Part 74 (2/2)

”I am under a flag of truce, Sir G.o.dfrey,” said Fred, quietly. ”I thought the Royalist party were gentlemen, and knew the meaning of such a sign.”

”Ha, ha, ha!” laughed the tall Cavalier by the general's side. ”That's a good sharp retort for you, Markham. Well done, youngster! Don't be afraid.”

”I am not,” said Fred, stoutly; but at the same time he said to himself, ”Oh, what a horrible lie, when I'm all of a cold s.h.i.+ver.”

”I didn't quite mean afraid,” said the tall officer, laughing, ”I meant to say that no one here shall harm you, my young amba.s.sador. But look here, how comes it that you, who are evidently a gentleman, are taking sides with that beggarly sc.u.m of tatterdemalions who have taken up arms against their sovereign?”

”Look here, sir,” said Fred, ”is this meant for flattery or insult?”

”Neither one nor the other, young ferocity,” said the Cavalier, laughing. ”But don't look like that; you alarm me. Here, young Markham, you had better come and deal with this pernicious enemy; he is too much for me.”

But Scarlett did not move, and Fred drew a deep breath, as he prepared for the next verbal encounter, for the fair Cavalier was leaning carelessly out of the window, and looking down at him till, as if fascinated by his look, and after a long struggle to keep his gaze fixed on the stonework upon a level with his nose, Fred raised his eyes, and found that the Cavalier was regarding him with a pleasant, friendly smile.

”I did not mean to affront you,” he said; ”I only thought it a pity that such a stout lad as you should be on the opposite side.”

”Thank you,” said Fred, haughtily.

”I suppose we are enemies, are we not!”

Fred nodded.

”And next time we meet you will be trying to send the point of your sword through me, or to ride me down, eh?”

”I suppose I shall try,” said Fred, smiling in spite of himself, and showing his white teeth.

”Ah, it's a pity. You're going wrong way, young man. Better come in here, and fight for the king.”

”Better stand up manfully for my own side, and not be a traitor,”

retorted Fred, hotly. ”How dare you, standing there in safety, keep on this wretched temptation?”

”Wounds and wonder!” cried the Cavalier, ”what a fire-eater it is.

Here, I don't wonder that we are shut up helplessly here. I say, Roundhead, will you have a gla.s.s of wine?”

”Keep your wine,” said Fred. ”I've come on business, not to talk and drink.”

At that moment, Sir G.o.dfrey spoke to those about him, drawing back from the window, and the conversational Cavalier followed, leaving Fred sitting stiff and fretful, with all his moral quills set up, the more full of offence that he believed Scarlett was still watching him.

As he sat there, a.s.suming the most utter indifference, and gazing with a solidity that was statuesque straight before him, he could hear a loud buzzing of voices, following the firm deep tones of Sir G.o.dfrey Markham, who had evidently been laying the contents of the message before his companion.

”Will they surrender?” thought Fred. ”I hope they will. They are debating the question. It would be a relief; and Scarlett Markham and I--no, Scar and I,” he said, mentally correcting himself--”might perhaps be together again. If he would promise not to take up arms, I dare say my father and General Hedley would let him off from being a prisoner if I asked, and he could go with me to where poor Nat lies out in the wood, and look after him.”

”Huzza! G.o.d save the king!”

The shout and words came so suddenly that the little horse Fred rode started and reared, and he was in the act of quieting it down, feeling the while that his amba.s.sage had been in vain, when the party defending the Hall reappeared at the window.

”Youngster!” began Sir G.o.dfrey, in a stern deep voice which annoyed Fred.

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