Part 5 (1/2)

”What ails me?” His voice was bitter. ”I reckon 'tis an honest man's right that ails me, and ails me cruel. But let G.o.d be my witness ”--and Roger lifted his fist to the dark night--”they shall take my life from me when I quit Steens, and kill the man in me before I renounce it. Amen!”

”Is that your last word, Stephen?”

”It is, sir.”

”Then,” said the little man gravely, ”as you may need me soon to beg mercy for you, I have a bargain to make. You are fighting with one woman: beware how you fight with two.”

”I don't take ye. With what other woman should I fight?”

”When you turned Mrs. Stephen out at door she fled to my wife. And my wife, not liking her, but in common charity, gave her food and lent her a horse to further her to her home. For this she has been attacked, and even her life threatened, in a score of unsigned letters--and in my absence, you understand. She is no coward; but the injustice of it--the cruelty--has told on her health, and I reached home to find her sick in bed. That you have had no hand in this, Stephen, I know well; but it is being done by your supporters.”

”If I catch the man, Sir John, he shall never write another letter in his life.”

”I thank you.” Sir John stepped out into the yard and stood while Roger unbarred the folding gates. Then, ”I think if mischief comes, you had better not let them take you alive,” said he quietly.

”Thank you, Sir John; I won't,” was Roger's reply, and so he dismissed another good friend.

XI.

Sir James Tillie, Knight, of Pentillie Castle by Tamar and High Sheriff of Cornwall, was an amiable gentleman of indolent habits and no great stock of brains. On receiving Sanderc.o.c.k's message and instant appeal for help, he cursed his Under-Sheriff for a drunken bungler, and reluctantly prepared to ride West and restore order.

”Piers is a good fellow and a man of parts,” he told his wife; ”but he gives up too much of his time to parliamenteering, and lets his neighbourhood get out of hand. I protest, my dear, the miners down there are little better than naked savages, and the substantial farmers but a degree better. Here's a fellow, if you please, who answers the law with armed violence--a man, too, of education, as education goes.

Sanderc.o.c.k's a coward. On his own showing the gun was loaded blank, and by this time no doubt Master Stephen is quaking at his own temerity and wondering how to save his skin. A few firm words, and he'll be meek as a lamb. What surprises me is that a man of affairs like Piers should lose his head and endorse Sanderc.o.c.k's sweating post; but I always say that, if the gentlemen of England are to maintain their influence, they should live on their own acres.” From this it will be seen that Sir James was a prolix rather than a clear thinker.

He took an affectionate leave of his wife, and travelling by easy stages with a single groom for escort, on the third day reached Nansclowan, where Sir John and his lady made him welcome.

”You have ridden ahead of your force?” said Sir John pleasantly.

”My force?”

”How many are you bringing?”

”I don't quite take you. Eh? 'Soldiers'? My dear fellow--an affair of this kind--you surely didn't expect me to make myself ridiculous by marching through Cornwall with a regiment!”

”You mean to say that you've brought none?”

”Oh, to serve a writ on a yeoman!” and Sir James laughed heartily.

”Look here, Tillie, you shall ride over with me to-morrow at daybreak and look at the place. The man has sixty stout farmers at his back.

They know that the soldiery has been sent for, and for five days they've been working like n.i.g.g.e.rs. The front of the house is loopholed, and along the rear, which was their weak point, they've opened a trench six feet wide by six deep. By to-night's report they have even begun as outworks two barricades across the high-road, and no traffic may pa.s.s without permission.”

”It seems to me your part of the world needs looking after,” Sir James exclaimed testily.

Sir John ignored this shaft. ”You'd better ride over to Pendennis Castle to-morrow and borrow as many men as the garrison can spare you.”

”A score should be plenty,” said Sir James. ”It's astonis.h.i.+ng--or so I've always heard--what a few trained men will do against irregulars.”

”Treble the number, and you may save bloodshed,” was Sir John's advice.

Early next morning, after a cursory inspection of the defences, the Sheriff rode over to Pendennis and held consultation with the Governor.

The Governor, who had fifty men in garrison, agreed that twenty would suffice for the job; so twenty were told off, under command of a sergeant, and that same afternoon marched with Sir James to Nansclowan. On their way through Wendron church-town they were hissed and pelted with lumps of turf; but this hint of popular feeling made slight impression on the sanguine Sheriff, who had convinced himself that the resistance of Steens would collapse at the sight of his redcoats.