Part 40 (1/2)

”I think, Captain Kennedy, that it would be as well,” he said with a smile, ”that you should withdraw your parole, and do so before we start, in the presence of the officers of my staff. Of course, you must be placed under a very strict guard, and although so near the frontier, you will find it very difficult to escape. Still, such things are managed.”

”I thank you most deeply, sir,” Desmond said, understanding the tone in which the earl spoke, ”and I shall ever retain a deep feeling of grat.i.tude for your generosity.”

When the party a.s.sembled, in readiness to mount, Desmond walked up to the earl, and said in a tone that could be heard by the officers round:

”Sir, I have changed my mind, and beg to be allowed to withdraw my parole.”

”You are at liberty to do so, Captain Kennedy; but nevertheless I shall take you with us today. I shall not, of course, ask you to give any information as to matters on the other side of the frontier, but there are points on which you could inform me, without detriment to your friends.”

”That I shall be happy to do, sir.”

The earl called up four troopers.

”You will place this officer and his servant between you,” he said, ”and keep a vigilant lookout upon their movements.”

Desmond had not even told Mike of the conversation with the earl, thinking it better that he should remain in ignorance that this escape was connived at by an English general, and his follower was therefore greatly astonished when he heard that his master had withdrawn his parole, and that they were henceforth to be strictly guarded. The party rode until they reached a rise from which they could obtain a view of Badajos, and of the country extending far up the valley of the Guadiana. The ground in front of them sloped gradually.

The earl took his place with two or three officers of his staff, fifty yards in front of the rest, and, dismounting, examined Badajos with his telescope. Then he asked one of his aides-de-camp to bring Captain Kennedy to him.

”You may as well bring his servant, too,” he added. ”No doubt he knows the country as well as his master does, and may not be so unwilling to answer questions.”

The order was carried out, and Desmond and Mike rode up with the aide-de-camp, followed closely by the four troopers. The earl at once began to question Desmond as to the names of the villages visible up the valley. He had remounted now, but his staff, who had dismounted when he did, remained on their feet, as it was evident that he had no intention of moving forward for some time.

While they were speaking, the earl, accompanied by Desmond, rode forward some twenty yards, as if to obtain a better view. Mike had followed him, but the four troopers remained behind the group of officers, having no orders to follow the general so closely.

”This is good ground for galloping, Captain Kennedy,” the earl said quietly. ”You are within two miles of Badajos.”

”Thank you deeply, sir.

”Now, Mike, ride for it!” and, spurring his horse, he dashed off at a headlong gallop.

There was a shout of surprise, the officers of the staff ran to their horses, which were being held by the orderlies, and the four troopers at once galloped forward, s.n.a.t.c.hing their carbines from the slings.

”Do not fire,” the earl shouted as they pa.s.sed. ”Take them alive.”

As the officers came up, the general signalled to them to stop.

”Don't go farther, gentlemen,” he said. ”The troopers will doubtless overtake them; but for aught we know, there may be a Spanish force in the village just on the other side of the frontier, and, instead of capturing two prisoners, you might be taken or shot yourself; and I am not disposed to lose any of my staff, just as we are about to commence operations in earnest.”

Desmond looked back. He saw that only the four dragoons were following.

”They will not overtake us, Mike,” he said, ”our horses are certainly better than theirs.”

Indeed, they had increased their lead fast. A few minutes later, they heard a trumpet call in their rear, and their pursuers at once checked their horses, and rode back in answer to the recall.

”Tare an' ages,” Mike exclaimed, ”but that was nately managed. Who would have thought that they would have let us give them the slip so easily!”

”Well, Mike--but this you must never mention to a soul--the earl gave us this chance of escape, I believe. He had, you know, a long talk with me, and said that they had so many French officers captured in Flanders, that one more or less would make little difference. He had asked about my adventures, and seemed much interested in them, and remarked that our positions were somewhat similar, both being exiles on account of our religion, and so serving in foreign armies against our own countrymen. At any rate, it was on his suggestion that I withdrew my parole not to attempt to escape.”