WHICH WAY TO FOLLOW?
I must admit that in the conduct of this affair Lord Fylingdale showed
both coolness and resolution.
The news that the heiress of Lynn had been abducted spread immediately
through the rooms; the whole company flocked to the doors, where Lord
Fylingdale stood, calm and without passion, while beside him the old
captain stamped and cursed the villains unknown.
He called Molly's chairmen. What had those fellows seen? They said
that they were waiting by order; that another chair stood before them
at the door, the bearers of which were strangers to them, a fact which
at this crowded season occurred constantly; that a gentleman whose
name they knew not, but whom they had seen in the streets and at the
assembly, mostly drunk, had come out hastily and spoken to these
chairmen; that his lordship himself had handed the lady into the chair
and closed the doors, to their astonishment, because they were
themselves waiting for the lady; and that the chair was carried off
instantly, leaving them in bewilderment, not knowing what to do.
He asked them, next, for a closer description of the gentleman. He was
young, it appeared; he was red in the face; he looked masterful; he
cursed the chairmen in a very free and noble manner; one of the
chairmen gave him his sword to wear, which is not permitted in the
assembly; he was swearing all the time as if in great wrath.
"My lord," a gentleman interrupted, "the description fits Tom Rising."
"Has Mr. Rising been seen in the assembly this evening?"
"He was not only here, but he danced with the lady."
"Is he here now? Let some one look for Mr. Rising."
There was no need to look for him, because the rooms--even the card
room--was now empty, all the people being crowded about the doors.
"Where does he lodge? Let some one go to his lodgings."
"With submission, my lord," said another. "It is not at his lodgings
that he will be found. After the assembly, he goes to the 'Rose
Tavern,' where he drinks all night."
"Let some one go to the 'Rose Tavern,' then, and quickly. Captain
Crowle, we will go to the 'Crown' while inquiries are made. Gentlemen,
there is great suspicion that an abominable crime hath been committed,
and that this young lady hath been forcibly carried away for the sake
of her fortune. I take blame to myself for not making sure that I was
placing her in her own chair. This is my business. But I ask your help
for the honour of the spa and the company."
A dozen gentlemen stepped forward and offered their help and their
swords, if necessary. Among them was Colonel Lanyon.
"Come, then. Let us adjourn to the 'Crown' and make inquiries. Be of
good cheer, captain. We will find out which way they took. If they
have nothing but the chair to carry her away we can easily catch them
up."
"I know my girl," said the captain. "It is not one man who can daunt
her, nor will a dozen men force her to marry against her will. If they
try there will be murder."
"If we cannot find the way they took, we must scour the country."
At the gates of the garden they learned that the keeper had seen the
chair go out, and observed that it was closely followed by a gentleman
whom he could only describe by his height, which was taller than the
average. Now, Tom Rising was six feet at least.
At the "Crown," in Lord Fylingdale's room, they held a brief
consultation, after which the gentlemen who had volunteered their help
went out into the town to make inquiries.
In a few minutes they began to return. It was ascertained that Tom
Rising was not at his lodging; nor was he at the "Rose Tavern"; nor
could he be found at any of the taverns used by gentlemen; this
strengthened the suspicion against him. Then one remembered the
strange words of the Tuesday night, in which Tom Rising had promised
his friends that he would, before the week was done, be the richest
man in the county; rich enough to play with them until he had stripped
every man as bare as Adam. Those words were taken as mere drunken
ravings. But now they seemed to have had a meaning. Where was Tom
Rising?
Another discovery was that of the two men belonging to the chair in
which Molly was carried off. They were found in one of the low taverns
by the riverside, drinking. One of them was already too far gone to
speak. The other, with a stronger head, was able to give information,
which he was quite ready to do. A gentleman, he said, had engaged the
chair, and had given them a guinea to drink if they would suffer him
to find his own chairmen. His description of the gentleman
corresponded with that already furnished. He spoke of a tall gentleman
with a flushed face and rough manner of speech. He knew nothing more,
except that two men, strangers to himself, had taken the chair and
carried it off.
"Gentlemen," said his lordship, "there can be, I fear, no doubt the
abduction of Miss Molly has been designed and attempted by Mr. Rising.
Fortunately, he cannot have gone very far. It remains for us to find
the road which he has taken."
They fell to considering the various roads which lead out of the town.
There is the high road to Ely, Cambridge, and London; but to carry a
chair with an unwilling lady in it on the high road, frequented by
night as well as by day with travellers of all kinds and strings of
pack horses, would be ridiculous. There was the road which led to the
villages on the east side of the Wash; there was also the road to
Swaffham and Norwich; another was also the road to Hunstanton.
"I am of opinion," said one of the gentlemen, "that he has fixed on
some lonely place not far from Lynn, where he could make her a
prisoner until she complies with his purpose and consents to marry
him."
Captain Crowle shook his head. "She would never consent," he repeated.
"My girl is almost as strong as any man, and quite as resolute. There
will be murder if this villain attempts violence."
Just then the landlady of the "Crown" threw open the door and burst
in. "Oh, gentlemen, gentlemen!" she cried, "I have found out where
they are gone. Ride after them. Ride after them quick, before worse
mischief is done. I have ordered all the horses in the stables to be
saddled. There are eight. Quick! gentlemen, for the love of the Lord,
ride after them."
"Quick! Quick!" said his lordship.
"Where are they? Where are they?" The captain sprang up.
"They are on their way. They cannot be there yet."
"But where? Where?"
"Mr. Rising ordered a post-chaise to wait for him at ten o'clock."
"He left the gardens," said his lordship, "about that time. Go on."
"He ordered it at the Duke's Head. The postboy told the ostler his
orders. He was to wait for Mr. Rising at 'The Travellers' Rest,' at
Riffley Spring, on the way to Wootton."
"'The Travellers' Rest'? What kind of place is that?"
"It is a bad place, my lord--a villainous place--on a lonely road up
and down which there is little travelling. It is a resort of pedlars,
tinkers, and the like--gipsies, vagabonds, footpads, and rogues. It is
no place for a young lady."
"It is not, indeed," said one of the gentlemen.
"Gentlemen," the landlady repeated, "ride after him! Ride after them!
Oh! the sweet Miss Molly!"
"Are the horses ready?"
"They will be ready in a minute."
"Gentlemen, there are, you hear, eight horses. Captain Crowle will
take one, I will take another. The remaining six are at your disposal.
I shall feel honoured if you will accompany me; but on one condition,
if you will allow me to make a condition. The man will fight, I
suppose?"
"Tom Rising," one of them replied, "would fight the devil."
"One could desire nothing better. The condition is that when we
overtake Mr. Rising you will leave him to me. That is understood?"
"My lord, we cannot, by your leave, allow your valuable life to be at
the hazard of a duel with a man both desperate and reckless."
"I shall take care of myself, I assure you. Meantime, if I fall I name
Colonel Lanyon to succeed me, and after him, should he, too, unhappily
fall, you will yourselves name his successor. Gentlemen, we must
rescue the lady and we must punish the abductor. I hear the horses.
Come."