CHAPTER XIV. THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES.
Back in London, his pockets full of money, fine clothes upon hisback, and fine houses open to him when he went there in companywith Lord Claud, it was small wonder if Tom forgot his fears aftera few days of such a life, and was only rendered uneasy whenwhispers reached him from time to time to the effect that theauthorities were hot upon the track of the daring highway robberwho had succeeded in making away with the Queen's gold.
A reward had been offered for the discovery and apprehension of themiscreants concerned in the affair, and at first Tom had felt halfafraid to show his face in the streets by daylight. But after a fewdays had passed by, and nothing had happened to arouse hisanxieties, he had taken heart of grace. Lord Claud's example ofnonchalance gave him coolness and courage; whilst the language andbehaviour of the fine folks with whom he came in contact helped todull and deaden any pangs of conscience which the wickedness of themidnight raid might otherwise have occasioned him.
He saw perfectly well, from the glances of admiration and archreproof levelled at Lord Claud by the ladies in the gay companywhich he kept, that his patron was suspected in many quarters ofbeing concerned in this recent robbery. Fine dames would tap himwith their fans, and ask him what he had been doing at St. Albanson such and such days; and when he replied as to his whereaboutswith that easy grace of bearing which always characterized hisdealings with men and women alike, they would shake their heads,flirt their fans, and call him by whimsical names incomprehensibleto Tom, but which he knew implied that he was suspected of beingconcerned in very wild and lawless deeds.
Yet these suspicions on the part of the ladies raised this handsomegolden-haired Adonis to a higher pinnacle of favour than ever. Itseemed to Tom that so long as a crime was carried out with dash,and verve, and success, it only brought a man fame and honour. Heshivered sometimes when he thought of his mother and sister, andwhat they would think if they suspected that he had been led intoan open act of law breaking and robbery. But he felt a littleflattered in the society of these fine dames, when he saw that theylooked at him with interest and curiosity, and wondered if he hadplayed the part of lieutenant to their hero in the recent exploit.
He had been growing used to the strange ways of that portion of theLondon world in which Lord Claud had his sphere, but even yet itdid seem strange, when he began to think about it, that a manbelieved to be a notorious but exceedingly clever criminal, shouldbe received, courted, flattered, and made much of, as was LordClaud, just because of his handsome presence and dashing grace ofbearing, and because he had never been caught.
Tom wondered sometimes how these same faces would look at them,were they to be carried in irons to Newgate; and he fancied thatunder such circumstances they would wear a totally differentaspect.
But for the most part he sought to drown thought and reflection byplunging into a vortex of gaiety. He was no longer laughed at as acountry bumpkin. He had been quick to pick up the airs of a manabout town. He dressed excellently, having toned down his firstfopperies; and finding that a rich and sober style best suited hisfine proportions, he adopted that, made his mark, and was treatedwith respect and courtesy.
He had not learned the jargon of the day, and was a silent man incompany; but that was considered rather a distinguishing trait inone who could handle the sword and lose his money at the gamingtables with the aplomb that Tom had acquired. And a fine sum did helose, too, during the days that followed upon the escapade; for hefelt a sort of recklessness upon him, and as he had a sense ofbeing hunted down and tracked, he thought he might make the most offreedom and wealth so long as they were his.
He was Lord Claud's guest for those days, feeling safer in hiscompany than elsewhere; and that worthy appeared not to know fear.Indeed, he had succeeded in covering his tracks so well, that Tomdid not see how anything could be brought home to his door. It madehim think of words he had heard dropped before, to the effect thatto be Lord Claud's confederate was to be also his victim. Hewondered if there had been any truth in these insinuations, andwhether he was trusting in a man who was ready to save himself atthe risk of his friend.
It was difficult to believe this when in the company of his patron.It was when alone that the doubts would at times assail him, andtherefore he was happier in the company of Lord Claud than in anyother.
He had not been to his old lodgings since his escapade. He felt anodd sort of reluctance to facing honest Master Cale, and parryingthe questions which might be addressed to him. But he resolved notto let a second Sunday pass without a visit; and upon the Saturdayhe returned thither, dressed in his sober riding suit, and strivingto meet the welcome of his host with an air of unconcerned andnatural gaiety.
"Good Tom, you are welcome indeed!" exclaimed the perruquiereagerly, taking him by the hand and drawing him within. "I havebeen suffering no small anxiety upon your account, my lad. I trustand hope without any cause."
Tom forced a smile, and hoped it was a natural one, as he askedgaily:
"And wherefore this fear for me, good mine host?"
"There have been ugly whispers in the air ever since the robbery ofthe gold on its way to Holland. Men will talk and wonder, and itwas known to all that Lord Claud had driven forth the day previousnorthward from London, and that you were his companion. Men'stongues have wagged for less than that, Tom, and for less weightymatters."
The little man was scanning his guest's face somewhat earnestly.Tom felt a most unwelcome qualm of shame and pain, such as he hadonly experienced before when thinking of his mother and sister.
"Why, Master Cale, Lord Claud was but visiting his friends at St.Albans, far enough away from where they say the robbery took place.He will have no trouble in proving that he was never two miles fromSt. Albans upon that night; and I was with him the whole time,sharing his room and his company."
"Well, well, well," answered Cale, with a look of some relief, "Iwould never willingly believe harm of any man. But there are morestrange tales flying about with regard to yon Lord Claud than aboutalmost any other man in town; and folks say that many a likely lad,dashing and brave, has become confederate for a time with him, andhas then vanished no man knows whither. I would not that such afate should befall you, Tom."
A slight shiver ran through Tom's frame. He felt that there was anugly suggestion in these words. How easily might some disastrousturn of fortune's wheel that other night have left him a victimupon those fields instead of the gallant horse who carried him! Howskilfully and easily had Lord Claud played upon him, prompting himto an act which a few months ago he would have shrunk from in thegreatest horror! There was something almost diabolic in the beauty,the fascination, the cleverness, of the man. Tom made a resolution,as these things flashed through his mind, that he would have nomore dealings with him, if this was what they led to. He even beganto doubt now whether it was true that he had applied in vain forthe reward promised them for their secret service expedition. Itmight all be a part of a preconcerted plan, in order to cajole Tominto thinking he had some sort of right to act as they had donewith regard to this money.
He began to feel doubts of everything now, and above all ofhimself. Had he been made a tool of and a dupe? And was he walkingblindfold into a net ready for his feet?
He slept but restlessly upon his bed that night, revolving manythings in his mind, and almost resolving to see Lord Claud no more,but to adopt a new method of life in this wonderful city, albeit hescarcely knew what that life should be.
Tom's hot blood had been fired by the adventures of the pastmonths; his vanity had been flattered by the success which he hadmet with; his self confidence (always rather too strong) had grownand increased with great rapidity. He felt that without adventureand peril of some sort life would be tame and flat. To live asMaster Cale lived, a quiet uneventful life of honest toil, seemedrepugnant to him. Even to do as Harry Gay did, and pass the time inwandering between coffee houses and the play, or taking a wherryand rowing hither and thither on the great river, or walking
orriding into the country--all this now seemed to him tame andtiresome.
He turned and tossed upon his bed, wondering what had come to him,and what life held in store for him. He thirsted for adventure, forthe excitements and perils which he had experienced of late. Hisblood tingled at the memories he conjured up of those things he hadpassed through--the strife of arms, the fierce joy of battle, thebreathless gallops from pursuing foes, and the hairbreadth perilsthey had come through.
That was life! That was what he longed after! He cared little forthe gay resorts of town, save as an interlude. The life of thestreets soon palled upon him. But there was no attraction in thethought of home and the peaceful existence there. He must see moreof the world, he must enjoy more of life, before he could everdream of going back to Gablehurst to live.
But what could he do? He fell asleep pondering upon this problem,and when he awoke it was the first thought in his head.
But, as is so often the case when one has gone to sleep ponderingupon a problem, the solution had come to him during the hours ofunconsciousness, and he awoke with a new inspiration.
"Why not offer for the secret service?"
Tom pondered this question all the while that he was dressing.There were difficulties in the way, of course. The Duke ofMarlborough--the only man to whom he could apply with any hope ofsuccess--was out of the country; Tom knew not where he would befound just now, though that could easily be ascertained. He himselfwas ignorant of foreign tongues, although he had picked up a littleunderstanding of French, and could speak a few simple phrases. Buthe had plenty of confidence in his strength and courage. He feltthat his energies demanded now a wider field of exercise; and if hecould but get his chance, he had full assurance that he would makea brilliant name for himself in some way or another.
This idea brought back all his high spirits. He saw that it wouldbe necessary once more to consult Lord Claud, who would probably beable to give him excellent advice. But after that, Tom toldhimself, he would have no more dealings with that mysteriouspersonage, but would throw himself into the service of the greatDuke with such zealous goodwill as should lead him to fame andfortune at last.
He had a feeling, also, that he should be happier out of London andout of the country just at this juncture. Lord Claud's carelessindifference to consequences had had its effect upon him; but hewas not quite comfortable yet, and the feeling of being watched andhunted for was an exceedingly unpleasant one.
He felt a distinct qualm of uneasiness that very morning as he andhis host sat at breakfast together.
"I am going to fetch Rosamund," said the perruquier, as the mealdrew to its close; "but if you will take my advice, good Tom, youwill not sally forth into the streets today."
"And wherefore not?" asked Tom.
"I misdoubt me that you are watched for here, Tom. It may be myfancy, but several times during these past days I have seenill-looking fellows prowling nigh at hand--one or another of thosefour bullies, of whose discomfiture Rosy has told me, and youngHarry also. Once the fellow they call Slippery Seal came boldly tothe shop asking news of you from the apprentice; but the lad hadthe wit to reply that he thought you had ceased to lodge here.Nevertheless I have seen one or another of them skulking aboutsince then, and it may be they will suspect that you may choosetoday for a visit to us."
"And what do they watch me for?" asked Tom, with heightened colour,but looking at Cale with an air of something almost like defiance,though his heart misgave him the while.
"Nay, Tom, that is a question you should be able to answer betterthan I. If there be no cause of offence against you, why, then, doas you will, and go where you will. Yet men have ere now been haledto prison and to the gallows for sins that have been less theirsthan those who set them on."
Tom's face was very grave. He was not afraid of adventure andperil; but the thought of prison and disgrace--to say nothing of afelon's death--seemed to paralyze the beating of his heart with anumb sense of horror. Truly, if this sort of danger dogged hissteps, the sooner he was out of the country the better for himself!
But he would see Rosamund once more, and spend one happy day in hercompany. If he went out into the streets, it had better be afterthe summer dusk had fallen, when Cale took his daughter home. Heagreed, therefore, to remain within doors all that day; and he wasnot sorry he had done so when presently he observed two of hisenemies slowly prowling past the house, scanning the windowsfurtively, and talking together in very earnest tones.
Could it be possible that these men had been of the companytravelling with the troopers that night? Could they have got windin some mysterious way of what was afoot, and have followed to seekhis ruin? Tom had reason to know that these men bore him a grudge,and had threatened revenge, and that they hated Lord Claud equallywith himself. Harry Gay had warned him that they were dangerousfellows; and Tom had not lived all this while in London withoutbeing well aware that there were ways and means of obtaininginformation, and that every man had his price. If they suspectedhim to be concerned in the robbery, they would take every possiblemeans to hunt him down.
Tom set his teeth as this thought came to him. To be the victim ofthe spite of a party of low villains, who were only fit themselvesfor the hangman's halter! The thought was not to be borne. Better,far better, the life of the forest with Captain Jack! There atleast he would be free of this persecution; and perhaps the daywould come when he should find his foes at his mercy, and take hisrevenge upon them!
A very little brooding of this sort sufficed to set Tom's hot bloodboiling. He had no wish to join himself with freebooters and lawbreakers; but if they hunted him beyond a certain point, he wouldnot hesitate to fly to those who would give him safety and awelcome. He had heard plenty of tales by this time of impoverishedgentlemen, disbanded soldiers, falsely-accused persons of allsorts, who had been forced to fly to the freedom of the forest, andlive as they could. Since the days of bold Robin Hood there hadalways been outlaws of the better, as well as the worse, sort. Tomhad no wish to throw aside his code of morality and honour; but ifmen would not let him live as a peaceable citizen, they shouldsuffer for it!
To be cooped up in dusty streets amid hot brick walls during theselong beautiful summer days, was a thing not to be endured. Go hewould and must; and if he could not find work for himself in thesecret service, why not enter a secret service of another kind, andteach the authorities not to hound a man too far?
This was Tom's method of reasoning--evading the question of his ownguilt by the excuse that he only took what was his by right. It iseasy to believe what one wishes to believe, and Tom had never foundit hard to persuade himself that what he desired was the bestcourse of action to pursue.
How cool and fresh the green glades of the forest would look in theglancing June sunbeams! A good horse beneath him, the free skiesabove, a trusty comrade at his side--what could be more pleasant?Tom drew a deep breath and fell into musing thought. One thing wasvery certain: he was in danger from those enemies of his. He wouldtake care not to be caught like a rat in a trap. He knew a betterway than that!
In musings such as these time swiftly fled away, and soon he heardthe voices of Rosamund and her father in the house below.
Rosamund greeted him with shining eyes, and a glance of keencuriosity and soft admiration, which he found mighty pleasant. Sheat least had not harboured unkind thoughts of him, and it was veryplain that he had become the hero of her girlish dreams. She wantedhim to tell her all that had befallen him since their last meeting.She listened with eager, breathless attention to what he had tosay; and although he spoke nothing of the one event which wasalways in his thoughts, it seemed as though she half suspected thathe had been the witness of, or the partaker in, some strange andfearsome adventure, for the colour went and came in her cheeks, andshe seemed always waiting for more each time that he paused.
She asked in a low voice if he had heard anything of the bold actof robbery; and Tom answered that he had heard a good deal. Cominga pace or two nearer him, she looked w
istfully into his face andasked:
"Have they told you that there was one man of very goodly height,strong of arm and stout of heart, who dropped his mask in the heatof the fray, so that the moonbeams smote full upon his face, whichwas only blacked above and below? Did you hear that news spoken byany?"
"I think I heard that something of that sort had befallen,"answered Tom as carelessly as his beating heart would allow.
"But oh, sir," she asked yet more earnestly, "did any tell you thatthe tall bold robber was said to favour yourself? Indeed, some saythat it must surely be you--even though you were so far away!"
Tom looked as he felt, a little startled at that.
"How heard you that, Mistress Rose?"
"Harry Gay heard it in the taverns. It is the talk in some of them.And he heard these four bad men, who were sworn to vengeance, asthat they have a halter about your neck already, and they only waittill they have you safe to pull it tight.
"O Tom, Tom, do not let them do you this despite! Have a care, oh,have a care how you fall into their hands, for they are withoutmercy, and full of evil passions, and greedy for the promised gold.They would swear any man's life away to obtain the reward; and howmuch sooner yours, whom they hate!"
Tom felt a strange tremor run through him, half rage, with a dashof fear, and some emotion sweeter than he had ever experiencedbefore, and therefore more strange. He suddenly found himselfclasping Rosamund's hands in his, and saying:
"Sweet Rose, would you care if hurt were to befall me?"
Her brimming eyes and quivering lips gave eloquent answer. He stoodvery still, holding her hands clasped between his; and when hereleased them, he answered with a new note in his voice:
"Have no fears, sweetheart. They shall not have me. I have plansthat will foil them yet. But think not too well of me, Rosamund. Iam not the hero you would make me out. I am a mad fellow, and haveplayed the fool once too often; but for all that they shall not getme."
"Keep out of their clutches, and I care for nothing else!" criedRosamund, her eyes alight with excitement.
But they could exchange no more confidences, for Cale's voice washeard summoning them to dinner; and after that meal they sattogether in the cool parlour, and passed the time in talk, havingno fear of being disturbed, for none knew of their being within.Generally in summer weather Cale took his daughter for a longramble, and sometimes did not return to the house till after he hadleft her at her aunt's house in Highgate.
The light slowly waned and faded. In the open country the day wouldbe bright for some while longer, but in narrow streets it wentfaster. Down in the basement, where they had taken their supper, itwas growing quite dark, although no lamp had yet been lit. Cale wasjust saying that he must take Rosamund home, and was debatingwithin himself whether it would be wise for Tom to accompany them,when there was a sharp, determined knocking at the door, which madeRosamund jump quickly up with blanching cheeks, whilst Cale threw astartled look at Tom, whose face had grown suddenly set and pale.
"Open in the Queen's name!" cried a loud and authoritative voicefrom without.
And Cale rose at that summons, for it was not one he might dare todisobey.
The moment he was gone Rosamund sprang to her feet.
"Quick, quick! This way! There is a window at the back. I will letyou out, and bar it after you, and throw the key away. Come, I willshow you where!"
Tom sprang after her into a little back kitchen, the door of whichthe girl promptly locked and barred behind them. The only otheroutlet was a narrow window, fastened by a bar that could be lockedacross it with a padlock. This she flung open, and disclosed toview a narrow court beneath.
"Jump out," she cried; "run across, and you can easily scrambleupon the roof of yon low outbuilding. From thence you can creepalong into the lane at the back; and, if no one be watching, dropdown there and fly for your life. But if there be a spy set, thenclimb up by the gutterings upon the roof--Harry Gay has done itmany a time--and you will find a hundred ways of outwitting themand escaping down some back alley.
"O Tom, make haste! I hear angry voices in parley with my father.He will detain them as long as may be. But be thou gone quickly.Oh, do not delay!"
"I will not," answered Tom, with his hands upon the windowsill;"and I thank you from my heart for your goodwill to me this night.Give me one kiss, sweetheart, and bid me good speed. Pray Heavenyou have a welcome for me when you see me next!"
She kissed him with the tears standing in her eyes.
"I shall always have a welcome for you, Tom," she answered; "Ishall think of you always till I see you again. But oh, go! go now!And Heaven prosper and be with you! Oh, they are coming! Delay nolonger!"
Tom was already outside the window, and now sped forth to do herbidding. She saw him scramble up the rough wall of the buildingopposite, and make his rapid way along, as she had said. She cranedout to see what he would do when he reached the corner, and watchedas he made a careful survey, and then dropped into the lane at theback. She listened with all her ears, but there was no sound ofpursuit or struggle.
It had been as she hoped. No one had thought of that possible wayof escape. No doubt the back door of the yard was watched; but shewould never have sent him out by that.
Instantly she closed and barred the window, throwing the little keyaway into the court below. Then she softly unlocked the door andset it ajar, and began washing her dishes in the dim twilight ofthe scullery, singing a little song to herself the while.
In the house above there was the sound of tramping feet and loudvoices. She heard her father say quietly:
"Her Majesty's warrant must be obeyed. Seek what you will, and takewhat you will. I know nothing of any criminal. I have none such inhiding here. I am an honest citizen, and have nothing to fear. Doyour will. I hinder you not."
The next minute Cale had come softly into the back kitchen, and wasexchanging a silent but meaning glance with his daughter.
He saw in a moment by her face that all was well. Tom had made goodhis escape. The longer the search continued in the upper rooms, somuch the longer would the fugitive have to put distance between himand his pursuers.
At last the feet came downstairs, and a lantern was flashed allround the basement rooms.
"Here is a window!" cried one. "If the bar were down a man couldsqueeze himself out. When was this window last opened?"
Rosamund looked up and said quietly:
"The key is lost. We cannot open it. What are you wanting in thishouse, gentlemen?"
She spoke in a soft voice, and the rough fellows answered with moregentleness.
"We are looking for one Thomas Tufton, your father's lodger, forwhose apprehension we hold a warrant. He was seen to enter thishouse last night, and has not left it since."
"He left it a short time ago, in the dusk," answered Rosamundindifferently. "But wherefore is he arrested?"
"We have sworn information that he was seen to be one of the menconcerned in the recent robbery of the Queen's gold. We havetestimony enough to hang him, if we can but lay hold upon him. Didhe say where he was going, mistress?"
"I think he spoke of Rotherhithe," answered Rosamund, after amoment's reflection; "but I paid no special heed."
At this moment an impatient voice from the open door above criedout:
"Why do you not bring him forth? He must be there still! What meansthe delay? He can be an ugly customer, truly, but sure you havemastered him by this!"
In a few minutes more Rosamund saw the ugly, shifty face ofSlippery Seal drawing near to them, and he was followed by anotherof the same crew, peering eagerly this way and that, as though theylooked to see Tom pinioned in the midst of the group.
"Where is he?" they cried.
"Flown!" answered the others, with a touch of sullenness in theirvoices. "You have led us a fine chase, truly; first to be madefools of by that dashing young spark, whom it is not good to meddlewith, and then disturbing this honest citizen and his daughter!Zounds! you drunken fellows, if you lea
d us this sort of dance weshall believe no word you say again. I trow well that you were allof you more than half drunk upon the night you professed to seethis thing done. How are we to know you are to be trusted inswearing it was this young man at all? Master Cale speaks well ofhim, and his word is worth twenty oaths from the likes of you.
"Goodnight, master; goodnight, mistress. I am sorry we disturbedyou on the testimony of these ill-living fellows."
Rosamund's heart beat high with joy and triumph. She felt she couldhave kissed the burly officer of the law. But her bright colourpaled again as she heard the exclamation of Slippery Seal, prefacedby a string of horrid oaths.
"He has escaped! These Cales are hiding him! But he shall notescape us! We will not lose the reward. After him, I say, afterhim, all of us! I know the tracks the fellow will make. It will gohard if we get not up with him ere he has shaken the dust of Londonfrom his feet!"