the durford manor house, which for many generations had been the home of the winslows, was a low, rambling structure of grey stone, full of strange nooks and corners and curious hiding places. part of the house dated back to the fifteenth century, and had sheltered fugitives from bosworth field. it had witnessed many strange scenes during the years of the civil war; many a royalist had found refuge there, and it had been twice besieged. here, in the great oak-panelled hall, lady elizabeth winslow, grandmother of the present sir rupert, had entertained the parliamentarian officers to supper while her husband was held prisoner in the neighbouring room, and after disarming their suspicions by her wit and gaiety, had eluded their vigilance and slipped out of her window when her guests had retired for the night, and ridden through the darkness to taunton. here she roused the townsfolk, and herself riding at their head had surprised the small force conducting her husband to gloucester and rescued him just when all hope of escape seemed dead. here mistress penelope winslow, the proud beauty of the house, whose portrait, a stiff, lifeless shadow of the beauty which had set fire to all the hearts in the countryside, still hung above the stairs, had refused her twenty suitors and finally given her hand to a nameless scotch soldier and ridden away with him to the wilds of his highland home. here richard winslow, that renowned soldier, had been brought after the battle of worcester, the very remnant of a man, spared by the clemency of parliament to drag out a weary existence in the house of his fathers, and dream what his life might have been had not a fatal shot left him at once blind, deaf and paralysed. here stephen winslow, after impoverishing his house and risking his life for his sovereign, had eaten his heart out through long years of baffled ambition and bitter disappointment, learning the gratitude of kings.
the winslows had ever been loyal to the stuarts, giving all and asking little in return, and, though she would not for the world confess it, it had been a sore trouble to mistress barbara that her twin brother rupert, the last representative of his line, should have chosen to cast in his lot with the usurper monmouth and rebel against his lawful sovereign.
she had acquiesced, as she acquiesced in all he proposed, but her heart boded no good of the matter, and when the fatal battle of sedgemoor had sent monmouth to captivity and the block, and had made of her own brother a fugitive from home, in hiding she knew not where, she experienced anxiety and misery indeed, so far as her sunny hopeful nature would allow, but no surprise.
more than two weary months had passed since that fatal morning, but no news of the wanderer had reached the manor house. from time to time her more humble neighbours crept back in secret to the village they had left so hopefully that bright morning in june when they went out to join one whom they believed to be the heaven-sent defender of their faith and freedom. but they came back, alas! only to creep away again to some dreary hiding-place in moor or wood, for the village was watched by the soldiers and home could no longer offer safe refuge to the weary, despairing men. from time to time came rumours of the escape or capture of this or that follower of the duke and terrible stories of punishment meted out by brutal judges; still no news of young sir rupert winslow came to allay the anxiety of his sister or soften the hopeless misery of his young cousin cicely, to whom he had been betrothed but three short weeks before his departure. but no suspense, however terrible, can last forever, and at length, early in september, the longed-for news arrived.
mistress barbara and her cousin were at breakfast in the sunny parlour of the manor house, and the former had just sought to win a smile from the sad face of her companion by relating her adventure with corporal crutch in the village on the previous afternoon. when she ended her story cicely looked up fearfully and shook her head.
"indeed, barbara, thou art too rash. thou hast but made an enemy of the man, and god wot we have enemies enough already."
"nay, prithee do not chide me," answered her cousin coaxingly; "the fellow can do us no harm. and indeed, cicely, i must be merry sometimes, or i verily believe i should die."
"merry!" exclaimed cicely somewhat bitterly. "ay, perchance thou canst be merry, rupert is but thy brother; yet to me——"
"he is thy betrothed. then truly by all showing i should be more distressed than thou. new lovers may be gotten by the score, but by no power could i win me another brother. nay, dear, i did but jest, i meant not to vex thee," she added contritely, seeing her cousin's lip quiver unsteadily; "thou knowest my tongue runs ever faster than my brain, plague on it."
"thou hast not vexed me, barbara, only—— i would i had the secret of thy courage."
"nay, thou hast courage enough, only somewhat too much thought. were i to sit and dream all day of what evils might befall rupert i should be as sad-eyed as thou art. but indeed no news is good news. the world is a good place, and i see not why one may not hope for happy days until sad ones befall us, eh!"
they were interrupted by the entrance of the waiting-maid. "i were loath to trouble ye, mistress barbara," she began, "but 'tis a zertain tiresome vellow, simon the pedlar, who asks to show you his wares. to my thinking he hath nought worth a glance, and i had zent un about his bizness speedily; but a be a mozt stubborn fellow and will not depart until a zee ye. a zays a hath zomething of great value but a be a vellow will say aught to gain a hearing, i know un well."
barbara's face brightened suddenly and she sprang eagerly from her seat.
"'tis well, phoebe, take the fellow in; i will come on the instant."
"why, barbara!" exclaimed cicely in astonishment; "what would you with the man? would'st plenish thy store of linsey or tapes that thou art so ready to see him?"
"an i dream not, cis, he will have wares more precious than those."
"what!" cried cicely with awakened interest. "is it possible the fellow hath stuffs from london with him? i would willingly buy, an it be so."
barbara laughed and pinched her cousin's chin. "thou little vanity! thou worshipper of gauds and ribbons!" she cried with much solemnity; "i verily believe thou would'st sell thy soul for two dozen yards of genoa velvet. but come; we will see what he has to show us."
on entering the large wainscotted hall the girls found the pedlar standing in the embrasure of one of the windows, his pack tying unopened at his feet. he was an aged, wizened-looking creature upon whose face greed and cunning had laid their stamp.
cicely eagerly eyeing the pack addressed herself to him with a slight air of hauteur.
"well, fellow, where are your wares? have you aught of rarity or value to show us?"
"ay, that have i, mistress," he answered in a high-pitched grating voice, with an air of impertinent familiarity. "i have that here which will bring light to the dullest eye, a blush to the palest cheek, and joy to the saddest heart. 'tis not over rare neither, yet 'tis ever held to be of the greatest value."
"why what mean you? what should this be?"
"a letter, mistress! a love-letter i doubt not."
"a letter! from whom?"
"from one of whom your ladyship hath long wished to hear, and hath well-nigh heard from no more," he answered with a brutal laugh.
cicely's eyes flashed, her whole body trembled with eagerness.
"ah! give it me, give it me, my good man; why hast thou delayed so foolishly?"
"softly, softly mistress," answered the fellow coolly. "here is the letter sure enow," drawing a small white packet from his valise—"and 'tis from sir rupert." here he showed the direction. "but first give me my price."
"oh yes, thou shalt be paid, never fear," cried cicely with increasing impatience. "now give me the packet."
"not so fast, mistress," he answered curtly; "i yield not up this packet before i see my reward."
"oh! you foolish fellow! name your price then."
"five hundred crowns," he answered coolly.
"five hundred crowns," cried cicely in horror; "why, man, thou art mad, i have not such a sum."
"mad or no, that is my price."
"but i could not pay thee such a sum; you are a very extortioner, you wicked fellow."
"listen to me, mistress," interrupted the pedlar roughly; "and be not so glib with thy tongue; hard words win no favours. i know nought of politics, and sir rupert may hang twenty times for all i care. all i know is that this letter is worth my price, and if ye will not pay it there be others not a mile away who will be right willing to buy the information it contains."
"ah, sure you could not be so cruel," began cicely piteously, but barbara intervened.
"peace, cicely, let me deal with the fellow. now, my man," she continued, turning on him sharply, "we will give thee twenty crowns for that letter and not a penny more, dost hear me?"
"oh, ay, mistress, i hear thee," drawled the pedlar jeeringly. "well, 'tis but a small matter after all, 'tis but one more job for tom boilman. i doubt not your ladyship hath heard the sentence of these rebels," he continued turning to cicely; "'tis hanging, drawing and quartering for them all. oh, i warrant me they'll spare no toil to give sir rupert a worthy death. he'll have music in plenty for his last dance, and in case he find the hanging wearisome they'll cut him down and cut him up before he chokes." he laughed brutally at his joke and added coolly, "maybe he'll live long enough to feel the boiling pitch, they say some of them have done so, and sir rupert is hardy enow."
cicely covered her face with her hands and sank shuddering to the ground.
"oh! barbara, barbara, what can we do?" she sobbed, while the pedlar laughed once more.
"plague take the man," muttered barbara in desperation; "what could rupert be doing to trust in such a rogue! well, something must be done, but what?"
she looked round for inspiration and her glance rested on a long rapier which lay on the central table. she turned again to the pedlar and her eyes gleamed with excitement and triumph.
"he is but a poor creature," she muttered, "and by his face he should be but a coward. i can but try it."
"well, mistress," continued the fellow harshly, "am i to offer the letter for sale down at the winslow arms yonder?"
"no, my man," answered barbara calmly, "for an ye will not deliver it fairly i purpose to take it myself." so saying she stepped aside, picked up the rapier and raised the point full at the breast of the pedlar.
the cunning smile died from the man's face and he looked doubtfully from the shining blade to the resolute face of the girl.
barbara watched him with a cheerful smile. "i fear me, fellow, you have made a sad mistake," she remarked coolly, "an you deemed you could act the bully undisturbed. we be two women, 'tis true, but not defenceless, as you will soon learn an you try to resist, for i can wield a rapier as well as any man; cicely, reach me hither yonder pistol; 'tis loaded? yes. now my man, the letter, if you please."
this turn of events was totally unexpected by the pedlar. he half-doubted the girl's threat, but few such men as he would care to risk a rush against a loaded pistol and a rapier wielded by a resolute hand. he made an attempt to snatch the rapier but the girl easily fenced his attempt, and the rapidity of her disengagement showed him that her boast of skill had been no idle threat. barbara stood betwixt him and the door, the window was closed, he could see no way of escape.
after a moment or two of hesitation during which barbara watched him breathlessly, he decided on a prudent course; placed the letter on the window-seat and answered sulkily:
"there is the packet then, give me the twenty crowns and let me go."
"not so, friend," answered barbara sweetly. "the winslow arms is still conveniently near, and i have not so low an estimate of your cunning as to doubt your knowledge of the contents of yonder letter. we must keep you here a little space. oblige me by mounting those stairs."
the hawker made a step forward, only to find the point of the rapier against his breast, and seeing resistance to be useless he turned with a muttered curse and commenced to climb the wide staircase. barbara followed him, the sword in her right hand, the pistol in her left, for being thoroughly skilled in the use of the rapier she felt more confidence in that weapon than in the pistol, which latter aroused in her as in many of her sex feelings rather of doubt and suspicion than of confidence, in fact she carried it but to give an air of greater resolution to her action.
"what a grace it is to be firm of countenance," she chuckled to herself as she slowly followed her victim. "the poor fool! and he did but know how my heart trembles, for in truth, if he resists, i could not hurt him. if i did pink him with my rapier 'tis very like i should but faint at sight of his blood, but he is too great a coward to attempt it. what a tale this will be for rupert."
now when either man or woman is embarked upon any hazardous undertaking 'tis but scant wisdom to indulge in triumphant rejoicing before the success of the enterprise be thoroughly assured. had barbara borne this in mind and given less rein to her hopeful imagination she had doubtless been better prepared for what followed. for as they approached the top of the stairway and she was hugging herself over the success of her bravado, the pedlar suddenly stumbled forward upon his face, slipped down two steps, striking his boots against the girl's ankles, and before she rightly realised what was happening had twisted himself backwards under the guard of her rapier, knocked up her arm and flinging her roughly aside he started down the stairs.
barbara clutched at the balustrade to save herself from falling headlong, and in so doing dropped the pistol. the suddenness of the attack had completely shattered her nerve, she could do nothing save cling to the oak railing and gaze helplessly after the retreating figure of the pedlar.
as for simon, he paused neither for his pack nor his letter, but made all speed to reach the open door of the hall, and he would assuredly have escaped unopposed but for the sudden intervention of an unexpected enemy.
he had already reached the threshold, and in another minute would have been free, when cicely, with a sudden thought born of the very nearness of the danger, sprang to her feet and gave a shrill whistle. there was a low, fierce growl, a quick rush of feet.
"down with him, butcher, at him! at him!" cried cicely, and the next moment the pedlar was pulled to the ground and struggling wildly with the enormous wolfhound which had answered his mistress's eager summons and now stood over simon shaking and worrying him as if he had been a rat.
if the man's life were to be saved there was clearly no time to be lost, and the two girls hurried to the spot to interpose between the dog and his victim.
it was no easy task, for the dog was savage with fury, but at length cicely succeeded in dragging him away, while barbara fell on her knees beside the man anxiously inquiring of his injuries.
"oh! i can trust thou art not greatly hurt," she gasped; "tho' in truth 'twere but thy deserts. canst not speak, fellow? nay, prithee what ails thee? alack! i fear me butcher has hurt thee sorely, and yet truly i would it were more. indeed the dog should be chained, tho' i am right thankful he was free."
so she continued, torn between a woman's compassion for his overthrow and a deep sense of relief at their escape.
meanwhile cicely having somewhat pacified the indignant butcher returned to the pedlar's side. she could not repress a smile as she listened to her cousin's contradictory outburst. she had no pity to spare for the man who had so threatened the life of her lover.
"tut, barbara! 'tis my belief the fellow is but little injured save in the loss of his garments," for the pedlar's coat was in rags. "come," she continued, turning sharply to the man, "be thankful the dog has dealt so gently with you, 'twould not be so the next time an ye attempt to escape again. up with you, fellow."
with many groans and heartfelt curses simon struggled to his feet. as cicely had suspected he was rather terrified than hurt, but the dog had shaken out of him what little courage he possessed. he turned without further attempt at resistance, and slowly mounted the stairs, followed once more by barbara, who, having well-nigh paid dearly for her experience, did not relax her wariness until she had safely secured him in one of the upper chambers whence there was no possibility of escape.
this done she hurried down into the hall, where cicely sat engrossed already in her letter, and burst into a merry laugh.
"well done, cis, well done," she cried, flinging herself down beside her cousin. "i vow thou art a very virago, but for thee he would have escaped. alack! 'tis small use to have the wrist, eye, and skill of a man when one has but a woman's nerve. but what news, coz; what says the letter?"
"he is safe, he has reached the coast, and to-morrow will take sail in a vessel bound for holland. he—— but i will tell thee the rest anon," answered cicely somewhat hurriedly, and then passed into the garden still reading her letter.
"plague take these lovers!" exclaimed barbara, looking after her whimsically, "they are not too generous with their news. but now, how to rid me of yon same discontented gentle upstairs." she paused and bit her lip thoughtfully. "ah! well, there is time for that; he is safe enough now, and belike a plan will suggest itself later."
then she stretched her arms as though a great load were lifted from her shoulders, and laughed again softly.
"'tis selfish to be happy when there be so many still in sorrow," she murmured. "but with rupert safe again i cannot feel a care. all! 'tis a good world, a good world, and therefore," she cried, springing to her feet with a laugh, "i will go out and rejoice in it."
