fight for the crown, And down with the--down with the--down with the--'
"I say, Master Scar, what comes next?"
"I don't know at all. But I'll tell you what must come next."
"Yes sir."
"Pack up and be ready for the march to-morrow, and we've got to saygood-bye."
"Yes, Master Scar, and glad I'll be when it's over, for there'll be somewet eyes in the Hall, both parlour and kitchen, before we set away."
Nat was right. There were tears, many and bitter, for master and manthat night; and next morning when, after tying a scarf round her son'sshoulder, Lady Markham clung to him passionately, till, with a lasthasty kiss to his sister, a final embrace to his mother, Scarlett setspurs to his sturdy horse, and galloped off across the park to where Natwas waiting, and there he drew rein to allow his father to come up.
Sir Godfrey rode fast till he was within about twenty yards, when hesigned to them to ride on, and the trio went forward slowly till theywere at the top of the slope, where they instinctively turned to take afarewell look at the old Hall and the handkerchiefs waving adieu.
"So peaceful and happy," said Scarlett to himself; and then, with acurious sensation as of a film being drawn over his eyes, he turnedaway, pressed his horse's sides, and when he strained round in thesaddle again to look back, it was to see the tops of trees growing abouthis home, and the moorland spreading away to the sea. Nothing more.
"Hah! I'm glad that's over, Master Scar," said Nat, with a sigh ofrelief as they went gently along the lane which opened upon thehigh-road lying to west and east, and there crossed it and led ontowards the Manor.
They were within twenty yards of the cross-roads, when Nat lookedcautiously back, to see if his master was within hearing, and seeingthat he was not, he chuckled and said softly--
"Master Scar, sir."
"Yes," said Scarlett, starting from a reverie full of recollectionsabout the times he and Fred had traversed that road on very differentmissions to the present.
"I was just thinking, sir, that I'd give every penny I've saved up againI get married, which may happen some day, to see our Samson comeshuffling up yonder lane. How he would stare, and how mad he would be,and--"
"Hush, Nat. Look!"
The ex-gardener sat up, round-eyed and as if turned into stone, whilethe clatter of horse's hoofs behind told that Sir Godfrey had set spursto his horse, and was riding on to join them, which he did, drawing reinas they reached the cross-roads, an act duly imitated by the group ofthree horsemen coming up the lane from the opposite direction, and thereat the intersection of the great main western road, the two littleparties sat gazing at each other, accident having arranged that master,son, and servant from Hall and Manor should be exactly opposite to eachother, gazing in each other's eyes.
For full a minute no one spoke, and then Thunder, Sir Godfrey's charger,threw up his noble head and whinnied loudly what might have been takenas a defiance.
"Now, Master Scar," whispered Nat, "isn't the master going to give theword. It's war now, and we can soon do them."
"Silence!" cried Sir Godfrey, sternly; and then, turning to ColonelForrester, he raised his plumed Cavalier hat, the colonel responding bylifting the steel morion he wore.
Then it was as if Sir Godfrey's command had had its effect upon allpresent, for they gazed straight at each other, Nat and Samson with thelook of a couple of angry dogs waiting to be let loose and fight; thetwo lads in a puzzled manner, as if ready to shake hands, and held backby some invisible chain; and their fathers with a haughty look of angerand disdain.
Sir Godfrey was the first to speak in a stern tone of voice, as helooked straight in Colonel Forrester's eyes.
"May I ask, sir," he said, "in which direction you are going?"
"No, sir," was the calm reply. "You have no right to make such ademand."
"Then I will address you in a more friendly spirit, Colonel Forrester.The road here to the east leads towards the king's followers--the gentryof the west who are gathering together beneath his banner to put an endto the disorder and anarchy now running riot through the land. Youwill, I presume, as a loyal gentleman, join us, and we can ridetogether."
"Is this banter or earnest, Sir Godfrey?" replied the colonel, as thetwo boys sat with their ears tingling.
"Earnest, Colonel Forrester. What other course could I expect anofficer to take?"
"Then, if it be in earnest, sir--no; I ride not with you to help tobolster up a tyranny which makes every true man in England blush for hiscountry."
"Colonel Forrester!"
"Sir Godfrey Markham!"
There was a pause, during which the two old friends gazed defiantly ateach other, and then Colonel Forrester continued--
"No, sir; I ride to the west, to join those whom you call the incitersto riot, anarchy, and confusion; but whom we, as true, honestEnglishmen, think of as those who are fighting to free our land and torescue it from the degradation to which it has been brought. Let meentreat you, sir, as a gentleman, to think twice before you take theroad to the east, for the way is open still to the west. Ride with us,Sir Godfrey. So old and gallant a soldier would be most welcome to ourranks."
"And a traitor to the king, whose commission I hold, and whose uniform Ishall once again wear."
"Traitor!" said Colonel Forrester, starting, and his hand darted to thehilt of his sword; but he drew it back with a hasty "Pish!"
"Yes, sir, traitor, as you seem disposed to prove; but I warn you intime. The king will prove the master over the wretched band ofanarchists who have risen against him."
"Enough!" said Colonel Forrester. "That has to be proved."
"Proved or no, sir, I command you to ride with me or to return to yourhome. You are in arms against the king, the government, and the law ofthis land. Surrender!"
"Sir Godfrey, too much commanding of slaves to your wishes has renderedyou absurd of speech."
"Do you hear me, sir?" cried Sir Godfrey. "I order you to follow me."
Colonel Forrester's hand went again to his sword, but he snatched itback.
"I cannot answer your intemperate words, Sir Godfrey," he said; "and Iwill not presume to utter so vain a command to you. This is freeEngland, sir, where every man who dares to think, thinks according tohis belief. We have been old friends; our boys have grown up togetheras brothers, but the exigencies of our political faith sunder us widelyapart. Ride you your way, sir, and I pray you let me go mine; and mayour ways be farther and farther separated, so that we may never meetagain till it is in peace."
As he spoke, he turned his horse, and rode slowly away down the westernroad, leaving Sir Godfrey chafing angrily, and fidgeting with the hiltof his sword, as he sat gazing after his old friend calmly ignoring hispresence, and followed by his son and his serving-man.
"I ought to arrest him--a man openly in arms against the law; an enemyto his majesty, who may work him terrible ill. But I cannot do it; Icannot do it. Old friends--brothers; our wives who have been assisters."
He paused for a few moments, gazing after the retiring figures, and thenjerked his horse round so sharply that the poor beast reared.
"Left! Forward!" cried Sir Godfrey then, and he rode on to the east,followed at a short distance by Nat and his son.
Before they had gone a dozen yards, Nat, who was fidgeting about in hissaddle, evidently in a state of considerable mental perturbation,wrenched himself round and looked after the Manor people, to see thatSamson was waiting for him to do so; and as soon as he did look, it wasto see a derisive threatening gesture, Samson, by pantomime, suggestingthat if he only had his brother's head under his arm, he would punch hisnose till he made it bleed.
"Ur-r-r-r!" snarled Nat, with a growl like that of an irritated dog.
"What's the matter, Nat?"
"Matter, sir? See that Samson--ah, he's a rank bad 'un--shaking hisfist at me, and pretending to punch me? Here, I must go and give it himnow."
"No, no," cried Scar, catching at Black Adder's rein
. "Your orders areto follow your colonel."
"But are we to let that brother of mine insult his majesty's troops?"
"We can afford to treat it with contempt," said Scarlett, solemnly,though Nat's words and allusions made him feel disposed to laugh.
"But I want to treat it to a big leathering, Master Scar. Here, sir,mayn't I ride after him and fetch him off his horse?"
"No; certainly not."
"But, Master Scar, what could your father be thinking of? Here had wegot three of the ugliest Philistines in Coombeland in our hand, andwe've let 'em go to blight and freeze and blast