“We shan’t part company at present, Mr. Bancroft. I shall be compelled to take you with me to Lancaster.”
“As a prisoner, colonel?”
“As a prisoner, sir!”
“But what have I done? What crime have I committed?”
“That General Forster will judge. I have his orders to arrest you.”
“Your orders, if I mistake not, are to arrest Colonel Charteris.”
“Exactly. But in arresting you I don’t think I shall be far wrong.”
“I can assure you, sir—”
“Nay, ’tis vain to deny it. From the first I suspected you were Colonel Charteris, and my suspicions have since become confirmed. ‘Twill be best to accompany me quietly. Resistance will be useless.”
“Very well,” rejoined the other. “Since you have seen through my disguise, I won’t attempt to maintain it longer. I am Colonel Charteris. Allow me to put up a few things, and I will go with you. Don’t be alarmed. I give you my word of honour I will return.”
“Your word of honour!” exclaimed Colonel Oxburgh, contemptuously, “I place little reliance upon it. A guard must accompany you while you make your preparations.”
“You wrong me by this distrust, colonel,” said Charteris, as he quitted the room, closely followed by a couple of troopers.
Ascending the great staircase, he proceeded deliberately along a corridor, until he came to a particular bed-chamber, where he stopped, saying to the guard, as he went in, “I won’t detain you long.”
The troopers remained at the door. But as he did not come forth within a reasonable time, they entered the room, and to their astonishment and dismay found it empty.
They searched about-in the closets, behind the curtains, under the bed, and in every place, likely and unlikely, but failed to find him-nor could they comprehend how he had got off, since there appeared to be no other exit but the door.
On going down-stairs, they found Colonel Oxburgh impatiently awaiting them in the hall. The entrance door was standing wide open, and showed the troop drawn up outside, and ready for instant departure. The colonel was greatly exasperated when he learnt what had happened.
“I ought to have known better,” he mentally ejaculated, “than to trust a man without a spark of honour. However, if he falls into my hands again, he shall not escape so easily.”
Though despairing of success, Colonel Oxburgh would not leave without making an effort to recapture the fugitive.
On careful examination of the bed-chamber in question, he discovered a secret door, connected with a passage leading to the ruins of the old castle, where no doubt the fugitive had found a safe hiding-place. As it was evident further search would be useless, Colonel Oxburgh departed with his men.
Little did he think as he rode down the hill that Colonel Charteris was watching him from the summit of the keep, and laughing at the clever manner in which he had outwitted his visitor.
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IV
Sir Henry Hoghton and the Quaker
AWARE that the rebels were marching towards Lancaster, the Whig inhabitants of the town endeavoured to make some defensive preparations, and were materially aided in their efforts by Sir Henry Hoghton, of Hoghton Tower, member of Parliament for Preston, and Colonel of the Lancashire Militia.
Having ascertained that a ship called the Robert, of five hundred tons burthen, belonging to Mr. Lawson, a wealthy Quaker of Lancaster, was lying at Sunderland-a small sea-port situated at the estuary of the Lune-Sir Henry went to Mr. Lawson to endeavour to negotiate with him for the use of the guns.
“When I tell you, Mr. Lawson,” he said, “that those cannon of yours will enable us to keep the rebels out of the town, I am sure you will let us have them.”
“Thou shalt have them on one condition, friend,” replied the Quaker. “And on one condition only.”
“Name it,” cried Sir Henry, eagerly.
“Thou shalt give me a bond for ten thousand pounds to insure my ship, the Robert, against any damage she may sustain from the rebels, when they learn I have parted with the cannon to be used against them.”
“Zounds! Mr. Lawson,” exclaimed Sir Henry, “excuse my swearing-but you are enough to provoke a saint-how the deuce can you expect me to agree to such absurd conditions? I refuse them. Moreover, I tell you as a magistrate, that the cargo on board the Robert shall at once be seized, unless you consent to surrender the cannon. Now, sir, what have you to say to that?”
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