The Black Tor | Page 8

going straight to your rival and
enemy, who will jump at my offer, and pay me better than I could
expect of you?"
"Go where you please, sir," said Sir Morton.
"Ah, you drive me to it, when I would have been your friend. There, it
must be so; but don't blame me when you are humbled in the dust."
"Why, if you go there," cried Ralph, "Sir Edward Eden will make his
men disarm your crew of ragged Jacks, and set you all to work in his
mine."
"What! Never. Now, Darley, once more--friends or foes?"
"Neither, I tell you, man. Now leave my place at once, you and yours. I
will neither help you nor have any further dealings with you. Go."
"What!" roared Purlrose; and this time he drew his sword fully, and
Ralph's bright blade followed suit, glittering, while the captain's looked
rusty and dull.
"Pooh! put up your sword, Ralph," said Sir Morton, advancing toward
their visitor, who began to shrink back. "Sheathe your blade, sir," he
said sternly, and without paying the least attention to the man's bullying
looks, he threw open the door, and pointed to the entrance.
He passed out, giving the door behind him a heavy slam, and marched
out to the group standing about the broad steps and road, where father
and son could hear him haranguing his men, who immediately burst
into an angry yell, and for the most part turned menacingly toward the
house.
CHAPTER THREE.
ABOUT THE ENEMY.

"Shall I fasten the door, father?" cried Ralph excitedly.
"No," said Sir Morton firmly. "I know my man of old."
Ralph looked on and listened, as a low growl arose; but, bully and
coward or no, it was evident that Captain Purlrose was master of his
men, who stood listening and nodding their heads, one or two slapping
the hilts of their swords menacingly, and at last the leader of the ragged
crew turned and shook his fist threateningly at the house, and ended by
striding jauntily away through the embattled gateway, followed by his
gang.
"Will they come back, father, at night?" said Ralph, after uttering a sigh
of relief.
"No, my boy; I judge the men by their leader. Michael Purlrose always
had a wholesome love of keeping his skin sound; his men have, without
doubt, the same. He will execute his threat, though, of going to Eden's."
"And if Sir Edward takes them into his service, it will be awkward for
us, father."
"Yes, if, my boy; but I do not think that Eden will. We shall hear no
more of the vagabonds, unless Purlrose comes back to beg."
"I'll go and watch them, father," cried Ralph eagerly.
"Yes; but you will not go near, so as to run any risk? If they found you
alone, they would attack and strip you of everything of value you have."
"I'll take care," cried the lad. "I can get up to the side of the cliff, and
watch them right away. I can see the path to the Black Tor from there."
"Yes; go," said Sir Morton, and the boy hurried out, crossed the little
court, and passing through a small side-door, reached the slope of the
cliff upon which the old castle was built, and then by a narrow pathway,
clambered a couple of hundred feet higher, starting the jackdaws from
their resting-places, making them fly off, uttering angry cries of tah! tah!

Then throwing himself down behind a great block of limestone, which
had fallen from above, and which looked as if a thrust would send it
hurtling down some hundred feet, into the river below, he waited till, as
he fully expected, he saw the party of men appear down below in the
track; and then he followed their course, seeing them disappear behind
the trees, appear again, and after making divers short cuts, as if their
leader were well acquainted with the place, make off for the ford. Then
he watched them as they straggled across the river, and struck into the
narrow cliff path which led to the great dark-hued cliff known as the
Black Tor, where the Edens' impregnable stronghold stood, perched
upon a narrow ledge of rock which rose up like a monstrous tongue
from the earth, connected on one side by a narrow natural bridge with
the main cliff, the castellated building being protected on all sides by a
huge rift fully a couple of hundred feet deep, the tongue being merely a
portion of the cliff split away during some convulsion of nature; or
perhaps gradually separated by subsidence, the top affording sufficient
space for the building, and its courtyards.
Ralph watched the men until the last had disappeared; and then,
knowing from the configuration of the place as he had