The MS. in a Red Box

by John A. Hamilton

  CHAPTER XIX

  When we landed from the ferry at Sandtoft, Martha and Luke were inwaiting for us, and after greetings had passed, I asked the maid whataccommodation could be found for Mr. Ulceby and his man.

  "That is seen to," answered Martha. "We spied you half an hour ago,and mistress ordered rooms to be prepared for your fellow-travellers.Luke will guide them to their quarters, and bring them to supperpresently. You will come with me."

  "Ay, ay," said Mr. Ulceby. "Right glad shall I be to rest awhilebefore supper. 'Tis long since my old bones were rattled with such astretch of riding. So no hurry about supper, my bonny lass."

  He shot a look at Martha, who replied by a smile of understanding, asLuke swung on his crutch to lead my companions to their lodging.

  On our way to the doctor's I noted the presence of a number ofIslonians among the foreigners, who were trooping into the settlementfrom their day's work afield, and some of them looked curiously at me.Scarce a word passed between me and the maid, for she had some ado tokeep up with my long stride. But when she threw open the door ofAnna's sitting-room, she found breath to say demurely, "Mr. Vavasour."I had had some shrinking under my eagerness to see my love, lest myscarred face, still partly striped with plaister, should give herfright; but there was no sign of that in her beautiful eyes, as shestood waiting for me as near as might be, with allowance of room forthe opening of the door, and with a low, soft cry of pity such asmothers use, she came into my arms. After the long embrace of welcome,she held me off, looking into my face some seconds, and then smilingthrough her tears, called me her brave soldier, her hero, and I knownot what, asking a hundred questions, and laughing and crying in abreath, until the only thing I knew was that she was the loveliestwoman in the world, and I the happiest of all men to have her love. Atlength I remembered I kept her standing, and drew her to a chair,kneeling beside her, and she touched my ugly face softly with her lips,and then broke into a gentle rain of tears. Before we had time to talktogether, Martha rapped at the door, announcing supper.

  We sat long at table, for the doctor, forgetting his studies awhile,asked many questions as I told my tale, and that was long enough. WhenI came to relate how Mr. Ulceby had befriended me, Anna could not speakher gratitude, but it shone so brightly in her face that the good mananswered her--

  "The happiness is on my side, Mistress Goel. I am repaid ahundred-fold for such service as I trust any man would have renderedwho happened to have the ability."

  She governed the swelling in her throat so far as to rejoin--

  "Methinks the good Samaritan would have said much the same."

  Supper ended, and the main of my story told, Mr. Ulceby pleadedweariness as a reason for going off to his quarters, whither we wentwith him, Anna being wishful to assure herself nothing was omitted forhis comfort. When we had left him we paced to and fro under the starrysky in talk of the future. Anna did not approve of my entering Mr.Ulceby's service.

  "Believe me, Frank, it is not the consideration that you are agentleman by long descent that weighs with me," she said, "and I hope Iam not wanting in thankfulness to this good man who has been so muchyour friend. I could give him anything else, but not my Frank to be aslave. For that is what it would be. There would not be some thingsto bear in Mr. Ulceby's counting-house which Virginian slaves endure,but the life would be little better than theirs--for you. You wouldhave to do not only with Mr. Ulceby, but with his clerks and servants;and every one of them would despise you for your ignorance of hislittle knowledge, or hate you for being a gentleman, or both. And howcould you bring your mind or body to sustain the confinement and theweary sameness of mechanical drudgery?"

  I need not record what I said on the other part, since I was not fatedto the course I would have taken. I put down Anna's words of wisdomfor love's sake, though I yet believe that the pride which she disownedhad more influence with her than perhaps she knew. And to tell thetruth I loved her none the less on that account.

  My prudent lady would have me beware lest, in my haste to be honest anddesire to prove my gratitude, I should imperil all our future; it mighttake time to find employment more genial and suitable, but she doubtednot it would be found. She would like to speak with Vermuijden, who atthis time was in command of the settlement. This led her to say thatthe Islonian labourers, who had been hired by him, had been so muchpersecuted by their neighbours that it had been necessary to find themlodging within the pale, where they had come to good terms with theDutch, and to a particular kindness toward her father and herself.Bess Boswell had left her father and her tribe, and for the present hadshelter in Sandtoft. Of these and other matters, which need not bewritten, we talked until late.

  When I went to my chamber I found my sword and pistols laid inreadiness by my bedside,--and smiled at the superfluous care of Luke,who, I supposed, had placed them there. Through the open casement ofmy window came the rustle of leaves and the whisper of the wind amongthe reeds, and once or twice a faint twitter of some bird dreaming onhis perch. The stillness was sweet to ears which had been vexed o'nights with the noise of drunken gamblers, horse-laughs, and oaths andshouting. The holy quietness and my happy thoughts soothed me soon tosleep, from which I was awakened by a great glare of fire through thewindow. Before I had gathered my wits, I heard a shuffling as of manyfeet, and as I sprang out of bed and huddled on my clothes, a shotrang, then other shots were fired, and a general hubbub arose. As Iopened my door, Doctor Goel came out of the room opposite to mine,candle in hand, and Anna and her maid appeared immediately afterwards.We descended to the parlour together, the uproar without increasingevery moment, shouts in Dutch and in English, clash of steel, crash ofstones against woodwork, discharge of firearms, roar and crackle ofburning, and the trampling of a mob hither and thither. It was themore confounding to me that I had observed on entering the settlementhow guns had been placed to command the gates, and the doctor hadmentioned other means of defence which had been adopted since the lastassault. I said something of this, and Anna answered--

  "Do you not hear the cry 'Treachery'? The Islonians have opened thegates, after over-powering the guard."

  I blew out the candle, and then drew one of the shutters back a littleway, and looked out. By the blaze of some building which I could notsee, but which some one said must be the guard-house everything wasillumed almost as if by daylight. The thick of the tumult was now atsome distance beyond us westward, but men were fighting in twos andthrees here and there quite near us. I had said something of rushingout to bring Mr. Ulceby and his man to our company, when a rabble ofmen and women came up, crying, "The witch!" and in the forefront ofthem the mad-woman and another old hag capered and yelled like demons.They were guided by some one who knew the doctor's house, for I had nosooner closed and bolted the shutter than they began to smash thewindow-panes, redoubling their cries. Pressing danger will at timesquicken my slow wits, but I was at a non-plus now. The best that Icould do, methought, was to stand at bay and hope for some unforeseendeliverance. And in truth that seemed nigh at hand all on a sudden.The rabble screamed and shouted as if they were being driven off.Several shots banged close to our ears. A thundering rap was made atthe door, and Sheffield's voice called out--

  "Doctor Goel, open; it is I, your friend Sheffield."

  "Yes, open, doctor," said I, "but say nothing of me. God sends devilson His good errands sometimes."

  As the doctor groped his way to the door, I stepped out into thepassage, and back to the other end of it, so as to see with littlechance of being seen. When the door opened to give Sheffield entrance,I caught a glimpse of some of his men well armed, and, beyond them, ofthe baffled crowd.

  "All in darkness, doctor?" said Sheffield, and called for a lantern,which one of his men handed to him.

  I screened myself within a doorway. When he and the doctor had enteredthe parlour, I drew near enough for eavesdropping, and heard my lord'smocking speech.

  "Yes, Mistress Goel, it is I, the sligh
ted, scorned, rejectedSheffield, who come to your aid. A warning reached me that anotherattack in force was about to be made on the settlement, mostunfortunately too late for me to obtain military strength sufficient todisperse the rioters; but hearing a rumour that some of the wretchesintended especial mischief to you under cover of the general assault, Irode with such of my own knaves as were within call to your rescue. Mydevotion is proof even against your disdain, beautiful Anna. Come, Ihave a horse saddled for your riding, and I and my stout fellows willconduct you to a safe asylum."

  "Have you a horse for my father, my lord? And for my friend Martha?"

  "I' faith, no, my charmer. I could not at a moment's notice providefor a whole household, but I will leave two or three musketeers fortheir defence."

  "Thank you, my lord, I will share their protection and my father'sdanger."

  "Not so, madame; I leave not one of my troop, unless you ride with me.Think what you do. The howling devils outside will tear you limb fromlimb, or burn you over a slow fire. They have sworn you shall notescape them this time."

  "But they will not dare to do me hurt, or if they dare, will not beable, as long as my lord Sheffield and his men defend me."

  "There you are utterly mistaken. We could not hold out against themhere. Half a dozen of us might suffice as an escort perhaps, when oncewe have crossed the ferry. The rest of my men shall return to guardyour father and your maid."

  "I will not leave them, my lord."

  "But, by Heaven, you shall, if I have to drag you off by main force."

  And then I heard the clanking of spurred heels and a movement of otherfeet, the doctor's voice crying, "Hold! Stand back, sir," and in thesame instant my love cried, "Frank!"

  "As well call upon one of the damned!" cried Sheffield, with a hideouslaugh.

  Now, although I was in a white heat of fury, I remembered that the menoutside might hear any loud noise in the room, in spite of the uproararound them, and, if they were brought in on me, there would be littlelikelihood of saving my love. Nor did I wish to do murder, if I couldrescue her without it, so I drew no weapon as I rushed into the room.As I entered, Sheffield thrust the doctor violently aside, and seizedAnna round the waist, his back being toward me. Whether he heard mystep, or something in Anna's face caused him to turn round, I know not,but he faced about, and for a moment stood as if terror-struck; but,recovering himself with amazing coolness, he pulled a pistol from hisbelt. Quick though he was, I was quicker. Catching his right handwith my left, I struck him a blow with my right, which, in turning toavoid, he received on the side of his head, and fell all his length asstiffly as a nine-pin falls. I held up my hand to enjoin silence whileI bent over him, and saw that he had been stunned.

  I was in some perplexity what was next to be done, when some onetouched my shoulder, and on turning round I saw Bess Boswell. Shewhispered rapidly--

  "Follow me as silently as you can, women first, men in the rear, doingjust as I do."

  She took up the lantern and led the way to the back of the house,hiding the light under some part of her dress as we came to the kitchendoor, when she zig-zagged from one bit of shadow to another, now of apile of wood, now of a bush, now of a tree, for there was a great glareof red light over all the settlement by this time.

  We gained the stockade without being followed--or so we hoped--andthen, one by one, we slipped through the gap, hidden by the willowswhich Luke had used to find so convenient. On the other side of thefence we were in sheltering darkness, and in some measure secure. ThenBess let us know what she would be at.

  "There was a boat hereabout yesterday; if you can get by water toBelshaw, that will give you a good start, for there's no crossing thefen just now, and the mob must go a long roundabout to catch you, evenif they see you."

  "How did you come to our aid just in the nick of time?" I asked.

  "I heard what the mob were shouting as they made for the doctor'shouse, and was running to be there before them, when I saw LordSheffield and his men ride up and drive the crowd back. I felt surethat meant mischief. When he had posted his men and gone in alone, Iwalked up boldly and told the fellows I was required to attend a lady.They grinned and let me pass. I bolted and barred the door behind me,making as little noise as I could. When I had done that, I perceivedyou, for I can see like a cat. So I waited to know what your gamemight be, ready to play it according to your lead. Now we must findthe boat quick."

  Bess it was who found it, and a pair of oars and a pole. We got in asquickly and quietly as possible in the darkness--all but Bess, whostooped to push us off.

  "Come with us," said Anna.

  "Nay, the load is heavy enough for one pair of oars," she answered,"and I may be of service best by staying here."

  "Not so; come with us, Bess, I beg," said I, speaking in fear of whatmight befall her if she remained, the Mulgrave men and the mob knowing,as they were like to do, that it was by her means we had got away.

  She stepped into the stern, gave a thrust of the pole against the bank,and I plied the oars with my best strength and skill. As soon almostas we shot out of the darkness into the glare, a loud voice, which Iknew was Boswell's, shouted--

  "There they go--the witch and the murderer of Lord Sheffield! Afortune to the man that takes him dead or alive!" and at the same timethe fence became alive with figures, which for an instant stood blackagainst the light, and then dropped into the darkness where we had beena minute before, reappearing swiftly, some on one bank, some on theother.

  Our Islonians were too well accustomed to wading and swimming to behindered long by water, and they scrambled up the banks at a great rateand ran after us, firing and throwing stones as they ran, until theorder was shouted--

  "Run ahead, you fools, and then stand and fire."

  "Cower low," said I to my company in the boat, pulling with all mymight, the sweat pouring down my face.

  All obeyed but Bess, who stood up in the stern with the pole in herhands.

  We had sped some furlongs under a continual rain of stones and bullets,and whether any one was seriously hurt I did not know, nor even whetherI myself had been hit or not, when we were delivered from those of ourpursuers who were on my right hand, by their plunging into a bog.Another furlong, and we might escape the others by turning into theBelshaw stream.

  While I was saying so to myself--for my panting would not suffer me tosay it aloud--the doctor groaned. A minute later a sting in my leftarm nearly forced me to let go the oar. Soon after Martha made amoaning cry.

  "Crouch, Bess--crouch," I tried to say, but knew not whether she heard.She took no heed if she did, and as at last we neared the mouth of thesmaller stream, she struck something in the water; what I could notsee, for we were now surrounded by the darkness. Again she struck.Then she turned and said, "Ease a little."

  A great yell rent the night from the Idle bank, as our enemiesdiscovered that we had left them in the lurch. Even if they crossedthe Idle, they could not hope to pursue us further over the swampswhich bordered our little river.

  I pulled slowly awhile to make sure of being beyond their reach beforestopping to know what hurt had been taken by us. We could not see, forour lantern had burned out, or been smothered in the folds in whichBess had enwrapped it. Anna, who sat nearest me, affirmed she hadsuffered nothing worse than a few bruises; the doctor had a wound inthe left shoulder, which was bleeding freely, he said; Martha had beenstruck on the head with a stone, but now felt better; Bess assured meshe had no serious injury, which I could scarce believe, exposed as shehad been. Well it was for the rest of us that she had risked herselfso boldly. Twice, in spite of the ready pole, some of our pursuers hadswum out from the bank to lay hold of our craft, and had gone underwith cracked crowns. All would have been over with us if they hadclutched the gunnel.

  Something of this I was saying, when Bess cried, "Cease rowing amoment."

  As she spoke, a hoarse sound of cheering came to our ears, and as itdied away we caught a faint
noise of dipping oars, which grew moredistinct while we listened.

  "Some of them are following in a boat," said Bess. "Hand me yourpistols, and row on."

  "Look to the priming," said I, as I passed the weapons and bent againto the oars. There could be no going fast, for the stream twistedabout sharply at this part, and the darkness was thickened by aldersand willows which leaned over the water, so that I had to feel my wayslowly, lest I ran the boat aground. Happily, I knew every bend andshallow well, having been out on the stream duck-shooting scores oftimes, though never in such gloom as now. My hope was that ourpursuers might be less familiar with its windings, in which case theymight stick on a shoal, or foul a bush long enough to give me time tocross a "broad," which lay a little ahead.

  Out on open water, a boat rowed by three or four men would be sure toovertake us, unless we had a long start of them; but if I could crossthe "broad" before they came up with us, I had some hope of winning therace; for the remainder of the stream twisted about in a manner full ofdifficulty to those who did not thoroughly know its course. Just asthe channel widened, and I was revolving in my mind by what dodge Imight elude our pursuers, they broke out into loud curses, and Iguessed what had happened to them. The stream forked a little waybehind us, and one branch soon ran shallow over a bed of pebbles. Ifone pushed over this, one came to a bed of weeds which was quiteimpassable. Our pursuers, I imagined, had come to the shallow, and Ihoped they would go forward. We could hear they were disputing andquarrelling. So I was assured of the long start I wanted, and pulledcheerily across the mere, rousing the waterfowl by thousands, to theastonishment of Anna, who had never heard such a thunderous flapping ofwings and such a tumult of screaming, quacking, and cackling.

  We gained the entrance to the further stream in safety, and I feltconfident we should reach Belshaw before the other boat could come upwith us. Not that we should be out of danger there, since it was morethan likely some of the mob would go round by the embankment and theroad, if they had an inkling of our destination, but they could notpossibly arrive for an hour or so, which would give us time either togo elsewhere, or to take shelter and send a message to Belton, wherethere were many stout fellows who would come to the rescue, if theycould be brought to believe that "t' young squire" still lived andstood in danger. So I said, encouraging my friends, and as I spoke thesky began to redden a little in the east. In half an hour we were insight of Drury's place, and a few minutes more brought us to thelanding. Nothing could we see or hear of the other boat, andeverything was peaceful enough, except Drury's pigs, which wereclamouring for their breakfast.