Ovingdean Grange by W. Harrison Ainsworth

Micklegift did as he was enjoined, pressed his hand upon the little knob that moved the pillar, and the aperture was disclosed.

“Enter that hiding-place, Charles Stuart,” said Stelfax, sternly, to the king. “It was contrived for thy fugitive followers, and may therefore serve thy turn. ‘Tis in vain to dispute my authority. I am thy master now, by right of the sword,” he added, presenting his rapier’s point at the king’s breast, “and will be obeyed. Enter, I command thee!”

Charles had no alternative but compliance. A struggle, under such disadvantageous circumstances, must have cost him his life.

“Plague take ’em!” he muttered, as he went into the hiding- place. “What the deuce can they all be about downstairs, to allow me to be trapped in this manner? Will no one come to the rescue?”

But as rescue came not, he went in.

Stelfax quickly followed, but, ere he passed quite through the aperture, he called out to Micklegift:

“Hie thee back as quickly as thou canst to Morefruit Stone’s cottage. Dispatch him with all haste to Lewes for my men. Then return to this chamber, and if nought has happened in the interval, tap thrice against these boards. I shall know thy signal, and will come forth. The Lord hath delivered Abijam into my hands at last, and he shall never quit them with life!”

So saying, he closed the door of the hiding place.

Micklegift then passed through a small door in the inner chamber, partially concealed by arras, through which he and Stelfax had obtained admittance. This outlet communicated with a back staircase, which the Independent minister hastily descended. At the foot of the staircase was a postern, which let him out into the garden.

X

THE PURITAN’S DAUGHTER

NOT many minutes after the king’s immurement in the hiding-place, Clavering tapped at the chamber door, and receiving no answer, though he repeated the application yet more loudly, ventured to enter the apartment. Pausing for a moment in the outer chamber, and coughing slightly to announce his presence, he went on, and was both surprised and alarmed not to perceive the king. Remarking, however, that his Majesty had changed his attire, and that the small door communicating with the back staircase was left partly open, he concluded Charles must have discovered that means of exit, and had probably found his way to the garden. Notwithstanding this conviction, however, he could not shake off a strong feeling of uneasiness, and resolving to satisfy himself without delay, quickly descended the winding staircase and reached the postern at its foot, which he found unlocked. The latter circumstance convinced him that he was right in his conjecture, and he now felt certain of finding his Majesty in the garden. But though he visited every walk, alley, and labyrinth, he was unsuccessful, and all his alarm returned, and with additional force. One hope alone sustained him. The king—though this appeared highly improbable—might have strayed into the orchard, or the holt beyond it. To the orchard he flew at once, and had scarcely opened the gate leading to it when he encountered old Ticehurst, the gardener, and Nut Springett. In answer to his inquiries, Ticehurst stated that about five minutes ago he had seen a tall, dark man, answering to the description of the person Captain Clavering was inquiring about, issue from the postern, and pass out at the gate in the north wall near Morefruit Stone’s cottage. Still more perplexed, but thinking this must be the king, though he was wholly unable to account for such imprudence on his Majesty’s part, Clavering hurried off in the direction taken by the person whom the gardeners had seen, and passed through the gate referred to by them. Not fifty yards off, and shaded by a fine elm-tree, stood Morefruit Stone’s cottage. Great was his surprise, on entering it, to find Increase Micklegift in the hands of John Habergeon and Ninian Saxby. The only person in the cottage, besides the Independent minister and his captors, was Morefruit Stone’s daughter, Temperance, a comely damsel, to whom Ninian had once paid considerable attention. Instantly divining that treachery had been practised by Micklegift, Clavering drew his sword, and placing its point at the other’s throat, demanded, in a terrible voice,