TWO PLEADERS
The tidings that the dragoons were on their way to Littleport had
hardly spread sufficiently in the forenoon to draw together great
quantities of spectators, but after they had gone by it was otherwise.
The news flew like wildfire over the Fens, and the inhabitants of the
district came in troops and lined the road, so that they might have the
satisfaction of seeing the military, and taking account of the number
of prisoners they had taken.
The fen-folk are all more or less closely connected by marriage,
forming a people to themselves, separate in interests, customs, and
character from those who live on the high grounds. They have been wont
for generations to seek their mates among themselves, with the result
that a close family connection binds the whole population together. The
number of cases in the Fens in which a woman, on marriage, retains her
maiden name is quite unequalled elsewhere. Whoever might be taken up
by the military was certain to be akin to some of the lookers-on, and
therefore the spectacle anticipated on the return of the dragoons was
calculated to engage their interest and excite their sympathies.
Among the yeomen there is intermarriage with cousins for the sake
of adding acre to acre and barn to barn, but among the labouring
population no such inducement prevails. They choose their wives from
among their blood relatives, because the idea never crosses their
minds to go elsewhere to find mates. They must marry cousins or not
marry at all, and the question resolves itself in one of degrees of
consanguinity.
As nearly, if not all, the wealthy landowners are grandsons or
great-grandsons of half-wild fen-slodgers, it follows that they are
knitted by blood ties to the labourers they employ. This does not
necessarily increase good fellowship, nor promote forbearance. The
purse-proud yeoman is the harshest master. He draws the line of
sympathy at the mark of the class to which he belongs, a class of
recent creation. He holds fast to his brother yeoman, and both together
grind down their brother labourer.
This condition of affairs was of course more noticeable formerly than
at present. Each generation separates the well-to-do a step farther
from their poor relations. Our story refers to events and conditions
some decades ago.
On account of the tyranny exercised by the masters, little
consideration was felt for them by the men when they broke out in
revolt, although allied to them by blood; and the stacks that had been
fired were in several instances set in flames by the blood relatives of
the owners of the stacks.
As the dragoons trotted along the road towards Ely, exclamations and
lamentations broke out as the men they had taken were recognised by
those who lined the highway.
'There is Robert Cheesewright! Oh dear! what will the old Robert do
without him?'
'Be still. They have not taken Robert. He is going as a witness against
Pip Beamish. That's why he is there.'
'Well, they have handcuffed James Cammel, anyhow, and he was going
to marry my Beulah. If they hang him, Beulah will have to take Aaron
Layton instead, that's all.'
'There is Joseph Lavender. He is my wife's son by her first husband.
She will take on dreadful, and I shan't have my shirt properly washed,
nor my pasty full baked—that's what it means to me.'
'They have taken Flanders Hopkins and Richard Rutter.'
'Yes; and look you there. That's Isaac Harley, as was in the waggon. I
wish I had Isaac's gun, I'd shoot the chap that has charge of him. How
ever came Isaac to be taken?'
'Ay; and he is cuffed to Joseph Stibbard.'
'Stibbard broke into the parson's house at Littleport, and took his
silver spoons and money.'
'He needed them more than did the parson.'
'Of course he did, and had a right to take them. Joseph Stibbard's
sister married my nephew, Philip Easy. I hope he handed on the spoons
to her before the soldiers took him.'
Such were the comments passed. Some of those looking on endeavoured to
push between the soldiers, and get at their relatives who were being
conveyed to prison, but were repelled by their guards. Comments of
another sort were expressed less loudly, though not less frankly.
'There rides Drownlands. He has been along with the dragoons all the
day. He has been pointing out whom they are to take; and if there is
hanging to be done, i' fecks! it is he who has twisted the rope for
their necks, poor fellows.'
'I knew he was out and about all last night.'
'Yes, and has been all this morning with the magistrates. But they
haven't taken Pip Beamish yet.'
'I am sure they would be put to it for witnesses, if it were not for
Tiger Ki. Which of us would peach? Wouldn't we do the other thing, and
swear 'em off?'
'You are right there. I suppose Ki Drownlands knows what he is doing.
But I reckon that this will be remembered against him, and he will be
paid out for it some day or other.'
'Trust our chaps for that, and the day will not be distant.'
Drownlands observed the sullen looks, the scowls with which he was
greeted, and noticed the whispers that passed as he rode by, but
treated all with indifference or contempt.
'They do not love me. I scoff at them,' said he to Sir Bates Dudley.
'They have done their worst. We are clearing the Fens of the only lads
with any spirit in them to do mischief. Those that remain are arrant
cowards.'
Then he turned his horse's head down the drove to Prickwillow. 'I am
not needed till to-morrow. Here is my home.'
His eye lighted on Zita, who had come forth to see the soldiers pass
with their prisoners. Near her were Mrs. Tunkiss, Sarah, and the farm
serving-men.
Zita uttered an exclamation and ran forward, caught Drownlands' horse
by the bridle, and exclaimed—
'What is the meaning of this? Why is Mark Runham taken? This is your
doing.'
'Why not? He headed the rioters.'
'He did not head them. It is false. You know it is so. Set him at
liberty at once.'
'I cannot do that. He has been arrested. He will appear before the
magistrates to-morrow.'
'Very well, so will I. I can bear witness as well as you.'
Then Zita darted nimbly between the soldiers, in spite of their
protests, which were not roughly enforced, for the quick eyes of the
dragoons saw that she was pretty. She made her way to Mark, who was
handcuffed.
'Mark,' said she, 'I will help you.'
'You?' he answered. 'You said it was all one to you whether I were
hanged or transported. I am innocent, and will be discharged without
your help.'
'Back!' ordered the dragoon on the right, and Zita was forced to
retreat.
As she did so, she saw Kainie by Drownlands. The girl had seized his
bridle, and was gesticulating with vehemence.
'It is your doing,' said Kerenhappuch. 'You hate him. You try to
destroy him. You are heaping to yourself wrath against the day of
wrath.'
'Let go my bridle,' ordered Drownlands.
'You are my uncle,' insisted the girl, her fair hair blown over her
face. With one hand she brushed it back, but did not release her hold
on the bridle. 'Although you have not treated me as of like flesh and
blood with yourself, yet you cannot undo it; I am your niece, and speak
to you I will, now.'
'Let go, I say. I will hold no communication with you.' He struck his
spurs into the sides of his horse, which reared. But Kainie would not
let go. The plunging of the horse made the curb nip and cut Kainie's
hand, and some blood came over it. She changed hands on the bridle.
'Look!' said she. 'You cannot help it. This is Drownlands blood. It is
Drownlands blood appeals to you now.'
Then Zita laid her hand on the bridle, on the farther side of the beast.
'We are two girls,' she said, 'and we will stay you, man though you be.
Kainie and I are enemies, we do not love each other, but we unite in
beseeching you to do justice to one man.'
'Ay,' said the mill-girl. 'Uncle Ki, you are bent on evil, and we will
hold you back against plunging farther into the slough.'
'Mark never intended to injure you,' said the Cheap Jack girl. 'He
sought to save your property for you. Why should you work for his
destruction?'
'You shall withdraw your charge against him before all the world,' said
Kainie.
'You shall break the shackles off his hands yourself,' said Zita.
Drownlands dug his spurs wrathfully into the flanks of the horse, and
clenched his teeth and hands. But though the beast was wounded and
bounded, his head was held too firmly for him to break away.
'Shall I grip your foot till you scream,' exclaimed Zita, 'as I did on
the night when I stayed you before?'
'Will you kill Mark, as you killed his father?' asked Kainie.
Her words were random words. She spoke in the vehemence of her wrath
against Drownlands, and anxiety for Runham. She knew nothing definite
against her uncle, but she had heard the whispered gossip of the Fens.
'I will have justice on all who have wronged me,' muttered Drownlands.
'Take care!' exclaimed Kainie, raising the disengaged hand, down which
ran a trickle of blood. 'Do not think that because some of the poor
lads have been taken, because ten out of one hundred are handcuffed,
that every heart that is full of bitterness is beating behind prison
walls, and every hand that can be raised against you is fettered. There
are ninety pairs for every ten you put in iron cuffs, and they will be
clenched in rage and resolve of revenge the day that you send the poor
fellows to the gallows.'
'I fear them not,' said Drownlands scornfully.
'You may not fear, but that is because, like Pharaoh, your heart is
hardened and your eyes are blinded, and the Lord is driving you
to your destruction. I am here to stand between you—I, as your
niece—between you and what threatens.'
'What threatens?'
'You are threatened.'
'Who threatens me?'
'Pip Beamish for one.'
'Ha! he will be arrested speedily.'
'No, not speedily. He is not taken yet, and till he is taken you are
not safe.'
'I will see that he be not at large for long. Before this week is out
he will be in prison.'
'That may be a few days too many for you.'
'I fear not your Pip Beamish; your braggarts do nothing.'
'No, braggarts do nothing; but Pip is no braggart.'
'It is my turn now,' said Zita. 'You, Kainie, have tried and have
failed. Leave him to me. I can employ reasons that are stronger than
yours. Let go your hold of the horse's head. You have said your say.
Now I will say mine. But none must hear us.'
Kainie reluctantly released the bit. Then Zita, still with her hand on
the bridle, strode in the direction of Prickwillow, leading the horse,
and some of the people congregated on the drove looked after her and
the master, and laughed.
'He has found his mistress,' said one man, nudging his fellow.
'Ay, and is following her lead like a lamb,' replied the man who had
been nudged.
'Who leads today will drive to-morrow,' said a third.
'Is he going to marry her?' asked the first.
The man addressed shrugged his shoulders and said, 'No money.
Drownlands is not such a fool as that.'
None of this was heard by Zita, who did not relax her hold, nor turn
to look at those who were left in the road. The master suffered her to
conduct him towards the house without making remonstrance.