PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT.
When I heard Mackenzie's name pronounced by those fair lips and realized
that the scoundrel had dared to force his way to Miss Hatherton's
bedchamber, I was put in such a rage as I had never known before. I did
not wait for further information, but, brushing past the girl, I leaped
through the open window. There was a narrow balcony beyond it--as I
knew--which ran along the side of the house, and looked down on a paved
courtyard overshadowed by an adjoining building.
Being familiar with the hotel, I was at no loss to account for the means
by which the villain had entered and fled. I dashed at once to the end
of the balcony, which was within easy reach of the limbs of a tree that
grew up from the court. As I peered down from the shadows, I heard a
rustling noise, and the next instant I saw a man at the base of the
tree; it must have taken him all this time to descend the trunk. I was
sure that I recognized Mackenzie, and as he made off I took aim with my
pistol and fired. A sharp cry and an oath followed the report, but the
fellow sped on to the end of the court, where a passage led out to a
back street. Here a voice hailed him; showing that one or more had
shared his enterprise.
But a moment had passed since I leaped out of the window, and now I
found Captain Rudstone at my side.
"Did you hit him?" he demanded.
"I think so," I replied; "but he ran like a deer."
"He'll not run far if I can get sight of him. To take the scoundrel will
be a good card in our hands!"
With that the captain swung himself into the tree, and went down hand
over hand, from limb to limb, with the agility of a cat. He was on the
ground before I could have counted ten.
"Do not follow me," he called up: and then he vanished in the shadows
across the court.
I would have preferred to take a part in the chase, but I swallowed my
disappointment and returned along the balcony. The pistol-shot had
raised some clamor in the neighborhood. I could hear men shouting, and
several lights were moving in the opposite house. I climbed through the
window into the room, where I found Monsieur and Madame Ragoul and their
three servants all in a state of excitement. Miss Hatherton had by this
time put on a dressing-gown and slippers, and seemed to have entirely
recovered from her fright. She blushed prettily as she saw me.
"You have not killed him. Mr. Carew?" she asked.
"I fear not," I replied; "but Captain Rudstone hopes to take him."
"It will be a shame if he escapes," cried Madame Ragoul. "Oh, the
pig--the wicked robber! He might have strangled the pretty English
mademoiselle!"
The servants were rolling their eyes and shivering with fear, and
Monsieur Ragoul was dancing about, with his red nightcap hanging to one
ear.
"I am ruined!" he wailed. "The good name of my house is gone!
Never--never did such a thing happen before! The officers of the law
will enter--they will demand why a pistol is fired to waken the
quarter!"
"Coward, be quiet!" snapped his wife. "The affair is no fault of ours."
I judged it was time to interfere. The distant clamor had not
perceptibly increased, and I saw some chance of keeping the matter a
secret, which was a thing greatly to be desired.
"Monsieur Ragoul, I think there need be no publicity," said I. "Will you
be so good as to close the window and draw the curtains, and also put
out that candle you are holding?"
He obeyed me promptly, and just as the room was darkened Baptiste made a
tardy appearance. I explained the situation to him in a few words, and
then I turned to Miss Hatherton.
"I trust you are none the worse," I said. "I deeply regret that you
should have suffered such an outrage--"
"And I am sorry to have put you to so much trouble on my account," she
interrupted. "This is twice you have come to my help at a time of need."
"Then I am twice honored," I replied. "But, tell me, was the scoundrel
indeed Mr. Mackenzie?"
"I am sure of it, Mr. Carew. I woke suddenly, and saw him standing in
the moonlight at the foot of my bed. When I screamed the second time he
vanished through the window. It was the shock that unnerved me. I beg
you to believe that I am not ordinarily a coward."
"The adventure would have terrified the bravest of women," I answered.
Bending to her ear, I added, in a whisper: "As for Mr. Mackenzie, I take
it he was seeking the dispatches?"
"Yes, he doubtless thought I still had them," Miss Hatherton replied. "I
am afraid he will pay dearly for his folly if Captain Rudstone overtakes
him."
Even as she spoke a startling thing happened. In the silence of the room
we all heard the faint report of a pistol. The sound came from some
distance away, and in the direction of the upper town.
"That was the captain's shot," I declared.
"Or Mr. Mackenzie's," the girl suggested, in a tone of alarm.
"The saints save us!" cried Monsieur Ragoul. "This is worse and worse!"
I was for going out to investigate, but Miss Hatherton would have it
that such a step meant danger, and I yielded reluctantly to her
pleadings. However, I persuaded the little Frenchman to let me into the
courtyard, by which way I knew the captain would return if he was able.
We went downstairs, accompanied by Baptiste, and Monsieur Ragoul
unbarred and opened the side door. .
When I stepped into the court I was relieved to discover that the
immediate neighborhood was comparatively quiet. But at a distance, in
the direction whence the shot had come, a confused clamor was audible. I
had been listening no more than a minute when I heard footsteps, and
across the moonlit court came Captain Rudstone. My heart leaped for joy
at the sight of him. Without a word he motioned us into the house, and
closed and fastened the door. Then I knew that he had bad news.
"Monsieur Ragoul," he said, "will you go and tell Miss Hatherton to
dress at once and to put in a parcel as many of her belongings as she
can carry in one hand. Be quick!"
The Frenchman dared not ask any questions. He departed in a state of
alarm and mystery, and Baptiste and I were left alone with the captain.
The latter rested a hand on my shoulder.
"Mr. Carew," he said gravely, "you remember the question I put to you an
hour ago? You have no longer any choice in the matter; we must leave
Quebec at once--within a few minutes. That is, if we can."
"What do you mean?" I asked hoarsely. "What has happened?"
"Much," he replied. "In the first place, you wounded Mr. Mackenzie in
the right arm. In the second place, I followed the ruffians for a
quarter of a mile--there were two of them--and finally came up with them
at a lonely spot. I tried to take them both, but they resisted fiercely.
To save my own life I shot and killed Mackenzie's companion, a Northwest
man named Tredennis. Mackenzie fled, raising the alarm as he ran, and by
a detour I got back to the hotel unobserved."
"There is likely to be trouble over the affair," said I; and indeed I
felt more alarm than I put into my voice.
"Trouble?" cried the captain, with some irritation. "By Heavens, Mr.
Carew, it's as black an outlook as I ever faced! Mackenzie knows his
power, and he will hatch up a devil of a lie. In Quebec feeling runs
high against the Hudson Bay people, and the authorities openly favor the
Northwest Company. I tell you there will be warrants out for our arrest
within the hour--perhaps in less time. And you must perceive what the
result will be if we are taken. Lord Selkirk's dispatches will fall into
the hands of our enemies; you and I will be thrown into prison. And God
only knows what will become of Miss Hatherton!"
I felt a sensation as of a hand clutching at my heart. I knew that the
situation was as dismal as Captain Rudstone had painted it--that we
could not expect fair dealing from the authorities of Quebec. And the
thought of the girl's peril, if she should be left to the wiles of
Cuthbert Mackenzie, put me in a mind to accept any opportunity of escape
that offered.
"What is your plan?" I asked.
"The Yankee ship Speedwell sails for the Bay in the morning," the
captain replied. "She lies anchored a short distance down the river, and
we must get on board as soon as possible. I have known her master, Hiram
Bunker, of Salem, for several years."
I made no objection to the arrangement. Baptiste had been listening, and
a few sentences put everything clear. He was trusty and I saw a way to
utilize him.
"Off with you to the river--to the landing at the foot of Bonaventure
Street," I directed. "There are plenty of boats about. Get possession of
one, and wait for us."
Captain Rudstone warmly approved this step. We let Baptiste into the
court, locked the door, and hurried upstairs. In the hall we encountered
Miss Hatherton, fully dressed and carrying a small bundle. The brave
girl had promptly obeyed instructions, though ignorant of what they
meant. When we explained our purpose she showed an admirable pluck and
spirit, putting herself entirely in our hands, and urging us to be off
without delay. Monsieur Ragoul seemed disposed to give us some trouble
at first, but that blew over when we presented him with a few gold
pieces, and pointed out to him that our departure was for his own good.
Our destination, of course, we did not reveal.
In ten minutes more we were ready to start. My musket was strapped to my
back, and the captain and I had each a bundle containing a change of
clothes. We came quietly down the dark stairs, monsieur and madame
leading the way, and the servants bringing up the rear--traversing the
hall, we turned toward the side exit. And just then, on the front door
of the hotel we heard a loud and sudden thumping.