XII
HOW THE NEWS CAME TO UNWELCOME EARS
Though all the western quarter of the sky was night-black and spangledyet with stars, the dawn was graying slowly in the east when Tybeeroused me.
"They have not come for you as yet," he said; "so I took time by theforelock and passed the word for breakfast. It heartens a man to eat abite and drink a cup of wine just on the battle's edge. Will you sit andlet me serve you, Captain Ireton?"
"That I will not," said I; adding that I would blithely share thebreakfast with him. Whereat he laughed and clipt my hand, and swore Iwas a true soldier and a brave gentleman to boot.
So we sat and hobnobbed at the table; and Tybee lighted all the remnantcandle-ends, and broached the wine and pledged me in a bumper before wefell to upon the cold haunch of venison.
My summons came when we had shared the heel-tap of the bottle. It was mytoast to this kind-hearted youngster, and we drained it standing whattime the stair gave back the tread of marching men. Tybee crashed hisglass upon the floor and wrung my hand across the table.
"Good by, my Captain; they have come. God damn me, sir, I'll swear theymight do worse than let you go, for all your spying. You've carried offthis matter with the lady as a gentleman should, and whilst I live, sheshall not lack a friend. If you have any word to leave for her--"
I shook my head. "No," said I; then, on second thought: "And yet thereis a word. You saw how I must see the matter through to shield thelady?"
"Surely; 'twas plain enough for any one to see."
"Then I shall die the easier if you will undertake to make it plain toRichard Jennifer. He must be made to know that I supplanted him only ina formal way, and that to save the lady's honor."
The lieutenant promised heartily, and as he spoke, the oaken bar waslifted and my reprieve was at an end.
Having the thing to despatch before they broke their fast, my soldierhangmen marched me off without ado. The house and all within it seemedyet asleep, but out of doors the legion vanguard was astir, and newlykindled camp-fires smoked and blazed among the trees. In shortest spacewe left these signs of life behind, and I began to think toward the end.
'Tis curious how sweet this troubled life of ours becomes when that daywakes wherein it must be shuffled off! As a soldier must, I thought Ihad held life lightly enough; nay, this I know; I had often worn itupon my sleeve in battle. But now, when I was marching forth to thiscold-blooded end without the battle-chance to make it welcome, allnature cried aloud to me.
The dawn was not unlike that other dawn a month past when I had riddendown the river road with Jennifer; a morning fair and fine, its cupabrim and running over with the wine of life. I thought the cool, moistair had never seemed so sweet and fragrant; that nature's garb had neverseemed so blithe. There was no hint nor sign of death in all the woodedprospect. The birds were singing joyously; the squirrels, scarce alarmedenough to scamper out of sight, sat each upon his bough to chatter at usas we passed. And once, when we were filing through a bosky dell withsoftest turf to muffle all our treadings, a fox ran out and stood withone uplifted foot, and was as still as any stock or stone until he hadthe scent of us.
A mile beyond the outfields of Appleby Hundred we passed the legionpicket line, and I began to wonder why we went so far; wondered and madebold to ask the ensign in command, turning it into a grim jest andsaying I misliked to come too weary to my end.
The ensign, a curst young popinjay, as little officer cubs are like tobe, answered flippantly that the colonel had commuted my sentence; thatI was to be shot like a soldier, and that far enough afield so thevolleying would not wake the house.
So we fared on, and a hundred yards beyond this point of question andreply came out into an open grove of oaks: then I knew where they hadbrought me--and why. 'Twas the glade where I had fought my losing battlewith the baronet. On its farther confines two horses nibbledrein's-length at the grass, with Falconnet's trooper serving-man to holdthem; and, standing on the very spot where he had thrust me out, myenemy was waiting.
'Twas all prearranged; for when the ensign had saluted he marched hismen a little way apart and drew them up in line with muskets ported. Butat a sign from Falconnet, two of the men broke ranks and came to strapme helpless with their belts. I smiled at that, and would not miss thechance to jeer.
"You are a sorry coward, Captain Falconnet, as bullies ever are," Isaid. "Would not your sword suffice against a man with empty hands?"
He passed the taunt in silence, and when the men had left me, said: "Ihave come to speed your parting, Captain Ireton. You are a thick-headed,witless fool, as you have always been; yet since you've blundered intoserving me, I would not grudge the time to come and thank you."
"I serve you?" I cried. "God knows I'd serve you up in collops at thetable of your master, the devil, could I but stand before you with acarving tool!"
He laughed softly. "Always vengeful and vindictive, and always becauseyou must ever mess and meddle with other men's concerns," he retorted."And yet I say you've served me."
"Tell me how, in God's name, that I may not die with that sin unrepentedof."
"Oh, in many small ways, but chiefly in this affair with the little ladyof Appleby."
"Never!" I denied. "So far as decent speech could compass it, I haveever sought to tell her what a conscienceless villain you are."
He laughed again at that.
"You know women but indifferently, my Captain, if you think to breach alove affair by a cannonade of hard words. But I am in no humor todispute with you. You have lost, and I have won; and, were I not here tocome between, you'd look your last upon the things of earth in shortestorder, I do assure you."
"You?--you come between?" I scoffed. "You are all kinds of a knave, SirFrancis, but your worst enemy never accused you of being a fool!"
There was a look in his eyes that I could never fathom.
"You are bitter hard, John Ireton--bitter and savage and unforgiving.You knew the wild blade of a half-score years ago, and now you'd makethe grown man pay scot and lot for that same youngster's misdeeds. Haveyou never a touch of human kindliness in you?"
To know how this affected me you must turn back to that place where Ihave tried to picture out this man for you. I said he had a gift to turna woman's head or touch her heart. I should have said that he could usethis gift at will on any one. For the moment I forgot his cool disposalof me in the talk with Captain Stuart; forgot how he had lied to make meout a spy and so had brought me to this pass.
So I could only say: "You killed my friend, Frank Falconnet, and--"
"Tush!" said he. "That quarrel died nine years ago. Your reviving of itnow is but a mask."
"For what?" I asked.
"For your just resentment in sweet Margery's behalf. Believe it or not,as you like, but I could love you for that blow you gave me, JohnIreton. I had been losing cursedly at cards that day, and mine host'swine had a dash of usquebaugh in it, I dare swear. At any rate, I knewnot what it was I said till Tybee said it over for me."
"But the next morning you took a cur's advantage of me on this very spotand ran me through," I countered.
"Name it what you will and let it go at that. There was murder in youreye, and you are the better swordsman. You put me upon it for my life,and when you gave me leave, I did not kill you, as I might."
"No; you reserved me for this."
He took a step nearer and seemed strangely agitated.
"You forced my hand, John Ireton," he said, speaking low that the othersmight not hear. "You had her ear from day to day and used yourprivilege against me. As an enemy who merely sought my life forvengeance's sake I could spare you; but as a rival--"
I laughed, and sanity began to come again. "Make an end of it," I said."I'd rather hear the muskets speak than you."
For reply he took a folded paper from his pocket and spread and held itso that I might read. It was a letter from my Lord Cornwallis, directingCaptain Falconnet to send his prisoner, Captain John Ireton, s
ometimelieutenant in the Royal Scots Blues, under guard to his Lordship'sheadquarters in South Carolina.
"Can you read it?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Well, this supersedes the colonel's sentence. If I say the word toEnsign Farquharson you will be remanded."
"To be shot or hanged a little later, I suppose?"
"No. Have you any notion why my Lord Charles is sending for you?"
"No," said I, in my turn; and, indeed, I had not.
"He knows your record as an officer, and would give you a chance to'list in your old service."
"I would not take it--at your hands or his."
"You'd best take it. But in any event, you'll have your life andhonorable safe-conduct beyond the lines."
"Make an end," I said again. "I understand you will obey his Lordship'sorder, or disregard it, as your own interest directs. What would youhave me do?"
"A very little thing to weigh against a life. Mr. Gilbert Stair is myvery good friend."
I let that go uncontradicted.
"His title to the estate is secure enough, as you know, but you can makeit better," he went on.
This saying of his told me what I had only guessed: that as yet he hadnot been admitted into Gilbert Stair's full confidence; also, that hehad no hint of what had taken place in my chamber some hour or two pastmidnight. At that, a joy fierce like pain came to thrill me.
"Go on," said I.
"Your route to Camden lies through Charlotte. Your guard will give youtime and opportunity to execute a quitclaim in Mr. Stair's favor."
"Is that all?" I asked.
"No; after that our ways must lie apart--or yours and Margery's, at allevents. Give me your word of honor that you relinquish any claim youhave, or think you have, upon her, and I pass this letter on to theensign."
"And if I refuse?"
He came so near that I could see the lurking devil in his eyes.
"If you refuse? Harken, John Ireton; if you had a hundred lives tothrust between me and the thing I crave, I'd take them all." So much hesaid calmly; then a sudden gust of passion seized him, and for once, Ithink, he spoke the simple truth. "God! I'd sink my soul in Calvin'shell to have her!"
I could not wholly mask the smile of triumph that his words evoked. Thisfox of maiden vineyards was entrapped at last. I saw the fire of such apassion as such a man may know burning in his eyes; and then I knew whyhe was come upon this errand.
"So?" said I. "Then Mistress Margery sent you here to save me?" 'Twasbut a guess, but I made sure it hit the truth.
He swore a sneering oath. "So the priest carried tales, did he? Well,make the most of it; she would not have her father's guest taken fromhis bed and hanged like a dog."
I smiled again. "'Twas more than that: she would even go so far as tobeg her husband's life a boon from that same husband's mortal enemy."
"Bah!" he scoffed. "That lie of yours imposed upon the colonel, but Ihad better information."
"A lie, you say? True, 'twas a lie when it was uttered. But afterward,some hour or so past midnight, by the good help of Father Matthieu, andwith your Lieutenant Tybee for one witness and the lawyer for another,we made a sober truth of it."
I hope, for your own peace of mind, my dears, that you may never see afellow human turn devil in a breath as I did then. His man's face fellaway from him like a vanishing mask, and in the place of it a hideousdemon, malignant and murderous, glared upon me. Twice his hand soughtthe sword-hilt, and once the blade was half unsheathed. Then he thrusthis devil-face in mine and hissed his parting word at me so like a snakeit made me shudder with abhorrence.
"You've signed your own death warrant, you witless fool! You'd play thespoil-sport here as you did once before, would you? Curse you! I wishyou had a hundred lives that I might take them one by one!" Then hewheeled sharp upon his heel and gave the order to the ensign. "Belt himto the tree, Farquharson, and make an end of him. I've kept you waitingover-long."
They strapped me to a tree with other belts, and when all was ready theensign stepped aside to give the word. Just here there came a littlepause prolonged beyond the moment of completed preparation. I knew notwhy they waited, having other things to think of. I saw the firing linedrawn up with muskets leveled. I marked the row of weather-beaten facespillowed on the gun-stocks with eyes asquint to sight the pieces. Iremember counting up the pointing muzzles; remember wondering whichwould be the first to belch its fire at me, and if, at that short range,a man might live to see the flash and hear the roar before the bulletskilled the senses.
But while I screwed my courage to the sticking place and sought to holdit there, the pause became a keen-edged agony. A glance aside--a glancethat cost a mightier effort than it takes to break a nightmare--showedme the ensign standing ear a-cock, as one who listens.
What he heard I know not, for all the earth seemed hushed to silencewaiting on his word. But on the instant the early morning stillness ofthe forest crashed alive, and pandemonium was come. A savage yell to setthe very leaves a-tremble; a crackling volley from the underwood thatleft a heap of writhing, dying men where but now the firing squad hadstood; then a headlong charge of rough-clad horsemen--all this befell inless than any time the written words can measure.
I sensed it all but vaguely at the first, but when a passing horsemanslashed me free I came alive, and life and all it meant to me wascentered in a single fierce desire. Falconnet had escaped the fusillade;was making swiftly for his horse, safe as yet from any touch of lead orsteel. So I might reach and pull him down, I cared no groat whatfollowed after.
It was not so to be. In the swift dash across the glade I went too nearthe shambles in the midst. The corporal of the firing squad, a beardedSaxon giant, whose face, hideously distorted, will haunt me while Ilive, lay fairly in the way, his heels drumming in the death agony, andhis great hands clutching at the empty air.
I leaped to clear him. In the act the clutching hands laid hold of meand I was tripped and thrown upon the heap of dead and dying men, andcould not free myself in time to stop the baronet.
I saw him gain his horse and mount; saw the flash of, his sword and theskilful parry that in a single parade warded death on either hand; sawhim drive home the spurs and vanish among the trees, with hishorse-holding trooper at his heels.
And then my rescuers, or else my newer captors, picked me up hastily;and I was hoisted behind the saddle of the nearest, and so was borneaway in all the hue and cry of a most unsoldierly retreat.
The Master of Appleby Page 14