The Young Castellan Part 57

"Within there! Don't fire!"

It was only just in time, for half-a-dozen muskets were presented.

The next moment Roy's voice rang out clearly:

"Sergeant Martlet, corporal, Raynes, all of you, we have done our duty, and it is hopeless to fight longer. You are the only men left. To resist is to give all your lives for nothing. March out and throw down your arms."

A groan rose from within, and a figure came to the door-way.

"Don't say that, Master Roy," cried Ben, hoa.r.s.ely. "Couldn't we do it if we held out?"

"No; they will blow the place up. The powder is waiting. I am your captain; I order you to surrender now."

"Master Roy! Master Roy!" cried the old soldier in a piteous voice; "it was no doing of mine. I was on the alert. Don't think it was any fault of mine."

"Fault of yours, Ben?" cried Roy. "No, nor mine neither."

"But how did they get in, sir?"

"By the secret pa.s.sage that we could not find."

"But how? Where can it be?"

"I've been thinking, Ben. I don't know for certain; but it must open into Master Pawson's room."

"And he let 'em through?"

"Yes; filling the corridors silently with troops while I slept."

"The traitor! Then that was the signal, boy. Oh, my lad, my lad, why didn't I kill him when I thought it must be he? What about repairing the stone gallows now?"

"I--don't understand you."

"The lowering of the flag, sir--the lowering of the flag."

"Yes," said the officer, who had advanced to them un.o.bserved in the gloom of the archway; "that was the signal, sergeant. You were betrayed from within. Step out now with your men, like the brave fellow you are.

Give me your hand; and let me tell you that I don't believe I could have taken the place without."

"Am I to surrender, Master Roy?" said the old fellow, bitterly.

"Yes, Ben; it is all over now."

The hilt of a sword was thrust out as the old soldier held it to the officer by the blade.

"Shake hands with that, sir," he said, bitterly. "I'm a king's man still.--Forward!"

This to his brave companions; and as they marched slowly out and gave up their arms, a tremendous roar arose from all a.s.sembled in the court-yard.

It was no derisive cry, no jeer at the conquered, but a full-throated cheer of admiration for the brave little party, blood-stained, bandaged roughly, three of them hardly able to keep their feet; and Roy's heart once more swelled within him in spite of his despair, for he noticed in the gloom that the officer in command took off his helmet as the men marched by into the court; and then, as he replaced it, he said quietly to Roy--

"All this is not necessary, sir.--Quick, one of you; untie this gentleman's hands."

For the first time that night, Roy felt giddy and sick with pain. But he roused himself directly, for Master Pawson came up, and spoke quickly in a low voice to the officer, who replied coldly, and with a ring of contempt in all as he said, loudly--

"Of course, sir," he said, "in some things, by the terms of your bargain, you are master here of the place and the estate. All that the Parliament desires is the destruction of the castle as a stronghold; but as to the garrison, that is another thing. We shall hold the place for a time, and while I await further orders the prisoners will be my charge."

He turned to give some orders, and the secretary turned to Roy.

"Yes," he said, "I am master here now of everything; so go and take off all that tawdry rubbish. You will never make a soldier, and I shall tame down all this bullying haughtiness. You never thought my day would come when I was forced to put up with the insults and jeers of a miserable cub of a boy. But every man has his day. Your party has gone down at last, and mine is in power. Ah, you may pretend not to hear me, and that you treat everything I say with contempt! Judas, am I, because I saved bloodshed by a diplomatic stroke? Well, we shall see. You'll come cringing to me soon."

"When my father returns, and, if you have not already been hung for a traitor, he punishes you as you deserve. Shall I cringe to you, then?"

"Your father," said Pawson, mockingly. "Your proud swashbuckling father is dead,--killed as he deserved, with scores of his fighting bullies.

You may look to me as your father now. Your mother and I thought it better to end this sham defence at once. Hah! does that sting you? I thought I should manage it at last. Yes, she thought with me. A fine, handsome woman still, Roy, and a clever one, though she did pet and spoil her idiotic cub of a son. But there, I forgive her, and we understand each other fully now. Ha, ha! I thought that would touch you home!"

Roy nearly staggered as he heard these words, and the next moment he would have flung himself at the traitor's throat; but just then a friendly hand was laid upon his shoulder, and the officer said--

"I have given orders for your wounded men to be seen by our doctor.

Meanwhile, you had better come with me."

He pa.s.sed his arm through Roy's, and turned his back on Pawson, marching the lad towards the private apartments of the castle; while the traitor stood gazing after them, stung as deeply as his victim now in turn.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

"AND ALL THROUGH MY NEGLECT."

Seeing how completely prostrated his companion seemed to be, the officer turned to him as they reached the entrance to the private apartments and said, quietly--

"Perhaps you will show me a room where I and my officers can have some refreshment. We are starving. You can tell your servants that they have nothing to fear. I will see that they are not insulted; and then perhaps you would prefer to be alone."

"Thank you," faltered Roy, speaking in a strange, dazed way, as if he were in a dream.

"Come, be a man, sir," said the officer, rather sternly. "It is the fortune of war. A young soldier must not lose heart because he finds he is a prisoner. There, meet me at breakfast-time, and you and I will have a chat together. But listen first before you go: do not attempt any foolish, reckless pranks in the way of trying to escape. I tell you honestly, the castle will be so guarded and watched that it would be madness.--By the way, where are Lady Royland's apartments?"

Roy pointed to a door.

"Tell her when you see her that there is nothing to fear. But Master Pawson told me that he would place guards over her."

Roy drew a deep breath but said nothing, merely contented himself with pointing out the dining-room and library to his conqueror. Then he stopped at his own door.

"Your room? Very well; take my advice, and have a few hours' sleep,"

said the officer, opening the door, entering, and looking round by the light of the dim lamp. "Where does that big window open upon?"

"The garden,--the court-yard."

"And that narrow slit?"