Part 21 (1/2)
”It ory, then stopped abruptly with an exclamation that caused Joseph to wheel sharply round The door had opened, and on the threshold Sir Crispin Galliard stood, deferentially, hat in hand
Joseph's astonished glance played rapidly over him for a second Then:
”Who the devil ory chuckled at the question The Tavern Knight came forward ”I a ”I was told that the h was returned, and that I should find you here, and I hasten, sir, to proffer you iven ht past”
Whilst he spoke he lance was as hateful as his words were civil Joseph was lost in amazement Little trace was there in this fellow of the Roland Marleigh he had known
Moreover, he had looked to find an older ht Then, again, the fading light, whilst revealing the straight, supple lines of his lank figure, softened the haggardness of the face and ht of day would have shown him
In an instant Joseph had recovered froave him tortured by a desire to learn whether Crispin are of their knowledge concerning him--his smile was serene, and his tones level and pleasant, as he made answer:
”Sir, you are very welcome You have valiantly served one dear to us, and the entertainn to honour it is but the paltriest of returns”
CHAPTER XVI THE RECKONING
Sir Crispin had heard naught of as being said as he entered the rooainst him, and he little dreamt that his identity was discovered He had but hastened to perform that which, under ordinary circuh duty towards the master of the house He had been actuated also by an iain to behold this Joseph Ashburn--the hteen years ago He watched hi froerous, subtle man, different, indeed, to his dull-witted brother, he had determined to act at once
And so when he appeared in the hall at suppertime, he came armed and booted, and equipped as for a journey
Joseph was standing alone by the huge fire-place, his face to the burning logs, and his foot resting upon one of the andirons Gregory and his daughter were talking together in the embrasure of aBy the other , across the hall, stood Kenneth, alone and disconsolate, gazing out at the drizzling rain that had begun to fall
As Galliard descended, Joseph turned his head, and his eyebrows shot up and wrinkled his forehead at beholding the knight's equipoing a journey?”
”Too long already have I ih,” Crispin answered politely as he caht, Mr Ashburn, I go hence”
A curious expression flitted across Joseph's face The next ht to fathorets that courtesy dictated But Crispin had re though it had been--and it flashed across his mind that Joseph knew him And as he moved away towards Cynthia and her father, he thanked Heaven that he had taken suchout of his resolve
Following hilance, Joseph asked hinized, and had detereance for another andthe measure of thearrived at that conclusion, he there and then deterue the ht, and thereby settle for all time his business And so ere he sat down to sup Joseph looked to it that his sword lay at hand behind his chair at the table-head
The'neath the fresh ill-usage--as he deemed it--that he had suffered at Cynthia's hands
Cynthia, in her turn, was grave and silent That story of Sir Crispin's sufferings gave her much to think of, as did also his departure, and more than once did Galliard find her eyes fixed upon hi that he was at a loss to interpret Gregory's big voice was little heard The sinister glitter in his brother's eye made him apprehensive and ill at ease For hi forth strange doings--but not half somatters to a head ere they quitted that board And yet but for these two the meal would have passed off in disuest, and with that intent he talked gaily of this and that, told of slight matters that had befallen his that in London he had witnessed, investing each trifling incident with a garb of wit that rendered it entertaining
And Galliard--actuated by the sarew reue--even nimblest at a table amuse those present, or seem to amuse them, by a score of drolleries
He drank deeply too, and this Joseph observed with satisfaction But here again he ed his man Kenneth, who ate but little, seerew at length alaroblet so often filled He would have need of Kenneth ere the hour was out, and he rightly feared that did matters thus continue, the lad's aid was not to be reckoned with Had Kenneth sat beside hiht have whispered a word of restraint in his eat, but the lad was on the other side of the board
At one ence passed froory set himself to ply both him and the boy ine, his suspicions becareatchful and wary
Anon Cynthia rose Upon the instant Galliard was also on his feet He escorted her to the foot of the staircase, and there:
”Permit me, Mistress Cynthia,” said he, ”to takeaway froround, and had he been observant of her he htly
”Fare you well, sir,” said she in a low voice ”May happiness attend you”