Ronald Morton, or the Fire Ships Part 51

"It is one a few hundred dollars may get over," observed Pedro Alvarez, with a shrug of his shoulders.

The birth of the child, and its abduction by strangers, was proved with equal ease. And now Captain Tacon was led forward, and in pure Castilian, which Pedro Alvarez translated, confessed that he was the person who carried off the young Hernan.

"But there, there is the man who instigated me to commit the deed!" he exclaimed, pointing to the marquis, who lay on the sofa with his eyes half closed.

"Yes, I confess my crime," said the old man, slowly raising himself up.

"I have enjoyed but little happiness since. My palaces have been burnt down, and my plate and jewels carried off by the French. May the rightful owner enjoy what remains. I have done what my father confessor directed. I am prepared for the grave which yawns to receive me, and a few hundred dollars which my daughter possesses will enable her to enter a convent, and there forget my sorrow and shame."

Pedro Alvarez then described his recovery of young Hernan, and his career up to the moment he parted from him.

"I can without difficulty communicate with friends in France, who will inform him of what has occurred, and enable him to come here without delay," he added. "Thence he can go to Spain, and take possession of his estates."

What the marquis had said was translated to Sir Marcus. The number of people collected, and the discussions taking place, had had the effect of rousing him up, and his intellect seemed as bright and acute as ever.

"Then, Colonel Armytage, since a male heir is found for Lunnasting, I fear that I must alter the will which I lately made in your favour."

"You may save yourself that trouble, Sir Marcus," said the sheriff, somewhat sternly. "There is another claimant to the Lunnasting property. I would save your daughters from the pain of listening to the investigation of the case which must now be held. They will, however, perhaps wish to see that justice is done to all parties, and they may be a.s.sured that it is with the greatest unwillingness that I shall say anything which may wound their feelings."

Mrs Armytage thanked the sheriff, and expressed her wish to remain; but Hilda did not speak. She had sat like a statue with her hands clasped during the examination of the witnesses, once only casting a look of reproach at the marquis, when he confessed that he had instigated Tacon to carry off her son. Still she sat in the same position, lost in thought, and utterly regardless of everything around.

"Sir Marcus Wardhill," said the sheriff, "as you well know, the heir to these estates was Bertram Brindister. He was first in succession before your wife, but unaccountably disappeared, and was supposed to have been washed away by the sea. Two witnesses have now appeared, who can prove that he was designedly carried off by a noted smuggler and outlaw, Halled Yell by name, and by themselves. They are both present. All three men and the child were rescued from a wreck by Captain Andrew Scarsdale, who brought up the boy under the name of Rolf Morton. You knew his father. There stands the present Bertram Brindister, the real Lord of Lunnasting; is he not like his father?"

Sir Marcus looked up furtively at Rolf Morton, who stood with a calm countenance, expressive of more pain than triumph, directly in front of him.

"Yes, yes, he is very like," he answered, and then conquering any fear he might have felt, he added--"But gentlemen, a.s.sertions are not proofs.

This latter tale is too clumsy an imitation of the first we have just heard not to make a man of sense discredit it. Let us hear what the men have to say."

On this the two old men, Doull and Eagleshay, stepped forward and described their having carried off a child from Whalsey at the very time the boy, Bertram Brindister, was missed, and all the events which followed, but they could neither of them tell the exact date of the occurrence.

"I thought so," said Sir Marcus, calmly. "The man I see before me may be Bertram Brindister, but it cannot be proved; nor can, as far as I can see, the instigator of the crime be discovered, if, as I say, there is truth in the story, which I am inclined to doubt. An important link is missing, and your case, gentlemen, falls to the ground."

"But the link is found, and truth is triumphant. 'The prince will hae his ain again! The prince will hae his ain again!'" exclaimed Lawrence Brindister, starting up and flourishing two papers in his hands, while he skipped about the room, in doubt to whom he should deliver them.

"This is your marriage certificate, cousin Hilda, and I have been a faithful guardian of it; and this, Mr Sheriff, is the link you require to prove that honest Rolf Morton is really Bertram Brindister, and rightful Lord of Lunnasting, and that yonder old man, who has tyrannised over me, and insulted me and wronged me in every way, is an impostor; and that he instigated the villain Yell to abduct the heir that the inheritance might be his. See, it is the paper signed by Yell, and those other two men, and delivered to honest Andrew Scarsdale. Many a long year have I kept it. You all have heard that it was locked up in Captain Scarsdale's chest, which, guided by a hand more potent than that of man, came floating by the northern end of Whalsey, and was drawn on sh.o.r.e by me and my old dog, Surly Grind. In a cave I had hard by, I kept the chest and its contents, but months pa.s.sed away before I examined them. When I did, I saw well that nothing would be gained by publishing them. The rightful heir was away, and with his means how could he hope to contend with the wily and astute Sir Marcus Wardhill?

So I did what many a wiser man might not have done, I bided my time.

Maybe, Sir Marcus, you have thought me at times a greater fool than I was; but which is the greatest fool of the two--the man who obeys, or he who sets Heaven at defiance? Once, who could compete with me at school or college? and what might I not have been had you not, when I was struck down by illness, taken advantage of my weakness, and by sending me to a madhouse, confirmed my malady; but fool as you called me, I can see that Heaven's retributive justice has chastised you through life.

Me you got into your power on the ground that I was insane, and the mind of the daughter, in whom you took such pride, often totters on its throne; her son was carried off, as was the rightful heir, and for long weary years has she waited his return, while the daughter you loved has been a stranger to your sight; and now deprived of fortune, dishonoured, and disgraced, you are sinking unregretted into the grave."

"Oh spare him! spare him!" cried Edda, gliding forward and taking the old man's hand, for neither her mother nor Hilda could speak. "Let his grey hairs, cousin Lawrence, be his protection."

The old man's head had fallen on his bosom. He was breathing with difficulty, but she did not perceive it.

Ronald sprang to her side. "For your sake Edda, no one belonging to you shall suffer; my generous father promised me this. Be mine. The only objection Colonel Armytage urged against me no longer exists. Let us afford a home to those whom it will be our duty to cherish and console."

Colonel Armytage, who had through all the proceedings maintained as calm and dignified a deportment as he could command, overheard the words, and stepping forward said, "Captain Morton, or I should rather say, Captain Brindister--for I fully believe that name is yours--you have acted n.o.bly and generously; you have taught me to think better of the world than I was inclined to do. My daughter's hand is your's as her heart is already, and may she prove as good a wife to you as her mother has to me, and may her lot be far happier. I will use all my influence to persuade Sir Marcus not to oppose your father's claims, and I trust that the act he so long ago committed may not be bruited abroad to bring discredit on the family."

"After all, colonel, you are a wiser man than I took you for," said Lawrence, resuming again his former and usual extravagant manner. "Blow the wind as it may, you always sail before it, and you keep your hat ready to bow to the rising star. That's the way of the world, and what can a poor fool like me do but approve it. But what care I now how the world wags!--'The prince has got his am again--his ain again!' Said I not the truth when I sang that song!"

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT.

THE PRIEST GOES IN SEARCH OF HERNAN--THE "SCORPION" ENGAGES A FRENCH SHIP--THE VICTOR'S RETURN.

As the "Scorpion" required her rigging set up, Ronald had a good excuse for remaining in Eastling Sound longer than he might otherwise have done. He came on sh.o.r.e every day; and his first lieutenant, Mr Glover, was wonderfully fertile in excuses for coming also, as soon as the duties of the ship would allow him. It was remarked that when he came Donna Julia took the opportunity of leaving her father's room, except when he went in to visit the old man. At last Ronald taxed him with the singularity of his proceedings.

"The fact is, Captain Morton, that she is a sweetly pretty, good girl,"

he answered; "and as, instead of being an heiress and a marchioness, she is likely to be penniless, I've made up my mind to splice her, if she will have me, as I couldn't otherwise look after her properly when her old father slips his cable, which he may do any day."

Ronald advised him to make his offer forthwith, which he did, and was without hesitation accepted. The next day the old marquis died, and was buried, with due ceremony, within the walls of the old Roman Catholic chapel in which Hilda's unfortunate marriage took place.

Lord Claymore was so much interested in Hilda that he did not immediately take his departure from Whalsey.

Pedro Alvarez had at once written to France, enclosing a letter to Hernan, telling him of the wonderful change in his fortunes. It was evident, however, that he was more likely to be discovered if some one could go over to look for him. Father Mendez volunteered to go.

Lord Claymore and Rolf supplied the father with ample funds, and he forthwith started on his journey.

It was thought prudent to keep the worthy Tacon a prisoner, in case he might be required as a witness, should other claimants arise to oppose Hernan; but as he was well fed and amply supplied with whisky, he did not complain of his fate.

At length the "Scorpion" was ready for sea. The sails were loosed, and all was in readiness to weigh. Ronald was still on sh.o.r.e, and had accompanied Edda to the summit of the eastern tower, the upper room in which she had appropriated to herself. As they stood together on the summit, his glance, as he looked seaward, fell on a sail just rising above the horizon. He watched her narrowly, and p.r.o.nounced that she was drawing nearer.

"Edda, farewell, dearest!" he exclaimed. "I must hasten on board, and sail in chase of yonder vessel. I received notice this morning from Lerwick that several merchantmen have been chased by a sloop-of-war, and some expected have not made their appearance, which it is supposed she may have captured. I must not delay a moment. Who knows but what I may bring her back in triumph!"

He hastened down to his boat, and as fast the crew could bend their backs to the oars, pulled on board the corvette. The anchor was tripped, and under all sail she stood away in chase of the stranger.

Edda remained on the top of the tower watching the receding ship. She was soon joined by Donna Julia. Poor girl! her lover too had gone away, and she was equally anxious with Edda.

They were not long in private, for they were soon joined by Lord Claymore and Rolf Morton; Pedro Alvarez and other inmates of the castle followed.

The stranger, a corvette, was standing in towards Whalsey close hauled on the starboard tack, and when the "Scorpion" rounded the island and showed herself, she continued on the same course.

"That fellow by the cut of his canvas is a Frenchman," observed Lord Claymore; "what think you, Captain Alvarez?"

"No doubt about it," answered Pedro Alvarez. "But I know of no French ship in these seas."

"See--see! there goes up the French flag!" exclaimed Lord Claymore; "she is going about to, as she does not wish to commence the fight while the 'Scorpion' has the weather-gauge. A brave fellow commands that craft; he has no intention, at all events, of avoiding an engagement."

Both vessels were now seen standing away from the land, the "Scorpion"

steering both so as most speedily to come up with the enemy, and at the same time to keep the advantage of the wind which she possessed, while the other was manoeuvring to avoid a close engagement till she had gained the weather-gauge.

"Ronald will not let him do that," cried Rolf. "See, the 'Scorpion' is gaining on her. She has got her within range of her guns. There goes the first shot."

As he spoke, a puff of smoke was seen to proceed from the bows of the English ship, and the sound of the gun struck faintly on their ears.

Another and another followed as soon as they could be brought to bear.

As the "Scorpion" was coming up on the quarter of the French ship, the latter could not at first discharge her broadside guns with any effect, but as her enemy got more abeam of her she too opened fire, and shot after shot was exchanged in rapid succession.

The interest of all the spectators became intense, though exhibited in different ways. Lord Claymore was all excitement and animation, evidently wishing himself on board the "Scorpion."

Rolf now waved his hand--now addressed his son--now cheered as the "Scorpion" delivered an effective broadside.