the bilge below. Then, having drain'd them, he stav'd in their heads with a few blows cf his mallet. His plan for us was clear. And in a very few minutes Delia and I \vere crouching on the tim- bers, each with a cask inverted over us, our noses at the bungholes and our ears listening to Master Pottery's footsteps as they climb'd heavily back to deck. The rest of the casks were stack'd close round us, so that even had the gloom allow'd, we could see nothing at all. "Jack!" "Delia I" "Dost feel heroical at all? " " Not one whit. There's a trickle of water run- ning down my back, to begin with." " And my nose it itches ; and oh, what a hateful smell I Say something to me. Jack." " My dear," said I, " there is one thing I've been longing these weeks to say : but this seems an odd place for it." "Whatis't?" I purs'd up my lips to the bunghole, and " I love you," said I. There was silence for a moment: and tfaeni Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. 163 within Delia's cask, the sound of muffled laugh- "Delia," I urg'd, " I mean it, upon my oath. Wilt marry me, sweetheart ? " "Must get out of this cask first. Oh, Jack Zn^X'''''''-'-'^^^ Audthellught; I was going to answer, when I heard a loud ha.hng «,e sh.p, and thought I, " the troopers are They were, in trath. Soon I heard the noise of feet above and a string of voices speaking one afer another louder and lender. And next Mas Pot'^'-y began to answer up and drown'd all jeoh but his own. V/hen he oeas'd, thlre was silence for some minutes: after which U heard a party descend to the cabin, and the tramplngof then- feet on the boards above us. They rLafn^d there some while discussing : and then camrfoot steps Jown the second ladder, and a twinkle of I.ght reach d me through the bunghole of my ca:;?h!:t'."""^""^'^^™-="<'-''-'"'e the Md*^ "'^ ''"'"'^'" troopers bustHngabout . 1,°'?.."" ,';I^":F <"" "-^ •^'''"^ of woof V0,."e i-,nr ^"."^ ''"''"y- "">'• when JO,, ve lune rummaging my ship, put everythine back as you found it " "voiycning it r: 164 The Splendid Spur. "Poke about with your swords," commanded the husky voice. " What's in those barrels yon- der?" " Water, sergeant," answers a trooper, rolling out a couple. "Nothing behind them?" " No ; they're right against the side." "Drop 'em then. Plague on this business! 'Tis my notion they're a mile away, and Cap'n Stubbs no better than a fool to send us back here. He's grudging promotion, that's what he is I Hurry, there— hurry 1 " Ten minutes later^ the searchers were gone ; and we in our casks drawing long breaths of thankfulness and strong odors. And so we crouch'd till, about midnight. Captain Billy brought us down a supper of ship's biscuit : which we crept forth to eat, being sorely crarap'd. He could not hear our thanks: but guess'd them. " Now say not a word ! To-morrow we sail for Plymouth Sound: thence for Brittany. Hist! We be all King's men aboard the Godsend^ tho' hearing nought I says little. Yet 1 have my rea- soning heresies, liolding the Lord's Anointed to be an anointed rogue, but nevertheless to be serv'd : just as aboard the Godsend I be Cap'n Billy an* you plain Jack, be your virtues what they may. ! ' 11 Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. .65 tu< ' Thrf "f " ''-^''»" "" "■"""»«« «"• reb- els- Tho, to bo sure, the words be a bit lusty for a young gentlewoman's ears." ^ We went back to our casks with lighter hearts Howbe.t 'twas near five in the mon.i„g I ^e' d^^ aX""" """^ "'""''''''■ """"'^ -» ^ liif"?/ *° 'P^ ""''"'«'' "'y '"■nghole the faint ■gh of day struggling down the hatches. AhZ I heard a clanking noise, and the voices of theTen hiccoughing a dismal chant. They we e l!fUn" yet sleeping: and together we ate the breakfast that lay ready set for us on the head of a barrel Presently the sailors broke off their sol and hure, cried Delia, " we are moving ! » And surely we were, as could be told by the altera sound of the water beneath us, and the many oreakings that the (?o,fe„. bega to keep Ufted \^ h . "i"™ '""S f°' t'« niirtl fhat I ■ and rnt ;.' ""-' "' """ ^'"» "P^" «"»." »aid niifu t! 'ti T ''"■' '^f' ^™" "">""> t™ty niinutes, twas another tale. For I lav n„ „,„ -a n that dark hold and long'd tfdie Id dXI: -P beside me, her hands in her lap, and heZi eyes fird most dolefuUy And when CaS " ^" " " "^''^ ««^« '^iittt we were sat© and l\ i i66 The Splendid Spur. f i free to go on deck, we turn'd our faces from him, and said we thuuk'd him kindly, but had no longer any wish that way — too wretched, even, to remem- ber his deafness. Let me avoid, then, some miserable hours, and come to the evening, when, faint with fasting and nausea, we struggled up to the deck for air, and look'd about us. 'Twas grey— grey everywhere: the sky lead- colored, with deeper shades toward the east, where a bank of cloud blotted the coast line : the thick rain descending straight, with hardly wind enough to set the sails flapping ; the sea spread like a plate of lead, save only where, to leeward, a streak of curded white crawled away from under the God- sencCs keel. On deck, a few sailors mov'd about, red eyed and heavy. They show'd no surprise to see us, but nodded very friendly, with a smile for our strange complexions. Here again, as ever, did ad- versity mock her own image. But what more took our attention was to see a row of men stretch'd on the starboard side, like corpses, their heads in the scuppers, their legs pointed inboard, and very orderly arrang'd. They were a dozen and two in all, and over them bent Captain Billy with a mop in his hand, and a bucket by his side: who beckon'd that we should ap- proach. "Array 'd in order o' merit," said he, pointing # Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. ,67 We drew near. eel'^'^h^rjld^.'''"''^"-' "-'«-• 'his ves. " Dead ? " '■ Dead-drunk, that is. O the gifted man ! Come • Nn ' «o. ^ "^ ^® "'°^^' did he wink ? He Zs^d'" "" '" — Plisl-a drunkard I '■' we pans d a moment ; then stirr'd un No 9 who^open.d one e,e:a.,,. and Shut itTgl%^ "You saw? Open'd one eye, hey» Thaf, Benjannn Halliday. The next is 1 blTolc maS a! heTlVt tirr?'' ""^ "" '''""' ""^ «- «" stepp-d bal " '"' ""'■ "' '™"' "'• -''^ ''o himton"l''I'h'' Tr''!'^ " P"^^'^^- Times I p«t Ned Zsl' "*' "" ""^^ ="* "'^ *""• That's Mal!l Ba^hT ""^r."""' '''' """^"''"^ Edward Ie.e bl r^"" ° °'"""y '" Cambridge Col. cSin P.r •" T" *''*^' ^^" a-talking with a r:Si::tr-dtltrp:rr^r '^--^ oLuuDum, put a kmte into his far?**'' 168 The Splendid Spur. I ii waistband, an' had to run away to sea: a middling drinker only, but after a quart or so to hear him tackle Predestination ! So there be times after all when I sets'n apart, and says, 'Drunk, you'm no good, but half-drunk, you'm priceless.' Now there's a man " He dropp'd his mop, and, leading us aft, pointed with admiring finger to the helmsman -a thin, wizen'd fellow, with a face like a crab apple, and a pair of piercing grey eyes half hidden by the droop of his wrinkled lids. " Ga- briel Hutchins, how old be you ? " " Sixty.fo .L) , come next Martinmas," pip'd the helmsman, " In whufe smite o' life ? " " Drunk." " How drunk ? " " As a lord I " " Canst stand upright ? " " Hee-hee ! Now could I iver do other ?— a mis- erable ould worms to whom the sweet effects o' quantums be denied. When was I iver whole- somely maz'd ? Or when did I lay my grey hairs on the floor, saying, ' 'Tis enough, an' 'tis good ' ? Answer me that, Cap'n Bill." " But you hopes for the best, Gabriel." " Aye, I hopes— I hopes." The old man sigh'd as he brought the Godsend a point nearer the wind; and, as we turn'd away with the Captain, was still muttering, his sharp grey eyes fix'd on the vessel's prow. M Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. .69 " He's my best," said Captain Pottery. WitI, this crew we pass'd four eu.ys ; and I write las much of them because they afterward X„ sober did me a notable good turn, as you Ihal" read toward the end of this history. Tut es IZ f'lJ""^^ "'^■» h-dly. let me say here tha when they reeover'd of their stupor_as hln Ts no'b "I' TV"" '"''^-^ hours-the™ was no brisker, handier set of fellows on the seal And h,s Captain Billy well understood :"b„T: ^ood sot, .t ." ""'""""■°»- Doubtless there be good sots that are not good seamen, but from such I turn my face, drink they never so prettily " Twas Mcessary I should impart some notion of my errand to Captain Billy, tho' I coTfin d Zel to hmts, telhng him only 'twas urgent I should be put ashore somewhere on the Cornish coast, for that I earned intelligence which would not keen wii;:idXiht^c^:r"r^r^" land me inVde ^ = 41 ^1^00'^ d^ i"f ,n\?nT^ f" ^' '" "•'"^'''" '"' '«ided,glanc „g :rre,ut:''°'"'''^^''^- -''--'''''<' -ittef .Sm^ply!'""^""^ " ■""' "^ '''■■ ""^^ - " I go with Jack." i'' 9^ V ^^ . I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 "IB IM 12.0 lis U 11.6 ^ "^ Kv:^ h omy 7/ Phntnoranliip ^Sciences Corporation ¥!^ 3? as WVT MAIN STRir WMSTIR,N.Y. UStO (716) 372-4903 ^ h A "^ A « 170 The Splendid Spur. Captain Hil'y, whose eyes rested on her as she spoke, beckon'd me, very mysterious, outside the cabin, and winking slily, whisper'd loud enough to stun one " Ply her, Jack "—he had call'd me " Jack " from the first--'' ply her briskly I Womankind is but yielding flesh: 'am an amorous man mysel', an' speak but that I have prov'd." On this— for the whole ship could hear it — there certainly came the sound of a stifled laugh from the other side of tlie cabin door: but it did not mend my comrade's shy humor, that lasted throughout the voyage. To be brief, 'twas not till the fourth afternoon (by reason of bafiQing head winds) that we stepped out of the OodseiuVs boat upon a small beach of shingle, whence, between a rift in the black cliffs, wound up the road that was to lead us inland. Tlie Oodsend, as we turn'd to wave our hands, lay at half a mile's distance, and made a pretty sight : for the day, that had begun with a white frost, was now turn'd sunny and still, so tliat looking north we saw the sea all spread with pink and lilac and hyacinth, and upon it the ship lit up, her masts and sails glowing like a gold piece. And there was Billy, leaning over the bulwarks and waving his trumpet for " Good-bye ! " Thought I, for I little dreamVl to see these good fellows again, "what a witless ganiu is this lii'e ! to seek ever in fresh conjunctions what we leave behind in a Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. 171 handshake." 'Twas a cheap reflecuon. yet it vex d me that as we turn'd to mount the road JJeha should break out singing "Hey! nonni— uouui— no! Is'fc not fine to laugli and sing When the bells of death do ring! »» "Why, no." said I, "I don't think it": and capp d her verse with another " Silly man, the cost to find Is to leave as good bebiiul " "Jack, for pity's sake, stop ! " She put her fin- gers to her ears. " Wliut a nasty, creaking voice thou hast, to be sure I " " That's as a man may hold," said I, nettled. »• No, indeed : yours is a very poor voice, but mine is beautiful. So listen." She went on to sing as she went, " Green as grass is my kirtle," " Tire me in tifiPany," " Come ye boarded men-at-arms," and ''The Bending Rush." All these siie sang, as I must confess, most delicately well, and then fac'd me, with a happy smile " Now, have not I a sweet voice? Why, Jack —art still glum?" "Delia," answer'd I, "you have first to give me a reply to what, four days agone, I ask'd you. Dear girl— nay then, dear comrade " I broke off, for she had come to a stop, wring- i i '1 Ii !'■ i 172 The Splendid Spur. ing her hands and looking in my face most dole- fully. " Oh, dear —oh, dear I Jack, v/e have had such merry timjs : and you are spoiling all the fun I " We follow'd the road after this very moodily ; for Delia, whom I had made sharer of the rebels' secret, agreed that no time was to be lost in reach- ing Bodmin, that lay a good thirty miles to the southwest. Night fell and the young moon rose, with a brisk breeze at our backs that kept us still walking without any feeling of weariness. Cap- tain Billy had given me at parting a small comp.ass, of new invention, that a man could carry easily in his pocket ; and this from time to time I exam- in'd in the moonlight, guiding our way almost due south, in hopes of striking into the main road westward. I doubt not we lost a deal of time among the byways ; but at length happen'd on a good road bearing south, and follow'd it till day- break, when to our satisfaction we spied a hill in front, topp'd with a stout castle, and under it a town of importance, that we guess'd to be Launceston. By this, my comrade and I were on the best of terms again; and now drew up to consider if we should enter the town or avoid it to the west, trusting to find a breakfast in some tavern on the way. Because we knew not with certainty the temper of the country, it seera'd best to choose I r f r Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. 173 this second course: so we fetch'tl around by cer- tain barren meadows, and thought ourselves lucky to liit on a road that, by the size, must be the one we sought, and a tavern with a wide yard before it and a carter's \f.i) standing at the entrance, not three gunshots from the town walls. " Now Providence hath surely led us to break- fast," said Delia, and stepp'd before me into the yard, toward the door. I was following her when, inside of a gate to the right of the house, I caught the gleam of steel, and turn'd aside to look. To my dismay there stood near a score of chargers in this second court, saddled and drip- ping with sweat. My first thoup^ht was to run after Delia ; but a quick 8uri)rise made me rub my eyes with wonder 'Twas the sight of a sorrel mare ;mong them — a mare with one high wliite stocking. In a thousand I could have told lier for Molly. Three seconds after I was at the tavern door, and in my ears a voice sounding t'^at stopp'd me short and told me in one instant that without God's help all was lost. 'Twas the voice of Captain Settle speaking in the taproom ; and already Delia stood, past con- cealment, by tho open door. "... And therefore, master carter, it grieves me to disappoint thee ; but no man goeth this day toward Bodmin. Such be my Lord of Stamford's I 11 »74 The Splendid Spur. 11^ I orders, whose servant I am, and as captain of this troop I am sent to exact them. As they displease you, his lordship is but twenty-four hours behind : you can abide him and complain. Doubtless he will hear— ten million devils/'^ I heard his shout as he caught sight of Delia. I saw his crimson face as he darted out and gnpp'd her. I saw, or half saw, the troopers crowding out after him. For a moment I hesi- tated. Then came my pretty comrade's voice. shrill above the hubbub "Jack— they have horses outside I Leave me —I am ta'en— and ride, dear lad— ride I " In a flash my decision was taken, for better or worse. I dash'd out around the house, vaulted the gate, ani catching at Molly's mane, leap'd into the saddle. A dozen troopers were at the gate, and two had their pistols levell'd. " Surrender I " "Behang'dif Idol" I set my teeth and put Molly at the low wall. As she rose like a bird in air the two pistols rang out together, and a burning pain seem'd to tear open my left shoulder. In a moment the mare alighted safe on the other side, flinging me for- ward on her neck. But I scrambled back, and with a shout that frighten'd my own ears, dug my heels into her flanks. Half a minute more and I was on the hard 11 The two pistols rails ""•t together. — Page 174. Captain Pottery and Captain Settle. 175 road, galloping westward for dear life. So also were a score of rebel troopers. Twenty miles and more lay before me ; and a bare hundred yards was all my stare ■ i I •i ; CHAPTER XI. I RIDE DOWN INTO TEMPLE: AND AM WELL TREATED THERE. And now I did indeed abandon myself to de- spair. Few would have given a groat for my life, with that crew at my heels ; and I least of all, now that my dear comrade was lost. The wound in my shoulder was bleeding sore— I could feel the warm stream welling— yet not so sore as my heart. And I pressed my knees into the saddle flap, and wondered what the end would be. The sorrel mare was galloping, free and strong, her delicate ears laid back, and the network of veins under her soft skin working with the heave and fall of her withers: yet— by the mud and sweat about her— I knew she must have travell'd far before I mounted. I heard a shot or two fired, far up the road: tho' their bullets must have fallen short: at least, I heard none whiz past. But the rebels' shouting was clear enough, and the thud of their gallop behind. I think that, for a mile or two, I must have ridden in a sort of swoon. 'Tis certain, not an inch of the road comes back to me: nor did I once turn my head to look back, but sat with my eyes fastened stupidly on the mare's neck. And X76 . 1-1 -41 I Ride Down into Temple. 177 by-and-bye. as we galloped, the smart of my wound, the heartache, hurry, pounding of hoofs-- all dropp d to an enchanting lull. I rode, and that was all. For, swoon or no, I was lifted off earth, as it seemed, and on easy wings to an incredible height, where were no longer hedges, nor road, nor country round ; but a great stillness, and only the mare and I running languidly through it. " Kide ! " Now, at first, I thought 'twas someone speaking this in my ear, and turn'd my head. But 'twas really the last word I had heard from Delia, now after half an hour repeated in my brain. And as I grew aware of this, the dullness fell off me, and all became very distinct. And the muscles about my wound had stiffen 'd-which was vilely pain- ful: and the country, I saw, was a brown, barren moor, dotted with peat-ricks : and I cursed ^t. This did me good : for it woke the figh. : --man m me, and I set my teeth. Now for the first time ooking back. I saw. with a great gulp of joy, I had gained on the troopers. A long dip of the road lay between me and the foremost, now top- piug the crest. The sun had broke through at last, and sparkled on his cap and gorget. I whistled to Molly (I could not pat her), and spoke to her softly : the sweet thing prick'd up her ears, laid them back again, and mended her pace. Her stride was beautiful to feel. 19 ^ 1 178 The Splendid Spur. III I had yet no clear idea how to escape. In front the moors rose gradually, swelling to the horizon line, and there broken into steep, jugged heights. The road under nie was sound white granite and stretch'd away till lost among these fastnesses— in all of it no sign of man's habitation. Be sure I look'd along it, and to right and left, dreading to spy more troopers. But for mile on mile, all was desolate. Now and then I caught the cry of a pewit, or saw a snipe glance up from his bed : but mainly I was busied about the mare. " Let us but gain the ridgo ahead," thought I, •' and there is a chance." So I rode as light as I could, husband- ing her powers. She was going her best, but the best was near spent. The sweat was oozing, her satin coat los- ing the gloss, the spume flying back from her nos- trils—" Soh I " I called to her: " Soh ! my beauty; we ride to save an army ! " The loose stones flew right and left, as she reach'd out her neck, and her breath came shorter and shorter. A mile, and another mile, we passed in this trim, and by the end of it must have spent three- quarters of an hour at the work. Glancing back, I saw the troopers scattered ; far behind, but fol- lowing. The heights were still a weary way ahead : but I could mark their steep sides ribb'd with boulders. Till these were passed, there was no clmnce to hide. The parties in this race , I Ride Down into Temple. 179 could see each other all the way. and must ride it out. And all the way the ground kept rising. I had no means to ease the mare, even by pulling off my heavy jack-boots, with one arm (and that my right) dangling useless. Once she flung up her head and I caught sight of her nostril, red as fire, and her poor eyes starting. I felt her strength ebbing between my knees. Here and there siie blundered in her stride. And somewhere, over the ridge yonder, lay the Army of the West, and we alone could save it. The road, for half a mile, now fetched a sudden loop, though the country on either side was level enough. Had my head been cool, I must have guessed a reason for this : but, you must remem- ber, I had long been giddy with pain and loss of blood-so, thinking to save time, I turned Molly oft the granite, and began to cut across. The short grass and heath behig still frozen, we went fairly for the first minute or so. But away behind us, I heard a shout-and it must have been loud to reach me. I learn'd the meaning when, about two hundred yards before we came on the road agam, the mare's forelegs went deep, and next minute we were plunging in a black peat-quag. Heaven can tell how we won through. It must have been still partly frozen, and perhaps we were only on the edge of it. I only know that as we scrambled up on solid ground, plastered and I); 4 i8o The Splendid Spur. |( III! i I' t I breathless, I looked at the wintry sun, the waste, and the tall hill tow'ring to the right of us, and thought it a strange place to die in. For the struggle had burst open my wound again, and the blood was running down my arm and off my fingers in a stream. And now I could count every gorsebusb, every stone— and now I saw nothing at all. And I heard the tinkling of bells : and then found a tune running in my head —'twas "Tire me in tiffany," and I tried to think where last I heard it. But sweet gallant Molly must have held on : for the next thing I woke up to was afour-hol'd cross beside the road ; and soon after we were over the ridge and clattering down hill. A rough tor had risen full in front, but the road swerved to the left and took us down among the spurs of it. Now was my last lookout. I tried to sway Jess heavily in the saddle, and with my eyes searched the plain at our feet. Alas I Beneath us the waste land was spread, mile upon mile : and I groaned aloud. For just below I noted a clump of roofless cabins, and be- yond, upon the moors, the dotted walls of sheep- cotes, ruined also: but in all the sad-color'd leagues no living man, nor the sign of one. It was done with us. I reined up the mare—and then, in the same motion, wheeled her sharp to the right. High above, on the hillside, a voice was calling. Oop Comely Vean ! oop, then^ I Ride Down into Temple. i8i I look'd up. Below the steeper ridge of the tor a patch of land had been clear'd for tillage : and here a yoke of oxen was moving leisurely before a plough ( 'twas their tinkling bells I had heard, just now) ; while behind followed the wild- est shape— by the voice, a woman. She was not calling to me, but to her team : and as I put Molly at the slope, her chant rose and fell in the mournfullest sinffsoiiff. "So-hoa! - o-oop ! " I rose in my stirrups and shouted. At this and the sound of hoofs, she stay'd the plough and, hand on hip, looked down the slope. The oxen, softly rattling the chains on their yoke, turn d their necks and gazed. With sunk head Molly heaved herself up the last few yards and came to a halt with a stagger. I slipp'd out of the saddle and stood, with a hand on it, swaying. " What's thy need, young man-that comest down to Temple wi' sword a-danglin'? " _ The girl was a half-naked savage, dress'd only in a strip of sacking that barely reach'd her knees, and a scant bodice of the same, lac'd in front with pack thread, that left her bosom and brown arms free. 1 et she appear'd no whit abash'd, but lean'd on the plough-tail and regarded me, easy and frank, as a man would. "Sell me a horse," I blurted out: "Twenty guineas will I give for one within five minutes, m l82 |!n: ) i'j ■I' The Splendid Spur. and more if lie be good ! I ride on the King's errand." ^ " Then get tliee back to tliy master, an' say, no horse shall he have o' me— nor any man that uses horseflesh so.*' She pointed to Molly's knees, that were bow'd and shaking, and the bloody froth dripping from her mouth. " Girl, for God's sake sell me a horse ! They are after me, and I am hurt." I pointed up the road. " Better than I are concerned in this." "God nor King know I, young man. But what's on thy saddle cloth, there ? " 'Twas the smear where my blood had soak'd : and looking and seeing the purple mess cak'd with mud and foam on the sorrel's flank, I felt suddenly very sick. The girl made a step to me. " Sell thee a horse ? Hire thee a bedman, more like. Nay, then, lad " But I saw her no longer: only called "oh^ oh I " twice, like a little child, and slipping my hold of the saddle, dropp'd forward on her breast. * * # * * Waking, I found myself in darkness— not like that of night, but of a room where the lights have gone out: and felt that I was dying. But this hardly seem'd a thing to be minded. There was a smell of peat and bracken about. Presently I heard the tramp of feet somewhere overhead, and a dull sound of voices that appear'd to be cursing. The footsteps went to and fro, the voices mut^ I Ride Down into Temple. 183 tering most of the time. After a bit I caught a word— "Witchcraft " : and then a voice speaking quite close—*' There's blood 'pon her hands, an' there's blood yonder by the plough." Said an- other voice, higher and squeaky, « there's scent behind a fox, but you don't dig it up an' take it home." The tramp passed on, and the voices died away. By this I knew the troopers were close, and seeking me. A foolish thought came that I was buried, and they must be rummaging over my grave: but indeed I had no wish to enquire into it ; no wish to move even, but just to lie and en- joy the lightness of my limbs. The blood was still running. I felt the warmth of it against my back: and thought it very pleasant. So I shut my eyes and dropp'd off again. Then I heard the noise of shouting, far away : and a long while after that, was rous'd by the touch of a hand, thrust in against my naked breast, over my heart. "Who is it?" I whispered. "Joan," answered a voice, and the hand was withdrawn. The darkness had lifted somewhat, and though something stood between me and the light, I mark'd a number of small specks, like points of gold dotted around me " Joan— what besides ? " "Joan's enough, I reckon: lucky for thee 'tis Mi ;./: :i I 184 The Splendid Spur. none else. Joan 0' the Tor folks call me, but may yet be Joan i' Good Time. So hold thy peace, lad, an' cry out so little as may be." I felt a ripping of my jacket sleeve and shirt, now clotted and stuck to the flesh. It paiu'd cruelly, but I sh t my teeth: and after that came the smart and delicious ache of water, as she rinsed the wound. " Clean through the flesh, lad t—in an' out, like country dancin'. No bullet to probe nor bone to set. Heart up, soce I Tliy mother shall kiss thee yet. What's thy name ? " " Marvel, Joan— Jack Marvel." "An' marvel 'tis thou'rt Marvel yet. Good blood there's in thee, but little enow." She bandaged tlie sore with linen torn from my shirt, and tied it round with sackcloth from her own dress. 'Twas all most gently done: and then I found her anus under me, and myself lifted as easy as a baby. "Luft arm round my neck. Jack: an' sing out if 'tis hurtiu' thee." It seemed but six steps and we were out on the bright hillside, not fifty paces from where the plough yet stood in the furrow. I caught a glimpse of fv brown neck and a pair of firm red lips, of the grey tor stretching above us and, further aloft, a flock of field fare hanging in the pale sky; and then shut my eyes for the dazzle: but could still feel the beat of Joan's heart as sh© I Ride Down into Temple. i8j held mo close, and the toucli of her breath on my forehead. Down the hill she carried me, picking the soft- est turf, and moving with an easeful swing that rather luU'd my hurt than jolted it. I was dozing, even, when a strange noise awoke me. 'Twas a high protracted note, that seem'd at first to swell up toward us, and then broke oflf in half a dozen or more sharp yells. Joan took no heed of them, but seeing my eyes unclose, and hearing me moan, stopped short. "Hurts thee, lad?" " No." 'Twas not my pain but the sight of the sinking sun that wrung the exclamation from me —"I was thinking," I muttered. "Don't: 'tis bad for health. But bide thee still a-while, and shalt lie 'pon a soft bed." By this time, we had come down to the road : and the yells were still going on, louder than ever. We cross'd the road, descended another slope, and came all at once on a low pile of buildings that a moment before had been hid. 'Twas but three hovels of mud, stuck together in the shape of a headless cross, the main arm pointing out toward the moor. Around the whole ran a battered wall, patched with furs; and from this dwelling the screams were issuing — " Joan I " the voice began, " Joan— Jan Terga- gle's a-clawin' my legs— Gar-rout, thou hell cat- Blast thee, let me zog I Pull'n off Joan— Jo-an I " i, I i86 The Splendid Spur. The voice died away into a wail; then broke out 111 a racket of curses. Joan stepped to the ■ door and flung it wide. As my eyes grew used to the gloom mside, they saw this :-- A rude kitchen-the furniture but two rickety chairs now toss'd on their faces, an oak table, with legs sunk into the earth, a keg of strong waters, tilted over and draining upon the mud floor, a ladder leading up to a loft, and in two of the corners a few bundles of bracken strewn for bedding. To the left, as one entered, was an open hearth ; but the glowing peat-turves were now pitch d to right and left over the hearth- stone and about the floor, where they rested, fill- ing the den with smoke. Under one of the chairs a black cat spat and bristled : while in the middle of the room, barefooted in the embers, crouched a man He was half naked, old and bent, with matted grey hair and beard hanging almost to his waist. His chest and legs were Heeding from a score of scratches; and he pointed at the cat, opening and shutting his mouth like a dog, and barking out curse upon curse. No way upset, Joan stepped across the kitchen. Tain'd!-^ «"« <>f the bracken beds, and ex- " That's feyther : he's drunk." With which she turn'd, dealt the old man a cuff that stretch d him senseless, and gathering up the turves, piled them afresh on the hearth. This /i:i i I mi I I ^ ( ■ ill V 2 I Ride Down into Temple. 187 done, she took the keg and gave me a drink of it. The stuff scalded me, but I thanked her. And then, when she had shifted my bed a bit, to ease the pain of lying, she righted a chair, drew it up and sat beside me. The old man lay like a log where he had fallen, and was now snoring. Pres- ently, the fumes of the liquor, or mere faintness, mastered me, and my eyes closed. But the picture they closed upon was that of Joan, as she lean'd forward, chin on hand, with the glow of the fire on her brown skin and in the depths of her dark eyes. tj ■ CHAPTER XII. HOW JOAN SAVED THE ARMY OF THE WEST ; AND SAW THE FIGHT ON BRADDOCK DOWN. But the pain of my hurt followed into my dreams. I woke with a start, and tried to sit up. Within the kitchen all was quiet. The old sav- age was still stretch'd on the floor : the cat curled upon the hearth. The girl had not stirr'd : but looking toward the window hole, I saw night out side, and a frosty star sparkling far down in the west. " Joan, what's the hour ? " "Sun's been down these four hours." She turned her face to look at me. " I've no business lying here." " Chose to come, lad : none axed thee, that / knows by." "Where's the mare? Muse set me across her back, Joan, and let me ride on." " Mare's in stable, wi' fetlocks swelled like pud- dens. Chose to come, lad ; an' choose or no, must bide." " 'Tis for the General Hopton, at Bodmin, I am bound, Joan ; and wound or no, must win there this night." 168 She How Joan Saved the Army. 189 "And that's seven mile away: wi' a bulletin thy skull, and a peat quag thy burial. For they went south, and thy road lieth more south than west." " The troopers ? " "Aye, Jack: an' work I had this day wi' those same bloody warriors : but take a sup at the keg. and bite this manchet of oat cake whil ) I tell tliee." And so, having fed me, and set my bed straight, she sat on the floor beside me (for the better hear- ing), and in her uncouth tongue, told how I had been saved. I cannot write her language; but the tale, in sum, was this :— When I dropp'd forward into her arms, Joan for a moment was taken aback, thinking me dead. But (to quote her) "'no good,' said I, 'in cuddlin* a lad 'pon the hillside, for folks to see, tho' he have a-got curls like a wench : an' dead or 'live, no use to wait for others to make sure.' " So she lifted and carried me to a spot hard by that she called the " Jew's Kitchen ; " and where that was, even with such bearings as I had, she defied me to discover. There was no time to tend me, whilst Molly stood near to show my where- abouts: so she let me lie, and went to lead the sorrel down to stable. Her hand was on the bridle when she heard a WhooTp / up the road ; and there were half a dozen nders on the crest, and tearing down hill toward i I ■n IQO The Splendid Spur. her. Joan had i.ufhing left but to feign ci 'Iness, and went on leading the mare down the slope. In a while, up comes the foiemust trooper, draws rein, and pants out " Where's he to? " " Who? " asks Joan, making out to be surprised. " Why, the lad whose mare thou'rt leadin'?" " Mile an' half away by now." "How's that?" " Freshly horsed," explains Joan. The troopers— the} were all around her by this — swore 'twas a lie ; but luckily, being down in the hollow, cftuld not see over the next ridge. Ti ey began a string of questions all together: but at last a little tun bellied sergeant call'd " Si- lence ! " and asked the girl, " did she loan the fel- low a horse ? " Here I will quote her again : — " ' Sir, to thee,' I answer'd, ' no loan at all, but fair swap for our Grey Robin.' " ' That's a lie,' he says ; ' an' I won't believe thee.' « ' Might }^<> well,' says I ; * but go to stable, an' see for thysel'.' (Never had grey horse to my name, Jack ; but, thinks I, that's his'n lookout.)" They went, did these simple troopers, to look at the stable, and sure enough, there was no Grey Robin. Nevertheless, some amongst them had logic enough to take this as something less than proof convincing and spent three hours and more ransacking the he- * . :d barn, and searching the How Joan Saved the Army. ,g, tot and the moors below it. I icam'd too, that Joan had coma in for »„,„« rough ,alk_to ihiol She put a stop, as .1,0 I„Id me, by offering to (icht any man Jack, rt;,,.mi,,.t,.e buttons o-rhilb^ff! coat_ And at lenglh, about sundown, they gave up the „„„. and road away over the n.oors toward Warlegg., .,av,ng (as the girl heard them say) to be at Braddock before niglit. " Wliere is this Braddock?" "Nigh to Lord Mohun-s house at Boconnoc- 80 :rom Bodmin, as a crow flies." "Then go I must," cried I: and hcreunon I broke out with all the trouble that wTs Imv ■»".d, and the instant need to save these ZlZ gentlemen of Cornwall, ere two armiTs £ combine agamst them. I told of the King'sTt ter in my breast, and how 1 found the Lord Stam- ford , men at Launceston , how that Ruthen, w' 0: the vanguard of the rebels, was now at Liskeard w.th but a bare day's march between the two and Joan ! I cned, " my comrade I left upon the ro.ad Brighter courage r,nd truer heart never man wVrr'"',f'.''f'"^-"*''"'"'^'=' hands tlm'Jl f ,"""'" ''"^ '">' h'^IP. but must stUl ndo on : and here is the issue-to lie struck be lot w A""''.'''- ^"^ " th^ Cornishmen be not warned to give fight before Lord Stamford 192 The Splendid Spur. come up, all's lost. Even now they he outnum- ber'd. So lift me, Joan, and set me astride Molly, and I'll win to Bodmin yet." "Reckon, Jack, thou'd best hand me thy letter. Now, I did not at once catch the intent of these words, so simply spoken ; but stared at her like an owl. , ^ «.v » " There's horse in stall, lad," she went on, "the no Grey Robin. Tearaway's the name, and straw- berry the color." - , . • j "But, Joan, Joan, if you do this— feel inside my coat here, to the left-you will save an army, girl, maybe a throne! Here 'tis, Joan, see— no, not that-here ! Say the seal is that of the Gov- ernor of Bristol, who stole it from me for awhile: but the handwriting will be known for the King's: and no hand but yours must touch it till you stand before Sir Ralph Hopton. The King shall thank you, Joan; and God will bless you for't." "Hope so, I'm sure. But larn me what to say, lad : for I be main thick witted." So I told her the message over and over, till she had it by heart. .!...» " Shan't forgit, now," she said, at length ; an so hearken to me for a change. Bide still, nor fret thysel'. Here's pasty an' oat cake, an' a keg o water that I'll stow beside thee. Pay no heed to feyther, an' if he wills to get drunk an fight wi Jan Tergagle-that's the cat-why let'n. Drunk or sober, he's no 'count." How Joan Saved the Army. 193 about ?"'^ '" "^ = "'■'" ^0 "" this bloodshed ;; For Church and King, Joan." Hding into the darkne°r "^'"g ^ «™.>d, and ».'b:i:,rrairaS^^;:r'"--''eo„ J » glowing point remained. Thp dn.^. ..i.*. j now and then on the hinge • out „„ t^ 'f* light winds kenf » „„• ° *'"' "'"Of the at midnight: a'nd all re'whT™' " '"™ ""S' stabbing and tL t ^ * ""^ ''''"'"> ™^ groaned^aloL ''™°''"' ^""'""^ ^ «" I -ime\T^r„;::srtrc,rrr I alBo judged It time to breakfast : found m^ "Lrt 4 194 '^^^ Splendid Spur. took a bite or two, and a pull at the keg, and lay back— this time to sleep. When I woke, 'twas high noon. The door stood open, and outside on the wall the winter sunshine was lying, very bright and clear. Indoors, the old savage had been drinking steadily ; and still sat before the fire, with the cat on one knee, and his keg on the other. I sat up and strain'd my ears. Surely* if Jo^n had not failed, the royal generals would march out and give battle at once : and surely, if they were fighting, not ten miles away, some sound of it would reach me. But beyond the purring of the cat, I heard nothing. I crawl'd to my feet, rested a moment to stay the giddiness, and totter'd across to the door, where I lean'd, listening and gazing south. No strip of vapor lay on the moors that stretch d— all bathed in the most wonderful bright colors— to the lip of the horizon. The air was like a sounding board. I heard the bleat of an old wether, a mile off, upon the tors; and was turn- ing away dejected, when, far down in the south, there ran a sound that set my heart leaping. 'Twas the crackling of musketry. There was no mistaking it. The noise ran like wildfire along the hills : before echo could over- take it, a low rumbling followed, and then the brisker crackling again. I caught at the door and cried, faint with the sudden "" post ti Thou angel, Joivu !— thou angel ! if 4 How Joan Saved the Army. . igj -^jL^'L"" T"^'"'« '""^ »« ^y 'he throat Joan, Joan-to see what thou seest ! " SrL "^- 'T ' '"'"''* "-^ 'he door post there drinhng ,„ tl,e sound that now was renewed at' quicker intervals. Yet, for as far as I eouM see twas the peaoefuUest scene, though drea y_l et Bunshme on the hills, and the sheep dotUd here edi Jirr""- ^"' ""-" y°»d". overt: eage of the moors, men were lightins and mnr denng e.oh other: and lyearn^l to fee^howTh: T «?°l°5 '""'' "'""' *""' ■<"•> to »is3 a sound of it I sank down on the threshold, and there lay, with my eyes turned southward, through a gap^n the stone fence. I„ a while the muskftry did Iwlv tunes mark a low sound as of men shoutinc and this as I earn-d after, was the true battt ^' It must have been an hour or more before I saw a number of black specks coming over the ■dge of hills, and swarming down into the pll toward me: and then a denser body follow ,7 Twas a company of horse, moving at a ^reS pace: and I g„es.,ed that the battle las do,,e^ W On they came, n, great disorder, scattering as they advanced : and now, in parts, the bill behind was black with footmen, running. Twa a rout sure enouffh. 0„n« „, *„.:.. * /wasa rout, nenrnts heard a ougie blown, as if to rally the crowd I i 196 The Splendid Spur. but saw nothing come of it, and presently the notes ceased, or I forgot to listen. The foremost company of horse was heading rather to the eastward of me, to gain the liigh road ; and the gross pass'd me by at half a mile's distance. But some came nearer, and to my ex- treme joy, T learn'd from their arms and shouting, what till now I had been eagerly hoping, that 'twas the rebel army thus running in rout: and tho' now without strength to kneel, I had enough left to thank God heartily. 'Twas so curious to see the plain thus suddenly fill'd with rabble, all running from the south, and the silly startled sheep rushing helter-skelter, and huddling together on the tors above, that I forgot my own likely danger if any of this revengeful crew should come upon me lying there : and was satisfied to watch them as they straggled over the moors toward the road. Some pass'd close to the cottage ; but none seem'd anxious to pause there. 'Twas a glad and a sorry sight. I saw a troop of dragoons with a standard in their midst ; and a drummer running behind, too far distracted even to cast his drum away, so that it dangled against his back, with a great rent where the music had been; and then two troopers running together; and one that was wounded lay down for a while within a stone's throw of me, and would not go further, till at last his comrade persuaded him and after them a larger company, in mid of i. How Joan Saved the Army. 197 whom was a mau crying, "We are sold, I tell ve «n»«'"^'--p-ook all^tf r ""' "".' ^^"^ "^ <" «« ''"ndred in that this riV^'t ' ^"''^^ ("^ "- *"« -^e) that this must be but an off-shoot, so to say, of the b,gger rout that pass'd eastward through Liskeard. I was thinking of this when I heard footsteps near, and a man came panting through » gap in the wall, into the yard. ^ ^ fl„S°7'".," >.«.. bareheaded fellow, exceedingly flush d with running, bnt unhurt, as far as I could see. Indeed, he might easily have kiU'd me and for a moment I thought sure he would. But catch„,g sight of me, he nodded very friendly and s,tting on a heap of stones a yard or t^' away, began to draw off his boot, and search for a prickle, that it seem'd had got into it. and ie^kMh"^^ °V'' ^""''"'" '''^ ''«• 9"ietly, and jerk d his thumb over his shoulder. By the look of me, he could tell I was on th. other side, but this did not appear to com , I- m liiui 'UCXU f] L98 The Splendid Spur. «* How has it gone ? " asked I. " Well," says he, with his nose in the boot ; "we had a pretty rising ground, and the Cornishmen march'd up and whipp'd us out— that's all— and took a mort o' prisoners." He found the prickle, drew on his boot again, and asked "T'other side?" I nodded. "That's the laughing side, this day. Good evening." And with that he went off as fast as he came. 'Twas, may be, an hour after, that another came in through the same gap : this time a lean, hawk- eyed man, with a pinch'd face and two ugly gashes— one across the brow from left eye to the roots of his hair, the other in his leg below the knee, that had sliced through boot and flesh like a scythe-cut. His face was smear'd with blood, and he carried a musket. " Water ! " he bark'd out as he came trailing into the yard. "Give me water— I'm a dead man t" He was stepping over me to enter the kitchen, when he halted and said " Art a malignant, for certain 1 " And before I had a chance to reply, his musket was swung up, and 1 felt my time was come to die. But now the old savage, that had been sitting all day before his fire, without so much as a sign to show if he noticed aught that was passing, How Joan Saved the Army. jgg and the cat were on the poor wretch toeether me taint And the next thing I recall is beincr dragged .nside by the old man^ho shut he do! after me and slipp'd the bolt, leaving the wounded trooper on the other side. He beaf against"" for orae tnne sobbmg piteonsly for water: and then At least the groans ceased ; and next day he was Having pulled me inside, Joan's father must floor I lay for hours, and passed from one swoon into another. He and the cat had gone baTk 1" :ord:rr''"''™^^^'°--"'"«'^o'Hte:: ca!:rfSnrrk::ito^siSr Za-t^-d in ru^t^^^^^^^^^^ her ^breast heaving, and i„ hLr ha„Tl 'l?d Jl ?!'7''^ ^f ^"'S' ^'"'^ ■ " 'he cried, and fluntr and K ' ^n,' "'"« "■' '" *" '""e. " Ch„"ch and King I O brave day's work lad O M„ j work this day! " ' " "'""^•l' And I .swooned again. ^ CHAPTER XIII. I BUY A LOOKING GLASS AT BODMIN FAIR : AND MEET WITH MK. HANNIBAL TINGCOMB. There had, indeed, been brave work on Brad- dock Down that 19th of January. For Sir Ralph Hopton with the Cornish grandees had made short business of Ruthen's army — driving it headlong back on Liskeard at the first charge, chasing it through that town, and taking 1,200 prisoners (in- cluding Sir Shilston Calmady), together with many colors, all the rebel ordnance and ammuni- tion, and most of their arms. At Liskeard, after refreshing their men, and holding next day a solemn thanksgiving to God, they divided — the Lord Mohun with Sir Ralph Hopton and Colonel Godolphin marching with the greater part of the army upon Saltash, whither Ruthen had fled and was entrenching himself; while Sir John Berkeley and Colonel Ashburnham, with a small party of horse and dragoons and the voluntary regiments of Sir Bevill Grenville, Sir Nich. Slanning, and Colonel Trevanion, turned to the northeast, toward Launceston and Tavistock, to see what account they might render of the Earl of Stam- ford's army; that, however, had no stomach to 300 Buy a Looking Glass. 201 await them, but posted out of the county into Plymoutli and Exeter. ^ 'Twas on thia expedition that two or three of the captams I have mentioned halted for an hour or more at Temple, as well to recognize Ws extreme meritorious service, as to ibS ^Ttol Z 7a- ^f '" '"■'"^"'S "^waof the Eal of Stamford's advance. For 'twas this, they own'd had saved them-the King's message being br^an exhortation and an advertisement upon Z^l ess- matters the most of which were already taken out of hnraan hands by the turn of evente f"U of compliments and professions of esteem uelmous of a high fever that followed my wound And not till three good weeks after, wasTrerover^d enough to leave my bed, nor, for many more did my full strength return to me. No mother c^ud have made a tenderer nurse than was Joa„ throughout this time. 'Tis to her I "we it that ? am aliv to write these words: and i7t e ear scald my eyes as I do so, you will pardon them I us I fori? .^r 1""^ '^""^'y- ""-^ """o to b ei takfn h ?"' ^"'i " """"" ^"""-"ent had been taken between the parties in Devon and caied, at the time ; but was content-now sprine was come-to loiter about the tors. andwhUf 202 The Splendid Spur. watching Joan at her work, to think upon Delia. For, albeit I had little hope to see her again, my late pretty comrade held my thoughts the day long. I shared them with nobody : for tho' 'tis probable I had let some words fall in my delirium, Joan never hinted at this, and I never found out. To Joan's company I was left : for her father, after saving my life that afternoon, took no further notice of me by word or deed ; and the cat, Jan Tergagle (uam'd after a spirit that was said to haunt the moors hereabouts), was as indifferent. So with Joan I passed the days idly, tending the sheep, or waiting on her as she plough'd, or lying full length on the hillside and talking with her of war and battles. 'Twas the one topic on which she was curious (scoffing at me when I offered to teach her to read print), and for hours she would listen to stories of Alexander and Hannibal, Csesar and Joan of Arc, and other great commanders wliose history I remember'd. One evening — 'twas early in May — we had climb'd to the top of the grey tor above Temple, whence we could spy the white sails of the two Channels moving, and, stretch'd upon the short turf there, I was telling my usual tale. Joan lay beside me, her chin propp'd on one earth-stain'd hand, her great solemn eyes wide open as she lis- tened. Till that moment I had regarded her rather as a man comrade than a girl, but now some feminine trick of gesture awoke me perhaps, I Buy a Looking Glass. 203 for my fancy began to contrast her with Delia, and I broke off my story and sigh'd. " Art longing to be hence ? " she asked. lent Sh'/iT.^ '° •" """' ""'•g'". a"d was 8i. lent. She look'd at me and went on "Speak out, lad." "Loth would I be to leave you, Joan " "And why?" grltS' "' "'^ ^""^ '™'"^'' ^ '•"P^-- *"'' I «■» Jack'^'^'Z?'"''' "'^^'^ ''"" '" ^P''"'' «'« '^"th. .. w, T "^'"^ *" ''' ''™™' *■"' sh'-lt-soon." hereTX ""' '" "'""' ""' """ "^ ■*"■*" a ctngTot t:;::!:" '"^ " *'^' ^"^ «- -* 'o2 '/u ''" *''<= '^'■'^' Turk and the Fat set off-Joan on the strawberry, balanced easily on a,, old sack, which was all her saddle, and I to be so Idle. As we set out, Joan's father for tl,f first t,me took some notice of me, standing at the door to see us off and shouting after us to br , g honie some account of the wrestling. Looking back at a quarter mile's distance I slw him sUU ;9l !! 204 Thf,' Splendid Spur. fram'd in the doorway, with the cat perch'd on his shoulder. Bodmin town is naught but a narrow street, near on a mile long, and widening toward the western end. It lies mainly along the south side of a steep vale, and this May morning as Joan and I left the moors and rode down to it from north- ward, already we could hear trumpets blowing, the big drum sounding, and all the bawling voices and hubbub of the fair. Descending, we found the long street lin'd with booths and shows, and nigh blocked with the crowd : for the revel began early and was now in full swing. And the crew of gipsies, whifflers, mountebanks, fortune tellers, cut-purses and quacks, mix'd up with honest country faces, beat even the rabble I had seen at Wantage. Now my own first business was with a tailor : for the clothes I wore when I rode into Temple, four months back, had been so sadly messed with blood, and afterward cut, to free them from my wound, that now all the tunic I wore was of sack- cloth, contrived and stitch'd together by Joan. So I made at once for a decent shop, where luckily I found a suit to fit me, one taken (the tailor said) off a very promising young gentleman that had the misfortune to be kill'd on Braddock Down. Arrayed in this, I felt myself again, and offered to take Joan to see *he Fat Woman. We saw her, and the -^thiop, and the Rhi- M II I Buy a Looking Glass. 20^ noceros (which put me iu mind of poor Anthony Kilhgrew), and the Pig-facM Baby, and the Cud- gel play ; and presently halted before a Cheap Jack, that was crying his wares in a prodigious loud voice, near the town wall. 'Twas a meagre, sharp-visag'd fellow with a grey chm beard like a billy goat's; and (as fortune would have it) spying our approach, he picked out a mirror from his stock and holding it aloft. addressed us straight "What have we here," cries he, "but a pair o' lovers coming? and what i' my hand but a lover's hourglass? Sure the stars of heav'n must have a hand m this conjuncture-and only thirteen pence, my pretty fellow, for a glass that will tell the weather i' your sweetheart's face, and help make Jt fine." There were many country fellows with their maids in the crowd, that turned their heads at this address ; and as usual the women began " 'Tis Joan o' the Tor I " "Joan's picked up wi' a sweetheart— tee-hee I —■an' us reckoned her'd forsworn mankind I " " Who is he ? " " Some furriner, sure : that likes garlic." "He's bought her no ribbons yet." "How should he, poor lad; that can find no garments upon her to fasten 'em to?" And so on, with a deal of spiteful laughter. Some of these sayings were half truth, no doubt : m f'f II 206 The Splendid Spur. but the truthfullest word may be infelix. So noting a dark flush on Joan's cheek, I thought to end the scene by taking the Cheap Jack's mirror on the spot, to stop his tongue, and then drawing her away. But in this I was a moment too late ; for just as I reach'd up my hand with the thirteen pence, and the grinning fellow on the platform bent forward with his mirror, I heard a coarser jest, a rush in the crowd, and two heads go crack ! together like eggs. 'Twas two of Joan's tormentors she had taken by the hair and served so: and dropping them the next instant, had caught the Cheap Jack's beard, as you might a bell rope, and wrench'd him head-foremost off his stand, my thirteen pence flying far and wide. Plump he fell into the crowd, that scatter'd on all hands as Joan pummelled him : and whack, whack I fell the blows on the poor idiot's face, who scream'd for mercy, as though Judgment Day were come. No one, for the minute, dared to step between them : and presently Joan looking up, with arm raised for another buffet, spied a poor Astrologer close by, in a red and yellow gown, that had been reading fortunes in a tub of black water beside bim, but was now broken off, dismayed at the hubbub. To this tub she dragged the Cheap Jack and sent him into it with a round souse. The black water splashed right and left over the crowd. Then, her wrath sated, Joan faced the I i i -w I Buy a Looking Glass. 207 rest, with hands on hips, and waited for them to come on. Not a word had she spoken, from first to last: but stood now with hot cheeks and bosom heav- ing. Then, finding none to take up her chal- lenge, she strode out through the folk, and I after her, with the mirror in my hand ; while the Cheap Jack picked himself out of the tub, whining, and the Astrologer wip'd his long white beard and soil'd robe. Outside the throng was a carriage, stopp'd for a minute by this tumult, and a servant at the horses' heads. By the look of it, 'twas the coach of some person of quality ; and glancing at it I saw inside an old gentleman with a grave vener- able face, seated. For the moment it flash'd on me I had seen him before, somewhere : and cud- gell'd my wits to think where it had been. But a second and longer gaze assured me I was mistaken, and I went on down the street after Joan. She was walking fast and angry ; nor when I caught her up and tried to soothe, would she answer me but in the shortest words. Woman's justice, as I had just learn'd, has this small defect —it goes straight enough, but mainly for the wrong object. Which now I proved in my own case. ♦' Where are you going, Joan ? " "To ' Fifteen Balls' ' stable, for my horse." ' Art not leaving the fair yet, surely I " m t« mmmm 4 208 The Splendid Spur. " That I be, tho'. Have had fairing enow — wi* a man ! " Nor for a great part of the way home would she speak to me. But meeting, by Pound Scawens (a hamlet close to the road), with some friends going to the fair, she stopp'd for a while to chat with them, whilst I rode forward : and when she overtook me, her brow was clear again. " Am a hot headed fool, Jack, and have spoil'd thy day for thee." " Nay, that you have not," said I, heartily glad to see her humble, for the first time in our ac- quaintance : " but if you have forgiven me that which I could not help, you shall take this that I bought for you, in proof." And pulling out the mirror, I lean'd over and handed it to her. "What i' the world be this? " she ask'd, taking and looking at it doubtfully. " Why, a mirror." " What's that ? " " A glass to see your face in," I explained. " Be this my face ? " She rode forward, hold- ing up the glass in front of her. " Why, what a handsome looking gal I be, to be sure 1 Jack, art certain 'tis my very own face ? " " To be sure," said I amazed. " Well I " There was silence for a full minute, save for our horses tread on the high road. And then 4 I Buy a Looking Glass. 209 "Jack, I be powerful dirty ! " Sh?/' iT^f *'"' '"°"^^' ^"^ '^ "^ade me laugh. She looked up solemnly at my mirth (havin/no ense of a joke, then or ever) and bent forward to the glass again. just^out'^nr '"'^ '•."^'^ ^^" '"^^-^ ^ «--iage booth' ..^ "T^' ^y '^' ^h«^P J-ek's inside ?~"'^^''*^'"'^ ^^""^^^^ ««-ted Joan nodded. "Master Hannibal Tingcomb- steward o' Gleys." ^^^is^vmo . " What ! " I jumped in my saddle, and with a pull at the bridle brought Molly to a standstill. "Of Gleys ? " I cried. "Steward of Sir Deakin Killigrew that was ? " i^eakm "Rijfht, lad, except the last word. 'That is* should'st rather say." ' ^leys ? for to-morrow I must ride there." Tis easy found, then : for it stands on the south coast vonder anrl ,.r. u mJin f yonaer. and no house near it : five inile from anywhere, and sixteen from Temple due south. Shall want thee afore thou staS; toy?""' ''^ ha- thought I was so The cottage door stood open as we rode into the yard, and from it a faint smoke came curling! ? 210 The Splendid Spur. with a smell of peat. Within I found the smoul- d'ring turves scatter'd about as on the day of my first arrival, and among them Joan's father stretch'd, flat on his face : only this time the cat was curl'd up quietly, and lying betweer the old man's shoulder blades. " Drunk again," said Joan shortly. But looking more narrowly, I marked a purplish stain on the ground by the old man's mouth, and turned bim softly over. " Joan," said I, " he's not drunk— he's dead I " She Btood above us and looked down, first at the corpse, then at me, without speaking for a time : at last " Then I reckon he may so well be buried." «♦ Girl," 1 cail'd out, being shock'd at this cal- lousLeas, '' 'tis your father — and he is dead I" " Why that's so, lad. An he were alive, shouldn't trouble thee to bury 'n." And so, before night, we carried him up to the bleak tor side, and dug his grave there ; the black cat following us to look. Five feet deep we laid liini, having dug down to solid rock ; and having covered him over, went silently back to the hovel. Joan had not shed a single tear. ' CHAPTER XIV. 1 DO NO GOOD IN THE HOUSE OF GLEYS. Very early next morning I awoke, and hearing no sound in the loft above (whither, since my commg, Joan had carried her bed), concluded her to be still asleep. But in this I was mistaken : for going to the well at the back to wash, I found her there, studying her face in the mirror. " Luckily met, Jack," she said, when I was cleansed and freshly glowing : " Now fill another Ducket and sarve me the same." " Cannot you wash yourself? " I ask'd, as I did BO. "Lost the knack, I reckon. Stand thee so, an' slush the water over me." "But your clothesl"! cried out, " they'll be soaking wet ! " " Clothes won't be worse for a wash, neither oo slush away." Therefore, standing at three paces' distance, I sent a bucketful over her, and then another and another. Six times I filled and emptied the bucket m all : and at the end she was satisfied, and went, dripping, back to the kitchen to get me my break- fast. 211 212 The Splendid Spur. " Art early abroad," she said, as we sat together over the meal. " Yes, for I must ride to Gleys this morning." "Shan't be sorry to miss thee for a while. Makes me feel so shy — this cleanliness." So, promising to be back hy nightfall, I went pres- ently to saddle Molly : and following Joan's di- rections and her warnings against quags and pit- falls, was soon riding south across the moor and well on my road to the House of Gleys. My way leading me by Braddock Down, I turned aside for a while to examine the ground of the late fight (tho' by now little was to be seen but a piece of earthwork left unfinish'd by the rebels, and the fresh mounds where the dead were laid) ; and so 'twas high noon — and a dull, cheer- less day — before the hills broke and let me have sight of the sea. Nor, till the noise of the surf was in my ears, did I mark the chimneys and naked grey walls of the house I was bound for. 'Twas a gloomy, savage pile of granite, perch'd at the extremity of a narrow neck of land, where every wind might sweep it, and the waves beat on three sides the cliff below. The tide was now at the full, almost, and the spray flying in my face, as we crossed the head of a small beach, forded a stream, and scrambled up the rough road to the entrance gate. A thin line of smoke blown level from one chimney was all the sign of life in the building : In the House of Gleys. 213 for the narrow lights of the upper story were mostly shuttered, and the lower fl^or was hid from me by a high wall enclosing a courtlage in front. One stunted ash, with boughs tortured and bent toward the mainland, stood by the gate, which was lockd. A smaller door, also lock'd, was let into the gate, and in this again a shuttered iron grating Hard by, dangled a rusty bell-pull, at which I tugg'd sturdily. On this, a crack'd bell sounded, far in the house, and scared a flock of starlings out of a disus'd chimney. Their cries died away presently, and eft no sound but that of the gulls wailing about rtie^chff at my feet. This was all the answer I I rang again, and a third time : and now at last came the sound of footsteps shuflBing across the slipp d back, and a voice, crack'd as the bell, asked my business. "To see Master Hannibal Tingcomb," an- swered I. o » " "Thy name?" "He shall hear it in time. Say that I come on business concerning the estate." r^I^Vf' rT*^'''*^ something, and the footsteps went back. I had been kicking my heels there for twenty minutes or more when they returned, and the voice repeated the question "Thy name?" f 214 The Splendid Spur. ■| Being by this time angered, I did a foolish thing ; which was, to clap the muzzle of my pistol against the grating, close to the fellow's nose. Singular to say, the trick serv'd me. A bolt was slipp'd hastily back and the wicket door opened stealthily. " I want," said I, " room for my horse to pass." Thereupon more grumbling foUow'd, and a pro- digious creaking of bolts and chains ; after which the big gate swung stiffly back. " Sure, you must be worth a deal," I said, " that shut yourselves in so careful." Before me stood a ^trange fellow— extraordi- nary old and bent, with a wizen'd face, one eye only, and a chin that almost touched his nose. He wore a dirty suit of livery, that once had been canary-yellow ; and shook with the palsy. " Master Tingcomb will see the young man," he squeak'd, nodding his head; "but is a-reading just now in his Bible." " A pretty habit," answered I, leading in Molly « if unseasonable. But why not have said so ?" He seem'd to consider this for a while, and then said abruptly ♦* Have some pasty and some good cider ? " " Why yes," I said, " with all my heart, when I have stabled the sorrel here." He led the way across the court, well paved but chok'd with weeds, toward the stable. I found it a spacious building, and counted sixteen stalls \ In the House of Gleys. 21c there ; but all were empty save two, where stood the horses I had seon in Bodmin the day before. Having stabled Molly, I left the place (which was thick with cobwebs) and follow'd the old servant into the house. He took me into a great stone kitchen, and brought out the pasty and cider, but poured out half a glass only. "Have a care, young man: 'tis a luscious, thick, seductive drink," and he chuckled. " 'Twould turn the edge of a knife," said I, tast- ing it and looking at him : but his one blear'd eye was inscrutable. The pasty also was mouldy, and I soon laid it down. " Hast a proud stomach that cometh of faring sumptuously : the beef therein is our own kill, ing," said he. « Young sir, art a man of blood, I greatly fear, by thy long sword and handiness with the firearms." "Shall be presently," answered I, "if you lead me not to Master Tingcomb." He scrambled up briskly and totter'd out of the kitchen into a stone corridor, I after him. Along this he hurried, muttering all the way, and halted before a door at the end. Without knocking he pushed it open, and motioning me to enter, has- ten'd back as he had come. " Come in," said a voice that seem'd familiar to me. Though, as you know, 'twas still high day, in ^ i 2l6 The Splendid Spur. I ! the room where now I found myself was every ap- pearance of night : the shutters being closed, and six lighted candles standing on the table. Behind them sat the venerable gentleman whom I had seen in the coach, now wearing a plain suit of black, and reading in a great book that lay open on the table. I guess'd it to be the Bible ; but noted that the candles had shades about them, so disposed as to throw the light, not on the page, but on the doorway where I stood. Yet the old gentleman, having bid me enter, went on reading for a while as though wholly un- aware of me : which I found somewhat nettling, so began " I speak, I believe, to Master Hannibal Ting- comb, steward to Sir Deakin Killigrew." He went en, as if ending his sentence aloud : "... And my darling from the power of the dog." Here he paused with finger on the place and looked up. ' Yes, young sir, that is my name— steward to the late Sir Deakin Killi- grew." J, « The late ? " cried I : " Then you know »* Surely I know that Sii Deakin is dead : else should I be but an unworthy steward." He open'd his grave eyes as if in wonder. " And his son, also ? " "Also his son Anthony, a headstrong boy, I fear me, a consorter with vile characters. Alas^ that I should say it." I 1 BO In the House of Gleys. 217 •*And his daughter, Mistress Delia?" "Alas I " and he fetched a deep sigh. " Do you mean. «ir, that she too is dead I " "Why, to be sure— but let us talk on less pain- ful matters." "In one moment, sir: but first tell me~where did she die, and when ? " For my heart stood still, and I was fain to clutch the table between us to keep me from fall- ing. I think this did not escape him, for he gave me a sharp look, and then spoke very quiet and hush'd. " She was cruelly kill'd by highwaymen, at the •Three Cups ' inn, some miles out of Hungerford. The date given me is the 3d of December last." With this a great rush of joy came over me, anc I blurted out, delighted " There, sir, you are wrong I Her father was kill'd en the night of which you speak— cruelly enough, as you say : but Mistress Delia Killigrew escaped, and after the most incredible adven- tures " I was expecting him to start up with joy at my announcement; but instead of this, he gaz'd at me very sorrowfully and shook his head; which brought me to a stand. " Sir," I said, changing my tone, " I speak but what I know: for 'twas I had the happy fortune to help her to escape, and, under God's hand, to bring her safe to Cornwall." ms 218 The Splendid Spur. t " Then, where is she now ? " Now this was just what I could not tell. So, standing before him, I gav3 him my name and a history of all my adventures in my dear comrade's company, from the hour when I saw her first in the inn at Hungerford. Still keeping his finger on the page, he heard me to the end attentively, but with a curling of the lips toward the close, such as I did not like. And when I had done, to my amaze he spoke out sharply, and as if to a whipp'd schoolboy. ^ "'Tis a cock-and-bull story, sir, of which I could hope to make you ashamed. Six weeks in your company ? and in boy's habit ? Surely 'twaa enough the pure unhappy maid should be dead — without such vile slander on her fame, and from you, that were known, sir, to have been at that inn, and on that night, with her murderers. Boy, I have evidence that, taken with your confession, would weave you a halter ; and am a Justice of the Peace. Be thankful, then, that I am a merci- ful man ; yet be abash'd." Abash'd, indeed, I was ; or at least taken aback, to see his holy indignation and the flush on his waxen cheek. Like a fool I stood staggered, and wondered dimly where I had heard that thin voice before. In the confusion of my senses I heard it gay solemnly " The sins of her fathers have overtaken her, as the Book of Exodus proclaim'd : therefore la ' What did yo» in Oxford last Nov etijl)er? "-Page 219. I' II J-- i ff In the House of Gleys. 219 her niheritance wasted, and given to the satyr and the wild ass." " And which of the twain be you, sir ? " I cannot tell what forced this violent rudeness from me, for he seem'd an honest, good man ; but my heart was boiling that any should put so ill a construction on my Delia. As for him, he had risen, and was moving with dignity to the door— to show me out, as I guess. When suddenly I, that had been staring stupidly, leap'd upon him and hurled him back into his chair. For I had marked his left foot trailing, and, by the token, knew him for the white hair'd man of the bowling-green. "Master Hannibal Tingcomb," I spoke in his ear, "—dog and murderer! What did you in Oxford last November? And how of Captain Lucius Higgs, otherwise Captain Luke Settle, otherwise Mr. X. ? Speak, before I serve you as the dog was served that night I " I dream yet, in my sick nights, of the change that came over the vile, hypocritical knave at these words of mine. To see his pale venerable face turn green and livid, his eyeball start, his hands clutch at air— it frighten'd me. "Brandy I" he gasped. "Brandy I there- quick— for God's sake I" And the next moment he had slipp'd from my grasp, and was wallowing in a fit on the floor. I ran to the cupboard at which he had pointed, and ii mj ! l i H,|J |ll l jPPtiHW» 220 The Splendid Spur. finding there a bottle of strong waters, forced some drops between his teeth : and hard work it was, he gnashing at me all the time and foaming at the mouth. Presently he ceased to writhe and bite: and lifting, I set him in his chair, where he lay, a mere limp bundle, staring and blinking. So I sat down facing him, and waited his recovery. "Dear young sir," he began at length feebly, his fingers searching the Bible before him, from force of habit. "Kind young sir— I am an old, dying man, and my sins have found me out. Only yesterday, the physician at Bodmin told me that my days are number'd. This is the second attack, and the third will kill me." "Well?" said I. "If— if Mistress Delia be alive (as indeed I did not think), I will make restitution— I will confess only tell me what to do, that I may die in peace." Indeed, he iook'd pitiable, sitting there and stammering : but I harden'd my heart to say " I must have a confession, then, written before I leave the room." " But, dear young friend, you will not use it if I give up all ? You will not seek my life ? that already is worthless, as you see." "Why, 'tis what you deserve. But Delia shall Bay when I find her — as I shall go straight to seek her. If she be lost, I shall use it— never fear : if In the House of Gleys. 221 she be found, it shall be hers to say what mercy she can discover in her heart; but I promise you I shall advise none." The tears by this were coursing down his shrunken cheeks, but I observ'd him watch me narrowly, as though to find out how much I knew. So I pull'd out my pistol, and setting pen and paper before him, obtain'd at the end of an hour a very pretty confession of his sins, which lies among my papers to thi^ ' u When 'twas writ- ten and sign'd, in a weak, ^ambling hand, I read it through, folded it, placed it inside my coat, and prepared to take my leave. But he called out an order to the old servant to saddle my mare, and stood softly praying and be- seeching me in the courtyard till the last moment. Nor when I was mounted would anything serve but he must follow at my stirrup to the gate. But when I had briefly taken leave, and the heavy doors had creaked behind me, I heard a voice call- ing after me down the road " Dear young sir ! Dear friend I—I had forgot- ten somewhat." Returning, I found the gate fastened, and the iron shutter slipp'd back. "Well?" I asked, leaning toward it. "Dear young friend, I pity thee, for thy paper is worthless. To-day, by my advices, the army of our most Christian Parliament, more than twenty thousand strong, under the Earl of Stamford, have I ill f i i 222 The Splendid Spur. overtaken thy friends, the malignant gentry, neat Strattou Heath, in the northeast. They are more than two to one. By this hour tomorrow, the Papists all will be running like conies to their bur- rows, and little chance wilt thou have to seek Delia Killigrew, much less to find her. And re- member, I know enough of thy late services to hang thee: mercy then will lie in my friends' hands ; but be sure I shall advise none." And with a mocking laugh he clapp'd-to the grating in my face. * i . ■),: m CHAPTER XV. I LEAVE JOAN AND BIDE TO THE WARS. You may guess how I felt at being thus prop- erly fooled. And the worst was I could see no way to mend it; for against the barricado between ua I might have beat myself for hours, yet only hurt my fists: and the wall was so smooth and high, that even by standing on Molly's back I could not —by a foot or more— reach the top to pull myself over. There was nothing for it but to turn home- wards, down the hill: which I did, chewing the ^d of my folly, and finding it bitter as gall. What consoled me somewhat was the reflection that his threats were, likely enough, mere vapor- ing: for of any breach of the late compact be- tween the parties I had heard nothing, and never seem'd a country more wholly given up to peace than that through which 1 1 ad ridden in the morn- ing. So recalling Master Tingcomb's late face of terror, and the confession in my pocket, I felt more cheerful. "England has grown a strange place, if I cannot get justice on this villain," thought I; and rode forward, planning a returu- matoh and a sweet revenge, 223 m