"How _did_ you do it?" murmured the boy.
The other"s eyes clouded; the lids fell.
"I could not have done it but for her," he said.
Then for the first time the boy remembered the dead woman.
II
But it was no dead woman the Gentleman was standing over now; it was a chestnut mare, the sun glistening on a coat that shone like a girl"s hair. She lay along the turf with lank neck, belly exposed, and shoes flashing; strangely pathetic as a horse seen in such position always looks.
There was not a stain of sweat on her coat, not a trace of froth about her muzzle. A plain snaffle bridle lay beside her. Her head was bare and fine as a lady"s; the eyes wide, the nostrils still.
Strangely like somehow, mare and man; and about both faces something of the length and strength of the eagle.
There was one marked difference. In the man life still rippled gloriously; the mare was quiet for ever.
Born to the saddle as to the sea, the boy"s eye ran over her.
"What a beauty!" he gasped.
"I couldn"t have attempted it but for her," replied the other quietly.
"When the Emperor asked me to undertake it--"Sire," I said, "if I may take my Bonnet Rouge!"... I tell you," he cried, turning almost fiercely on the boy, "I"ve left Merton as the first star peeped, and seen the sun rise out of the sea from here!... But I forgot...."
III
A cold shadow swept over him. Kit could feel the change--it was like pa.s.sing from day to night; and it chilled the boy"s heart.
Up there in the lonely stillness, sea beneath, heaven above, earth around, the two faced each other.
All the laughter had ebbed from the man"s being. He was still and cold as his sword.
"D"you know what is in here?" tapping the scent-bottle.
His eyes, frosty now, seemed to bore down to the boy"s soul.
Kit froze too.
"Why?"
"Because if you will give me your word that you do not know, I will let you go."
Those eyes of his were terrible.
"Will you give me your word?"
The boy was pale as ice.
Death in cold blood here on the quiet hillside--death like a pig"s in a sty.... Ugh!...
"No, thank you."
"Then prepare to meet your Maker."
He turned and fiddled with a pistol, snapped it, cursed in an undertone, and thrust it back in his pocket.
Then he turned again.
The boy stood before him with dark eyes. Slight as a lily, and the colour of one, he seemed to sway in the breeze.
"Give me your word not to speak of what you know till after Thursday next--and you may go."
The boy shook his head.
"I mustn"t."
The man flashed the hue of lightning.
"Then I must."
An arm swept about the boy. A hand at his waist was fumbling for his dirk.
For a second the lad struggled: then he felt himself helpless as a rabbit in a python"s grip, and lay back quite still.
Once face to face with G.o.d, his heart calmed strangely.
There was a horrible breathing in his ear.
A face, all eyes, was bending over him.
"_My G.o.d_! _how like a girl he is_!" came a far whisper.
"Go on, please, and don"t insult me," gurgled the boy. And as he said it, his mind flashed back to Gwen: Gwen with her pride of s.e.x, standing before him, fists closed, challenging him to fight--"cad!"
"What are you chuckling about?"
"Gwen--my sister.... She thinks a girl"s as good as a boy.... Go on."
The hand upon his forehead quitted its hold.
"I can"t," said the Gentleman.
The arm about the boy relaxed.