CHAPTER TWELVE.
A COMBAT IN A QUARRY.
The man and woman left behind, as they stood _vis-a-vis_, presented astriking appearance. Such a pair in juxtaposition were a sight notoften given to the eye. He some inches the taller--though well matchedas regarded the distinction of the sexes; but both of towering stature,with air so commanding that one, who could have seen them there andthen, would not have given a thought to the coarseness of their apparel,or, if so, instantly forgetting it. Looking at their faces, in theireyes as they met in mutual gaze, he would have noticed something of anature to interest more than any quality or fashion of dress--the lightof love. For they loved one another warmly, and, perhaps, as purely andtenderly, as if their hearts had been beating under robes of silk.
No words of love passed between them now. If they intended speakingsuch, they held them in reserve till matters more pressing should bedisposed of.
Upon these the man entered at once, asking,--
"Heerd you anythin' 'bout me, Win?"
"Yes, Rob."
"What?"
"They have been wonderin' how ye managed to get out o't gaol, an' blameWill Morgan for lendin' ye a hand. Day afore yesterday a party cameover from Lydney wi' that young officer as be wi' Sir John Winter--Trevor I think they call him."
"Yes; that's the name. I know him well enough--too well. 'Twas he astook me in the High Meadows."
"Oh! it was. Well; he hev taked Will, too, an' carried him away toLydney, where Sir John ha' now got a gaol o' his own. There wor sometrouble 'bout it; the Lord Herbert, who's governor at Monnerth, claimin'him as his prisoner. But the other sayed as yours wor a case o'deer-stealin' in the Forest, an' Will had helped, ye ought both be takenbefore Sir John an' tried by him, he bein' head man o' it. Then LordHerbert gave in, an' let them take him off. Will did help ye a bit,didn't he?"
"More'n a bit. But for him, liker than not, I'd now be in theer lock-upat Lydney. Well, if he be goed there he mayn't ha' so long to stay asthey think for--won't, if what I've heerd be true."
"What's ye heerd, Rob?"
"Some news as ha' just come down from Lunnun. It's sayed the King'sbeen chased out o't, an' the Parlyment be now havin' it all theer ownway. Supposin' that's the case, Sir John Winter won't hae it all hisown way much longer. We Foresters'll deal wi' him diff'rent from whatwe've been a doin'. An' 'bout that I ha' got word o' somethin' else."
"What somethin'?"
"A man, they say's comin' down here--from Lunnun too. One o' the rightsort--friend o' the people. Besides, a soldier as ha' seen foreignservice, an' is reckoned 'mong the best and kindest of men."
"I think I know who ye mean, Rob. Ain't it Sir Richard Walwyn?"
"That's the man."
"He wor at Hollymead fore he went away to the wars. I've seed himmany's the time. He used to often ride past our place, an' alwaysstopped to ha' a word an' a joke wi' Jack. That makes me remember him;an' if I beant mistook somebody else ha' remembrance o' him in adifferent way, an' ain't like ever to forget him."
"Who?"
"One o' the young ladies o' Hollymead--the older 'un, Miss Sabrina. Iha' heerd as much from the house sarvints theer."
Just the shadow of a cloud had shown itself on Rob's brow as Wincommenced giving her reminiscences of the knight who had been visitor atHollymead and used to crack jokes with Jerky. It passed off, however,ere her relation came to an end.
"Well, dear Win," he said, speaking more tenderly from consciousness ofhaving harboured an unjust suspicion; "they say Sir Richard be comin'down to raise soldiers for the Parlyment. If that be so, one o' thefirst to join him'll be Rob Wilde; an' maybe the biggest, if not best,in the fightin' line."
"You'll be the best, Rob; I know you will. Who could equal you?"
At which she threw open her arms, then closed them around his neck,covering him with kisses.
In all probability, many soft words and much tender concourse would havesucceeded this outburst of admiration. But the opportunity was notallowed them. Just then they heard a clattering of hoofs, horsemencoming down the road from Ruardean, at a gallop.
Rob, setting his ears to listen, could tell there were two of them, butnothing more--nothing to admonish him whether they were friends orenemies. But with the consciousness of having stolen deer and brokenjail, twenty to one on their being the latter, reflected he. In anycase prudence counselled him hiding himself, and letting the horsemenpass on.
His first impulse was to spring back up the bank, leaving the woman inthe road. They could have nothing against her, whoever they were. Butthey were near now, still riding rapidly, and before he could scrambleto the summit of the slope would be sure to see him. Just then, ahiding-place handier, and more easily accessible, came under his eye; abreak in the bank just opposite, which he knew to be the entrance to anold limestone quarry, long abandoned. He would be safe enough in there,at least from observation by any one passing down the road. Whether orno, it was now Hobson's choice with him; the trampling was louder andclearer; and but for an abrupt bend of the road above he could have seenthe horsemen, as they him. No alternative, therefore, but to cut intothe quarry; which he did--the woman with him.
Scarce were they well inside it, when the hoof-strokes ceased to beheard. The horses had been suddenly pulled up; a colloquy ensuing.
"Hullo, Jerky!" it begun. "On your way from Monmouth market, Isuppose?"
"Yes, yer honour; jist that."
"But where's your big sister? I've met you scores of times along theroads, though never without her. I hope there's nothing amiss?"
"Oh! nothin', sir. She be wi' me now, close by, coming up the pitch,only ha' legged a bit behint."
"Well, Jack, I won't detain you; as I must not be lagging myself. Iwant to reach Ross before the night's on. Good-bye, old cadge!"
At which the dialogue came to an end, and the hoof-strokes were againheard, now coming close.
Only for a minute or so, when a second colloquy was entered upon, thistime one of the voices being different.
Rob Wilde knew them both; had long ago recognised the one that heldspeech with the cadger, and had reason to feel keenly apprehensive as helistened. Far more now, as the words of the later dialogue dropped uponhis ears.
"Old Timber-toes said his sister was just behind. I don't see anythingof her; and certainly she's not one there should be any difficulty inmaking out--even at a league's distance. Hey! what the deuce is that?"
And Reginald Trevor again reined up. For it was he, with his servant.
"A basket, it appears to be, Captain," answered the man, "with a bottlein it. Yes," he added, after drawing closer, lifting it from the ledge,and peering into it. "Something besides the bottle--bread, cheese, andbacon."
"Where there's so much smoke there should be some fire," reflected hismaster, who had halted in the middle of the road. Then, thinking it oddhe saw nothing of the cadger's sister, and noticing the gap leading intothe quarry, it occurred to him she might be there. Partly out ofcuriosity, and partly from an intuition, which the basket of provisionshad done something to inspire, he headed his horse at the opening androde in.
Soon as inside, an exclamation rose to his lips, in tone which told ofmore than surprise. There was triumph, exultation, in it. For theresaw he, not only the woman missing from the road, but a man, the samewho had been for some time missing from Monmouth Gaol. The bushes inthe old quarry were not thick enough, nor tall enough, to give either ofthem concealment; and they were standing erect, without further attemptat seeking it.
"Ho--ho! my giant," cried the officer. "It's here you are; making loveto Jerky's sister. And a pretty pair of love-birds too! Ha! ha! Thatexplains the basket of eatables and drinkables. What a pity tointerrupt your billing and cooing! But I must. So master Rob,deer-stealer and jail-breaker," he added drawing his sword. "Come alongwith me! You needn't trouble about bringing the basket. In the Lydneylock-up I'll see to your being fed free of expense."
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"When you get me there," rejoined Rob, in defiant tone, as he spokepulling from under the breast of his doublet a long-bladed knife, andsetting himself firm for defence.
This was unexpected by the King's officer, who had not thought or dreamtof resistance. It was there, however, in sure, stern shape, and he felthimself committed to overcoming it. With a prick of his spur he spranghis horse forward, and straight at Rob, as though he would ride overhim, his sword held ready for either cut or thrust.
But neither gave he, nor could. As the horse's head came close to him,the Colossus lunged out with long arm, and sent the point of his knifeinto the animal's nostrils, which caused it to rear up and round,squealing with pain. This brought its rider's back towards the man whohad pricked it; and before he could wheel again, Reginald Trevor was inthe embrace of him he had jokingly called giant--realising that he hadthe strength of one, as he was himself dragged out of his saddle.
But they were not the only combatants in the quarry. For, following hismaster, the servant had made to assist him in his assault against thebig man, taking no note of the big woman, or fancying she would notinterfere. In which fancy he was sadly mistaken. For in scrimmage hisback becoming turned upon her, as if taking pattern by Rob, she sprangup, caught hold of the lightweight groom, and jerked him to the ground,easily as she would have pulled a bantam cock from out one of theJinkum's panniers.
In less than threescore seconds after the affair began, Reginald Trevorand his attendant were unhorsed, disarmed, and held as in the hug of acouple of bears.
"I'll let ye go," said Rob to his prisoner, after some rough handling,"when ye say you won't take advantage o' my gen'rosity by renewin' theattack. Bah!" he added, without waiting for response, "I'll put thatout o' yer power."
Saying which, he caught up the officer's sword, and broke it across hisknee, at the same time releasing him. The blade of the attendant wastreated likewise, and both master and man were permitted to rise totheir feet, feeling vanquished as weaponless.
"You can take yourselves off," sneeringly said the deer-stealer; "an' asye talked 'bout bein' in Ross 'fore nightfall, you'll do well to makequick time."
Not a word spoke Reginald Trevor in reply, nor thanks for the mercyshown him. Too angry was he for that; his anger holding him speechlessbecause of its very impotence. In sullen silence he regained the bridleof his horse--like himself having lost spirit by copious bleeding of thenose--climbed back into the saddle, and continued on down Cat's Hill,his varlet behind him, both swordless, and yet more crestfallen thanwhen they rode out through the gate of Hollymead Park.
"We're in for it now, Win," said Rob, to the cadger's sister, afterseeing them depart. "An' we've got to look out for danger. I'm sorry'bout you havin' to share it; but maybe 'twon't be so much, after all.Once Sir Richard gets here, an' the fightin' begins, as it surely mustsoon, trust me for takin' care o' ye."
"I will--I do, Rob!"
And again the great arms were thrown around his neck, while upon hislips were showered a very avalanche of kisses.