Part 57 (1/2)
Oswald tore himself away, and jumping back a little distance, so as to have elbow-room, he seized one of the iron-shod pikes which the fishermen use in propelling their sleds, and of which several were standing in the corner. He struck his adversary with it so terrible a blow that the latter, in spite of his gigantic size and enormous strength, fell down without uttering a sound.
In an instant Oswald had overtaken Emily, and putting his arm around her waist he bore her down the steep steps.
Below, on the snow of the narrow beach, stood the sleigh.
He put Emily in and followed her.
”We are betrayed, Claus,” he said; ”drive fast. It is a matter of life and death.”
Claus clacked his tongue and the crop-eared hack went off.
”Thought so!” said Claus, turning half round. ”A minute ago a sleigh came and stopped not a hundred yards from here. I saw two men get out and climb up the bluff. I was just going to follow them and to warn you, when you were coming out a the door. Now it's all right. I should like to see the horses that can overtake Claus Lemberg and his Fox.”
”You might soon have that satisfaction,” said Oswald who had been looking behind; ”there they are coming. It seems these bulls do not fall at one blow, and want to make the acquaintance of a bullet. Where is the box I gave you, Claus?”
”Just behind you, in the straw.”
Oswald opened the box, took one of the two pistols that were in it, and c.o.c.ked it.
”For Heaven's sake, Oswald, what are you going to do?” said Emily, who had not uttered a word since they were in the sleigh.
”Shoot down the first man who dares touch you.”
”Oh, G.o.d! oh, G.o.d!”
”For whom do you tremble; for me? or for him? You have time yet. He will forgive you, I am sure, if you turn back now;--perhaps lecture you a little in Barnewitz's presence.”
”How can you talk so? I turn back? Rather dead at the bottom of the sea!”
”That may come too,” murmured Oswald.
Oswald thought the crop-eared hack, however swiftly he cut with his rough-shod shoes into the ice, could certainly not long keep up the speed so as to escape from the two thoroughbreds before the sleigh of his pursuers. He had a start of a few thousand yards, but that could not avail much, as the distance from Ferrytown to the village of Barow was over a mile. There they were to find another sleigh, provided by one of Claus's cousins, who was overseer on one of the Breesen estates, and ready to do and to risk anything in the world for Miss Emily.
”Once more, Emily: what do you want me to do if they overtake us?”
asked Oswald, bending down to the little woman, who sat there silently, wrapped up in her furs.
”Defend yourself like a man!”
”And if I succ.u.mb?”
”Then I jump into the first air-hole we meet with! Better at the bottom of the sea than in his power!”
”Are you quite sure?”
”As sure as I live, and as I love you.”
Oswald bent down and kissed the beautiful, pale face.