Midnight Webs Part 9

"If all was ready, sir, I could drop one gunner; and I'd trust Measles-- Sam Bigley--to drop the other, when a bold dash might do it. You see, they've retired a good thirty yards, and we should only have twenty more to run than they; while the surprise would give us that start. A good sharp jack-knife would set the prisoners free, and a covering-party would perhaps check the pursuit while we got in."

"We shall have to try it, Smith," he said, his breath coming thick and fast with excitement; and then he seemed to turn white, for Miss Ross and Lizzy came into the room.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

I should think it must have been the devil tempting Lieutenant Leigh, or he would never have done as he did; for, as he looked at Miss Ross, the change that came over him was quite startling. He could read all that was pa.s.sing in her heart; there was no need for her to lay her hand upon his arm, and point with the other out of the window, as in a voice that I didn't know for hers she said,--

"Will you leave those two brave men there to die, Lieutenant Leigh?"

He didn't answer for a moment, but seemed to be straggling with himself; then, speaking as huskily as she did, he said,--

"Send away that girl!" And before I could go to her--for I should have done it then, I know--and whisper a few words of hope, poor Lizzy went out, mourning for Harry Lant, wringing her hands; and I stood at my post, a sentry by my commander's orders, so that it was no spying on my part if I heard what followed.

I believe Lieutenant Leigh fancied he was speaking in an undertone when he led Miss Ross away to a corner and spoke to her; but this was perhaps the most exciting moment in his life, and his voice rose in spite of himself, so that I heard all; while she, poor thing, I believe, forgot all about my presence; and, as a sentry--a machine almost--placed there, what right had I to speak?

"Will you leave him?" said Miss Ross again. "Will you not try to save him?"

Lieutenant Leigh did not answer for a bit; for he was making his plans; and I felt quite staggered as I saw through them.

"You see how he is placed. What can I do?" said Lieutenant Leigh. "If I go, it is the signal for firing. You see the gunners waiting. And why should I risk the lives of my men, and my own, to save him? He is a soldier, and it is the fortune of war; he must die."

"Are you a man, or a cur?" said Miss Ross then, angrily.

"No coward," he said fiercely; "but a poor slighted man, whom you have wronged, jilted, and ill-used; and now you come to me to save your lover's life--to give mine for it. You have robbed me of all that is pleasant between you; and now you ask more. Is it just?"

"Lieutenant Leigh, you are speaking madly. How can you be so unjust?"

she cried, holding tightly by his arm; for he was turning away; while I felt mad with him for torturing the poor girl, when it was decided that the attempt was to be made.

"I am not unjust," he said. "The hazard is too great. And what should I gain if I succeeded? Pshaw! Why, if he were saved, it would be at the expense of my own life."

"I would die to save him!" she said hoa.r.s.ely.

"I know it, Elsie; but you would not give a loving word to save me. You would send me out to my death without compunction--without a care; and yet you know how I have loved you."

"You--you loved me, and yet stand and see my heart torn--see me suffer like, this!" cried Miss Ross, and there was something half wild in her looks as she spoke.

"Love you!" he cried; "yes, you know how I have loved you."

His voice sank here; but he was talking in her ear excitedly, saying words that made her shrink from him up to the wall, and look at him as if he were some object of the greatest disgust.

"You can choose," he said bitterly, as he saw her action; and he turned away from her.

The next moment she was on her knees before him, holding up her hands as if in prayer.

"Promise me," he said, "and I will do it."

"O, some other way--some other way!" she cried piteously, her face all drawn the while.

"As you will," he said coldly.

"But think--O, think! You cannot expect it of me. Have mercy! O, what am I saying?"

"Saying!" he cried, catching her hands in his, and speaking excitedly and fast; "saying things that are sending him to his death. What do I offer you? Love, devotion, all that man can give. He would, if asked now, give up all for his life; and yet you, who profess to love him so dearly, refuse to make that sacrifice for his sake! You cannot love him. If he could hear now, he would implore you to do it. Think. I risk all; most likely my life will be given for his; perhaps we shall both fall. But you refuse. Enough; I must go; I cannot stay. There are many lives here under my charge; they must not be neglected for the sake of one. As I said before, it is the fortune of war; and, poor fellow, he has but a quarter of an hour or so to live, unless help comes."

"Unless help comes!" groaned Miss Ross frantically, when, as Lieutenant Leigh reached the door, watching me over his shoulder the while, Miss Ross went down on her knees, stretched out her hands towards where Captain Dyer was bound to the gun, and then she rose, cold and hard and stern, and turned to Lieutenant Leigh, holding out her hand. "I promise," she said hoa.r.s.ely.

"On your oath, before G.o.d?" he exclaimed joyfully, as he caught her in his arms.

"As G.o.d is my judge," she faltered with her eyes upturned; and then, as he held her to his breast, kissing her pa.s.sionately, she shivered and shuddered, and, as he released her, sank in a heap on the floor.

"Smith," cried Lieutenant Leigh, "right face--forward!" And as I pa.s.sed Miss Ross, I heard her sob, in a tone I shall never forget, "O, Lawrence, Lawrence!" and then a groan tore from her breast, and I heard no more.

STORY ONE, CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

"This is contrary to rule. As commandant, I ought to stay in the fort; but I've no one to give the leadership to; so I take it myself," said Lieutenant Leigh. "And now, my lads, make ready--present! That's well.

Are all ready? At the word 'Fire!' privates Bigley and Smith fire at the two gunners. If they miss, I cry fire again, and privates Bantem and Grainger try their skill; then, at the double, down on the guns.

Smith and I spike them, while Bantem and Grainger cut the cords. Mind this: those guns must be spiked, and those two prisoners brought in; and if the sortie is well managed, it is easy; for they will be taken by surprise. Hush! Confound it, men, no cheering!"

He only spoke in time; for in the excitement the men were about to hurray.

"Now, then, is that gate unbarred?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is the covering-party ready?"

"Yes, sir."

My hand trembled as he spoke; but the next instant it was of a piece with my gunstock. There was the hot square, with the sun shining on the two guns that must have been hot behind the poor prisoners; there, too, stood the two gunners in white, with their smoking linstocks, leaning against the wheels; for discipline was slack; and there, thirty or forty yards behind, were the mutineers, lounging about, and smoking many of them. For all firing had ceased; and judging that we should not risk having the prisoners blown away from the guns, the mutineers came boldly up within range, as if defying us; and it was pretty safe practice at some of them now.

I saw all this at a glance, and while it seemed as if the order would never come; but come it did at last.

"Fire!"

Bang! the two rifles going off like one; and the gunner behind Captain Dyer leaped into the air; while the one I aimed at seemed to sink down suddenly beside the wheel he had leaned upon. Then the gate flew open, and with a rush and a cheer we, ten of us, raced down for the guns.

Double-quick time? I tell you it was a hard race; and being without my gun now--only my bayonet stuck in my trousers waistband--I was there first, and had driven my spike into the touch-hole before Lieutenant Leigh reached his; but the next moment his was done, the cords were cut, and the prisoners loose from the guns. But now we had to get back.

The first inkling I had of the difficulty of this was seeing Captain Dyer and Harry Lant stagger and fall forward; but they were saved by the men, and we saw directly that they must be carried.

No sooner thought of than done.