THE THREAT OF SWORDS
Stepping from the glare of those gleaming parlor lights into the gloom of
that narrow passage, blinded me for the instant, yet a moment later, I
became aware of the distant glimmer of a candle, the faint reflection
revealing the girl's face.
"Please do not talk; do not ask anything--yet," she urged hurriedly,
noiselessly closing the door at my back, and as instantly gripping my
sleeve. Her breath came quickly; her voice trembled from suppressed
excitement. "Come with me, beyond the light yonder."
I followed her guidance, bewildered, yet having every confidence the
reason for this mysterious occurrence must be fully justified. The
passage curved slightly, terminating at a closed door. Scarce a
reflection of the candle reached us here, yet my eyes were by now
sufficiently accustomed to the gloom so that I could trace the outlines
of her face. A vague doubt took possession of me.
"You are causing me to run away from Grant," I protested blindly. "You
are making me appear afraid to meet him."
"No, it is not that," swiftly. "He was not coming to you personally at
all--you were to be arrested."
"What! He knew me then?"
"I am not sure--some one did, and mentioned his suspicions. Captain Grant
was glad enough of an excuse, no doubt, but he," the soft voice
faltering, "he made a mistake in twitting me for being friendly toward
you."
"And you came to warn, to save me!" I exclaimed, pressing her hand.
"That was nothing; I could do no less. I am only glad I knew the way."
"You mean how you might reach me first?"
"Yes; it came to me in a flash when he first left me alone, only I was
not certain in which parlor you would be waiting. I ran through the
kitchen and down the back stairs; I helped the officers plan their
decorations, and in that way learned of this private passage beneath the
stairs. It was easy, but--oh, listen! they are in there now!"
We could hear voices through the intervening wall clearly enough to even
distinguish words, as the speakers exercised little restraint. I felt the
girl's slender figure press against me in the narrow space where we
stood, and I clung to her hand, both remaining motionless and silent.
"The fellow has run, Grant," boomed some one hoarsely, "either afraid, or
else what you say he is. See here, boy, did you see any one in here
lately in scarlet jacket?"
"I don' just 'member, sah," answered a negro, hesitatingly. "I was busy
over dar' cleanin' de side-boa'd."
"Well, he's not here now, that's certain," broke in Grant impatiently,
"and we've been in all the parlors? What next, MacHugh?"
"Try to head him off before he can get out of the city, of course. That's
his game, probably. Osborne, have Carter come here at once. Why didn't
you nab the fellow upstairs, Captain? Fool play that, sending him down
here."
"I didn't wish to create a row in the ball-room; he was with Claire
Mortimer--"
"Oh, I see," laughing coarsely. "Something besides military duty
involved, eh?"
"I'll trouble you to be a trifle more careful, MacHugh," Grant said
stiffly. "The fellow did her a small service in the afternoon, and she
couldn't refuse dancing with him, as he was in uniform, and apparently
all right. I advise you to drop that part of the affair. Here's Carter
now."
I could hear the click of the newcomer's spurs as he crossed the room.
MacHugh chuckled.
"Touchy about it just the same, I see; however we'll pass up the lady.
Carter, there has been a spy in here to-night, calling himself Lieutenant
Fortesque, of the 42nd Regiment. He came through the lines this morning
with despatches for Howe, I understand. Did you meet him?"
"No, sir, but one of my men was riding about with him all day--Watts; I
heard him telling about it an hour ago."
"Is that so? Where'd they go?"
"Covered everything, I judge, from Callowhill to the Lower Battery. Watts
said he asked questions of everybody they met, but he didn't take any
notes. He liked the fellow, but thought he was mighty inquisitive. Where
is he now, sir?"
"The devil knows, I don't, and you'll have to find out. He'll head
northwest likely; he'll never try to cross the river here. How many men
have you?"
"Twenty."
"Scatter them to every north post. The fellow had no horse, and your
troopers can easily get ahead of him. Hurry up now." Carter departed with
click of steel, and MacHugh evidently turned to his companion.
"We'll catch the lad all right, Grant. Some of those outposts will nab
him before daylight. No use our waiting around here; let's go back
upstairs."
The girl's nervous grasp on my arm tightened, her lips pressed close to
my ear.
"I--I must get back to my place at the table," she whispered. "Surely you
know what to do; this is a rear door; there are stables a hundred feet
away; you must get a horse, and ride fast--you--you will do this!"
"Yes, of course--but how can I thank you?"
"Don't try; don't ever even think of it again. I hardly know what mad
impulse sent me here. Now I have but one thought--to hurry you away, and
get safely back myself--you will go?"
"Yes--but--"
"Not now! there is no time for explanation, promises, anything. You heard
what they said; every avenue of escape will be blocked within an hour. If
you go at once you can outride them--please, please go!"
She held out her hand, and I grasped it warmly, unable longer to war
against the pitiful appeal in her voice.
"Yes, I'll go, at once. But I take away with me a memory which will never
permit me to be satisfied until we meet again. We have been together so
short a time--"
"Had it been longer," she interrupted, "you would know me better, and
care less, perhaps. I am a sham; a cheat," a trifle of bitterness in the
tone. "You will learn all that some day, and laugh at yourself. Oh, I
know you will; so not another word, sir. I am going; then, perhaps, you
will."
There was a slight pressure of her fingers, and she had vanished so
quickly I could only stare blindly along the deserted passage. Yet, an
instant later, the peril of my predicament flashed back upon my mind, and
I faced the immediate necessity for action. What her strange words might
mean could not be interpreted; I made no attempt to comprehend. Now I
must find means of escape, and learn the truth later. I opened the door
cautiously, and stepped without, every nerve taut, every muscle braced
for action. It was a star-lit night, and the numerous rear windows of the
mansion cast a glare of light for some distance. The dark shadow of a
high fence alone promised concealment, and, holding my sword tightly, I
crept in that direction, breathing again more freely as I reached its
protection unobserved. There was a guard stationed before the stable
door--a Grenadier, from the outline of his hat--and others, a little
group, were sitting on the grass a dozen feet away. If they had not been
already warned I might gain a horse by boldness, but the probability was
that here was where Carter had mounted his squad, and I would merely walk
forward into a trap. I had better chance the possibility that some
visitor had left a horse tied in front, or to one of the stands. With
this possibility in mind I turned, and skirted the house, making myself
as inconspicuous as possible. There were soldiers on the outside steps; I
heard their voices without seeing them, and was thus driven to run
swiftly across an open space, memory guiding me toward the opposite
pavilion. Breathless, with heart beating fast, I crouched low in the
shadow, endeavoring to make out my more immediate surroundings. There
were no horses there, but I could clearly distinguish the stomping of
restless hoofs somewhere to the right. As I straightened up, determined
upon discovering an empty saddle if possible, the figure of a man
suddenly loomed directly in front, advancing toward me. In startled
surprise I took one step backward, but was too late. Already the eyes of
the newcomer had perceived my presence, and he sprang forward, tugging at
his sword.
"Hold on there! hold on!" he commanded shortly. "Who are you? What the
devil are you skulking about out here for?"
It was Grant beyond a doubt; I would recognize the peculiar snarl of that
voice in a thousand. He had not gone upstairs then; had not rejoined the
lady in the dining-room. What would she think of his absence? What would
she do when she realized its probable meaning? Someway I was not
frightened, at thus meeting him, but glad--if those others would only
keep away, and let us settle the affair between us. Here was his test--a
coward would cry out an alarm, summon the guard to his assistance, but,
if the fellow's nerve only held, or if he hated me badly enough, he'd
fight it out alone. All this came to me in a flash, and the words of
challenge spoken before he even grasped the thought of who I was.
"So I have discovered you, have I? Why did you fail to keep our
appointment within?"
He drew up sharply, with an oath, peering at me through the dark,
bewildered by my speech.
"The spy! Ye gods, what luck! Do you mean to insinuate I ran away, sir?"
"How else could I interpret it?" I questioned coolly, determined to taunt
him to action. "I waited where you told me till I was tired. Perhaps you
will oblige me by explaining your purpose."
He muttered something, but without comprehending its purport I went on
threateningly:
"And I think you made use of the word _spy_ just now. Did you mistake me
for another?"
"Mistake you? No; I'd know you in hell," he burst forth, anger making his
voice tremble. "I called you a spy, and you are one, you sneaking night
rat. You never waited for me in the parlor; if you had you'd now be under
arrest."
"Oh, so that was the plan?"
"Yes, that was it, Mister Lieutenant Fortesque."
"Well, Grant," I said sternly, "I've got just one answer to make you. You
can call your guard, or you can fight it out with me here. Whichever you
choose will depend upon whether you are a man, or a cur." I took a step
nearer, watching him as best I could in the dark. "You are an unmitigated
liar, sir," and with sudden sweep of the arm I struck him with open hand.
"Probably you will realize what that means."
For an instant he remained so still I doubted him, even held him cheap;
then the breath surged through his clinched teeth in a mad oath. He
surged toward me, but my sword was out, the steel blocking his advance.
"You--you actually mean fight?"
"Why not? Isn't that cause enough? If not I will furnish more."
"I do not fight spies--"
"Stop! That silly charge is merely an excuse. You do not believe it
yourself. You wanted a quarrel yonder in the ball-room. The expression of
your eyes was an insult. Don't evade now. I am here, wearing the uniform
of the British army. I have every right of a gentleman, and you will
cross swords, or I'll brand you coward wherever there is an English
garrison."
The fellow was certainly not afraid, yet he hesitated, not quite clear in
his own mind what he had better do. I might be a spy, and I might not; he
possessed no doubt a moment before, yet the very boldness of my words had
already half convinced him there might be some mistake. Should he call to
the men on the steps yonder, denounce me, and turn me over to the guard?
That was the easiest way for him, the greater disgrace to me. Yet if, by
any chance, I proved later innocent of the charge, then he would become
the laughingstock of the army. I heard his teeth grate savagely as he
realized his dilemma, and laughed outright.
"You do not seem altogether pleased, my friend; what are you, a toy
soldier?"
"Hell's acre! I'll show you what I am."
I saw the sudden flash of his drawn blade, and flung up my own in guard.
"Wait; not here, Captain," I insisted quickly. "We're far too near your
watchful friends yonder; besides the light is poor. Let's try our
fortunes beyond the pavilion, where it can be simply man to man."
He turned without a word, and I followed, eager enough to have done with
the business. The stars gleamed on the naked weapons held in our hands,
but we exchanged no words until we had rounded the corner, and come forth
into the open space beyond.