Part 1 (2/2)
As we neared the clump a voice, authoritative, harsh, and yet faht stepped a short, thick-set nized as the soldier who caused the turmoil at the inn, Increase Joyce
For the second tier, and, pushi+ng me behind him, advanced towards the man
”Stand!” he repeated ”See here; a word in thine ear, Master Wentworth Less than an hour agone I said: 'I fight not with oldin Rome as do the Romans The Commonwealth is at an end, therefore I aer Instead, I journey to the Rhine to join the German freebooters, or else to the Spanish Main to throw in my lot with the buccaneers of the Indies--it o I have an account to settle with the Lord of Holwick Little did I think to find hie Dost re place under the Holmwood Oak?--Ah!Nay! Stand, at thy peril!”
But my father, white with passion, still advanced, thehis petronel, and covered his antagonist ithin fifteen or twenty paces
”Murderer!” shouted my father
”As you will; I take no risks with steel,” and immediately the report of the weapon burst upon my ears like a clap of thunder, while the trees were illue I shutthe in the road, while the Roundhead stood watchinground like a pall, and slowly ascending in the chill night air
In an instant el in my hand, I ran at my father's murderer and rained blow after blow upon his head and body It was but a forlorn attehtly as if they were from a straw, and with an oath he smote me heavily on the chest with the butt of his pistol, so that I reeled, fell backward across the body of my murdered sire, and struck hts flashed before lare, and I lost all consciousness
[Illustration: ”I RAN AT MY FATHER'S MURDERER AND RAINED BLOW AFTER BLOW UPON HIS HEAD AND BODY”]
CHAPTER II
--Of the Arrest and Escape of Increase Joyce
When I caue is of what see of the light of a log fire lightening the dark oak bea like to burst, andto collect hts, I realized that I was in the kitchen of our own house Then in an instant the whole scene of the tragedy in the pine-shrouded lane burst upon me in all its horror, and I raised myself on one elbow and feebly articulated: ”Father, say it is but a dream!”
Gentle hands firnized as that of Master Salesbury, the chirurgeon, said: ”The lad will surely recover Nois needful A hot posset will not coton, ere I take ht, Master Salesbury,” replied another, Sir George Lee, who, I afterwards found out, had been summoned as a Justice of the Peace to take down such evidence as could be obtained ”And as for you, sir, I uest till this unfortunate ladly would I, worthy sir, but I ride hot-foot on affairs of State By ten of the clock I must deliver a sealed packet into the hands of Master Jack Tippets, the Mayor of Portsain to rise; the voice seemed but too familiar to my ears; but once more I was soothed into repose
”To Portsmouth, say you? Then why, hway?”
”I had also to summon the Squire of Trotton----”
”Trotton, say you? Then why didst take this road, seeing that the turning at Milland is the right and proper one?” deht road, and, hearing shots, I suspected some foul crime, and rode hither----”
In an instant I connected that voice with that of the th yet remained I shouted: ”Seize him; he is my father's murderer!”
Immediately all was co to his feet and whipped out his sword ”Arrest him,” he ordered Two men, ere attendants at the Court Leet, placed their hands on Joyce's shoulder
”Unhand rave ht-headed child?”
A wave of indecision swept over the people present; but, in spite of extreme physical pain, I had raised myself on my elbow, and in reply I repudiated the Roundhead's taunt ”I aht-headed nor is it afroedly followed up his line of argument ”Look, worthy sir,” he reiterated, ”the lad is still wandering Why, when I came upon them, the boy was stretched senseless on the roadway I pray you, order your men to release me I journey on the business of the Commonwealth”
The two e turned on thee quite unusual to hier of the Coer, I take the responsibility Bind him, and away to Midhurst with him at once”
With an oath the scoundrel shook off his two captors and threw hiht could ill defend himself, and before the bystanders could interfere, a knife flashed in the firelight and was buried in his body Then the two henchrappled with the Roundhead, and all three rolled in a heap on the floor It was not until thestool that he was finally secured, and attention could be given to Sir George Lee
The knight was leaning against the wall, his head slightly bent, while a deadly pallor overspread his face, on which, however, lurked a peculiarly grie?” asked Master Salesbury
”Nay, Doctor, 'tis not a case for your hands this time, thanks to Lawyer Whitehead; I am but winded”
”To Lawyer Whitehead! How?”
”Ay, to Lawyer Whitehead! 'Tis the first time in twenty-nine years that I have been well served by a lawyer, and even this once it was not as a deliberate act of kindness” And, drawing froh by the villain's knife, he held it up for inspection
At that moment the door opened and a sturdy country his forelock as a e, and handed hinized only too well
”Zure, sir, I did find 'e but d'ree paces frouard, the villain, now in a half-dazed condition, was removed in a cart to the jail at Midhurst Most of those present dispersed, and, faint and tired, I fell into a troubled sleep
A week passed ere I had sufficient strength to be able to sit up Under the careful nursing of Mistress Heatherington uish of that terrible night still grippedwhen Sir George caressed, and to tellMonday h to bear the journey
”Lad,” he exclaimed, ”I would I could fathom this mystery! Thy father's slayer is no h we have hi-ironed, and threaten hi from him Was there ever a feud 'twixt thy sire and hiht of the event that took place at the sign of the ”Flying Bull”, and of the e listened attentively, and, proud of being privileged to talk to so exalted a personage as the wealthiest ue run wild for the space of nigh on an hour
When I had finished, Sir George, who had never ceased to stroke his beard and play a tattoo with his fingers on the table, remained silent for a few sby of Monk's Regie, yet----”
His remarks were cut short by the thunder of a horse's hoofs, and a h the door and exclaie!”
”Well, sirrah?”
But the e!”
This was ht could stand ”Don't stand there babbling like a drunken mummer at Martine, dolt!”
”Oh, Sir George! The murderer Joyce hath escaped!”
With another furious outburst the knight rushed out of the room, mounted his horse, and, followed by his two servants and the s, rode furiously down the road to Midhurst, the noise of the horses' hoofs clattering on the frosty road testifying to the speed at which they were urged