Roger Kyffin's Ward
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arose from his knees andasked the captain if he might be indulged with a glass of white wine.On its being presented to him, he exclaimed, lifting up his eyes, "Idrink, first, to the salvation of my soul; and next, to the forgivenessof all my enemies." He then begged that Captain Moss would shake handswith him. This the captain did. He then desired that he might beremembered to his companions on board the "Neptune," with his last dyingentreaty to them to prepare for their destiny and to refrain fromunbecoming levity. On being led to the scaffold on the forecastle, heasked whether he might be allowed to speak.
"I am not going to address the ship's company," he added; "I only wishto acknowledge the justice of the sentence under which I suffer, and topray that my death may be considered a sufficient atonement for thelives of others."
Turning round, he then asked if any person would lend him a whitehandkerchief. This, after a little delay, was handed to him. He thenbegged that a minute might be allowed him to recollect himself, when hekneeled down about that space of time. Then rising up, he said, withconsiderable dignity, and perfect coolness, "I am ready," and firmlywalked to the extremity of the scaffold. For an instant he stood there,full of life and strength, with a head to plan, and nerve to carry outhis objects. He dropped his handkerchief, the gun was fired, and he wasrun up to the yard-arm. A struggle, and he was dead.
For more than a month the court-martial continued sitting and trying theother mutineers. A considerable number received sentence of death;among them was Andrew Brown. Several were ordered to be flogged fromship to ship, and others were confined in the Marshalsea prison forcertain periods.
Parker's was the first death, but many of the other ringleaders weredirectly afterwards executed at the yard-arms of their respective ships.The prisoners were tried in succession, and the sentence was forthwithcarried out on those who were condemned to death. Harry fully expectedere long to be called forth to undergo his sentence, and he came to theresolution of not attempting any effort to escape his doom.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
MABEL'S RESOLVE.
Mabel and her aunt had taken up their residence for some time at thesmall bow-windowed house in the upper part of the town of Lynderton. Ithad been described as a very genteel residence for a spinster lady. Tosay that it had neat wooden railings before it, and steps leading up tothe front door, kept scrupulously clean, will be sufficient to give anidea of Mabel's new abode. The style of life the two ladies led wasvery different to what they had been accustomed to. Mary remained asgeneral servant, while the cook, who had grown fat and aged at Stanmore,entreated that she might accompany her old mistress. Paul Gauntlettdeclared that the day he should be separated from them would be hislast. So he also was allowed to take up his abode in the bow-windowedhouse, though his accommodation was limited in the extreme. All hewanted was house-room. Wages he would not receive, and he had been toolong accustomed to forage for himself to require being fed. It cannotbe said that the family were reduced to complete poverty, still theirmeans were very scanty. Mabel had literally nothing, but an annuity hadbeen secured to Madam Everard on the Stanmore estates, which Mr. Sleechcould not touch, though he did his best to make it as small as possibleby putting her to considerable expense before she could obtain it.
Strange to say, when Mabel heard that her father and Harry were stillalive, her regret for her loss of property was greater than it had beenpreviously. She had formed all sorts of plans for her future career.As long as her aunt lived, she would attend to her. When she was calledaway she would go out and teach, or enter some family as a governess.Now, however, the case was altered. Her father would never consent toher doing that, while she could no longer hope, as she had hoped, tobecome the well-dowered wife of Harry Tryon. She loved him--that sheknew. Would he continue to love her? She had no doubt about that, butwould he have the power of giving her a home? Would he be able toreturn to the position he had abandoned in Mr. Coppinger'scounting-house, and, with the assistance of his guardian, labour till hehad gained an independence? She thought Harry would be capable ofanything. Her father would, at all events, be ready to help him byevery means in his power. He surely could refuse nothing to the man whohad saved his life so bravely at the risk of his own. Her father hadalways been looked upon as a man of great influence. It did not occurto her that this arose from his being supposed to be the heir ofStanmore--the owner of the borough, who could return two members at hiswill. Poor girl! Captain Everard as he had been, and Captain Everard,though a very good officer, without a vote in Parliament, and with hispay only to support him, were very different persons.
The Everards had always been Tories. Mr. Sleech supported the oppositeparty, and was now giving all his influence to the Whig interest.
The people in the neighbourhood, however, called very frequently atMadam Everard's door to inquire after her. Among the few admitted wasthe Baron de Ruvigny. Each time he came he talked more and more of theCoppingers, and Mabel could not help discovering that he was completelycaptivated by the charms of Sybella Coppinger. He brought also all thenews of the day. From Paul Gauntlett, however, who read the paperthrough, they learned chiefly the progress of the mutiny.
Mabel at length became very anxious about Harry. She did not know inwhat ship he was serving, and though she felt sure that he would notjoin the mutineers, she could not help dreading that he might be placedin danger in consequence of what was occurring. Her anxiety wasincreased by not hearing from him as she had expected. She was certainthat he had not forgotten her. Her confidence, indeed, in his faith andlove remained unshaken. At last Mary received a letter in an unknownhand. It was very unlike the one which Harry had written at Tuttle'sdictation, but this also professed to be from Jacob. It was short, forthe writer was evidently not much accustomed to the use of the pen. Itran thus: "Dear Mary,--This comes to tell you that we're in a mess.Some of our fellows have been holding out against the Government, andhave got nothing for their pains. We have had a number of delegatesgoing about from ship to ship, and they have been and got some ofthemselves hung, and not a few flogged round the fleet. Sarves themright, say I. I should not mind it, if it was not for a shipmate, youknows who, who has been put in limbo. His name abroad is Andrew Brown,but your young lady knows him, and knows that that is not his name.Worser still, he's going to be hung. If I could get liberty, I'd go andsee you and tell you all. It's a sad thing, and I would give my eyes tosave the young chap.--Yours to command, Jacob Tuttle--his cross X."
Mary, who had not deciphered the letter very clearly, brought it to hermistress. As Mabel finished it, the paper fell from her hands. Adeadly pallor overspread her countenance, and she fell back faintinginto the arms of her attendant. Happily, Paul at that moment came intothe sitting-room, and assisted the damsel in placing her mistress on asofa. While Mary ran to get restoratives, and to call Madam Everard,his eye fell on the paper. Seeing the rough style of handwriting, hethought that he might with propriety read it over.
"That's it," he said to himself; "it's that young gentleman, he's goneand done something desperate. We must get him out of the scrape, or itwill be the death of Miss Mabel."
Mabel quickly returned to consciousness and found Paul and Mary standingnear her. Madam Everard had gone out.
"I know all about it, Miss Mabel," said Paul, "and I want to help you."
"Do you think this can allude to Harry?" she asked; "I mean Mr. Tryon."
"Too likely," said Paul; "I won't deny it, because it's clear to my mindthat something must be done to save him. Cheer up, Miss Mabel. We willdo it if it can be done. There's that old gentleman who takes aninterest in Master Harry--his guardian, you call him. I would go tohim. He would be the best man to say what can be done, and I am sure hewould do it."
"Oh! that he would, for I am confident that Harry is innocent. He neverwould have done anything worthy of death. I will go up to the Admiraltyand plead for him; I will tell them who he is. They would never allowhim to be executed; or if they wi
ll not listen to me, I will go to theKing himself. I will plead with his Majesty; he will surely have powerto save him."
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
UNEXPECTED EVIDENCE.
At an early hour of the day, towards the end of June, two persons onhorseback might have been seen proceeding through the New Forest. Thesun, just rising, cast his rays amid the boughs of the trees, throwinglong shadows over the greensward. Here and there light-footed deer,cropping the dewy grass, started as they heard the footsteps of thehorses, and went bounding away farther into the depths of the forest.One of the persons was a young lady mounted on a light, active palfrey;while the other, a tall old man, bestrode a large, strong steed, wellcapable of bearing his weight. A brace of formidable-looking pistolswere stuck in his holsters, while another pair of