Lord Kilgobbin Part 13

'Now one word, only one,' said Walpole, as he drew his chair close to her: 'If I swear to you--'

'What's that? who is Kate angry with?' cried Nina, rising and rus.h.i.+ng towards the door. 'What has happened?'

'I'll tell you what has happened,' said Kate, as with flas.h.i.+ng eyes and heightened colour she entered the room. 'The large gate of the outer yard, that is every night locked and strongly barred at sunset, has been left open, and they tell me that three men have come in, Sally says five, and are hiding in some of the outhouses.'

'What for? Is it to rob, think you?' asked Walpole.

'It is certainly for nothing good. They all know that papa is away, and the house so far unprotected,' continued Kate calmly. 'We must find out to-morrow who has left the gate unbolted. This was no accident, and now that they are setting fire to the ricks all round us, it is no time for carelessness.'

'Shall we search the offices and the outbuildings?' asked Walpole.

'Of course not; we must stand by the house and take care that they do not enter it. It's a strong old place, and even if they forced an entrance below, they couldn't set fire to it.'

'Could they force their way up?' asked Walpole.

'Not if the people above have any courage. Just come and look at the stair; it was made in times when people thought of defending themselves.' They issued forth now together to the top of the landing, where a narrow, steep flight of stone steps descended between two walls to the bas.e.m.e.nt-storey.

A little more than half-way down was a low iron gate or grille of considerable strength; though, not being above four feet in height, it could have been no great defence, which seemed, after all, to have been its intention. 'When this is closed,' said Kate, shutting it with a heavy bang, 'it's not such easy work to pa.s.s up against two or three resolute people at the top; and see here,' added she, showing a deep niche or alcove in the wall, 'this was evidently meant for the sentry who watched the wicket: he could stand here out of the reach of all fire.'

'Would you not say she was longing for a conflict?' said Nina, gazing at her.

'No, but if it comes I'll not decline it.'

'You mean you'll defend the stair?' asked Walpole.

She nodded a.s.sent.

'What arms have you?'

'Plenty; come and look at them. Here,' said she, entering the dining-room, and pointing to a large oak sideboard covered with weapons, 'Here is probably what has led these people here. They are going through the country latterly on every side, in search of arms. I believe this is almost the only house where they have not called.'

'And do they go away quietly when their demands are complied with?'

'Yes, when they chance upon people of poor courage, they leave them with life enough to tell the story.--What is it, Mathew?' asked she of the old serving-man who entered the room.

'It's the "boys," miss, and they want to talk to you, if you'll step out on the terrace. They don't mean any harm at all.'

'What do they want, then?'

'Just a spare gun or two, miss, or an ould pistol, or a thing of the kind that was no use.'

'Was it not brave of them to come here, when my father was from home?

Aren't they fine courageous creatures to come and frighten two lone girls--eh, Mat?'

'Don't anger them, miss, for the love of Joseph! don't say anything hard; let me hand them that ould carbine there, and the fowling-piece; and if you'd give them a pair of horse-pistols, I'm sure they'd go away quiet.'

A loud noise of knocking, as though with a stone, at the outer door, broke in upon the colloquy, and Kate pa.s.sed into the drawing-room, and opened the window, out upon the stone terrace which overlooked the yard: 'Who is there?--who are you?--what do you want?' cried she, peering down into the darkness, which, in the shadow of the house, was deeper.

'We've come for arms,' cried a deep hoa.r.s.e voice.

'My father is away from home--come and ask for them when he's here to answer you.'

A wild, insolent laugh from below acknowledged what they thought of this speech.

'Maybe that was the rayson we came now, miss,' said a voice, in a lighter tone.

'Fine courageous fellows you are to say so! I hope Ireland has more of such brave patriotic men.'

'You'd better leave that, anyhow,' said another, and as he spoke he levelled and fired, but evidently with intention to terrify rather than wound, for the plaster came tumbling down from several feet above her head; and now the knocking at the door was redoubled, and with a noise that resounded through the house.

'Wouldn't you advise her to give up the arms and let them go?' said Nina, in a whisper to Walpole; but though she was deadly pale there was no tremor in her voice.

'The door is giving way, the wood is completely rotten. Now for the stairs.

Mr. Walpole, you're going to stand by me?'

'I should think so, but I'd rather you'd remain here. I know my ground now.'

'No, I must be beside you. You'll have to keep a rolling fire, and I can load quicker than most people. Come along now, we must take no light with us--follow me.'

'Take care,' said Nina to Walpole as he pa.s.sed, but with an accent so full of a strange significance it dwelt on his memory long after.

'What was it Nina whispered you as you came by?' said Kate.

'Something about being cautious, I think,' said he carelessly.

'Stay where you are, Mathew,' said the girl, in a severe tone, to the old servant, who was officiously pressing forward with a light.

'Go back!' cried she, as he persisted in following her.

'That's the worst of all our troubles here, Mr. Walpole,' said she boldly; 'you cannot depend on the people of your own household. The very people you have nursed in sickness, if they only belong to some secret a.s.sociation, will betray you!' She made no secret of her words, but spoke them loud enough to be heard by the group of servants now gathered on the landing.

Noiseless she tripped down the stairs, and pa.s.sed into the little dark alcove, followed by Walpole, carrying any amount of guns and carbines under his arm.

'These are loaded, I presume?' said he.

'All, and ready capped. The short carbine is charged with a sort of canister shot, and keep it for a short range--if they try to pa.s.s over the iron gate. Now mind me, and I will give you the directions I heard my father give on this spot once before. Don't fire till they reach the foot of the stair.'

'I cannot hear you,' said he, for the din beneath, where they battered at the door, was now deafening.

'They'll be in in another moment--there, the lock has fallen off--the door has given way,' whispered she; 'be steady now, no hurry--steady and calm.'

As she spoke, the heavy oak door fell to the ground, and a perfect silence succeeded to the late din. After an instant, muttering whispers could be heard, and it seemed as if they doubted how far it was safe to enter, for all was dark within. Something was said in a tone of command, and at the moment one of the party flung forward a bundle of lighted straw and tow, which fell at the foot of the stairs, and for a few seconds lit up the place with a red lurid gleam, showing the steep stair and the iron bars of the little gate that crossed it.

'There's the iron wicket they spoke of,' cried one. 'All right, come on!'

And the speaker led the way, cautiously, however, and slowly, the others after him.

'No, not yet,' whispered Kate, as she pressed her hand upon Walpole's.

'I hear voices up there,' cried the leader from below. 'We'll make them leave that, anyhow.' And he fired off his gun in the direction of the upper part of the stair; a quant.i.ty of plaster came clattering down as the ball struck the ceiling.