Part 62 (1/2)
”Bob tell me: how was it that we were found out?”
”Well, you see, Miss--Ma'am--when you were at Dunville, where you was said to have staid all night, there was a fellow there who had a habit for which he ought to be hung--of looking through the key-holes and watching ladies when they thought themselves unseen. And this fellow saw you take off your red wig.”
”And so discovered and denounced me?”
”No, he didn't, Ma'am; he didn't even suspect who you was. He took you for a circus woman. And as for reporting what he had seen to anybody in that house, it would have been as much as his life was worth. Old Colonel Purley--he's a uncle of our bailiff--old Colonel Purley would have peeled the skin offen his body, if he had a-known he had done such a mean thing in his tavern.”
”Then how--”
”I'll tell you, Ma'am. It was this way. That fellow which, his name was Batkin, was on his way to Blackville. And all along the road he kept telling the yarn about the beautiful black-haired young lady he had seen, and who had disfigured herself by wearing of a red wig; and of course he raised suspicions there. And when he was questioned farther, he described the wagon and horses, and the man and the woman, so accurately that the authorities thought it worth while to take the description down; and old Purley has it in his pocket along with the warrant. And then, as I told you, the bailiffs all resigned rather than go after you; and old Purley had to be appointed. And I applied, and got appointed too, only to help you!”
”Heaven reward you for the kind thought! But, Bob, there were some of the old set found who were willing to take me; for they went to Annapolis after me, armed with warrant for my arrest.”
”Yes; them two: Smith and Jones! Sink 'em! I've swore a oath to thrash 'em both within an inch of their lives the first time I set eyes on them! Well, they didn't find you, Satan burn 'em! that's one comfort.”
”How was it that you found us?”
”Oh, Miss Sybil--Mrs. Berners, I should say--we did it easy when we once had got the clue. We went first to Dunville to inquire after the gray-bearded man and his red-headed daughter, and we learned the road you had taken, and followed you from stage to stage until we got to Norfolk. There we inquired in the neighborhood of the market, and found where you had put up. Then, at the 'Farmers' Hotel,' we were told, you had left for home that afternoon. Of course we knew _that_ was a ruse.
We knew that if you had left, it was for the deck of some outward bound s.h.i.+p. So we inquired, and found out that the Enterprise was to sail in the morning. And we staid at this house all night, and boarded the s.h.i.+p this morning as you saw.”
”Oh, Bob! if you could have delayed for a half hour, the s.h.i.+p would have sailed, and I should have been free!” sighed Sybil.
”I did all I could to make a delay. I put laudanum in his coffee last night. I was afraid to put in too much for fear of killing him, so I suppose I didn't put in enough, for he laid wide awake all night.”
”Ah, yes! that would be the effect of an under-dose of laudanum.”
”Well then, Ma'am, I put back our watches a whole hour. But, bless you, he didn't go by the watches, he went by the sun; and as soon as it was light he was up, and he sent me down to order an early breakfast. And then I got a chance to put laudanum in his coffee again, and this time I overdid it and put in too much, for he tasted something wrong, and he said it was vile stuff, and he wouldn't drink it! No, Miss--Ma'am, I didn't neglect no means to let you get clean off. But you see it was no go this time; and I had to help old Purley to arrest you. I'm glad you didn't know me, hows'ever. And I would advise you not to know me at all whenever old Purley is about. Keep dark, Miss Sybil, and I'll find a way to get you off. I haven't been hiding and seeking and hunting among the red-skins these eight years for nothing. Hish-s.h.!.+ Here they come,”
whispered Bob Munson, creeping away to the other end of the room, and putting himself on guard.
The elder officer unlocked the door, and entered, followed by Mr.
Berners. He announced that the wagon was at the door, and that they were ready to start on the return journey. And then Purley gave his arm to Sybil, and led her to the wagon, and placed her on the back seat, while Mr. Berners and Bob Munson lingered behind, the former to gather up Sybil's little personal effects, and the latter to settle the hotel bill. But there was no opportunity, among the crowd of guests and servants, for Munson to make his friendly intentions known to Mr.
Berners by any other means than a significant look and a pressure of the hand, which Lyon Berners could not more than half understand. He felt, however, that in his younger officer he and his unhappy wife had a friend. They went out together, followed closely by the hostler, who wanted his own fee; but both Mr. Berners and Bob Munson were too much annoyed by his presence to feel like rewarding his attendance.
Lyon Berners mounted to the seat beside his wife, and Bob Munson to that beside Purley, who held the reins. And in this manner they set out on their return journey.
They crossed the ferry without attracting particular attention.
CHAPTER x.x.xII.
A DESPERATE VENTURE
I have set my life upon a cast.
And I will stand the hazard of the die.--SHAKESPEARE.
It was yet so early in the morning that they drove ten miles out to a small village on the road before they thought of breakfast. There Mr.
Berners reminded the officer in charge that Sybil had not yet broken her fast. Whereupon Purley drew up before the one little tavern of the place, alighted, and a.s.sisted his charge to alight, and then keeping fast hold of her arm, led her into the house, and ordered breakfast.