Part 31 (1/2)
”How say ye now?” asked the tall ly, of dick
”Sir,” replied dick, ”I am here in sanctuary, is it not so? Well, sir, I see by your bearing that ye are high in station, and I read in your countenance the marks of piety and justice To you, then, I will yield e of this holy place But rather than to be yielded into the discretion of that man--whom I do here accuse with a loud voice to be the murderer of my natural father and the unjust retainer of my lands and revenues--rather than that, I would beseech you, under favour, with your own gentle hand, to despatch me on the spot Your own ears have heard hiuilty he did threaten me with torments It standeth not with your own honour to deliver me to my sworn enemy and old oppressor, but to try uilty indeed, to slay me mercifully”
”My lord,” cried Sir Daniel, ”ye will not hearken to this wolf? His bloody dagger reeks hiht,” returned the tall stranger; ”your own veheainst yourself”
And here the bride, who had come to herself some minutes past and looked wildly on upon this scene, broke loose from those that held her, and fell upon her knees before the last speaker
”My Lord of Risingham,” she cried, ”hear me, in justice I am here in this man's custody by mere force, reft from mine own people Since that day I had never pity, countenance, nor comfort from the face of man--but from him only--Richard Shelton--whom they now accuse and labour to undo
My lord, if he was yesternight in Sir Daniel's ht hiht to do no hurt
While yet Sir Daniel was a good lord to hiht with theht his life by practices, and he fled by night, for his soul's sake, out of that bloody house, whither was he to turn--he, helpless and penniless? Or if he be fallen a ill company, whouardian that did abuse his trust?”
And then the short young lady fell on her knees by Joanna's side
”And I, ood lord and natural uncle,” she added, ”I can bear testimony, on my conscience and before the face of all, that what this maiden saith is true It was I, unworthy, that did lead the young ham had heard in silence, and when the voices ceased, he still stood silent for a space Then he gave Joanna his hand to arise, though it was to be observed that he did not offer the like courtesy to her who had called herself his niece
”Sir Daniel,” he said, ”here is a right intricate affair, the which, with your good leave, it shall be mine to examine and adjust Content ye, then; your business is in careful hands; justice shall be done you; and in the et ye incontinently home, and have your hurts attended The air is shrewd, and I would not ye took cold upon these scratches”
He n with his hand; it was passed down the nave by obsequious servants, aited there upon his sesture Instantly, without the church, a tucket sounded shrill, and through the open portal archers andthe badge of Lord Risinghaan to file into the church, took dick and Lawless fro their files about the prisoners, ain and disappeared
As they were passing, Joanna held both her hands to dick and cried hi downcast by her uncle's evident displeasure, blew him a kiss, with a ”Keep your heart up, lion-driver!”
that for the first time since the accident called up a smile to the faces of the crowd
CHAPTER V--EARL RISINGHAM
Earl Risinghah by far the ed in the house of a private gentle but the arers that kept arriving and departing, announced the tereat lord
Thus it was that, from lack of space, dick and Lawless were clapped into the same apartment
”Well spoken, Master Richard,” said the outlaw; ”it was excellently well spoken, and, for ood hands; we shall be justly tried, and, soed on the same tree”
”Indeed, my poor friend, I do believe it,” answered dick
”Yet have we a string to our bow,” returned Lawless ”Ellis Duckworth is a ht near his heart, both for your own and for your father's sake; and knowing you guiltless of this fact, he will stir earth and heaven to bear you clear”
”It may not be,” said dick ”What can he do? He hath but a handful
Alack, if it were but to-morrow--could I but keep a certain tryst an hour before noon to-morrow--all were, I think, otherwise But now there is no help”
”Well,” concluded Lawless, ”an ye will stand to it for my innocence, I will stand to it for yours, and that stoutly It shall naught avail us; but an I be to hang, it shall not be for lack of swearing”