“His orders shall be obeyed,” replied Standish. “It will be particularly agreeable to me to make halt at Knowsley, as I shall have a chance of seeing Don Fortunio and his daughter.”
“I hope you may meet them, and I beg you will remember me most heartily to them,” said the countess.
Standish then withdrew to prepare for the expedition, and confer with his proposed attendant, Tom Linacre.
Linacre undertook to get him safely across the trenches, and past the fortifications, after which Standish felt certain he could make his way through the camp.
Satisfied with the arrangement, he returned to the countess, who gave him three cases, containing the jewels.
“These shall be securely placed beneath my cuirass, madam,” he said, “and shall never be taken from me while I live.”
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XXIX
How Standish encountered Rosworm
SOME quarter of an hour before the bell tolled midnight, the sentinels of the besiegers stationed on the fortifications near the postern-tower were alarmed by seeing a long line of lights suddenly appear before them, and at once fired in the direction, not suspecting that the lights they beheld were a device contrived by Captain Chisenhale to distract their attention from Standish’s departure.
Roused by the shots, their comrades apprehending an attack, quickly joined them, and likewise fired, and some time elapsed before they discovered that a cord hung with lighted matches, and tied to the stump of a tree, had deluded them.
Meanwhile, Standish and his attendant, both well-mounted and well-armed, sallied forth from the great gate, and managed to get across the trench at a point that Linacre had noted, without causing alarm till they were both safe on the other side. Some muskets were then fired at them, but they were soon out of reach, and galloping towards the camp.
It was now so dark that scarcely any object could be discerned, but Standish fancied he could distinguish a horseman approaching them. Whether he was alone, or followed by a small troop, could not be made out, but Standish went boldly on.
“Who goes there?” demanded the horseman.
“A friend,” replied Standish, slackening his pace, for he now felt certain the person was alone, and had made up his mind to shoot him if he offered any hindrance.
“I heard firing at the trenches, and was going thither,” said the new-comer. “But I have changed my mind, and will return with you to the camp.”
Standish made no reply to the proposition, but drew a pistol from the holster, resolved to disembarrass himself of his enforced companion.
The horseman perceived the action, but without betraying the slightest fear, said:
“You call yourself a friend, but you are about to treat me as an enemy. I am not the enemy of Captain Standish. My eyes are sharper than yours. I knew you at once.”
“Your voice is familiar to me,” replied the young man. “Can it be Colonel Rosworm?”
“It is that most unhappy man,” said the other, in a mournful tone. “In losing my daughter I have lost all that was dear to me on earth. Many hours have not flown since I heard of her death, and I came here at once.”
“With what intent?” demanded Standish, struck by his manner.
“To die!” replied the other. “Since I have lost her, I have no desire to live. I shall find the death I seek from the cannon of Lathom House.”
“This is the madness of grief,” said Standish. “Do not throw your life away. I have something for you, that may yield you comfort, and deter you from your fatal purpose. Almost with her dying breath, she prayed me give you this string of beads. Little did I deem that I should so soon be able to fulfil her wishes.”
And as he spoke, he took the necklace from the small leather bag attached to his girdle, and gave it Rosworm, who pressed it to his lips.
“I know it well,” he cried. “I gave it her when a child. Truly, this will be a great comfort to me.”
Then overcoming his emotion by a powerful effort, he added:
“Tell me where she lies!”