|Somewhat late in the evening, Captain Douglas, who, it may be
remembered, had the command of one of the Northumbrian regiments,
informed General Forster that a spy had been arrested, but the general
was so much engrossed by Mrs. Scarisbrick that he paid no attention to
the information. Captain Douglas then spoke to Brigadier Mackintosh, who
at once went with him to a small room where the man was detained.
Meantime, the spy had been recognised as Ralph Fairbrother, for whose
capture a reward had been offered, and who was supposed to have gone to
General Carpenter at Newcastle. On being searched a letter was found on
him addressed to General Wills, giving particulars of the exact state
of the forces, and making some remarks on Forster's incompetency. The
letter bore no signature, but was in a female hand. A few lines, traced
in pencil, had evidently been added at the ball, and this important
postscript recommended an immediate attack of the town, stating that it
must be successful, since Forster was unprepared.
After reading this letter, and considering it for a moment, the
brigadier handed it to Captain Douglas, who likewise read it carefully.
“Can ye guess by whom it is written?” inquired Mackintosh in a low tone.
“I can,” replied the other.
“Hark ye, sirrah!” said Mackintosh to the prisoner, who was looking on
anxiously, “if you desire to save your life, you will tell us who wrote
this letter, and from whom you received it.”
“It was slipped into my hand,” replied the spy. “That is all I know
about it.”
“Were you not engaged by a lady to convey it to General Wills? Answer
plainly.”
“I betray no confidences,” replied Fairbrother, firmly.
“Is General Wills at Wigan?” demanded Captain Douglas. “And how many
regiments of infantry, horse, and dragoons, has he got with him?”
“You ask questions I cannot answer, captain,” replied Fairbrother. “And
I would not answer them, if I could.”
“Very well, sir, then you must take the consequences,” said Douglas. “In
my opinion, brigadier, this man ought to be shot.”
“Humph!” ejaculated Mackintosh. “We shall hear what General Forster
says.
“I have nothing to fear from General Forster,” observed Fairbrother.
“Aha! say you so?” exclaimed the brigadier. “We shall see.”
They then left him in custody, and returned to the ballroom. Forster was
still at supper with Mrs. Scarisbrick, and declined to have a private
consultation with the brigadier.
“I will attend to business in the morning--not now,” he said.
“But we have discovered a spy,” observed Mackintosh, looking fixedly at
Mrs. Scarisbrick; “and have found this letter upon him.”
“Give it me,” cried Mrs. Scarisbrick, snatching it from him. “I will
read it to the general.”
“Madam,” cried the brigadier, sternly. “I insist that you place that
letter in the general's own hands.”
“I don't want to see it,” observed Forster. “I won't be troubled
to-night. To-morrow, will be quite time enough. Keep it for me till
then.”
“You will never see it,” cried Mackintosh. “I desire, madam, that the
letter may be at once returned to me. If not, I shall be compelled to
take it from you.”
“Am I to be exposed to this insult, general?” cried Mrs. Scarisbrick,
indignantly.
“Certainly not,” replied Forster, rising from his seat--though not
without some difficulty. “Brigadier, I must request you to retire.”
“I obey,” replied Mackintosh. “But understand that I will shoot this
spy. I am satisfied of his guilt.”
“Do as you please,” said Forster. “Shoot half a dozen spies if you find
them.”
“Nay, for Heaven's sake! don't let him shoot the man,” cried Mrs.
Scarisbrick.
“Don't be alarmed,” said Forster, sitting down again.
“The man will only be kept in the guard-house to-night. I'll settle the
matter to-morrow. Take some more champagne.”
Reassured by this promise, and having got the letter, Mrs. Scarisbrick
said no more. But she had nothing to fear from poor Fairbrother.
At break of day, he was taken by a file of Highlanders to the fields
near the Wigan-lane, and there shot. The new chaplain of the forces
attended him in his last moments. In explanation of this summary act of
justice, Brigadier Mackintosh caused it to be announced that the man was
a spy.
This act might have been blamed, but circumstances occurred that seemed
to justify its severity.