CHAPTER VI
THE THREAT OF SWORDS
Stepping from the glare of those gleaming parlor lights into the gloom ofthat narrow passage, blinded me for the instant, yet a moment later, Ibecame aware of the distant glimmer of a candle, the faint reflectionrevealing the girl's face.
"Please do not talk; do not ask anything--yet," she urged hurriedly,noiselessly closing the door at my back, and as instantly gripping mysleeve. Her breath came quickly; her voice trembled from suppressedexcitement. "Come with me, beyond the light yonder."
I followed her guidance, bewildered, yet having every confidence thereason for this mysterious occurrence must be fully justified. Thepassage curved slightly, terminating at a closed door. Scarce areflection of the candle reached us here, yet my eyes were by nowsufficiently accustomed to the gloom so that I could trace the outlinesof her face. A vague doubt took possession of me.
"You are causing me to run away from Grant," I protested blindly. "Youare making me appear afraid to meet him."
"No, it is not that," swiftly. "He was not coming to you personally atall--you were to be arrested."
"What! He knew me then?"
"I am not sure--some one did, and mentioned his suspicions. Captain Grantwas glad enough of an excuse, no doubt, but he," the soft voicefaltering, "he made a mistake in twitting me for being friendly towardyou."
"And you came to warn, to save me!" I exclaimed, pressing her hand.
"That was nothing; I could do no less. I am only glad I knew the way."
"You mean how you might reach me first?"
"Yes; it came to me in a flash when he first left me alone, only I wasnot certain in which parlor you would be waiting. I ran through thekitchen and down the back stairs; I helped the officers plan theirdecorations, and in that way learned of this private passage beneath thestairs. It was easy, but--oh, listen! they are in there now!"
We could hear voices through the intervening wall clearly enough to evendistinguish words, as the speakers exercised little restraint. I felt thegirl's slender figure press against me in the narrow space where westood, and I clung to her hand, both remaining motionless and silent.
"The fellow has run, Grant," boomed some one hoarsely, "either afraid, orelse what you say he is. See here, boy, did you see any one in herelately in scarlet jacket?"
"I don' just 'member, sah," answered a negro, hesitatingly. "I was busyover dar' cleanin' de side-boa'd."
"Well, he's not here now, that's certain," broke in Grant impatiently,"and we've been in all the parlors? What next, MacHugh?"
"Try to head him off before he can get out of the city, of course. That'shis game, probably. Osborne, have Carter come here at once. Why didn'tyou nab the fellow upstairs, Captain? Fool play that, sending him downhere."
"I didn't wish to create a row in the ball-room; he was with ClaireMortimer--"
"Oh, I see," laughing coarsely. "Something besides military dutyinvolved, eh?"
"I'll trouble you to be a trifle more careful, MacHugh," Grant saidstiffly. "The fellow did her a small service in the afternoon, and shecouldn't refuse dancing with him, as he was in uniform, and apparentlyall right. I advise you to drop that part of the affair. Here's Carternow."
I could hear the click of the newcomer's spurs as he crossed the room.MacHugh chuckled.
"Touchy about it just the same, I see; however we'll pass up the lady.Carter, there has been a spy in here to-night, calling himself LieutenantFortesque, of the 42nd Regiment. He came through the lines this morningwith despatches for Howe, I understand. Did you meet him?"
"No, sir, but one of my men was riding about with him all day--Watts; Iheard him telling about it an hour ago."
"Is that so? Where'd they go?"
"Covered everything, I judge, from Callowhill to the Lower Battery. Wattssaid he asked questions of everybody they met, but he didn't take anynotes. He liked the fellow, but thought he was mighty inquisitive. Whereis he now, sir?"
"The devil knows, I don't, and you'll have to find out. He'll headnorthwest likely; he'll never try to cross the river here. How many menhave you?"
"Twenty."
"Scatter them to every north post. The fellow had no horse, and yourtroopers can easily get ahead of him. Hurry up now." Carter departed withclick of steel, and MacHugh evidently turned to his companion.
"We'll catch the lad all right, Grant. Some of those outposts will nabhim before daylight. No use our waiting around here; let's go backupstairs."
The girl's nervous grasp on my arm tightened, her lips pressed close tomy ear.
"I--I must get back to my place at the table," she whispered. "Surely youknow what to do; this is a rear door; there are stables a hundred feetaway; you must get a horse, and ride fast--you--you will do this!"
"Yes, of course--but how can I thank you?"
"Don't try; don't ever even think of it again. I hardly know what madimpulse sent me here. Now I have but one thought--to hurry you away, andget safely back myself--you will go?"
"Yes--but--"
"Not now! there is no time for explanation, promises, anything. You heardwhat they said; every avenue of escape will be blocked within an hour. Ifyou go at once you can outride them--please, please go!"
She held out her hand, and I grasped it warmly, unable longer to waragainst the pitiful appeal in her voice.
"Yes, I'll go, at once. But I take away with me a memory which will neverpermit me to be satisfied until we meet again. We have been together soshort a time--"
"Had it been longer," she interrupted, "you would know me better, andcare less, perhaps. I am a sham; a cheat," a trifle of bitterness in thetone. "You will learn all that some day, and laugh at yourself. Oh, Iknow you will; so not another word, sir. I am going; then, perhaps, youwill."
There was a slight pressure of her fingers, and she had vanished soquickly I could only stare blindly along the deserted passage. Yet, aninstant later, the peril of my predicament flashed back upon my mind, andI faced the immediate necessity for action. What her strange words mightmean could not be interpreted; I made no attempt to comprehend. Now Imust find means of escape, and learn the truth later. I opened the doorcautiously, and stepped without, every nerve taut, every muscle bracedfor action. It was a star-lit night, and the numerous rear windows of themansion cast a glare of light for some distance. The dark shadow of ahigh fence alone promised concealment, and, holding my sword tightly, Icrept in that direction, breathing again more freely as I reached itsprotection unobserved. There was a guard stationed before the stabledoor--a Grenadier, from the outline of his hat--and others, a littlegroup, were sitting on the grass a dozen feet away. If they had not beenalready warned I might gain a horse by boldness, but the probability wasthat here was where Carter had mounted his squad, and I would merely walkforward into a trap. I had better chance the possibility that somevisitor had left a horse tied in front, or to one of the stands. Withthis possibility in mind I turned, and skirted the house, making myselfas inconspicuous as possible. There were soldiers on the outside steps; Iheard their voices without seeing them, and was thus driven to runswiftly across an open space, memory guiding me toward the oppositepavilion. Breathless, with heart beating fast, I crouched low in theshadow, endeavoring to make out my more immediate surroundings. Therewere no horses there, but I could clearly distinguish the stomping ofrestless hoofs somewhere to the right. As I straightened up, determinedupon discovering an empty saddle if possible, the figure of a mansuddenly loomed directly in front, advancing toward me. In startledsurprise I took one step backward, but was too late. Already the eyes ofthe newcomer had perceived my presence, and he sprang forward, tugging athis sword.
"Hold on there! hold on!" he commanded shortly. "Who are you? What thedevil are you skulking about out here for?"
It was Grant beyond a doubt; I would recognize the peculiar snarl of thatvoice in a thousand. He had not gone upstairs then; had not rejoined thelady in the dining-room. What would she think of his absence? What wouldshe do when she r
ealized its probable meaning? Someway I was notfrightened, at thus meeting him, but glad--if those others would onlykeep away, and let us settle the affair between us. Here was his test--acoward would cry out an alarm, summon the guard to his assistance, but,if the fellow's nerve only held, or if he hated me badly enough, he'dfight it out alone. All this came to me in a flash, and the words ofchallenge spoken before he even grasped the thought of who I was.
"So I have discovered you, have I? Why did you fail to keep ourappointment within?"
He drew up sharply, with an oath, peering at me through the dark,bewildered by my speech.
"The spy! Ye gods, what luck! Do you mean to insinuate I ran away, sir?"
"How else could I interpret it?" I questioned coolly, determined to taunthim to action. "I waited where you told me till I was tired. Perhaps youwill oblige me by explaining your purpose."
He muttered something, but without comprehending its purport I went onthreateningly:
"And I think you made use of the word _spy_ just now. Did you mistake mefor another?"
"Mistake you? No; I'd know you in hell," he burst forth, anger making hisvoice tremble. "I called you a spy, and you are one, you sneaking nightrat. You never waited for me in the parlor; if you had you'd now be underarrest."
"Oh, so that was the plan?"
"Yes, that was it, Mister Lieutenant Fortesque."
"Well, Grant," I said sternly, "I've got just one answer to make you. Youcan call your guard, or you can fight it out with me here. Whichever youchoose will depend upon whether you are a man, or a cur." I took a stepnearer, watching him as best I could in the dark. "You are an unmitigatedliar, sir," and with sudden sweep of the arm I struck him with open hand."Probably you will realize what that means."
For an instant he remained so still I doubted him, even held him cheap;then the breath surged through his clinched teeth in a mad oath. Hesurged toward me, but my sword was out, the steel blocking his advance.
"You--you actually mean fight?"
"Why not? Isn't that cause enough? If not I will furnish more."
"I do not fight spies--"
"Stop! That silly charge is merely an excuse. You do not believe ityourself. You wanted a quarrel yonder in the ball-room. The expression ofyour eyes was an insult. Don't evade now. I am here, wearing the uniformof the British army. I have every right of a gentleman, and you willcross swords, or I'll brand you coward wherever there is an Englishgarrison."
The fellow was certainly not afraid, yet he hesitated, not quite clear inhis own mind what he had better do. I might be a spy, and I might not; hepossessed no doubt a moment before, yet the very boldness of my words hadalready half convinced him there might be some mistake. Should he call tothe men on the steps yonder, denounce me, and turn me over to the guard?That was the easiest way for him, the greater disgrace to me. Yet if, byany chance, I proved later innocent of the charge, then he would becomethe laughingstock of the army. I heard his teeth grate savagely as herealized his dilemma, and laughed outright.
"You do not seem altogether pleased, my friend; what are you, a toysoldier?"
"Hell's acre! I'll show you what I am."
I saw the sudden flash of his drawn blade, and flung up my own in guard.
"Wait; not here, Captain," I insisted quickly. "We're far too near yourwatchful friends yonder; besides the light is poor. Let's try ourfortunes beyond the pavilion, where it can be simply man to man."
He turned without a word, and I followed, eager enough to have done withthe business. The stars gleamed on the naked weapons held in our hands,but we exchanged no words until we had rounded the corner, and come forthinto the open space beyond.
My Lady of Doubt Page 6