Part 74 (1/2)

A VAIN APPEAL.

That same night, an officer was sent with a flag of truce to the Hall, and bearing a summons to surrender.

To his intense delight at first, and intense sorrow afterwards, Fred found that it was to be his duty to bear the flag and the message to the officer in command of the little garrison.

He received his instructions and a despatch to Sir G.o.dfrey Markham, and carrying a small white flag, and preceded by a trumpeter, he rode slowly through the evening mist, which was rising from the lake and the low meadows down by the stream, till he reached the path leading up to the Hall garden, where he stopped short, gave the order, and the man blew a cheery call, which echoed and re-echoed from the red stone walls.

Then, riding forward with his white flag well displayed, he advanced boldly to the front of the barricaded porch.

For a few minutes he sat there gazing up at the front, and wondering that no heed was paid to his coming. So still was everything, that it seemed as if the Hall had been deserted, till, happening to glance to his left, he caught sight of a dark eye at one of the windows, and directly after he realised that this eye was glancing along a heavy piece, the owner taking careful aim at him as if about to fire.

It was impossible under the circ.u.mstances to avoid a feeling of trepidation; but second thoughts came to whisper to him as it were--

”You are under a flag of truce--an amba.s.sador, and sacred.”

”But he might be ignorant, and fire,” thought Fred, as he glanced to his right, where, to his horror, he saw a second man taking aim at him, and apparently only waiting the word.

Fred's first thought was that he ought to clap spurs to his horse, wheel round suddenly so as to disorder the men's aim, and gallop back for his life.

”And then,” he said to himself, ”how should I dare face the general and my father?”

Drawing a long breath, he sat firm, and then fighting hard to keep down his trepidation, he turned his head, and called to his follower, bidding him summon the garrison once more.

The man raised his trumpet to his lips, and blew another call, falling back again at a sign from the flag-bearer, and though he would not show that he knew of their presence, a glance to right and left told Fred that the two men were taking aim at him still.

”They dare not fire. They dare not!” he said to himself, as he sat fast; and directly after a group of showily dressed Cavaliers appeared at the large open window above the broad porch.

He could see that Sir G.o.dfrey Markham was in the centre, with a tall fair man with a pointed beard on one side, a grey dark man on the other, and half behind him stood Scarlett, with some dozen more.

”Well, sir,” said Sir G.o.dfrey, sternly, and speaking as if he had never seen the messenger before, ”what is your business?”

”I am the bearer of a despatch, sir,” replied Fred, ”for the chief officer here.”

”That will be you, sir,” said Sir G.o.dfrey to the gentleman on his right.

”Well, boy, pa.s.s the letter here.”

”How, sir?”

”Put it on the point of your pike, and pa.s.s it up.”

Fred did as he was bidden, and sticking the folded missive on the point of the pike which carried the white flag, he held it up, and it was taken.

”You had better retire while it is read,” said Sir G.o.dfrey, contemptuously. ”I see there are two of our men paying attention to you. Rein back, if you are afraid.”

It was a hard struggle, for with those two fierce-looking troopers watching him along the barrels of their pieces, Fred's inclination was still to turn and gallop away as fast as his horse would go.

But at that moment he raised his eyes, and could see that Scarlett was looking down at him, as if to watch the effect of Sir G.o.dfrey's words.

This look seemed to stiffen him, and he sat perfectly erect upon his horse, with the pike-shaft resting upon his toe, as he told himself that he hoped if the men fired they would miss; that before he would run away, with Scar Markham to laugh at his flight, they might riddle him with bullets through and through.

”Well, sir,” said Sir G.o.dfrey, half mockingly, ”are you going to retire?”