Part 20 (2/2)

'My thanks to ye, dear friends and subjects,' he cried. 'The issue rests with the Almighty, but what men can do will, I know well, be done by you this night. If Monmouth cannot have all England, six feet of her shall at least be his. Meanwhile, to your regiments, and may G.o.d defend the right!'

'May G.o.d defend the right! cried the council solemnly, and separated, leaving the King with Grey to make the final dispositions for the attack.

'These popinjays of the Court are ready enough to wave their rapiers and shout when there are four good miles between them and the foe,' said Saxon, as we made our way through the crowd. 'I fear that they will scarce be as forward when there is a line of musqueteers to be faced, and a brigade of horse perhaps charging down upon their flank. But here comes friend Lockarby, with news written upon his face.'

'I have a report to make, Colonel,' said Reuben, hurrying breathlessly up to us. 'You may remember that I and my company were placed on guard this day at the eastern gates?'

Saxon nodded.

'Being desirous of seeing all that I could of the enemy, I clambered up a lofty tree which stands just without the town. From this post, by the aid of a gla.s.s, I was able to make out their lines and camp. Whilst I was gazing I chanced to observe a man slinking along under cover of the birch-trees half-way between their lines and the town. Watching him, I found that he was indeed moving in our direction. Presently he came so near that I was able to distinguish who it was-for it was one whom I know-but instead of entering the town by my gate he walked round under cover of the peat cuttings, and so made his way doubtless to some other entrance. He is a man, however, who I have reason to believe has no true love for the cause, and it is my belief that he hath been to the Royal camp with news of our doings, and hath now come back for further information.'

'Aye!' said Saxon, raising his eyebrows. 'And what is the man's name?'

'His name is Derrick, one time chief apprentice to Master Timewell at Taunton, and now an officer in the Taunton foot.'

'What, the young springald who had his eye upon pretty Mistress Ruth! Now, out on love, if it is to turn a true man into a traitor! But methought he was one of the elect? I have heard him hold forth to the pikemen. How comes it that one of his kidney should lend help to the Prelatist cause?'

'Love again,' quoth I. 'This same love is a pretty flower when it grows unchecked, but a sorry weed if thwarted.'

'He hath an ill-feeling towards many in the camp,' said Reuben, 'and he would ruin the army to avenge himself on them, as a rogue might sink a s.h.i.+p in the hope of drowning one enemy. Sir Stephen himself hath incurred his hatred for refusing to force his daughter into accepting his suit. He has now returned into the camp, and I have reported the matter to you, that you may judge whether it would not be well to send a file of pikemen and lay him by the heels lest he play the spy once more.'

'Perhaps it would be best so,' Saxon answered, full of thought, 'and yet no doubt the fellow would have some tale prepared which would outweigh our mere suspicions. Could we not take him in the very act?'

A thought slipped into my head. I had observed from the tower that there was a single lonely cottage about a third of the way to the enemy's camp, standing by the road at a place where there were marshes on either side. Any one journeying that way must pa.s.s it. If Derrick tried to carry our plans to Feversham he might be cut off at this point by a party placed to lie in wait for him.

'Most excellent!' Saxon exclaimed, when I had explained the project. 'My learned Fleming himself could not have devised a better rusus belli. Do ye convey as many files as ye may think fit to this point, and I shall see that Master Derrick is primed up with some fresh news for my Lord Feversham.'

'Nay, a body of troops marching out would set tongues wagging,' said Reuben. 'Why should not Micah and I go ourselves?'

'That would indeed be better.' Saxon answered. 'But ye must pledge your words, come what may, to be back at sundown, for your companies must stand to arms an hour before the advance.'

We both gladly gave the desired promise; and having learned for certain that Derrick had indeed returned to the camp, Saxon undertook to let drop in his presence some words as to the plans for the night, while we set off at once for our post. Our horses we left behind, and slipping out through the eastern gate we made our way over bog and moor, concealing ourselves as best we could, until we came out upon the lonely roadway, and found ourselves in front of the house.

It was a plain, whitewashed, thatch-roofed cottage, with a small board above the door, whereon was written a notice that the occupier sold milk and b.u.t.ter. No smoke reeked up from the chimney, and the shutters of the window were closed, from which we gathered that the folk who owned it had fled away from their perilous position. On either side the marsh extended, reedy and shallow at the edge, but deeper at a distance, with a bright green sc.u.m which covered its treacherous surface. We knocked at the weather-blotched door, but receiving, as we expected, no reply, I presently put my shoulder against it and forced the staple from its fastenings.

There was but a single chamber within, with a straight ladder in the corner, leading through a square hole in the ceiling to the sleeping chamber under the roof. Three or four chairs and stools were scattered over the earthen floor, and at the side a deal table with the broad brown milk basins upon it. Green blotches upon the wall and a sinking in of one side of the cottage showed the effect of its damp, marsh-girt position.

To our surprise it had still one inmate within its walls. In the centre of the room, facing the door as we entered, stood a little bright, golden-haired maid, five or six years of age. She was clad in a clean white smock, with trim leather belt and s.h.i.+ning buckle about her waist. Two plump little legs with socks and leathern boots peeped out from under the dress, stoutly planted with right foot in advance as one who was bent upon holding her ground. Her tiny head was thrown back, and her large blue eyes were full of mingled wonder and defiance. As we entered the little witch flapped her kerchief at us, and shooed as though we were two of the intrusive fowl whom she was wont to chevy out of the house. Reuben and I stood on the threshold, uncertain, and awkward, like a pair of overgrown school lads, looking down at this fairy queen whose realms we had invaded, in two minds whether to beat a retreat or to appease her wrath by soft and coaxing words.

'Go 'way!' she cried, still waving her hands and shaking her kerchief. 'Go 'way! Granny told me to tell any one that came to go 'way!'

'But if they would not go away, little mistress,' asked Reuben, 'what were you to do then?'

'I was to drive them 'way,' she answered, advancing boldly against us with many flaps. 'You bad man!' she continued, flas.h.i.+ng out at me, 'you have broken granny's bolt.'

'Nay, I'll mend it again,' I answered penitently, and catching up a stone I soon fastened the injured staple. 'There, mistress, your granddam will never tell the difference.'

'Ye must go 'way all the same,' she persisted; 'this is granny's house, not yours.'

What were we to do with this resolute little dame of the marshes? That we should stay in the house was a crying need, for there was no other cover or shelter among the dreary bogs where we could hide ourselves. Yet she was bent upon driving us out with a decision and fearlessness which might have put Monmouth to shame.

'You sell milk,' said Reuben. 'We are tired and thirsty, so we have come to have a horn of it.'

'Nay,' she cried, breaking into smiles, 'will ye pay me just as the folk pay granny? Oh, heart alive! but that will be fine!' She skipped up on to a stool and filled a pair of deep mugs from the basins upon the table. 'A penny, please!' said she.

It was strange to see the little wife hide the coin away in her smock, with pride and joy in her innocent face at this rare stroke of business which she had done for her absent granny. We bore our milk away to the window, and having loosed the shutters we seated ourselves so as to have an outlook down the road.

'For the Lord's sake, drink slow!' whispered Reuben, under his breath. 'We must keep on swilling milk or she will want to turn us out.'

'We have paid toll now,' I answered; 'surely she will let us bide.'

'If you have done you must go 'way,' she said firmly.

'Were ever two men-at-arms so tyrannised over by a little dolly such as this!' said I, laughing. 'Nay, little one, we shall compound with you by paying you this s.h.i.+lling, which will buy all your milk. We can stay here and drink it at our ease.'

'Jinny, the cow, is just across the marsh,' quoth she. 'It is nigh milking time, and I shall fetch her round if ye wish more.'

'Now, G.o.d forbid!' cried Reuben. 'It will end in our having to buy the cow. Where is your granny, little maid?'

'She hath gone into the town,' the child answered. 'There are bad men with red coats and guns coming to steal and to fight, but granny will soon make them go 'way. Granny has gone to set it all right.'

'We are fighting against the men with the red coats, my chuck,' said I; 'we shall take care of your house with you, and let no one steal anything.'

'Nay, then ye may stay,' quoth she, climbing up upon my knee as grave as a sparrow upon a bough. 'What a great boy you are!'

'And why not a man?' I asked.

'Because you have no beard upon your face. Why, granny hath more hair upon her chin than you. Besides, only boys drink milk. Men drink cider.'

'Then if I am a boy I shall be your sweetheart,' said I.

'Nay, indeed!' she cried, with a toss of her golden locks. 'I have no mind to wed for a while, but Giles Martin of Gommatch is my sweetheart. What a pretty s.h.i.+ning tin smock you have, and what a great sword! Why should people have these things to harm each other with when they are in truth all brothers?'

'Why are they all brothers, little mistress?' asked Reuben.

'Because granny says that they are all the children of the great Father,' she answered. 'If they have all one father they must be brothers, mustn't they?'

'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, Micah,' quoth Reuben, staring out of the window.

'You are a rare little marsh flower,' I said, as she clambered up to grasp at my steel cap. 'Is it not strange to think, Reuben, that there should be thousands of Christian men upon either side of us, athirst for each other's lives, and here between them is a blue-eyed cherub who lisps out the blessed philosophy which would send us all to our homes with softened hearts and hale bodies?'

'A day of this child would sicken me for over of soldiering,' Reuben answered. 'The cavalier and the butcher become too near of kin, as I listen to her.'

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