The Mosstrooper Part 10

CHAPTER XIII.

"I curse the hand that did the deed, The heart that thocht the ill; The feet that bore me wi' sic speed The comely youth to kill."

--_Gil Morice._

Die! Not while there was a hand to save! Not while there was keen steel unsheathing to break the captive's bonds! Not while there was a power to control evil destiny, and blast the malice of the remorseless De Ermstein. Die? The star of Ruthven Somervil was in the ascendant, swiftly culminating.

What sound was that which rose from the swaying concourse? What sight was that which startled the grim executioner? The blast of a horn, and the drawing of a dagger by the priest. Somervil was no less startled.

The priest had thrown down his missal and drawn a dagger, and, with deadly spring, he struck the dagger through the executioner, who, with a piercing howl, fell heavily on his face in the cart. To recover his steel from the body of the howling hound, and to cut the outlaw's bonds asunder was, to the intrepid priest, but the work of an instant, and Somervil was free. Free, and thus environed by the armed bands of De Ermstein? Yes; for from every side dashed forward numbers of mounted rustics, well armed, who, trampling down all in their way, reached and surrounded the cart, whilst shouts of "Cheviot! Cheviot!"

rent the heavens.

All was the wildest riot; but in that wild riot was Ruthven Somervil's safety. He and the priest vanished from the cart, and it seemed that the armed strangers mounted them both on steeds, and put swords in their hands.

And the victim was rent from between the very fangs of the destroyer!

It was indeed so. All the power of Warkcliff could not bring that victim to the doom which the relentless knight had p.r.o.nounced in his pride. He had flattered himself that he would cause that doom to be executed in the open face of day, and at his own market cross, that it might be a spectacle of his vengeance, and a terror to his foes. He had made a Gordian knot which he vainly imagined no one could or dared unloose--but the sword of the mosstrooper had severed it at a blow--and he must now fight to retrieve his stained honour, else that stain would disgrace him for ever.

The onset of the strangers had been so sudden and so fierce that it frightened the crowd and paralysed the armed guards. The great tumult and confusion admirably favoured the designs of the a.s.sailants. The scene became frightful; and not less so by the furious attack than by the shrieking of women, and cries of those unlucky wretches who were trampled down beneath the horses' hoofs. The horse which drew the condemned cart plunged from the hands of its driver, and rushed madly through the village. Roughly pressed upon, the gibbet quivered and shook like a tree in the storm, and at last fell with a crash. More died by the fall of that ghastly instrument of death than had died on it for many a year. Inextricable uproar and dismay reigned on every hand; for on every hand was the enemy.

De Ermstein's voice was heard at length exhorting his retainers to avert the disgrace which was falling upon them. The enemy were forcing a retreat down the village, carrying off the false priest and the condemned outlaw. Their object was retreat--retreat was their only safety, for they did not boast overwhelming numbers; fifty hors.e.m.e.n were perhaps their utmost force; but fifty hors.e.m.e.n only as they were, not a man amongst them but would have died ere Ruthven Somervil was re-taken. Down they galloped through the village amidst a tempest of shouts and the clash of steel.

And down like a torrent swept the forces of De Ermstein, headed by the old, stern-hearted knight, who would not relinquish his victim. His men seemed animated by his own fury, and, with a devotion worthy of a better cause, n.o.bly seconded his efforts. The pursuit was hot. Away they swept in the wake of the mosstroopers. The village was cleared.

They were careering through the valley, all in a confused and disorderly band. De Ermstein kept foremost, sometimes far in advance, for he rode with the fury of a blast. To take the outlaw, to drag him back to the fallen gibbet; he perilled his life--everything--to gratify his mortified pride and disappointed revenge. What disgrace it was to behold the outlaw free once more. Free! And on some following night the valley of Warkcliff might be gleaming with the red blaze of the burning village, and echoing the death-cries of the ravaged. The gibbet for the outlaw!

Amazed at the sudden rescue--s.n.a.t.c.hed from death at the last moment--Ruthven Somervil's brain reeled and swam when he was dragged out of the condemned cart, and mounted upon a horse. It was so like a troubled dream. _Was_ he rescued? He would have fallen from the saddle had not friendly and firm hands upheld him. He was sternly calm when the hangman approached him with the noosed rope in his hand--calm and collected _then_. But, when the first blow was struck, he became almost oblivious of what followed. And the great tumult that deafened his ear might have been the roaring of the tempestuous torrents of that unseen Jordan which rolls in darkness, was.h.i.+ng the sh.o.r.es of Time and Eternity.

But, when the flight began, his recollection returned. He was in the midst of his men; he knew this one and the other around him in their disguises. Someone had put a steel cap upon his head, and he now found that he had a naked sword in his right hand, clutched as by the grasp of death. All at once he was restored to himself, saw and comprehended all clearly, felt his blood kindling in the headlong motion of flight, saw the pursuers following fast, brandished his sword, and faltered to his men, "Courage."

Courage? They had need of it. The pursuers were gaining upon them at every bound. The valley was far in the rear, hidden by the wreathing mists. The open Border was in front, and yonder stretched the blue heights of Cheviot. On and on; and now a scattered thicket received the mosstroopers. They were glad of its shelter, for the Southrons were at their heels.

"Halt! turn!" exclaimed Ruthven Somervil. "If we escape, we must bear these villains back. Turn upon them! Front De Ermstein! He will think of the disasters of Hawksglen and fly from our spears again."

At the stern word they halted, and reined round their panting steeds within the covert of the thicket, which prevented a general charge being made upon them. The Southrons, all scattered in twos and threes, came plunging up to the trees, as if in antic.i.p.ation of an easy victory. But they had to fight the battle ere that victory could be won. The foremost daring spirits were received upon the hostile lances, and easily overthrown, some slain, others crushed beneath the weight or by the mad struggles of their transfixed horses.

Now came De Ermstein and the flower of his band. Their headlong a.s.sault was met by a straggling discharge of firearms, but the struggle came to be decided by the cold steel alone. Pressing upon each other, stumbling and trampling over their fallen comrades, the dying horses, and the thick bushes and underwood, they at last penetrated the thicket, and a deadly struggle, man to man, ensued. The outlaws were outnumbered; but who recked of a disparity of forces?

They fought for their gallant captain's life--they fought and bled to humble the haughty pride and avenge the malice of the haughty and fierce-souled Sir Dacre. It was a confused, tumultuous conflict, for the combatants lost all union, and scattered themselves through the straggling wood, which was filled with battle and bloodshed and death.

The two foes, for whose sakes all this fatal strife was waged, eagerly sought the last mortal encounter. Ruthven Somervil was dest.i.tute of all defensive armour save the bascinet cap on his head; but, regardless of exposure, and with the irresistible fury of a lion, he threw himself into the thickest of the battle, bearing down, as with an arm of iron, all who dared to oppose him. His eagle eye glared through the thicket for the tall form of Sir Dacre, on whom he sought to wreak his vengeance. Hidden by the trees, or lost in the confusion, he could not now be seen. But at length he emerged into open view, and, ere either of them seemed aware, they met each other, knew each other at the first wild glance, and halted face to face.

"Miscreant!" gasped Sir Dacre, half-choked with fury. "The hangman's fell hand should have rid the earth of thee. Why should Fate throw thy worthless life upon the sword of an English n.o.ble?"

Somervil replied not to the insolence of his foe, but, brandis.h.i.+ng his blood-dyed falchion, he spurred upon him. They encountered with a crash, and the outlaw's blade was s.h.i.+vered to the hilt. An instant's hesitation would have sealed his fate, but, almost flinging himself from his saddle, he grappled Sir Dacre's sword hand, and wrenched the sword from him. This was scarcely done when the plunging of their horses threw them both on the ground, locked in each other's arms, boiling with fury, gasping for breath. It was a death-struggle in all its fearful intensity.

Several of the outlaws, seeing their leader's danger, instantly abandoned their steeds and flew to extricate him and stab his adversary; but as many of the Southrons were equally ready to fly to the rescue of Sir Dacre, a mortal conflict ensued around the two struggling combatants. The false priest was conspicuous for his wild heroism, his trenchant blade, his voice of thunder; and the veterans of Hunterspath were there mingling in the strife to save their captain.

It seemed as though their aid was doomed to be unavailing, that they could not save the outlaw. His strength was unequal to that of the iron-nerved Sir Dacre, whose hand clutched his throat, whose knee rose upon his breast. Alas for the outlaw! A dagger glittered in Sir Dacre's grasp--glittered in the air--when a frightful voice arose above the din of battle, and arrested the clas.h.i.+ng weapons, and a man, breathless, wounded, haggard, distracted in aspect, his eyes bloodshot and glaring, his head uncovered, his blood trickling to the ground--a spectacle of death and horror--staggered, with sinking strength, through the combatants, and seized Sir Dacre's uplifted hand.

"Mother of Heaven!" he gasped; "would you slay your son? Would you shed the blood of him whom you have lamented for twenty years?"

It was the gentle Johnston. At last the mighty secret was divulged. At last he had revealed, in the face of the world, the dark thought that so long wrung his heart and embittered his life. In the jaws of death, with his life-blood rus.h.i.+ng from his wounds, he had avouched his guilt, and saved the father from a deed of unnatural guilt. By such a disclosure, at such a time, he had atoned for many of the crimes that lay heavy on his dark soul.

CHAPTER XIV.

"'Tis he! 'tis he himself! It is my son."

--_Douglas._

What a cry that was--"Would you slay your son?" Had the proud, n.o.ble, childless knight of Warkcliff--the last of his ill.u.s.trious line--lamented the fate of the lost infant so long, and now was about to plunge his dagger into the breast of that very child? Had Heaven spared that child's life, and preserved him through many troubles, only that he might perish beneath the blow of the blinded father? The fateful, astounding words sounded to him like a death-knell; his hand relinquished the blood-stained steel, and he sprang from the ground, speechless and bewildered. As if by concert, the struggling parties forbore their fierce contest, and drew back with lowered weapons.

Exhausted and swooning in the struggle, Somervil, if he heard the startling exclamation, scarcely knew what it meant; his mind was wandering, his senses were failing him, his brain swam round, and, though relieved of the pressure of his adversary, he made no effort to rise from the earth, but lay supine, with scarce a movement of hand or foot.

Johnston, with his wild and haggard aspect, cast his blood-shot eyes around him; he staggered to and fro, and then fell p.r.o.ne on the turf.

"I only ask for breath--to disclose all this secret of woe," he gasped, as he turned on his side, and endeavoured to raise himself on his elbow--"breath to restore the lost son to the father--that is all I wish--and then let me die!"

What could the outlaws think of this? Their bold captain the son of their deadliest foe! They had striven with their blood and lives to restore him to the tower of Cheviot and to liberty, and it had resulted in the discovery that he was De Ermstein's son! Could they credit the incredible a.s.sertion from the mouth of a villain whose perfidy, falsehood, and guile they abhorred--whose very name they detested? No, no, it was but a fabrication of the dying ruffian. They would fight for their captain yet! Up with the slogan-cry and the deadly steel. Cheviot! Cheviot! Somervil should be borne off free.

With a wild shout they brandished their weapons; but their hostile att.i.tude recalled the bewilderment of De Ermstein.

"Stay, stay," he shouted, almost in frenzy. "No more blood shall be shed. Implore all to stay the conflict. This secret must be disclosed.

Somervil shall pa.s.s away free and scaithless though he be of no kindred to my house. Stay, stay!"

"Let us rest on the a.s.surance of this n.o.ble knight," cried Reginald de Oswald. "His knightly word is pa.s.sed for the safety of your leader. I for one will forbear further conflict," and he sheathed his sword.

His example was followed by such of the mosstroopers as were at hand, and, in a minute or two, the battle throughout the thickets had entirely ceased, and the combatants came all crowding together around the interesting group.

"Look to Somervil," groaned the gentle Johnston, pointing eagerly to the inanimate youth. "He may die of his wounds, and never look upon his father's face."

Comyn, Sinclair, and others of Somervil's band, instantly knelt around their captain. He was unwounded, but much bruised; his respiration was deep, his eyes were shut; but sensibility was returning, and he could answer, though faintly, when they spoke to him.

"Dacre de Ermstein," cried the gentle Johnston, "come hither to me. I have not many moments to live, but what remains of my mortal breath shall be devoted to the disclosure of this my blackest crime. Come hither."

De Ermstein rushed breathlessly towards him, bent over him, cast on his dark visage a look that might have pierced him through.

"I conjure you," he cried vehemently, "to disclose the naked truth, however deeply it may criminate you. I know you now--I remember your features, Johnston, and tremble to hear your revenge. Speak, speak, deceive not an agonised father. Restore to me my son, if your cruel hand spared my son to this mournful day."

"Ay," said Johnston, "my hand has long been cruel and dark with blood; but, cruel and ruthless as it is, it could not but spare the child o'

De Ermstein. Behold your son--in Ruthven Somervil you behold him. And forgive me for the great wrong of the past in that I have saved you from the darkest crime that could stain living man!"

"My wife--his mother--pled sore for him," exclaimed Sir Dacre. "The mysterious sympathy betwixt mother and child had stirred her heart, and she would have saved him, though she was ignorant that he was the child of her youth and joy. And I spurned her prayer, and strove to incur a guilt which would have branded me with infamy, and crushed me with despair! My son! And can this be my son?" he faltered, as he thrust aside the eager crowd around the prostrate mosstrooper, and, throwing himself on his knees, threw his arms around the half-unconscious youth's neck, and gently raised his head to look upon him. It was a long, burning, searching gaze.

Ruthven opened his eyes.

"He has the look of his mother!" exclaimed Sir Dacre. "He has his mother's features! Why could I not remark this before?"

The little golden reliquary now attracted his eye, for it was half visible on the outlaw's breast, his doublet having been torn open in the struggle. In a moment Sir Dacre s.n.a.t.c.hed it in his hand, and, in extreme agitation, he at length touched a secret spring in one of the edges, and the reliquary flew open, discovering within, in exquisite engraving, the Arms of Warkcliff, the name of _Stephen de Ermstein_, and the day and year of his birth,