The Doomsman
XXIII
THE RED LIGHT IN THE NORTH
It had been Constans's original plan to cross the river some miles aboveCroye, and so avoid attracting the attention of the Doomsmen should anyof their parties be afield. The expedition would then move cautiouslydown the east bank in the hope of surprising the guard at the HighBridge, and so gain entrance to the city. But Piers Major, at thecouncil of war that first evening, brought about a reconsideration.
"Against the citadel," he said, shrewdly, "we should rather choose todirect an unexpected blow. The bridge may be carried by a rush, but notso the stone walls that guard the heart of Doom. In that assault a man'slife must be paid for each rung gained on the scaling-ladders. We haveno batteries with which to hammer at the gate-hinges, and as for asiege--well, it is weary work starving out rats whose fortress is agranary in itself. Let us move, indeed, but cautiously, prudently.
"Splendor of God!" shouted Red Oxenford, and he sprang to his feet. Aman of full habit and ruddy face he had been in his day, but since thedeath of the young Alexa he seemed to have aged and whitened visibly.His eyes were bright, as though with fever, and he went on with growingvehemence:
"Are we, then, chapmen of Croye, calling to collect an overdueaccount--prepared to sit down in humble expectancy at Dom Gillian's dooruntil it may pleasure him to open it? Caution, expediency! he is nofriend to Oxenford who would utter such words as these."
But Piers Major was not to be daunted. He put his hands on the shouldersof the angry man and forced him backward into his seat.
"Nay, but you have not heard me out," continued Piers Major. "It is adebt, indeed, for which we are pressing payment--only one of bloodrather than of gold. All the more reason, then, that the settlementshould be in full and the cost of collection kept small. Now, DomGillian has shut his door in our faces, and it is a strong one. If we soelect we may butt out our brains against it, and be none the better off.
"A fortress and a woman, there is always more than one way in which theymay be taken. Let us find that back door, and some of us may quietlyenter there while the others are parleying at the front. Once within thewalls, the fire-sticks should quickly clear the house for us."
"Ay, man," broke in Oxenford, impatiently, "but all this is words, notdeeds. What can we do so that Dom Gillian hangs from his own door-postbefore a second rising of the sun?"
"I propose, then," answered Piers Major, "that the score of men who arearmed with the new weapons shall take boat down the river and make alanding to the south of the Citadel Square, remaining in hiding untilthe rising of the moon to-morrow night. The main body will force theHigh Bridge at the coming dawn, and should be able to drive the Doomsmento cover within the next twelve hours. Then the frontal attack in forceand the gun-fire from behind. If they follow each other at the properinterval, our victory is assured."
"It is your idea that I should go with the flanking-party?" askedConstans.
"Naturally, since you alone know the city. We can reach the CitadelSquare from our side without difficulty, for it is a simple matter ofhewing our way thither. But with your party it must be the progress ofthe snake through the grass."
Without further parley the plan proposed was adopted. Piers Major wouldcommand the main body in person--about one hundred and fifty men in all.Constans selected Piers Minor, son of Piers Major, as his lieutenant,and, somewhat to his surprise, Oxenford elected to join the smallercommand. "It is the better chance," he explained, grimly, "for mygetting a face-to-face look at the old, gray wolf."
Fortunately, the question of transportation for the river party wasquickly settled. One of Messer Hugolin's flat-boats, coming down fromthe upper river with a cargo of hides, had anchored for the night ahalf-mile up-stream; it was an easy matter to impress crew and vesselinto service. The hides were tossed ashore, and by midnight theexpedition was ready to start. The scow was fitted with two masts,carrying square sails, and, as the wind was directly astern and blowingstrongly, the clumsy craft swept away from her moorings with imposinganimation, leaving a full half-acre of bubbles to mark her wake.
"For the third time," said Constans to himself as he sat in the bow withhis back to the squat foremast and watched the river flowing darkly by.Twice now had he measured strength with Doom the Forbidden, and twicehad the battle been drawn, the issue left undecided. This time one orthe other must fall.
The long night wore away, and presently the sky was streaked with thepink and saffron of the coming dawn. A landing was made withoutdifficulty, and Constans was soon leading his little band through therubbish-encumbered thoroughfares to the appointed station. The menmarched along in sulky silence, for their night's rest on the openboat-deck had been an uncomfortable one, and they wanted theirbreakfast.
Constans had determined to make use of his old quarters in the"Flat-iron" building, on the south side of the Citadel Square, and hisrelief was great when the last man passed within the shelter of itswalls. Once mustered in one of the large rooms on the fourth floor, thehaversacks and canteens were quickly requisitioned, and the men feastedgloriously upon oat-cake and cold coffee, brewed from parched grain,with a pipe for dessert. After this agreeable interlude, there wasnothing to do but to wait, and the majority curled themselves up in someconvenient corner and resumed their interrupted slumbers. Constansposted himself at a window overlooking the square, with the intention ofkeeping close watch on all that passed below. But, in spite of all hisefforts, Nature insisted upon her rights, and he, too, slept.
Over at Arcadia House, Nanna, being wakeful with the torture of anaching tooth, happened to glance through the north windows of the roomoccupied by the sisters and saw a dull-red glow on the horizon--aconflagration. She aroused Esmay, and the two girls watched it,wondering.
"It is in the direction of the High Bridge," said Esmay, and Nannanodded acquiescence. "And it is the morning of the third day," continuedEsmay, and Nanna nodded again.
The fire was a long way off, low down on the northern sky-line. Butevery now and then a crimson streamer would leap upward almost to thezenith, showing how great and vehement the conflagration must be. As thetwo girls stood watching it, they heard a window flung up sharply, andQuinton Edge's voice calling to Old Kurt and bidding him saddle a horsewith all speed.
Nanna's eyes glowed. "It is something big," she said, excitedly, andbegan scrambling into her masculine attire. "Something that is worth ourwhile to know all about," she continued.
"But, Nanna----" began Esmay, doubtfully.
"Do you suppose that our master is going out to pick flowers? Help mewith this buckle, little sister, and talk not so foolishly."
And forthwith Esmay submitted to this new Nanna in doublet andsmall-clothes, who spoke with authority and took such tremendously longstrides. If great events were really at hand, it were well to beforewarned, and Nanna, thanks to the dash of wild-folk blood in herveins, would be both hawk and hound upon such a trail. So Esmaycontented herself with an admonition to caution, and helped theimpatient one to depart, stealing down with her into the great hall, inorder to rebolt the outer door. She feared lest she might meet QuintonEdge as she remounted the stairs and flew along the corridor to herroom, but she regained its shelter undisturbed. It had been many weeksnow since the master had returned, but Esmay had only seen him at adistance, walking for hours at a time in the garden. Strange, thatseemingly he should have forgotten her very existence, but neither signnor message had come to her. Even his larger plans had apparently beenlaid aside; not once had he left the boundaries of Arcadia House, exceptfor the weekly council meeting at the Citadel Square. But perhaps,again, this was the crisis for which he had been waiting; even as shemeditated she heard his step in the hallway and his knock at her door;then it opened, and Quinton Edge stood before her.
He did not appear to notice Nanna's absence, but crossed over to thewindow where Esmay stood. "Come," he said, and Esmay obeyed, being yetfaint with terror lest his hands should touch her. And this he must haveguessed, for he drew aside and passed
out first, motioning her tofollow. The door leading to his apartments stood open. Esmay hesitated.
"Yes," said Quinton Edge, and the girl turned and searched his face. Shedid not understand what she saw there, yet it contented her, and shecrossed the threshold. Quinton Edge followed, reappearing almostimmediately and carefully locking the door behind him. He descended thestairs and passed out to the eastern portico, where his horse shouldhave been in waiting. It was not there, and Quinton Edge grew angry."Kurt!" he called, once and twice and thrice. Then at last thedelinquent appeared. The sullenness of sleep was still upon him, andwhen his master would have reproved him for his tardiness he answeredback insolently.
"Enough!" said Quinton Edge, and struck him across the mouth with hisriding-whip. Then vaulting into the saddle, he spurred through thegateway, riding hard for the northwest.
Old Kurt gazed after his master. "Thirty lashes at Middenmass," hemuttered, "and now this--this----"
* * * * *
Three hours later a boyish figure scaled the wall and dropped into thesunken way. Fangs, who was sunning herself on the terrace, looked upwith white teeth bared, then rose, wagging her tail in friendlygreeting. But Nanna, with a hasty word to the dog, entered the house andran up to Esmay's room. Great news indeed! But where was the child?Nanna stood stock-still, gazing stupidly around the empty room. "Esmay,"she murmured, in a half-whisper, and passed out into the corridor. Shewent straight to the door leading to Quinton Edge's apartments. A tinyhair-pin of tortoise-shell lay on the floor. Nanna picked it up with asob and regarded it fixedly. She knocked twice upon the door, but therewas no response. She tried her strength against it, and shook her head.Nothing could be done here. She went down-stairs, and looked to see ifthe key of the wicket gate was hanging in its accustomed place behindthe master's leather chair. It was there; she took it and let herselfinto the street. There was only Fangs, the great, black bitch, to watchher go, the dog whining and leaping upon the wicket gate as it swungback into place.