"Betty'll ha' none of us," scowled Mr. Marchdale, "though if I'd had more time----"

"None of us!" added the Captain, "er--haw! Not one!" Here Sir Jasper, trying to sip his wine and groan at the same time, choked.

"And yet--and yet," sighed Sir Benjamin, holding his gla.s.s between his eye and the light, "seeing that our ahem! our unspeakable grief is common to us, each and all, it shall, methinks, but knit closer the bonds of our fellowship and we should unite to wish her happiness with whatsoever unknown mortal she shall some day make blest. Regarding which I think a toast might be appropriate--pray charge your gla.s.ses and I----" Sir Benjamin paused and turned as with a perfunctory knock the Sergeant re-appeared.

"Your honour," said he, "my Lady Belinda Damain with Lady Carlyon to see you."

The Major caught his breath, then sat upright his square chin showing a little grim.

"You will tell their ladyships that I present my humble respects and thanks but regret I am unable to see them."

"Sir?" said the Sergeant, staring.

"Go, Sergeant!"

"Jack!" exclaimed the Colonel as the door closed "why, Jack!"

"Sir!" answered the Major, his eyes very keen and bright.

"P-petticoats, man--two of 'em--doctor's orders! O rot me!" spluttered the Colonel.

"Gentlemen," said the Major, smiling wearily, "pray charge your gla.s.ses for Sir Benjamin's toast."

"Major d'Arcy, sir," said Sir Benjamin, bowing from his chair, "permit me to say that I applaud the delicacy of your feelings. We lovers who have wooed and lost, alas! Ods my life, sir, 'twas well done--honour me!" And he extended his snuff-box. "Sir," he continued, when they had bowed and snuffed together, "summer is on the wane and with the summer we, like the swallows, shall desert these rural solitudes. A week hence, instead of perambulating bosky Westerham we shall most of us be jolting over the cobblestones of London--but we shall one and all treasure a lively memory of your friendship and trust that it may be renewed from time to time. Meanwhile, ere we fly hence, it is our united hope that you, together with my Lord Cleeve will honour us again with your company to supper on an early date----"

"A Gad, sir, we will that!" nodded the Colonel. "Speaking for myself I thank you heartily, and speaking for Jack, I say he shall come if I have to carry him there and back again."

"And now, Sir Benjamin," said the Major, "pray give us your toast."

Sir Benjamin rose, gla.s.s in one hand, lace handkerchief in the other.

"We have all here, I think, with the exception of the gallant Colonel, essayed our fortune with my lady Betty, and with equal ahem! equally deplorable lack of success. 'Twould seem that she is determined on according to no one of us here that felicity we have, each one, dreamed of and sought for. But she is young and 'tis but to be expected that one day some happier man shall succeed where we have failed. Now sirs, as lovers, as gentlemen and sportsmen true, let us raise our gla.s.ses to that happy unknown whoever he be, let us drink health to him, joy to him, success and long life to him for the sake of Our Admirable Betty.

Gentlemen 'The Unknown!'"

CHAPTER XLIV

SOME ACCOUNT OF A HIGHWAYMAN

Mr. Dalroyd was a man of habit and of late it had become his custom to take particular heed as to the lock and bolts of his chamber door of nights and to sleep with his pistol beneath his pillow.

He had formed another habit also, a strange, uncanny habit of pausing suddenly with head aslant like one hearkening for soft or distant sounds; though to be sure his eyes were as sleepy and himself as languid as usual.

But the stair leading to Mr. Dalroyd's bedchamber was narrow and extremely precipitous and, descending in the gloom one evening, he had tripped over some obstacle and only by his swordsman's quickness and bodily agility saved himself from plunging headlong to the bottom. He had wakened in the middle of the night for no seeming reason and, sitting up in that att.i.tude of patient listening, had chanced to glance at the door lit by a shaft of moonlight and had watched the latch quiver, lift silently and as silently sink back in place.

He had moreover become cautious as to how he took up his pistols, having found them more than once mysteriously at full c.o.c.k. So Mr.

Dalroyd continued to lock and double-lock his door at night and, in the morning, seated before his mirror, to watch Joseph the obsequious therein: as he was doing now.

"Sir," said Joseph, eyes lowered yet perfectly aware of his master's watchful scrutiny, "everything is packed save your brushes and the gillyflower water."

"Why then, my snail, you may pack them also."

"I will, sir."

"It is now half after ten, Joseph--we ride at eleven."

"To London, sir?"

"Order the horses to the door at that hour, Object."

"Yes, sir. Pray, sir," said he humbly, head bowed and big hands twitching nervously, "regarding your promise of permitting me to--to--quit your service--pray when is it to be?"

"I don't know, Joseph, I can't say."

"Sir--sir--d'ye mean----"

"I mean that I don't feel I can endure to part with you, Joseph."

"You mean--you--won't?"

"You interest me, Joseph. Yes, you amuse me vastly, there is about you such infinite repression, Joseph, such latent ferocity. Yours is a nature of great and unexpected possibilities. Ferocity, duly in check, allures me, Joseph; so I shall continue to be your master and to--master you, Animal. Reach me my pistols."

Joseph crossed the room to where they lay beside the bed.

"Sir," said he, taking up the weapons, "you won't let me go, then?"

"Are they loaded, Joseph?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are they c.o.c.ked?"

"No, sir."

"Which is just as well, Joseph. With your hands shaking like that you might have had the misfortune to shoot me and be infallibly hanged for a deplorable accident."

Joseph's eyes flickered and he stood, still grasping a pistol in either hand.

"Sir," said he thickly, "do you mean to let me go--yes or no?"

"Hanged, Joseph, for--knowing you as I do, Reptile, I am leaving behind me a letter to the effect that should I meet with any sudden or untoward misfortune on my journey, a knife in the back, say, or a bullet, Joseph, justice may be done on the body of one Joseph Appleby, alias Galloping Nick, already wanted for the murder of----"

The weapons thudded to the floor and Joseph cowered.

"For the love of G.o.d!" he whispered hoa.r.s.ely. "Sir--sir----" And he clenched and wrung his hands together.

"Pick up the pistols, Worm, and handle them carefully, they've taken to c.o.c.king themselves of late, 'twould seem. And I, Joseph, I've taken to locking and bolting my door a-nights and being particular how I tread in the dark."