The Master of the Ceremonies

by George Manville Fenn

are right, Dick, butI begin to be suspicious at last."

  They hurried down to the gate, where a knot of servants were chatting,the lights from the carriage-lamps glistening in polished panels andwindows, and throwing up the gay liveries of the belaced footmenwaiting.

  "Has any one passed through here lately?" said Mellersh sharply.

  "No, sir," was chorused.

  "Not a lady and gentleman?"

  "No, sir--yes, about half an hour ago Colonel Lascelles and the doctorat the barracks went out together."

  "But no lady and gentleman separately or together?"

  "No, sir."

  "No carriage?"

  "No, sir," said the footman who had acted as spokesman.

  "Only wish they would," grumbled a coachman from his box close by thegate.

  "We are in time," said Mellersh, and Linnell breathed more freely as hetook up a position in the shade of a great clump of evergreens justinside the gate.

  "Have you any plan?" said Mellersh, after a few minutes' waiting, duringwhich time the servants, gathered in a knot, were at first quiet, as ifresenting the presence of the two gentlemen. Then their conversationbegan again, and the watchers were forgotten.

  "Plan? Yes," said Linnell. "I shall take her from him, and not leaveher until she is in her father's care."

  "Humph! That means mischief, Dick."

  "Yes; for him, Mellersh. I shall end by killing that man."

  Mellersh was silent, and the minutes glided by.

  "I can't bear this," said Linnell at last. "I feel as if there issomething wrong--that he has succeeded in getting her away. Mellersh!man! why don't you speak? Here, come this way."

  Mellersh followed as his companion walked to the gate.

  "Is there a servant of Mrs Pontardent's here?"

  "Yes, sir," said a man holding a lantern, "I am."

  "Is there any other entrance to these grounds?"

  "No, sir," said the man sharply, and Linnell's heart beat with joy."Leastwise, sir, only the garden gate."

  "Garden gate?"

  "Yes, sir; at the bottom of the broad walk."

  "Here--which way?"

  "Right up through the grounds, sir; or along outside here, till you cometo the lane that goes round by the back. But it's always kept locked."

  "Stop here, Mellersh, while I go round and see," whispered Linnell. "IfI shout, come to me."

  "Yes; go on. It is not likely."

  They went outside together, past the wondering group of servants, andthen separating, Linnell was starting off when Mellersh ran to him.

  "No blows, Dick," he whispered, "Be content with separating them."

  Linnell nodded, and was starting again when a man ran up out of thedarkness, and caught Mellersh hastily by the arm.

  "Seen a post-chaise about here, sir?"

  "Post-chaise, my man?"

  "Yes, sir--four horses--was to have been waiting hereabouts. Lowerdown. Haven't heard one pass?"

  "No," said Linnell quickly; "but what post-chaise? Whose? Speak man!"

  "Who are you?" said the man roughly.

  "Never mind who I am," cried Linnell. "Tell me who was that post-chaisewaiting for?"

  The man shook him off with an oath, and was starting again on hissearch, when about fifty yards away there was the tramp of horses, therattle and bump of wheels; and then, as by one consent, the three menran towards the spot, they caught a faint glimpse of a yellow chaiseturning into the main road; then there was the cracking of the postboys'whips, and away it went over the hard road at a canter.

  "Too late!" groaned the man, as he ran on, closely followed by Linnelland Mellersh.

  "Too late!" groaned Linnell; but he ran on, passing the man, who racedafter him, though, and for about a quarter of a mile they kept almosttogether, till, panting with breathlessness and despair, and feeling theutter hopelessness of overtaking the chaise on foot, Linnell turnedfiercely on the runner and grasped him by the throat.

  "You scoundrel!" he panted. "You knew of this. Who's in that chaise?"

  "Curse you! don't stop me. Can't you see I'm too late?" cried the mansavagely.

  "Linnell! Are you mad?" cried Mellersh, coming up.

  "Linnell!--are you Linnell?--Richard Linnell?" panted the man, ceasinghis struggles.

  "Yes. Who are you?"

  "Don't waste time, man," groaned the other. "We must stop them at anycost. Did you see them go? Who is it Major Rockley has got there?"

  "A lady we know," said Mellersh quickly. "Who are you?"

  "The drunken fool and idiot who wanted to stop it," groaned Bell."Here, Linnell," he said, "what are you going to do?"

  "The man's drunk, and fooling us, Mellersh," cried Linnell excitedly."Quick! Into the town and let's get a post-chaise. They are certain totake the London Road."

  "No," cried Bell excitedly; "he would make for Weymouth. Tell me this,though, gentlemen," he cried, clinging to Linnell's arm. "I am drunk,but I know what I am saying. For God's sake, speak: is it ClaireDenville?"

  "Who are you?" cried Mellersh sharply. "Stand off, or I'll knock youdown. It is the Major's man, Dick, and he's keeping us back to gaintime. I didn't know him at first."

  "No: I swear I'm not," cried the dragoon, in a voice so full of anguish,that they felt his words were true. "Tell me, is it Miss Denville?"

  "Yes."

  "Curse him! I'll have his life," cried the man savagely. "This way,quick!"

  "What are you going to do?" cried Linnell, as Bell set off at a sharprun towards the main street of the town.

  "Come with me and see."

  "No: I shall get a post-chaise and four."

  "And give them an hour's start," cried the dragoon. "Horses, man,horses."

  "Where can we get them quickly?"

  "In Major Rockley's stable, curse him!" was the reply.

  In five minutes they were at the stable, and the dragoon threw open thedoor.

  "Can you saddle a horse?" he panted, as they entered the place, dimlylit by a tallow candle in a swinging horn lantern.

  "Yes--yes," was the reply.

  "Quick then. Everything's ready."

  Each ran to a horse, the head-stalls were cast loose, and the order ofthe well-appointed stable stood them in such good stead that, everythingbeing at hand, in five minutes the three horses were saddled andbridled, and being led out, champing their bits.

  "We've no spurs. Where are the whips?"

  "They want no whips," cried the dragoon excitedly; "a shake of the reinand a touch of the heel. They're chargers, gentlemen. Can you ride,Mr Linnell?"

  "Yes," was the answer; and as it was given Linnell's foot was painfullyraised to the stirrup.

  He stopped though, and laid his hand upon the dragoon's shoulder.

  "The London Road?" he said, looking him full in the eyes.

  "The Weymouth Road, I tell you."

  Another half minute and they were mounted and clattering down the laneto turn into the main street, up which the three sleek creaturespressed, hanging close together, and snorting, and rattling their bitsas they increased their stride.

  "Steady--steady--a carriage," cried Mellersh; and they opened out toride on either side of a chariot with flashing lamps, and as they passedthey had a glimpse of Lady Drelincourt being escorted home from theparty by Sir Matthew Bray.

  "Steady!" cried Mellersh again, as they came in sight of the cluster oflamps and carriages by Mrs Pontardent's gates; and but for hisinsistance there would have been a collision, for another carriage cameout and passed them, the wheel just brushing Linnell's leg in the roadnarrowed by a string of carriages drawn up to the path.

  "Now we're clear," said Mellersh; and they cantered by the wall, pastthe lane in which the chaise had been waiting, past a few more housesand the ragged outskirts, always mounting, and then bearing off to theleft as the way curved, till there it lay, the broad chalk western road,open, hard, and ready to ring to their horses' beating hoofs.

  "Now then, f
orward!" cried the dragoon hoarsely.

  "At a trot!" shouted Mellersh.

  "No, no; gallop!" roared the dragoon, and his horse darted ahead.

  "Halt!" shouted Mellersh in a ringing voice, for he had not forgottenold field-practice; and the three horses stopped short.

  "Listen!" he continued, in a voice of authority;