There could be no mistake about it now, for not only was this moaning repeated, but after it a voice was heard calling feebly for help.
"Oh, sister," cried Beebee, now thoroughly alarmed, "it is some poor wounded man. We cannot leave him. We must fly to his a.s.sistance!"
Without adding another word Beebee pushed the branches aside and urged on her steed towards the spot from which the sounds proceeded.
Miss Morgan followed close behind.
And soon they came to a kind of green gra.s.sy glade in the forest, which, from the trampled condition of the sward, gave evidence that a fearful struggle had taken place there but very recently.
One man lay face downwards on the ground, and it was easy to see he would never need help again.
But the other, evidently an Englishman, sat half up leaning on one elbow, his other hand pressed against his side, and blood trickling over his fingers.
Beebee quickly alighted from her horse and tied the bridle to a tree.
She was a Persian, it is true, but she had a woman"s heart, and here was a fellow-creature in pain and probably dying. She did not even notice that her veil had fallen down as she quickly rushed towards the stranger and knelt pityingly at his side.
CHAPTER NINE.
THE ADVENTURE IN THE FOREST.
"You are wounded, poor stranger," cried Beebee compa.s.sionately. "Are you much hurt?"
She spoke in English.
"I fear I am a little," was the faint reply. "They have attacked and robbed me, and they have slain my faithful servant, and, indeed, they left me here for dead."
"But pray," he continued, "save yourselves, young ladies. The bandits may quickly come again."
This was no time for false modesty. The poor fellow was bleeding to death. But Miss Morgan had that which no English man or woman should be without. She possessed a little skill in surgery.
So with her own handkerchief, and that of Beebee"s, she quickly staunched the bleeding, then commanded her patient to lie flat upon the gra.s.s in order to lessen the force of the circulation.
"And now," said Beebee, "what are we to do? We cannot take this poor stranger to the palace. Jazr would kill him, and father would kill me."
Here Beebee blushingly restored her veil to its place.
"But," she continued, "we cannot leave him thus to perish here in the wilderness. I have it, dear governess. Ride back quickly, and at once, to the house of the priest, and cause him to send immediately his servants with a litter. At the priest"s house the stranger will be safe, and the good priest himself will be well rewarded."
"But, Beebee, my dear pupil, will you not be afraid?"
"No, no, no," cried Beebee, and at that moment I thought my little mistress looked all a queen. She spoke to Miss Morgan impatiently, almost imperiously.
"Go immediately," she cried, "ride as hard as you safely can. Do not fear for me. I shall be safe until you return."
Next minute Miss Morgan mounted her horse and quickly disappeared.
The stranger seemed slightly better now, that he was no longer losing blood, and would have tried to sit up in order to talk, but Beebee held up a warning finger.
"You must rest," she said. "Miss Morgan would be displeased were you to sit up."
He obeyed as if he had been a child.
Although pale and sickly-looking with the loss of blood, very handsome indeed was this stranger, dark brown hair cut short, a dark moustache, well-chiselled features, and beautiful eyes, quite as blue as mine, Warlock.
"You have saved my life," he murmured. "May I ask whom I have to thank, and who is Miss Morgan?"
"I am the only daughter of an officer of the Shah," said Beebee. "I have no mother. I may say I have no father. He--he is travelling now to Europe with our great king. Miss Morgan is the dearest friend I have on earth; an English lady who came to me as a companion, and to teach me your beautiful language."
"You speak it well, Miss--"
"They simply call me Beebee."
"May G.o.d bless and keep you, Beebee, for ever and ay. You have to-day saved my life, and I feel very grateful. A soldier should ever be ready to die. But if he is doomed to be slain he should fall in battle, with his back to the field and his feet to the foe, and not by the hand of wretched bandits, who stab men to death for a few handfuls of gold."
"You are a soldier then? But you wear no uniform? You carry no arms?"
The wounded officer smiled feebly.
"I have been travelling for my health in your lovely country. It is not usual for British soldiers to wear uniforms or carry swords when not on duty."
"And your name, brave soldier?"
"How know you I am brave?"
"You must be brave," said Beebee innocently and naively, "because you are handsome, nay, even as beautiful as my father. Yes, you are brave, Mr--"
"My name is Edgar."
"It is a strange name, but somewhat musical. Edgar, I shall often think of you. I may even dream of you, but I shall dream of you and think of you as you must appear in battle leading on your men to storm a breach.
But now, talk no longer lest you faint with weakness."
"One question more, lady. You are going to have me taken to the house of a priest. But where do you yourself dwell?"
"Oh, many miles from here."
"But will you never come to see me? My wounds may take many weeks to heal."
"I do not know."
Beebee"s eyes were downcast now. She was petting and smoothing my head, Warlock.
"I shall die if you do not come sometimes to see me."
"I shall send Miss Morgan, she is English."
"I will die if you do not accompany her."
"Then you must live. Oh, I would not have you die on any account. Now, be still. See, I have a little book of English poems. This is "The Lady of the Lake." I will read to you."