The Missing Bride | Page 6

British nation to be an upright and honorable
enemy--British soldiers to be men--and British officers gentlemen. Sir,
have I trusted in vain? Will you not let me and my servants retire in
peace? All that the cellars and storehouses of Luckenough contain is at
your disposal. You will leave myself and attendants unmolested. I have
not trusted in the honor of British soldiers to my own destruction!"
"A pretty speech, my dear, and prettily spoken--but not half so
persuasive as the sweet wench that uttered it," said Thorg, springing
toward her.
Edith suddenly raised the pistol--an expression of deadly determination
upon her face.
Thorg as suddenly fell back. He was an abominable coward in addition
to his other qualities.
"Seize that girl! Seize and disarm her! What mean you, rascals? Are
you to be foiled by a girl? Seize and disarm her, I say! Are you men?"
Yes, they were men, and therefore, drunken and brutal as they were,
they hesitated to close upon one helpless girl.
"H--l fire and furies! surround! disarm her, I say!" vociferated Thorg.
Edith stood, her hand still grasping the pistol--her other one raised in
desperate entreaty.
"Oh! one moment! for heaven's sake, one moment! Still hear me! I
would not have fired upon your captain! Nor would I fire upon one of
you, who close upon me only at your captain's order. There is
something within me that shrinks from taking life! even the life of an
enemy--any life but my own, and that only in such a desperate strait as
this. Oh! by the mercy that is in my own heart, show mercy to me! You

are men! You have mothers, or sisters, or wives at home, whom you
hope to meet again, when war and its insanities are over. Oh! for their
sakes, show mercy to the defenseless girl who stands here in your
power! Do not compel her to shed her own blood! for, sure as you
advance one step toward me, I pull this trigger, and fall dead at your
feet." And Edith raised the pistol and placed the muzzle to her own
temple--her finger against the trigger.
The men stood still--the captain swore.
"H--l fire and flames! Do you intend to stand there all day, to hear the
wench declaim? Seize her, curse you! Wrench that weapon from her
hand."
"Not so quick as I can pull the trigger!" said Edith--her eyes blazing
with the sense of having fate--the worst of fate in her own hands; it was
but a pressure of the finger, to be made quick as lightning, and she was
beyond their power! Her finger was on the trigger--the muzzle of the
pistol, a cold ring of steel, pressed her burning temple! She felt it
kindly--protective as a friend's kiss!
"Seize her! Seize her, curse you!" cried the brutal Thorg, "what care I
whether she pull the trigger or not? Before the blood cools in her body,
I will have had my satisfaction! Seize her, you infernal--"
"Captain, countermand your order! I beg, I entreat you, countermand
your order! You yourself will greatly regret having given it, when you
are calmer," said a young officer, riding hastily forward, and now, for
the first time, taking a part in the scene.
An honorable youth in a band of licensed military marauders.
"'Sdeath, sir! Don't interfere with me! Seize her, rascals!"
"One step more, and I pull the trigger!" said Edith.
"Captain Thorg! This must not be!" persisted the young officer.

"D--n, sir! Do you oppose me? Do you dare? Fall back, sir, I command
you! Scoundrels! close upon that wench and bind her!"
"Captain Thorg! This shall not be! Do you hear? Do you understand? I
say this violence shall not be perpetrated!" said the young officer,
firmly.
"D--n, sir! Are you drunk, or mad? You are under arrest, sir! Corporal
Truman, take Ensign Shields' sword!"
The young man was quickly disarmed, and once more the captain
vociferated:
"Knock down and disarm that vixen! Obey your orders, villains! Or by
h--l, and all its fiends, I'll have you all court-martialed, and shot before
to-morrow noon!"
The soldiers closed around the unprotected girl.
"Lord, all merciful! forgive my sins," she prayed, and with a firm hand
pulled the trigger!
It did not respond to her touch--it failed! it failed!
Casting the traitorous weapon from her, she sunk upon her knees,
murmuring:
"Lost--lost--all is lost!" remained crushed, overwhelmed, awaiting her
fate!
"Ha! ha! ha! as pretty a little make-believe as ever I saw!" laughed the
brutal Thorg, now perfectly at his ease, and gloating over her beauty,
and helplessness, and, deadly terror. "As pretty a little sham as ever I
saw!"
"It was no sham! She couldn't sham! I drawed out the shot
unbeknownst to her! I wish, I does, my