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Then recalling Ashburn's high favour with the Parliament, and seeing that it could but advance his cause to state the true sum of his journey: "From Castle Marleigh," he replied. "Verily, sir, you seem yet in some doubt. Whither do you go?" "To London." "On what errand?" The sergeant's questions fell swift as sword-strokes. "With letters for Colonel Pride."
Only the pressing need of discovering the full extent of the other's information kept Vincent from some outburst. 'What do you know? he demanded. 'Well, said Caffyn, 'I know that you are the real pig, so to speak, and that miserable humbug Ashburn's only the squeak. 'You mean you think you know that what is your authority?
'Yes, I will, thought Caffyn as he walked back alone. 'I must know more of my dear Ashburn; and if there happens to be a screw loose anywhere in my dear Ashburn's past, I shall do my humble best to give it a turn or two.
Kenneth, flushed with wine, yet master of his wits, watched him with contempt. This was the man Cynthia preferred to him! Contempt was there also in Joseph Ashburn's eye, mingled with satisfaction. He had not looked to find the task so easy. At length he deemed the season ripe. "My brother tells me that you were once acquainted with Roland Marleigh," said he. "Aye," he answered thickly.
But it came into my mind, that, perhaps, the Injuns, not finding me in the wigwam, might lie in wait round about it, expecting my return, and so delay the attack upon friend Ashburn's house; whereby I might have time to reach him, and warn him of his danger again; and this idea prevailed with me, so that I rose me up again, and, with little Peter at my side, I ran back again, until I had reached this very field; when Peter gave me to know the Injuns were hard by.
And truth enough, he soon found, I had spoken; for galloping immediately to Ashburn's house, he found nothing there but the corses of the people, and the house partly consumed, for, being of green timber, it could not all burn. There was not one of the poor family that escaped." "But they were avenged?" muttered the soldier.
But, truly and alas, friend, I fared no better, and perhaps a little worse, at the Station than I had fared before at Ashburn's; wherefore, being left in despair, I said to myself, I will go into the woods, and hide me away, not returning to the river, lest I should be compelled to look upon the shedding-of the blood of the women and little babes, which I had no power to prevent.
Out of this sprang a constraint when in her company, for other than stiff and formal he dared not be lest he should deem himself no better than the Iscariot. During the first days he had pent at Marleigh, he had been impatient for Joseph Ashburn's return. Now he found himself hoping each morning that Joseph might not come that day.
Ashburn's voice was heard saying, 'Trixie, tell your brother Mark that, if he is in a condition to be spoken to, his father and I have something to say to him at once. 'Encouraging that, said Mark. 'Well, Trixie, here goes. You'd better go to bed. I'm afraid we are going to have a scene in there. He went in with a rather overdone cheerfulness.
He is very clever and amusing, you know, and has just gone on the stage, but he's not as good there as we all thought he would be. He's coming this way now. Here Caffyn strolled leisurely towards them, and the introduction was made. 'Of course you have heard of Mr. Ashburn's great book, "Illusion"? Gilda Featherstone said, as she mentioned Mark's name.
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