"I will not," said Luke, eagerly grasping the certificate; "but she never may be mine."
"You have her oath?"
"I have."
"What more is needed?"
"Her hand."
"That will follow."
"It _shall_ follow," replied Sir Luke, wildly. "You are right. She is my affianced bride--affianced before h.e.l.l, if not before heaven. I have sealed the contract with blood--with Sybil"s blood--and it shall be fulfilled. I have her oath--her oath--ha, ha! Though I perish in the attempt, I will wrest her from Ranulph"s grasp. She shall never be his.
I would stab her first. Twice have I failed in my endeavors to bear her off. I am from Rookwood even now. To-morrow night I shall renew the attack. Will you a.s.sist me?"
"To-morrow night!" interrupted d.i.c.k.
"Nay, I should say to-night. A new day has already dawned," replied Luke.
"I will: she is at Rookwood?"
"She languishes there at present, attended by her mother and her lover.
The hall is watched and guarded. Ranulph is ever on the alert. But we will storm their garrison. I have a spy within its walls--a gipsy girl, faithful to my interests. From her I have learnt that there is a plot to wed Eleanor to Ranulph, and that the marriage is to take place privately to-morrow. This must be prevented."
"It must. But why not boldly appear in person at the hall, and claim her?"
"Why not? I am a proscribed felon. A price is set upon my head. I am hunted through the country--driven to concealment, and dare not show myself for fear of capture. What could I do now? They would load me with fetters, bury me in a dungeon, and wed Eleanor to Ranulph. What would my rights avail? What would her oath signify to them? No; she must be mine by force. _His_ she shall never be. Again, I ask you, will you aid me?"
"I have said--I will. Where is Alan Rookwood?"
"Concealed within the hut on Thorne Waste. You know it--it was one of your haunts."
"I know it well," said d.i.c.k, "and Conkey Jem, its keeper, into the bargain: he is a knowing file. I"ll join you at the hut at midnight, if all goes well. We"ll bring off the wench, in spite of them all--just the thing I like. But in case of a break-down on my part, suppose you take charge of my purse in the mean time."
Luke would have declined this offer.
"Pshaw!" said d.i.c.k. "Who knows what may happen? and it"s not ill-lined either. You"ll find an odd hundred or so in that silken bag--it"s not often your highwayman gives away a purse. Take it, man--we"ll settle all to-night; and if I don"t come, keep it--it will help you to your bride.
And now off with you to the hut, for you are only hindering me. Adieu!
My love to old Alan. We"ll do the trick to-night. Away with you to the hut. Keep yourself snug there till midnight, and we"ll ride over to Rookwood."
"At midnight," replied Sir Luke, wheeling off, "I shall expect you."
""Ware hawks!" hallooed d.i.c.k.
But Luke had vanished. In another instant d.i.c.k was scouring the plain as rapidly as ever. In the mean time, as d.i.c.k has casually alluded to the hawks, it may not be amiss to inquire how they had flown throughout the night, and whether they were still in chase of their quarry.
With the exception of t.i.tus, who was completely done up at Grantham, "having got," as he said, "a complete bellyful of it," they were still on the wing, and resolved sooner or later to pounce upon their prey, pursuing the same system as heretofore in regard to the post-horses.
Major Mowbray and Paterson took the lead, but the irascible and invincible attorney was not far in their rear, his wrath having been by no means allayed by the fatigue he had undergone. At Bawtrey they held a council of war for a few minutes, being doubtful which course he had taken. Their incert.i.tude was relieved by a foot traveller, who had heard d.i.c.k"s loud halloo on pa.s.sing the boundary of Nottinghamshire, and had seen him take the lower road. They struck, therefore, into the path at Thorne at a hazard, and were soon satisfied they were right. Furiously did they now spur on. They reached Selby, changed horses at the inn in front of the venerable cathedral church, and learnt from the postboy that a toilworn horseman, on a jaded steed, had ridden through the town about five minutes before them, and could not be more than a quarter of a mile in advance. "His horse was so dead beat," said the lad, "that I"m sure he cannot have got far; and, if you look sharp, I"ll be bound you"ll overtake him before he reaches Cawood Ferry."
Mr. Coates was transported. "We"ll lodge him snug in York Castle before an hour, Paterson," cried he, rubbing his hands.
"I hope so, sir," said the chief constable, "but I begin to have some qualms."
"Now, gentlemen," shouted the postboy, "come along. I"ll soon bring you to him."
_CHAPTER XII_
_CAWOOD FERRY_
The sight renewed my courser"s feet, A moment, staggering feebly fleet, A moment, with a faint low neigh, He answered, and then fell.
With gasps and glazing eyes he lay, And reeking limbs immovable,-- His first, and last career was done.
_Mazeppa._
The sun had just o"ertopped the "high eastern hill," as Turpin reached the Ferry of Cawood, and his beams were reflected upon the deep and sluggish waters of the Ouse. Wearily had he dragged his course thither--wearily and slow. The powers of his gallant steed were spent, and he could scarcely keep her from sinking. It was now midway "twixt the hours of five and six. Nine miles only lay before him, and that thought again revived him. He reached the water"s edge, and hailed the ferryboat, which was then on the other side of the river. At that instant a loud shout smote his ear; it was the halloo of his pursuers.
Despair was in his look. He shouted to the boatman, and bade him pull fast. The man obeyed; but he had to breast a strong stream, and had a lazy bark and heavy sculls to contend with. He had scarcely left the sh.o.r.e when, another shout was raised from the pursuers. The tramp of their steeds grew louder and louder.
The boat had scarcely reached the middle of the stream. His captors were at hand. Quietly did he walk down the bank, and as cautiously enter the water. There was a plunge, and steed and rider were swimming down the river.
Major Mowbray was at the brink of the stream. He hesitated an instant, and stemmed the tide. Seized, as it were, by a mania for equestrian distinction, Mr. Coates braved the torrent. Not so Paterson. He very coolly took out his bulldogs, and, watching Turpin, cast up in his own mind the _pros_ and _cons_ of shooting him as he was crossing. "I could certainly hit him," thought, or said, the constable; "but what of that?
A dead highwayman is worth nothing--alive, he _weighs_ 300_l_. I won"t shoot him, but I"ll make a pretence." And he fired accordingly.
The shot skimmed over the water, but did not, as it was intended, do much mischief. It, however, occasioned a mishap, which had nearly proved fatal to our aquatic attorney. Alarmed at the report of the pistol, in the nervous agitation of the moment Coates drew in his rein so tightly that his steed instantly sank. A moment or two afterwards he rose, shaking his ears, and floundering heavily towards the sh.o.r.e; and such was the chilling effect of this sudden immersion, that Mr. Coates now thought much more of saving himself than of capturing Turpin. d.i.c.k, meanwhile, had reached the opposite bank, and, refreshed by her bath, Bess scrambled up the sides of the stream, and speedily regained the road. "I shall do it yet," shouted d.i.c.k; "that stream has saved her.
Hark away, la.s.s! Hark away!"
Bess heard the cheering cry, and she answered to the call. She roused all her energies; strained every sinew, and put forth all her remaining strength. Once more, on wings of swiftness, she bore him away from his pursuers, and Major Mowbray, who had now gained the sh.o.r.e, and made certain of securing him, beheld him spring, like a wounded hare, from beneath his very hand.
"It cannot hold out," said the major; "it is but an expiring flash; that gallant steed must soon drop."
"She be regularly booked, that"s certain," said the postboy.
"We shall find her on the road."
Contrary to all expectation, however, Bess held on, and set pursuit at defiance. Her pace was swift as when she started. But it was unconscious and mechanical action. It wanted the ease, the lightness, the life of her former riding. She seemed screwed up to a task which she must execute. There was no flogging, no gory heel; but the heart was throbbing, tugging at the sides within. Her spirit spurred her onwards.
Her eye was glazing; her chest heaving; her flank quivering; her crest again fallen. Yet she held on. "She is dying!" said d.i.c.k. "I feel it----" No, she held on.
Fulford is past. The towers and pinnacles of York burst upon him in all the freshness, the beauty, and the glory of a bright, clear, autumnal morn. The ancient city seemed to smile a welcome--a greeting. The n.o.ble Minster and its serene and ma.s.sive pinnacles, crocketed, lantern-like, and beautiful; St. Mary"s lofty spire, All-Hallows Tower, the ma.s.sive mouldering walls of the adjacent postern, the grim castle, and Clifford"s neighboring keep--all beamed upon him, like a bright-eyed face, that laughs out openly.
"It is done--it is won," cried d.i.c.k. "Hurrah! hurrah!" And the sunny air was cleft with his shouts.
Bess was not insensible to her master"s exultation. She neighed feebly in answer to his call, and reeled forwards. It was a piteous sight to see her,--to mark her staring, protruding eyeball,--her shaking flanks; but, while life and limb held together, she held on.
Another mile is past. York is near.
"Hurrah!" shouted d.i.c.k; but his voice was hushed. Bess tottered--fell.