Words cannot depict the feelings of Sir Richard Walwyn and Eustace
Trevor as they reined up by the burning house. With both it was anguish
of the keenest; for they knew who were the incendiaries, and that
incendiarism was not the worst of it. They who ruthlessly kindled the
flames had, with like ruth, carried off their betrothed ones. And for
what purpose? A question neither colonel nor captain could help asking
himself, though its conjectural answer was agony. For now more vividly
than ever did Sir Richard recall what had been told him of Lunsford's
designs upon Sabrina; while Trevor had also heard of Prince Rupert's
partiality for Vaga.
As they sate in their saddles contemplating the ruin, they felt as might
an American frontiersman, returned home to find his cabin ablaze, fired
by Indian torch, his wife or daughters borne off in the brutal embrace
of the savage.
No better fate seemed to have befallen the daughters of Ambrose Powell.
White savages, very tigers, had seized upon and dragged them to their
lair; it were no worse if red ones had been the captors. Rather would
the bereaved lovers have had it so; sooner known their sweethearts
buried under that blazing pile than in the arms of the profligate Rupert
and Lunsford the "bloody."
Only for an instant did they give way to their anguish, or the anger
which accompanied it--rage almost to madness. Both were controlled by
the necessity of action, and the first wild burst over, action was
taken--pursuit of the ravishers.
Some time, however, before it could be fairly entered upon; inquiry made
as to the direction in which they had gone. There were hundreds on the
ground who could be interrogated. Half the people of Ruardean were
there. Roused from their beds by the cry "Fire?" they had rushed out,
and on to the scene of conflagration. But arrived too late to witness
the departure of those who had set the torch, and could not tell what
way they had gone. Neither could the house-servants, now released from
their lock-up; for to hinder them doing so was the chief reason for
their having been confined.
As it was known to all that the Royalists had come up from Monmouth,
conjecture pointed to their having returned thither. But conjecture was
not enough to initiate such a pursuit; and Colonel Walwyn was too
practised a campaigner to rely upon it. Certainty of the route taken by
the enemy was essential, else he might go on a wild-goose chase.
As that could not be obtained at the burning house, not a moment longer,
stayed he by it. Scarce ten minutes in all from the time of their
arrival till he gave the command "About?" and about went they, back down
the long avenue, and through the park gate.
Soon as outside, he shouted "Halt!" bringing all again to a stand; he
himself, however, with Captain Trevor and Sergeant Wilde, advancing
along the road in the direction of Cat's Hill. Only a hundred yards or
so, when they reined up. Then, by command, the big sergeant threw
himself out of his saddle; and, bending down, commenced examination of
the ground.
Had Wilde been born in the American backwoods he would have been a noted
hunter and tracker of the Leatherstocking type. As it was, his
experience as a deer-stealer in the Forest of Dean had been sufficient
to make the taking up a horse's trail an easy matter, and easier that of
a whole troop. He could do it even in darkness; for it was dark then--
the moon under a cloud.
And he did it; in an instant. Scarce was he astoop ere rising erect
again, and turning face to Sir Richard, as if all had been ascertained.
"Well, Rob," interrogated the latter, rather surprised at such quick
work, "you see their tracks?"
"I do, Colonel."
"Going Cat's Hill way?"
"No, Colonel. The contrary--comin' from. None o' 'em fresh neyther.
Must a been made some time i' the afternoon."
"Have you assured yourself of that?"
"I have. But I'll gie 'em another look, if ye weesh it, Colonel."
"Do."
The colossus again bent down and repeated his examination of the tracks,
this time making a traverse or two, and going farther along the road.
In a few seconds to return with a confirmation of his former report. A
troop of cavalry had passed over it, but only in one direction--upward,
and some hours before sunset.
"Sure am I o' that, as if I'd been here an' seed 'em," was the tracker's
concluding words.
"Enough?" said Sir Richard. "Into your saddle, and follow me."
At which he gave his horse the spur, and trotted back towards the park
gate. Not to rejoin his men, still at halt, however. Instead, he
continued on along the road for Drybrook; the other two keeping with
him.
At a like distance from the halted line he again drew up, and directed
the sergeant to make a similar reconnaissance.
Here the reading of the sign occupied the tracker some little longer
time; as there was a confusion of hoof marks--some turned one way, some
the other. Those that had the toe towards Hollymead gate he knew to
have been made by their own horses; but underneath, and nearly
obliterated, were hundreds of others almost as fresh.
"That's the trail of the scoundrels," said Sir Richard, soon as the
sergeant reported the result of his investigation. "They've gone over
to the Gloucester side; by Drybrook and Mitcheldean. How strange our
not meeting them!"
"It is--very strange," rejoined Trevor; "but could they have passed
through Mitcheldean without our meeting them?"
"Oh yes they could, Captain," put in Wilde, once more mounted; "theer be
several by-ways through the Forest as leads there, 'ithout touchin' o'
Drybrook. An' I think I know the one them have took. Whens us get to
where it branch off their tracks'll tell."
"Right; they will," said Sir Richard, laying aside conjecture, and
calling to the officer in charge of the men to bring them on at quick
pace.
At quick pace they came; the Colonel, Captain Trevor, and the big
sergeant starting off before they were up, and keeping several horse
lengths ahead.
The route they were taking was the same they had come by--back for
Drybrook. But coming and going their attitude was different. Then
erect, with eyes turned upward regarding the glare over Hollymead; now
bent down, cheeks to the saddle bow, and glances all given to the
ground. For, as Wilde had said, there were several by-ways, any one of
which the pursued party might have taken; and to go astray on the
pursuit, even to the loss of ten minutes' time, might be fatal to their
purpose--the feather's weight turning the scale.
But no danger now; the moon was giving a good light, and the road for
long stretches was open, the trees on each side wide apart. So they had
no difficulty in seeing what before they had not thought of looking for;
the hoof marks of many horses, that had gone towards Drybrook. The
tracks of their own, going the other way, had almost obliterated them;
still enough of the under ones were visible to show that two bodies of
horse had passed in opposite directions, with but a short interval of
time between.
As this could be noted without the necessity of stopping or slowing
pace, Colonel Walwyn carried his men on in a brisk canter, designing
halt only at the branch road of which the sergeant had spoken.
But long before reaching it they got information which made stoppage
there unnecessary, as also further call on the ex-deer-stealer's skill
as a tracker--for the time. Given by a man mounted on a hotel hack,
who, coming on at a clattering gallop, met them in the teeth. His cry
"For the Parliament?" without being challenged, proclaimed him a friend.
And he was; the innkeeper of Mitcheldean, recognised on the instant by
Sir Richard and Rob Wilde.
His coming up caused a halt; for his business was with Colonel Walwyn--
an errand quickly told.
"Prince Rupert and two hundred horse, with prisoners, have passed
through Mitcheldean!"
Half a dozen questions rapidly put, and promptly answered, elicited all
the circumstances--the time, the direction taken, everything the
patriotic Boniface could tell. They had come down the Plump Hill, and
gone off by Abenhall--for Newnham or Westbury; or they might be making
for Lydney.
Down the Plump Hill! That accounted for their not being met. And the
time--so near meeting, yet missing them! All the way to Hollymead and
back for nothing!
But lamenting the lost hours would not recover them. They must be made
good by greater speed; and, without wasting another word, the spur was
buried deeper, and faster rode the Foresters. Rode with a will; few of
them whose heart was not in the pursuit. They were on the slot of a
hated foe, against whom many had private cause of quarrel and vengeance.
Prince Rupert, for the past twelve months, had been harrying the Forest
district, making their homes desolate; his licentious soldiers abusing
their wives, sisters, and daughters--no wonder they wanted to come up
with him!
At mad speed they went dashing around Ruardean Hill, down into the vale
of Drybrook; then up by the Wilderness, and down again to Mitcheldean;
once more startling the townspeople from their slumbers, and filling
them with fresh alarm; soon over on seeing it was the green-coats.
Only a glimpse of them was got, as they galloped on through; staying not
a moment, never drawing bridle till they came to the forking of the
roads by Abenhall--the right for Littledean, Newham, and Lydney; the
left to Westbury. Then only for an instant, while Rob Wilde swung his
stalwart form out of the saddle, and made inspection of the tracks. For
the moon was once more clouded, and he could not make them out, without
dismounting.
As before, brief time it took him; but a few seconds till he was back on
his horse, saying, as he slung himself up,--
"They're gone Westbury ways, Colonel."
And Westbury ways went the pursuers, reins loose and spurs plied afresh,
with no thought of halting again, but a hope there would be no need for
it, till at arm's length with the detested enemy.
Even when the turn in Flaxley Valley brought the Severn in sight, with
its wide sheet of flood-water, they stayed not to talk of it. To them
it was no surprise; but a few hours before they had waded it farther up.
No more was it matter of apprehension, as it had been to the party
pursued. Instead, something to gratify and cheer them on; for,
extending right and left, far as eye could reach, it seemed a very net,
set by God's own hand, to catch the criminals they were in chase of!