Chapter XXXI. Of the Maid of the Marsh and the Bubble which rose fromthe Bog
All Bridgewater was in a ferment as we rode in, for King James's forceswere within four miles, on the Sedgemoor Plain, and it was likely thatthey would push on at once and storm the town. Some rude works had beenthrown up on the Eastover side, behind which two brigades were drawnup in arms, while the rest of the army was held in reserve in themarket-place and Castle Field. Towards afternoon, however, parties ofour horse and peasants from the fen country came in with the news thatthere was no fear of an assault being attempted. The Royal troops hadquartered themselves snugly in the little villages of the neighbourhood,and having levied contributions of cider and of beer from the farmers,they showed no sign of any wish to advance.
The town was full of women, the wives, mothers, and sisters of ourpeasants, who had come in from far and near to see their loved ones oncemore. Fleet Street or Cheapside upon a busy day are not more crowdedthan were the narrow streets and lanes of the Somersetshire town.Jack-booted, buff-coated troopers; scarlet militiamen; brown,stern-faced Tauntonians; serge-clad pikemen; wild, ragged miners;smockfrocked yokels; reckless, weather-tanned seamen; gaunt cragsmenfrom the northern coast--all pushed and jostled each other in a thick,many-coloured crowd. Everywhere among them were the country women,straw-bonneted and loud-tongued, weeping, embracing, and exhorting.Here and there amid the motley dresses and gleam of arms moved the dark,sombre figure of a Puritan minister, with sweeping sad-coloured mantleand penthouse hat, scattering abroad short fiery ejaculations and sternpithy texts of the old fighting order, which warmed the men's blood likeliquor. Ever and anon a sharp, fierce shout would rise from the people,like the yelp of a high-spirited hound which is straining at its leashand hot to be at the throat of its enemy.
Our regiment had been taken off duty whenever it was clear thatFeversham did not mean to advance, and they were now busy upon thevictuals which our night-foray had furnished. It was a Sunday, fresh andwarm, with a clear, unclouded sky, and a gentle breeze, sweet with thesmack of the country. All day the bells of the neighbouring villagesrang out their alarm, pealing their music over the sunlit countryside.The upper windows and red-tiled roofs of the houses were crowded withpale-faced women and children, who peered out to eastward, where thesplotches of crimson upon the dun-coloured moor marked the position ofour enemies.
At four o'clock Monmouth held a last council of war upon the squaretower out of which springs the steeple of Bridgewater parish church,whence a good view can be obtained of all the country round. Since myride to Beaufort I had always been honoured with a summons to attend, inspite of my humble rank in the army. There were some thirty councillorsin all, as many as the space would hold, soldiers and courtiers,Cavaliers and Puritans, all drawn together now by the bond of a commondanger. Indeed, the near approach of a crisis in their fortunes hadbroken down much of the distinction of manner which had served toseparate them. The sectary had lost something of his austerity andbecome flushed and eager at the prospect of battle, while the giddy manof fashion was hushed into unwonted gravity as he considered the dangerof his position. Their old feuds were forgotten as they gathered on theparapet and gazed with set faces at the thick columns of smoke whichrose along the sky-line.
King Monmouth stood among his chiefs, pale and haggard, with thedishevelled, unkempt look of a man whose distress of mind has made himforgetful of the care of his person. He held a pair of ivory glasses,and as he raised them to his eyes his thin white hands shook andtwitched until it was grievous to watch him. Lord Grey handed his ownglasses to Saxon, who leaned his elbows upon the rough stone breastworkand stared long and earnestly at the enemy.
'They are the very men I have myself led,' said Monmouth at last, in alow voice, as though uttering his thoughts aloud. 'Over yonder at theright I see Dumbarton's foot. I know these men well. They will fight.Had we them with us all would be well.'
'Nay, your Majesty,' Lord Grey answered with spirit, 'you do your bravefollowers an injustice. They, too, will fight to the last drop of theirblood in your quarrel.'
'Look down at them!' said Monmouth sadly, pointing at the swarmingstreets beneath us. 'Braver hearts never beat in English breasts, yet dobut mark how they brabble and clamour like clowns on a Saturday night.Compare them with the stern, orderly array of the trained battalions.Alas! that I should have dragged these honest souls from their littlehomes to fight so hopeless a battle!'
'Hark at that!' cried Wade. 'They do not think it hopeless, nor do we.'As he spoke a wild shout rose from the dense crowd beneath, who werelistening to a preacher who was holding forth from a window.
'It is worthy Doctor Ferguson,' said Sir Stephen Timewell, who hadjust come up. 'He is as one inspired, powerfully borne onwards in hisdiscourse. Verily he is even as one of the prophets of old. He haschosen for his text, "The Lord God of gods he knoweth and Israel heshall know. If it be in rebellion or if in transgression against theLord, save us not this day."'
'Amen, amen!' cried several of the Puritan soldiers devoutly, whileanother hoarse burst of shouting from below, with the clashing ofscythe-blades and the clatter of arms, showed how deeply the people weremoved by the burning words of the fanatic.
'They do indeed seem to be hot for battle,' said Monmouth, with a moresprightly look. 'It may be that one who has commanded regular troops, asI have done, is prone to lay too much weight upon the difference whichdiscipline and training make. These brave lads seem high of heart. Whatthink you of the enemy's dispositions, Colonel Saxon?'
'By my faith, I think very little of them, your Majesty,' Saxon answeredbluntly. 'I have seen armies drawn up in array in many different partsof the world and under many commanders. I have likewise read the sectionwhich treats of the matter in the "De re militari" of Petrinus Bellus,and in the works of a Fleming of repute, yet I have neither seen norheard anything which can commend the arrangements which we see beforeus.'
'How call you the hamlet on the left--that with the square ivy-cladchurch tower?' asked Monmouth, turning to the Mayor of Bridgewater,a small, anxious-faced man, who was evidently far from easy at theprominence which his office had brought upon him.
'Westonzoyland, your Honour--that is, your Grace--I mean, your Majesty,'he stammered. 'The other, two miles farther off, is Middlezoy, and awayto the left, just on the far side of the rhine, is Chedzoy.'
'The rhine, sir! What do you mean?' asked the King, starting violently,and turning so fiercely upon the timid burgher, that he lost the littlebalance of wits which was left to him.
'Why, the rhine, your Grace, your Majesty,' he quavered. 'The rhine,which, as your Majesty's Grace cannot but perceive, is what the countryfolk call the rhine.'
'It is a name, your Majesty, for the deep and broad ditches which drainoff the water from the great morass of Sedgemoor,' said Sir StephenTimewell.
Monmouth turned white to his very lips, and several of the councilexchanged significant glances, recalling the strange prophetic jinglewhich I had been the means of bringing to the camp. The silence wasbroken, however, by an old Cromwellian Major named Hollis, who had beendrawing upon paper the position of the villages in which the enemy wasquartered.
'If it please your Majesty, there is something in their order whichrecalls to my mind that of the army of the Scots upon the occasionof the battle of Dunbar. Cromwell lay in Dunbar even as we lie inBridgewater. The ground around, which was boggy and treacherous, washeld by the enemy. There was not a man in the army who would not ownthat, had old Leslie held his position, we should, as far as humanwisdom could see, have had to betake us to our ships, leave our storesand ordnance, and so make the best of our way to Newcastle. He moved,however, through the blessing of Providence, in such a manner that aquagmire intervened between his right wing and the rest of his army, onwhich Cromwell fell upon that wing in the early dawn, and dashed itto pieces, with such effect that the whole army fled, and we had theexecution of them to the very gates of Leith. Seven thousand Scots losttheir lives, but not more
than a hundred or so of the honest folk.Now, your Majesty will see through your glass that a mile of boglandintervenes between these villages, and that the nearest one, Chedzoy, asI think they call it, might be approached without ourselves entering themorass. Very sure I am that were the Lord-General with us now he wouldcounsel us to venture some such attack.'
'It is a bold thing with raw peasants to attack old soldiers,' quoth SirStephen Timewell. 'Yet if it is to be done, I know well that there isnot a man born within sound of the bells of St. Mary Magdalene who willflinch from it.'
'You say well, Sir Stephen,' said Monmouth. 'At Dunbar Cromwell hadveterans at his back, and was opposed to troops who had small experienceof war.'
'Yet there is much good sense in what Major Hollis has said,' remarkedLord Grey. 'We must either fall on, or be gradually girt round andstarved out. That being so, why not take advantage at once of the chancewhich Feversham's ignorance or carelessness hath given us? To-morrow, ifChurchill can prevail over his chief, I have little doubt that weshall find their camp rearranged, and so have cause to regret our lostopportunity.'
'Their horse lie at Westonzoyland,' said Wade. 'The sun is so fierce nowthat we can scarce see for its glare and the haze which rises up fromthe marshes. Yet a little while ago I could make out through my glassesthe long lines of horses picketed on the moor beyond the village.Behind, in Middlezoy, are two thousand militia, while in Chedzoy, whereour attack would fall, there are five regiments of regular foot.'
'If we could break those all would be well,' cried Monmouth. 'What isyour advice, Colonel Buyse?'
'My advice is ever the same,' the German answered. 'We are here tofight, and the sooner we get to work at it the better.'
'And yours, Colonel Saxon? Do you agree with the opinion of yourfriend?'
'I think with Major Hollis, your Majesty, that Feversham by hisdispositions hath laid himself open to attack, and that we should takeadvantage of it forthwith. Yet, considering that trained men and anumerous horse have great advantage by daylight, I should be in favourof a camisado or night onfall.'
'The same thought was in my mind,' said Grey. 'Our friends here knowevery inch of the ground, and could guide us to Chedzoy as surely in thedarkness as in the day.'
'I have heard,' said Saxon, 'that much beer and cider, with wine andstrong waters, have found their way into their camp. If this be sowe may give them a rouse while their heads are still buzzing with theliquor, when they shall scarce know whether it is ourselves or the bluedevils which have come upon them.'
A general chorus of approval from the whole council showed that theprospect of at last coming to an engagement was welcome, after the wearymarchings and delays of the last few weeks.
'Has any cavalier anything to say against this plan?' asked the King.
We all looked from one to the other, but though many faces were doubtfulor desponding, none had a word to say against the night attack, for itwas clear that our action in any case must be hazardous, and this had atleast the merit of promising a better chance of success than any other.Yet, my dears, I dare say the boldest of us felt a sinking at the heartas we looked at our downcast, sad-faced leader, and asked ourselveswhether this was a likely man to bring so desperate an enterprise to asuccess.
'If all are agreed,' said he, 'let our word be "Soho," and let us comeupon them as soon after midnight as may be. What remains to be settledas to the order of battle may be left for the meantime. You will now,gentlemen, return to your regiments, and you will remember that be theupshot of this what it may, whether Monmouth be the crowned King ofEngland or a hunted fugitive, his heart, while it can still beat, willever bear in memory the brave friends who stood at his side in the hourof his trouble.'
At this simple and kindly speech a flush of devotion, mingled in myown case at least with a heart-whole pity for the poor, weak gentleman,swept over us. We pressed round him with our hands upon the hilts of ourswords, swearing that we would stand by him, though all the world stoodbetween him and his rights. Even the rigid and impassive Puritans weremoved to a show of loyalty; while the courtiers, carried away by zeal,drew their rapiers and shouted until the crowd beneath caught theenthusiasm, and the air was full of the cheering. The light returnedto Monmouth's eye and the colour to his cheek as he listened to theclamour. For a moment at least he looked like the King which he aspiredto be.
'My thanks to ye, dear friends and subjects,' he cried. 'The issue restswith the Almighty, but what men can do will, I know well, be done by youthis night. If Monmouth cannot have all England, six feet of her shallat least be his. Meanwhile, to your regiments, and may God defend theright!'
'May God defend the right! cried the council solemnly, and separated,leaving the King with Grey to make the final dispositions for theattack.
'These popinjays of the Court are ready enough to wave their rapiersand shout when there are four good miles between them and the foe,'said Saxon, as we made our way through the crowd. 'I fear that they willscarce be as forward when there is a line of musqueteers to be faced,and a brigade of horse perhaps charging down upon their flank. But herecomes friend Lockarby, with news written upon his face.'
'I have a report to make, Colonel,' said Reuben, hurrying breathlesslyup to us. 'You may remember that I and my company were placed on guardthis day at the eastern gates?'
Saxon nodded.
'Being desirous of seeing all that I could of the enemy, I clambered upa lofty tree which stands just without the town. From this post, by theaid of a glass, I was able to make out their lines and camp. Whilst Iwas gazing I chanced to observe a man slinking along under cover of thebirch-trees half-way between their lines and the town. Watching him, Ifound that he was indeed moving in our direction. Presently he came sonear that I was able to distinguish who it was--for it was one whom Iknow--but instead of entering the town by my gate he walked round undercover of the peat cuttings, and so made his way doubtless to some otherentrance. He is a man, however, who I have reason to believe has no truelove for the cause, and it is my belief that he hath been to theRoyal camp with news of our doings, and hath now come back for furtherinformation.'
'Aye!' said Saxon, raising his eyebrows. 'And what is the man's name?'
'His name is Derrick, one time chief apprentice to Master Timewell atTaunton, and now an officer in the Taunton foot.'
'What, the young springald who had his eye upon pretty Mistress Ruth!Now, out on love, if it is to turn a true man into a traitor! Butmethought he was one of the elect? I have heard him hold forth to thepikemen. How comes it that one of his kidney should lend help to thePrelatist cause?'
'Love again,' quoth I. 'This same love is a pretty flower when it growsunchecked, but a sorry weed if thwarted.'
'He hath an ill-feeling towards many in the camp,' said Reuben, 'and hewould ruin the army to avenge himself on them, as a rogue might sinka ship in the hope of drowning one enemy. Sir Stephen himself hathincurred his hatred for refusing to force his daughter into acceptinghis suit. He has now returned into the camp, and I have reported thematter to you, that you may judge whether it would not be well to senda file of pikemen and lay him by the heels lest he play the spy oncemore.'
'Perhaps it would be best so,' Saxon answered, full of thought, 'and yetno doubt the fellow would have some tale prepared which would outweighour mere suspicions. Could we not take him in the very act?'
A thought slipped into my head. I had observed from the tower that therewas a single lonely cottage about a third of the way to the enemy'scamp, standing by the road at a place where there were marshes on eitherside. Any one journeying that way must pass it. If Derrick tried tocarry our plans to Feversham he might be cut off at this point by aparty placed to lie in wait for him.
'Most excellent!' Saxon exclaimed, when I had explained the project. 'Mylearned Fleming himself could not have devised a better rusus belli. Doye convey as many files as ye may think fit to this point, and I shallsee that Master Derrick is primed up with some fresh news for my LordFeversham.'
br /> 'Nay, a body of troops marching out would set tongues wagging,' saidReuben. 'Why should not Micah and I go ourselves?'
'That would indeed be better.' Saxon answered. 'But ye must pledge yourwords, come what may, to be back at sundown, for your companies muststand to arms an hour before the advance.'
We both gladly gave the desired promise; and having learned for certainthat Derrick had indeed returned to the camp, Saxon undertook to letdrop in his presence some words as to the plans for the night, while weset off at once for our post. Our horses we left behind, and slippingout through the eastern gate we made our way over bog and moor,concealing ourselves as best we could, until we came out upon the lonelyroadway, and found ourselves in front of the house.
It was a plain, whitewashed, thatch-roofed cottage, with a small boardabove the door, whereon was written a notice that the occupier sold milkand butter. No smoke reeked up from the chimney, and the shutters of thewindow were closed, from which we gathered that the folk who owned ithad fled away from their perilous position. On either side the marshextended, reedy and shallow at the edge, but deeper at a distance, witha bright green scum which covered its treacherous surface. We knockedat the weather-blotched door, but receiving, as we expected, no reply,I presently put my shoulder against it and forced the staple from itsfastenings.
There was but a single chamber within, with a straight ladder in thecorner, leading through a square hole in the ceiling to the sleepingchamber under the roof. Three or four chairs and stools were scatteredover the earthen floor, and at the side a deal table with the broadbrown milk basins upon it. Green blotches upon the wall and a sinkingin of one side of the cottage showed the effect of its damp, marsh-girtposition.
To our surprise it had still one inmate within its walls. In the centreof the room, facing the door as we entered, stood a little bright,golden-haired maid, five or six years of age. She was clad in a cleanwhite smock, with trim leather belt and shining buckle about her waist.Two plump little legs with socks and leathern boots peeped out fromunder the dress, stoutly planted with right foot in advance as one whowas bent upon holding her ground. Her tiny head was thrown back, and herlarge blue eyes were full of mingled wonder and defiance. As we enteredthe little witch flapped her kerchief at us, and shooed as though wewere two of the intrusive fowl whom she was wont to chevy out of thehouse. Reuben and I stood on the threshold, uncertain, and awkward, likea pair of overgrown school lads, looking down at this fairy queen whoserealms we had invaded, in two minds whether to beat a retreat or toappease her wrath by soft and coaxing words.
'Go 'way!' she cried, still waving her hands and shaking her kerchief.'Go 'way! Granny told me to tell any one that came to go 'way!'
'But if they would not go away, little mistress,' asked Reuben, 'whatwere you to do then?'
'I was to drive them 'way,' she answered, advancing boldly against uswith many flaps. 'You bad man!' she continued, flashing out at me, 'youhave broken granny's bolt.'
'Nay, I'll mend it again,' I answered penitently, and catching upa stone I soon fastened the injured staple. 'There, mistress, yourgranddam will never tell the difference.'
'Ye must go 'way all the same,' she persisted; 'this is granny's house,not yours.'
What were we to do with this resolute little dame of the marshes? Thatwe should stay in the house was a crying need, for there was no othercover or shelter among the dreary bogs where we could hide ourselves.Yet she was bent upon driving us out with a decision and fearlessnesswhich might have put Monmouth to shame.
'You sell milk,' said Reuben. 'We are tired and thirsty, so we have cometo have a horn of it.'
'Nay,' she cried, breaking into smiles, 'will ye pay me just as the folkpay granny? Oh, heart alive! but that will be fine!' She skipped upon to a stool and filled a pair of deep mugs from the basins upon thetable. 'A penny, please!' said she.
It was strange to see the little wife hide the coin away in her smock,with pride and joy in her innocent face at this rare stroke of businesswhich she had done for her absent granny. We bore our milk away to thewindow, and having loosed the shutters we seated ourselves so as to havean outlook down the road.
'For the Lord's sake, drink slow!' whispered Reuben, under his breath.'We must keep on swilling milk or she will want to turn us out.'
'We have paid toll now,' I answered; 'surely she will let us bide.'
'If you have done you must go 'way,' she said firmly.
'Were ever two men-at-arms so tyrannised over by a little dolly such asthis!' said I, laughing. 'Nay, little one, we shall compound with you bypaying you this shilling, which will buy all your milk. We can stay hereand drink it at our ease.'
'Jinny, the cow, is just across the marsh,' quoth she. 'It is nighmilking time, and I shall fetch her round if ye wish more.'
'Now, God forbid!' cried Reuben. 'It will end in our having to buy thecow. Where is your granny, little maid?'
'She hath gone into the town,' the child answered. 'There are bad menwith red coats and guns coming to steal and to fight, but granny willsoon make them go 'way. Granny has gone to set it all right.'
'We are fighting against the men with the red coats, my chuck,' saidI; 'we shall take care of your house with you, and let no one stealanything.'
'Nay, then ye may stay,' quoth she, climbing up upon my knee as grave asa sparrow upon a bough. 'What a great boy you are!'
'And why not a man?' I asked.
'Because you have no beard upon your face. Why, granny hath more hairupon her chin than you. Besides, only boys drink milk. Men drink cider.'
'Then if I am a boy I shall be your sweetheart,' said I.
'Nay, indeed!' she cried, with a toss of her golden locks. 'I have nomind to wed for a while, but Giles Martin of Gommatch is my sweetheart.What a pretty shining tin smock you have, and what a great sword! Whyshould people have these things to harm each other with when they are intruth all brothers?'
'Why are they all brothers, little mistress?' asked Reuben.
'Because granny says that they are all the children of the greatFather,' she answered. 'If they have all one father they must bebrothers, mustn't they?'
'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, Micah,' quoth Reuben, staringout of the window.
'You are a rare little marsh flower,' I said, as she clambered up tograsp at my steel cap. 'Is it not strange to think, Reuben, that thereshould be thousands of Christian men upon either side of us, athirstfor each other's lives, and here between them is a blue-eyed cherub wholisps out the blessed philosophy which would send us all to our homeswith softened hearts and hale bodies?'
'A day of this child would sicken me for over of soldiering,' Reubenanswered. 'The cavalier and the butcher become too near of kin, as Ilisten to her.'
'Perhaps both are equally needful,' said I, shrugging my shoulders. 'Wehave put our hands to the plough. But methinks I see the man for whom wewait coming down under the shadow of yonder line of pollard willows.'
'It is he, sure enough,' cried Reuben, peeping through the diamond-panedwindow.
'Then, little one, you must sit here,' said I, raising her up from myknee and placing her on a chair in a corner. 'You must be a brave lassand sit still, whatever may chance. Will you do so?'
She pursed up her rosy lips and nodded her head.
'He comes on apace, Micah,' quoth my comrade, who was still standingby the casement. 'Is he not like some treacherous fox or other beast ofprey?'
There was indeed something in his lean, black-clothed figure and swiftfurtive movements which was like some cruel and cunning animal. He stolealong under shadow of the stunted trees and withies, with bent body andgliding gait, so that from Bridgewater it would be no easy matter forthe most keen-sighted to see him. Indeed, he was so far from the townthat he might safely have come out from his concealment and struckacross the moor, but the deep morass on either side prevented him fromleaving the road until he had passed the cottage.
As he came abreast of our ambush we both sprang out from
the open doorand barred his way. I have heard the Independent minister at Emsworthgive an account of Satan's appearance, but if the worthy man had beenwith us that day, he need not have drawn upon his fancy. The man's darkface whitened into a sickly and mottled pallor, while he drew back witha long sharp intaking of the breath and a venomous flash from his blackeyes, glancing swiftly from right to left for some means of escape. Foran instant his hand shot towards his sword-hilt, but his reason told himthat he could scarce expect to fight his way past us. Then he glancedround, but any retreat would lead him back to the men whom he hadbetrayed. So he stood sullen and stolid, with heavy, downcast face andshifting, restless eye, the very type and symbol of treachery.
'We have waited some time for you, Master John Derrick,' said I. 'Youmust now return with us to the town.'
'On what grounds do you arrest me?' he asked, in hoarse, broken tones.'Where is your warranty? Who hath given you a commission to molesttravellers upon the King's highway?'
'I have my Colonel's commission,' I answered shortly. 'You have beenonce already to Feversham's camp this morning.'
'It is a lie,' he snarled fiercely. 'I do but take a stroll to enjoy theair.'
'It is the truth,' said Reuben. 'I saw you myself on your return. Let ussee that paper which peeps from your doublet.'
'We all know why you should set this trap for me,' Derrick criedbitterly. 'You have set evil reports afloat against me, lest I stand inyour light with the Mayor's daughter. What are you that you should dareto raise your eyes to her! A mere vagrant and masterless man, comingnone know whence. Why should you aspire to pluck the flower which hasgrown up amongst us? What had you to do with her or with us? Answer me!'
'It is not a matter which I shall discuss, save at a more fitting timeand place,' Reuben answered quietly. 'Do you give over your sword andcome back with us. For my part, I promise to do what I can to save yourlife. Should we win this night, your poor efforts can do little to harmus. Should we lose, there may be few of us left to harm.'
'I thank you for your kindly protection,' he replied, in the same white,cold, bitter manner, unbuckling his sword as he spoke, and walkingslowly up to my companion. 'You can take this as a gift to MistressRuth,' he said, presenting the weapon in his left hand, 'and this!' headded, plucking a knife from his belt and burying it in my poor friend'sside.
It was done in an instant--so suddenly that I had neither time to springbetween, nor to grasp his intention before the wounded man sank gaspingon the ground, and the knife tinkled upon the pathway at my feet. Thevillain set up a shrill cry of triumph, and bounding back in time toavoid the savage sword thrust which I made at him, he turned and fleddown the road at the top of his speed. He was a far lighter man than I,and more scantily clad, yet I had, from my long wind and length of limb,been the best runner of my district, and he soon learned by the sound ofmy feet that he had no chance of shaking me off. Twice he doubled as ahare does when the hound is upon him, and twice my sword passed within afoot of him, for in very truth I had no more thought of mercy than ifhe had been a poisonous snake who had fastened his fangs into my friendbefore my eyes. I never dreamed of giving nor did he of claiming it.At last, hearing my steps close upon him and my breathing at hisvery shoulder, he sprang wildly through the reeds and dashed into thetreacherous morass. Ankle-deep, knee-deep, thigh-deep, waist-deep, westruggled and staggered, I still gaining upon him, until I was withinarm's-reach of him, and had whirled up my sword to strike. It had beenordained, however, my dear children, that he should die not the death ofa man, but that of the reptile which he was, for even as I closed uponhim he sank of a sudden with a gurgling sound, and the green marsh scummet above his head. No ripple was there and no splash to mark the spot.It was sudden and silent, as though some strange monster of the marsheshad seized him and dragged him down into the depths. As I stood withupraised sword still gazing upon the spot, one single great bubble roseand burst upon the surface, and then all was still once more, and thedreary fens lay stretched before me, the very home of death and ofdesolation. I know not whether he had indeed come upon some sudden pitwhich had engulfed him, or whether in his despair he had cast himselfdown of set purpose. I do but know that there in the great Sedgemoormorass are buried the bones of the traitor and the spy.
I made my way as best I could through the oozy clinging mud to themargin, and hastened back to where Reuben was lying. Bending over himI found that the knife had pierced through the side leather whichconnected his back and front plates, and that the blood was not onlypouring out of the wound, but was trickling from the corner of hismouth. With trembling fingers I undid the straps and buckles, loosenedthe armour, and pressed my kerchief to his side to staunch the flow.
'I trust that you have not slain him, Micah,' he said of a sudden,opening his eyes.
'A higher power than ours has judged him, Reuben,' I answered.
'Poor devil! He has had much to embitter him,' he murmured, andstraightway fainted again. As I knelt over him, marking the lad's whiteface and laboured breathing, and bethought me of his simple, kindlynature and of the affection which I had done so little to deserve, I amnot ashamed to say, my dears, albeit I am a man somewhat backward in myemotions, that my tears were mingled with his blood.
As it chanced, Decimus Saxon had found time to ascend the church towerfor the purpose of watching us through his glass and seeing how wefared. Noting that there was something amiss, he had hurried down fora skilled chirurgeon, whom he brought out to us under an escort ofscythesmen. I was still kneeling by my senseless friend, doing what anignorant man might to assist him, when the party arrived and helped meto bear him into the cottage, out of the glare of the sun. The minuteswere as hours while the man of physic with a grave face examined andprobed the wound.
'It will scarce prove fatal,' he said at last, and I could have embracedhim for the words. 'The blade has glanced on a rib, though the lung isslightly torn. We shall hear him back with us to the town.'
'You hear what he says,' said Saxon kindly. 'He is a man whose opinionis of weight--
"A skilful leach is better far, Than half a hundred men of war."
Cheer up, man! You are as white as though it were your blood and not hiswhich was drained away. Where is Derrick?'
'Drowned in the marshes,' I answered.
''Tis well! It will save us six feet of good hemp. But our position hereis somewhat exposed, since the Royal Horse might make a dash at us. Whois this little maid who sits so white and still in the corner.'
''Tis the guardian of the house. Her granny has left her here.'
'You had better come with us. There may be rough work here ere all isover.'
'Nay, I must wait for granny,' she answered, with the tears running downher cheeks.
'But how if I take you to granny, little one,' said I. 'We cannotleave you here. 'I held out my arms, and the child sprang into them andnestled up against my bosom, sobbing as though her heart would break.'Take me away,' she cried; 'I'se frightened.'
I soothed the little trembling thing as best I might, and bore her offwith me upon my shoulder. The scythesmen had passed the handles of theirlong weapons through the sleeves of their jerkins in such a way as toform a couch or litter, upon which poor Reuben was laid. A slight dashof colour had come back to his cheeks in answer to some cordial givenhim by the chirurgeon, and he nodded and smiled at Saxon. Thus, pacingslowly, we returned to Bridgewater, where Reuben was carried to ourquarters, and I bore the little maid of the marshes to kind townsfolk,who promised to restore her to her home when the troubles were over.