THE POWDER MINE
THE night was dark. The drizzle had increased to a continuous
downpour, rendering walking a matter of difficulty, and from the time
I left Emsworth till the time I came within sight of my father's home
I never met a solitary wayfarer.
It must have been nearly midnight ere the black masses of the castle
loomed indistinctly against the darkness, and at the sight of the
familiar building my heart throbbed violently.
It was a certain amount of satisfaction to find that the castle had
not been reduced to a heap of stone, like many I had seen in various
parts of the country; but the question arose in my mind, Did it still
belong to the Markhams, or were my people driven out by the rebels?
A solitary light gleamed through the narrow window above the
gatehouse, so that I knew that watch and ward was being kept. The
drawbridge was raised, and at my feet were the dark waters of the
moat.
I shouted, but my voice was lost in the howling of the wind. Groping
around, I found a small stone, which I hurled at the door, smiling to
myself, in spite of my fears, at the strange method of craving
admittance to mine own home.
Instantly the light was extinguished, and a voice shouted:
"Who goes there?"
"A friend," I replied, unwilling to disclose my identity. "I would
see Sir Reginald Markham."
There was a short interval, and then torches flared on the
battlements, the light falling on steel morions and breastplates.
Then the drawbridge fell, and ere I could cross a tall figure
advanced to meet me.
For a moment I hesitated, but the light of the lantern he held above
his head fell on his features, and I recognised, to my great joy, the
soldierly features of Sergeant Lawson.
At the same time the darting rays fell on my face, and with a stifled
cry of terror and amazement the soldier turned to flee.
"Stand firm, sergeant," I exclaimed, "I am no ghost."
Thereupon he returned, almost overthrowing me in his delight.
"Mind my arm, sergeant," said I, laughing, for he had not perceived
that it was in a sling. "Fie on you! One moment you run from me, and
the next you would push me into the moat."
I was instantly surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic retainers and
servants, and directly I was in the gateway the drawbridge was drawn
up. A man ran to convey the news to my father, and before long I was
welcomed home not only by my parents, but also by Colonel Firestone
and Ralph Granville.
In spite of the lateness of the hour, we remained talking,
questioning and cross-questioning, while I attacked a hearty supper
with great spirit, being well-nigh famished.
It appeared that directly my absence was noticed a strong body of
troopers, led by Firestone and Ralph, and accompanied by a
skilled Cornish tracker, had gone out to search for me. They traced
my horse's footsteps when it had turned from the highway, and had
followed it to the cromlech. Here they found one of Firestone's
pistols and saw drops of blood and a number of diverging tracks, so
that they concluded I had been waylaid, robbed, and murdered.
Upon the disbandment of the army in Cornwall Colonel Firestone
resolved to ride to Ashley to break the news, and Granville, now that
his father was killed and himself made homeless, agreed to accompany
him, so that everyone thought I was dead, and hence honest Sergeant
Lawson's terror at what he took to be a supernatural appearance.
For my part, I told them briefly of my adventures, and when I
narrated how I had shot down the treacherous Captain Chaloner, I saw
my father's face visibly brighten. Yet it seemed strange that the
search party had not found the caitiff's body, and that fact gave me
some misgivings, although I argued that some of the captain's friends
must have removed and buried his corpse.
Then I asked how it fared with them at home.
"'Tis not as bad as it might be," replied my father, who, alas! had
aged considerably through the combined attacks of old age, infirmity,
and trouble. "We must, of necessity, lie close within doors, for
there is no telling when the rebels will appear over the hill. No
doubt we owe much to the fact that His Grace of Winchester still
keeps the Roundheads at bay, although for eighteen months they have
laid close siege to his house at Basing."
In truth, Ashley Castle was nominally in a state of blockade, for
within a few miles a large force was engaged in trying to reduce the
Marquis of Winchester's stronghold, while bodies of rebels roamed
with little opposition throughout the length and breadth of the
country, robbing with impunity, committing acts of sacrilege, and
burning down the dwellings of all who offered resistance.
The next morning I could form some idea of the state of affairs.
Before I had left for the west much had been done towards putting the
castle into an efficient state of defence, but the recent changes
astonished me. A clump of trees that grew within a hundred yards of
the gate had been cut down, as they were regarded as being capable of
affording protection to musketeers at close range. The outer walls
had been banked up with earth, so that a steep slope led directly
from midway up the walls to the edge of the moat. This would render
the task of escalade considerably harder, while it afforded
additional protection against heavy ordnance. Most of the tenantry
lived within the castle, and, when not busy collecting provisions,
were employed upon making gabions, which were placed around the walls
to give better protection to the gunners.
In a state of prolonged suspense we passed the winter, and with the
return of spring our anxieties increased.
My father, by reason of his growing infirmities, was unable, much
against his will, to rejoin the King's forces, and ere the summer was
well advanced he was scarce able to walk. But it was the news of the
terrible disaster to His Majesty's forces at Naseby that literally
broke his loyal spirit.
One morning he called me to his room, where I found him sitting at a
table littered with papers.
"You are now eighteen years of age, Humphrey," he began, "and up to
the present I have little fault to find with you, whether it be in
home matters or in conduct in the field. May you continue in the way
you have gone, and, above all things, remember to be an upright and
God-fearing subject of His Gracious Majesty."
"Now concerning our private affairs," he went on, after I had made
fitting reply. "I have much to speak about, and must needs do so
quickly, for I fear my days are drawing to a close. Here are the
deeds and other documents relating to the castle. In these troublous
days 'tis not safe to trust to a lawyer, hence these papers I have
kept here. They must be concealed in safety at all costs, for, mark
ye well, Ashley Castle will be invested within a week, though I may
not live to see it."
Keenly alive though I had been to my father's precarious state, these
last words gave me a shock. But it was no time for me to display
weakness. I sought to rally him, but he persisted.
"As 'tis unwise to lock up the secret solely within your own breast,"
he resumed, with a splendid fortitude, "for any day might see you
stricken down, I would charge you to share the knowledge of the
hiding-place with those worthy gentlemen Sir Ralph Granville and
Colonel Firestone, who, I feel sure, will not betray their trust.
Therefore I leave the matter entirely in your hands, knowing that you
will prove worthy of my confidence."
So saying, he handed me a packet containing the legal documents,
which I took away to my own room till I could conveniently dispose of
them.
On my return with Ralph and Colonel Firestone, my father asked me to
assist him to rise, and, leaning heavily on my shoulder--which was by
now perfectly healed--he led the way towards the underground cellars,
where the provisions of an imperishable nature had been stored, my
comrades following closely.
Through a narrow grated window the pale light that entered was barely
enough to see with, but, with a confidence only gained by
familiarity, my father limped towards the furthermost wall. Here four
massive pillars, supporting the groined arches of the roof, were
walled in by stonework of a more recent date.
"Now follow carefully what I am about to do," said he, and touched a
concealed spring. Part of one of the pillars swung round, disclosing
a yawning cavity; yet so closely did the moving stonework fit the
rest of the column that the most practised eye would fail to detect
the mechanism, especially in the dim light.
Taking a lantern from a bench, my father directed me to close the
sliding door and set light to the candle.
This I did, and reopening the secret aperture, my father painfully
crawled through, and we followed. There was a dry, musty smell about
the vault, and, as our eyes grew accustomed to the feeble light, we
saw barrels and barrels ranged along the floor.
"Hold well the lantern," said my father, giving it into my hands. "A
slip and we are all undone, for every cask contains powder."
"Then there is no chance of our running short of ammunition,"
remarked Firestone.
"Nicholas," exclaimed my father reproachfully, "'tis not for that
purpose. I would have you remember that the magazines are nearer the
ordnance, according to the custom of warfare. See," he exclaimed,
raising his voice and speaking with considerable vehemence. "Here is
a train, and I have sworn that no rebel shall set foot within Ashley
Castle. I require each of you to promise me that, should the castle
be rendered untenable, you will fire the train."
We gazed at him in amazement, for his resolution filled us with
mingled consternation and admiration.
"Nay," he continued, with a faint smile, "I would not that ye
sacrificed your lives heedlessly, for see, I have provided a means of
escape. Stoop down, Humphrey, and wrench at that iron ring in the
floor."
Handing the lantern to Granville, I bent and grasped the ring.
Putting forth all my strength, I lifted a square stone, revealing a
deep hole, while the uppermost of a flight of steps became visible.
"There is your retreat," resumed my father. "When needs must, enter
fearlessly and pursue your way to the remote end, taking care to
close two doors on the way. 'Tis a lengthy step, and where it emerges
will doubtless surprise you. There is a secret door at the far end,
which can be opened only from within. 'Tis easily done, but, I pray
you, do so with care, and, above all things, take torches with you.
Now, promise me, my son, and you, too, my friends, that my wishes
shall be carried out?"
In that chamber, filled with potent horror, we made a solemn promise;
then, replacing the stone and retracing our way, we returned to the
great hall.
"Devotion to His Majesty has impoverished most of us," continued my
father, "and we are not exceptions. Of actual coin of the realm I
have but little. Here is a bag filled with crowns give to every man
of the garrison four apiece ere the castle falls, of the residue
share it amongst yourselves. And now, Humphrey, get ye gone and
conceal the papers I have spoken of, and see me on your return."
Accompanied by my two companions, and bearing the precious documents
in a stout iron chest, I stole out by the postern, crossed the
drawbridge, and made for the wooded downs. Here under the spreading
roots of a gnarled oak we buried the box, taking care that no curious
or prying eyes were about, and carefully replacing the turf over the
spot. 'Twould be against mine own interests to indicate the
particular tree, though any one of us could find it without
difficulty. This done, we returned home, and I hastened to acquaint
my father of the accomplishment of the deed.
"'Tis well," he exclaimed feebly, for the exertion of the morning had
sore tried him, and he had taken to his bed.
"Now, concerning your mother, sister, and yourself," he went on after
a lengthy pause. "Directly I am no more, send your mother, with your
sister, away to her brother's house at Midhurst, so that they may be
spared the horrors of war. For their future I have provided. As for
yourself, 'twould be unwise, should the castle fall, to retire to
Midhurst, for it is but jeopardising your liberty and destroying your
mother's retreat, and bringing the vengeance of the rebels upon that
most harmless and peace-loving man, your uncle. Therefore, 'tis best
that you return to the Isle of Wight, and settle in obscurity till
the King's star shall rise again, and to that end I have placed the
sum of five hundred pounds into the hands of that most worthy man,
Doctor Scott, your former dominie."
After a few more instructions he gave me his blessing and sent me to
bring my mother to his bedside.
Master Cox, the surgeon of Catherington, was soon in attendance, and
he expressed his opinion that the end was nigh. Thereupon we sent for
Dr. Palmer, the vicar of our church at Chalton.
The less I dwell on the events of the next few hours the better it is
to my peace of mind; sufficient it is to say that ere midnight my
father had quitted this earthly wilderness, and that I was Sir
Humphrey Markham.
We laid him to rest within the little church at Chalton, half the
garrison standing to their arms while the rest attended the
obsequies. Two days later I sent my mother and sister with an ample
escort to Midhurst, as I had been directed, and thereupon took over
the task of preparing to hold the castle.
In this I was ably assisted by the colonel and Ralph, both of whom
signified their intention of fighting to the last.
At length the tedious suspense came to an end, for one afternoon
towards the end of September two farmers rode hotspur to the castle
with the news that two regiments of foot and one of horse were on
their way to reduce our stronghold.