The Four Canadian Highwaymen Part 12

'What has the place come to?' she screamed, 'if the master is to be bullied before us all. Is there no one here who will take this impudent upstart and tie him up?'

n.o.body moved.

'Pack of cowardly curs,' she screamed, 'to allow a thing like him to frighten you so.'

'Peace, mother,' interposed the Captain. 'Some things are to be punished, others to be tolerated. I think you may safely allow, all these matters, to remain with me. For the present let nothing further be said about this business.' The old woman subsided with a scowl; and Murfrey's eyes gleamed like a beast who has resolved that his prey shall not escape him. The robbers threw themselves around on dried bushes strewn about for such purposes; but Roland and The Lifter took their guns and set out through the bush to hunt partridge.

'You saved my life to-day,' The Lifter said, as he looked in our hero's face; 'and if ever the opportunity comes I will show you that, wicked as I am, I can be grateful.'

'Peace. There is nothing to be said on that point. You saved my life; and we are square.'

'Ah, but it was different. I did it among my friends; you among your enemies.'

'I should like to ask you a favour in return for what you consider my generosity, then,' Roland said, looking at his companion.

'Name it; and if the thing be possible, I shall do it.'

'I would not think of asking if I did not know it to be possible.'

'Well, the favour I ask is not for myself, but for an-f other.' His eyes had sought those of the robber, and held them in their earnest, entreating gaze.

'And who may it be that you ask this favour for?'

'For yourself.' The Lifter was exceedingly astonished; and he did not interrupt by words. 'Yes; my greatest wish is now that you will do me the favour of doing something for yourself.'

'And what is that?'

'To make the resolution, to give me your word, now, here, that as soon as possible you will give up this life of crime, leave this odious lair, and seek your living among honest men.'

'Ah,' his companion replied, with a deep sigh, 'you ask me to do what is impossible.'

'And why impossible? Is it that you are too deeply attached to the ties of this place, to your mode of life, to break the one and give up the other?'

'It is not that; no, indeed. But what would become of me were I to leave this place? I am not so good at disguises as the rest. I would certainly be caught and given to the gallows.'

'You will allow that I know as much, at least, as you can know on this matter. I do not consider the risk great at all. Your disguise would carry you through Canadian territory, and once in the United States you would be free to go among good men and earn your bread. It is true that you never can make thorough reparation for all the crimes to which you have been an accessory, or all the misery that you have helped to create. But you can atone to some extent for the past. You have many gifts, and I am sure that you would win a comfortable position for yourself in a world that guessed nothing of the early chapters of your history.

'Suppose that instead of doing this you elect to remain here. There is one chance that you may go free through all the dangers of your trade of blood; but there are ninety and nine chances that a violent death or the halter shall be your ultimate fate.

'Besides, you may be sure that the law will not much longer permit this lair to remain undiscovered. Your captain is now busy planning the abduction of some young lady, who is, so far as I can judge, a person of note. This will once more incense public feeling against your band; and judge how it must fare with you should the law be triumphant.'

'Upon earth there is notheen that I should prefer doeen to what you say. But do you really think it is sometheen I ought to look to?'

'You have my opinion.'

'Then I pledge myself to do as you desire, and I shall be ready to leave here when you say "go" or "come."' Roland stretched out his hand.

'It is well; it is a bargain. Leave you all the rest to me.'

After they had roamed the woods for some hours--during which they secured a dozen brace of birds--The Lifter said:

'Are you aware that you are to be a prisoner to-night?'

'No.'

'Well, there is a highway robbery on hand to-night, and. I am to go with them.'

'Do you know what the robbery is?'

'Yes; a negro lad, the servant of a very wealthy stock-raiser in a distant part of the towns.h.i.+p. The servant is to return home after moon rise with a large sum of money, from the sale of several droves.

The cattle dealer is gouty, and he has no faith in anything. His servant brings the money home, because he will not trust the banks.

The Capteen does not care about entrusteen you to the keepeen of the women; so before we depart you will be fastened securely in your own room. But you will have one friend at home. Nancy, I believe, like myself, would do much to serve you, although she is obliged for her own safety, to pretend that she considers you both dangerous and untrustworthy.'

When supper was ended that evening Roland noticed that the robbers made unusual preparations. Before they departed the chief addressed our hero:

'I have no reason to put any trust in you. Therefore you shall henceforth be treated as a mad dog. Go now to your room; for the door must be made secure before I leave.

'My only regret to-night,' replied Roland, 'is that it lies not in my power to thwart you in your infamous plot. It is well that you set this watch upon me; else I should go from the wood and inform your intended victim of your designs.'

'To your room, sir. Some time you may go too far.'

'This is a point that I have no desire to discuss, you odious robber. My word you have heard, and you hear again, that I care not for your threats; that I defy you and declare you to be as cowardly as you are b.l.o.o.d.y and bad.' He had faced the band, holding his pistol in his hand; and he moved backward towards the pit. He then noticed that Silent Poll was not among the rest; and he was unwilling to trust himself to the mercies of this creature.

'I shall not descend till the girl joins the rest;' and he now stood in such a manner as to have a view of the robbers and the old woman, as well as of the tunnel's mouth.

The chief shouted, and Silent Poll came forth with an extremely hang-dog expression. Then Roland descended, entered his room, and closed the door. In a moment it was securely fastened upon the outside with st.u.r.dy iron bars.

The robbers then set out through the wood for the road, by which the unsuspecting negro must pa.s.s. The heavy clouds which had crept in upon the sky at the set of sun now began to part, and, before the miscreants had emerged from the bush, the deep dark of their path was here and there parted by a shaft of silvery light. Through the tree tops a glimpse of the sky could be occasionally obtained; and although no leaf quivered in this sombre swamp the clouds raced across the face of the moon, sometimes shutting up the heavens in dark, again allowing the glory to stream forth and bathe the sky in pure splendour.

'We had better be mounted,' the chief said. 'The negro is a good horseman, and he will likely have one or two others with him. We have little time to lose.' The robbers then bent their steps to the stables, where the horses of the band were kept. A deaf mute cared for the horses, a man with a face so villainous looking, as to make it entirely indescribable. Standing upon the top of the bleak common, with drifts of moonlight shot from the openings, with flying clouds above, every now and again falling upon it, it looked well like the lair of mystery and crime.

The robber chief laid his finger-tips with a gentle sound upon the door, and immediately the mute pushed back the bolts; and then stood aside to let the robbers in.

'Well,' enquired the chief, 'have they pa.s.sed to York?' and the dummy answering (for it was only to the country side that he was deaf and dumb) said:

'Yes, he and a big country loot pa.s.sed about twelve o'clock.'

'So early!' e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the captain. 'Then we are not here any too soon.'

'Shall I saddle?'

'Immediately--Do you think these fellows will fight?'

'They were both heavily armed. The negro carried a heavy cutla.s.s and a pair of pistols.

'Ah, then the swamp has its terrors for them.'

'I am sure,' put in the evil looking mute, 'that this n.i.g.g.e.r will fight like a devil. But as for the galoot that goes with him, I'm sure there's no sand in _him_. Easy,' the fellow exclaimed, 'I hear hoofs now; and no doubt 'tis your man.'