The Cornet of Horse | Page 8

thank him for my life; and, if you will permit me to say so--and I have
been many frays--no man ever bore himself more coolly, or used his
sword more skilfully, than did this young gentleman."
"I am very proud indeed to hear that the lad bore himself so well;
although I own that he caused some anxiety to his mother and myself;
by rushing forward alone to join in a fray of whose extent he knew
nothing. However, all is well that ends well.

"And now, sir, as your servants are killed, and but one horse remains to
your carriage, will you permit me to offer you for the night the
hospitality of Windthorpe Chace? I am Colonel Holliday, sir, an old
servant of King Charles the First--"
"I accept your offer, sir, as frankly as it is made. I have often heard
your name. I, sir, am George Churchill."
"The Earl of Marlborough!" exclaimed Colonel Holliday.
"The same," the earl said, with a smile. "I am not greatly loved, sir; but
my name will, I am sure, do me no ill service with one of the men of
Naseby."
"No, indeed!" Colonel Holliday said, warmly; "it is at once a pleasure
and an honour to me to entertain so great a general at the Chace."
"And now," the earl said, "a truce to compliments. Pray resume your
seat in the coach, sir. I will cut loose the horse from the coach, and will
follow you in company with your grandson."
Colonel Holliday in vain tried to persuade the earl to take his place in
the carriage.
The latter, however, firmly declined, and the colonel took his place in
the coach, and drove off at once, to make preparation for the reception
of his guest. The earl had even declined the offer to leave one or both
of the lackeys behind. And when the carriage had driven off, he said to
Rupert, who had stood looking with respectful admiration at the
greatest general of the age:
"Now, young sir, let us have a look at this carrion; maybe their faces
will throw some light upon this affair."
So saying, he took the torch which had been left burning, and turned
over the body of the man he had slain before Rupert arrived on the
scene.

"I do not know him," he said, looking steadily at the dead man's face.
"I know him," Rupert exclaimed in surprise. "He is a saddler of
Derby--a fierce nonconformist and whig, and a preacher at conventicles.
And to think of his being a highwayman!"
"An assassin is a better term," the earl said contemptuously. "I guessed
from their number it was my life, and not my money, that they sought.
"Now let us look at the fellow you sent to his account."
Rupert hung back as they approached the man he had killed. In those
days of rebellions, executions, and duels, human life was regarded but
lightly. Still, to a lad of little over fifteen the thought that he had killed
a man, even if in fair fight, was very painful.
"Ah, I thought so," the earl said. "This is a creature of a political enemy.
I have seen him in his antechamber. So the order came from London,
and the tools were found here. That will do. Now let us get this horse
out of the traces. It is some years since I have ridden barebacked.
"No, I thank you," in answer to Rupert's offer of his own horse; "a
saddle matters not one way or the other. There, now for the Chace; and
I shall not be sorry to fall to on the supper which, I doubt not, the good
gentleman your grandfather will have prepared."
So saying, he vaulted on his horse, and with Rupert rode quietly along
the road to the Chace. The great door opened as they approached, and
four lackeys with torches came out. Colonel Holliday himself came
down the steps and assisted the earl to alight, and led the way into the
house.
They now entered the drawing room, where Mistress Dorothy was
seated. She arose and made a deep courtesy, in answer to the even
deeper bow with which the earl greeted her.
"My lord," she said, "welcome to Windthorpe Chace."

"Madam," the earl said, bowing over the hand she extended, until his
lips almost touched her fingers, "I am indeed indebted to the fellows
who thought to do me harm, in that they have been the means of my
making the acquaintance of a lady whose charms turned all heads in
London, and who left the court in gloom when she retired to the
country."
Nowadays, such a speech as this would be thought to savour of
mockery, but gentlemen two hundred years since ordinarily addressed
women in