At this moment, and just as Doctor Syn was about to hurl himself at
the farmer, whose strong arms had pressed him back, there came a sharp
knocking on the locked door at the far end of the room.
“That will be news of your mother, no doubt,” said the Squire. “We
will open and see. But in case you are tempted to run down these dusty
steps, we will c lose the panel. Not that you could get far, because
below there is a locked door that leads to the river.”
The Squire closed the panel as he spoke, and as his heavy strides
crossed the room the three avengers climbed the remaining steps. The
farmer had his hand upon the secret spring, and Doctor Syn whispered him
to open it.
“Wait till whoever has come has gone,” cautioned the farmer.
When the Squire unlocked the door, Imogene gave a gasp of horror, for
there stood before her an enormous man stripped to the waist and holding
a huge pair of blacksmith’s pincers.
“Well, fool, what is it?” asked the Squire.
“That last nip I gave her put her out,” growled the brute. “What
shall I do? Wait for her to wake up, or go on as your ordered?”
- 37 -
“Throw a jug, full of water over her, throw her on the bed, and lock
her in for the night,” ordered the Squire. “Leave the key in her lock,
in case I wish to view her. And give the strictest orders to the
servants that I am not to be disturbed until the morning. Under no
circumstances are any of you to set foot in this wing of the house. You
will mount guard in the main hall, with the stable-lads. If this Doctor
Syn should come clamoring at the doors, see first who comes with him.
If he is alone, or merely with his lawyer friend, admit him, and deal
with him. You will be more than enough to settle with them. Have cords
to last them up, and put them down in the old dungeon vaults till
morning. It may be I shall kill him in the morning—both of them if
they come. That depends upon this little beauty here. If the loving is
to be all on my side tonight, the parson has preached his last sermon.
Now go, and don’t disturb me till the morning, no matter what shrieks
and screams you hear from this part of the house. Understand?”
“I understand, your honour, and wish you a very good night. I think
your honour will have it, too.” And with a grin of appreciation at the
terrified girl, he went out, closing the door behind him.
The Squire poured himself out another glass of wine.
“Just one more to wish your mother a happier state, which is in your
hands and then—” He drank, set down the glass and eyed her. “And now,
my dear, unless you prefer to wait upon yourself, you will permit my
clumsy fingers to act the lady’s -maid. That tempting little bodice must
be unhooked. Yes. Now.”
The wine mounted to his brain as he lurched toward her.
“Have pity!” she pleaded.
“It is you who are cruel,” he said. “Your beauty tortures me. Must I
take you without consent? It will be worse for your mother if I do.
Come here, you ravishing devil, and let me kiss you down to Hell.”
“What are you bound for now.”
These words were rapped out in a cold voice behind him.
The Squire, who had seized the girl in his strong embrace, swung
around, as what he saw drained the blood from his heated cheeks. He
stood there swaying, ashen pale, with terror in his eyes. He seemed
incapable of movement, but just stared at the two cloaked figures who
were standing there with drawn swords.
For the moment Imogene could not believe her sight. She had
forgotten the secret panel. The mysterious appearance of her lover and
his friend to her was something of the supernatural. Doctor Syn saw
that the Squire was equally mystified, and calmly he set him right.
“We are no ghosts, my Bully”, he said icily. “Indeed, you will find
us very flesh and blood. You have insulted us both. You will fight us
both, though something tells me there will be no need for Mr. Cobtree to
engage you. You are a bully, a coward, a liar and a cheat. And you
will fight now, and in this room, which you have so carefully left
undisturbed till dawn.”
With an effort the Squire seemed to shake his huge body into some
confidence. He knew at least that he was a match for most in a duel.
“May I ask,” he said coldly, “the name of the servant who has
betrayed my secret panel to you, parson? For after I have dealt with
you, with both of you, I shall deal with him. I pay good wages for
services, but only death for betrayal.”
“It is not your servants, but your sins, that have betrayed you,”
went on Doctor Syn. “I wonder now if you recollect among your victims a
certain lovely girl called Esther Sommers. Ah; I see you do. She died
of the shame she suffered at your hands. Since God is shortly to judge
you for that, I will not dwell on that girl’s tragedy. But I wish to
point out your own
- 38 -
stupidity. You did not know that Charles Herman was her uncle, did you?”
“And who the hell is he?” demanded the Squire.
“The cabinet-maker and locksmith who repaired this panel behind me,”
explained Syn. “You were very stupid not to see that he destroyed the
mold from which he made the key to the water -gate. From it he made
another key, and gave it to the father of Esther Sommers. We have made
good use of that key tonight. You see, there comes a time when the most
evil man an mock God no more.”
“Don’t preach, but fight!” cried the Squire.
“I shall be at your service in a moment, sir” replied Syn. He
turned to Imogene, who had been so overcome with grief that she
had been unable to move. “My beloved, thank God, Who guided us
here to rescue you in time.”
As she flung herself sobbing into his arms, the Squire took
three swift strides towards a cabinet on which lay his case of
pistols. But Tony Cobtree was there first, with his sword at
the other’s breast.
“Take your hand from that box, sir” he cried, “or by God I’ll
spit you like an ox! Get back!”
“I was merely preparing for the fight, sir. You may examine
the pistols if you wish.
“We fight with steel,” said Syn finally. He then turned
again to Imogene and added, “Do you know where your mother is,
so that we may relieve her of anxiety?”
“Yes,” replied Imogene. “Let us go to her at once. And
then, Christopher, let us go and leave this devil. Let us leave
him to the law to deal with. Why should you risk your life?”
“Because I believe that God has appointed me to kill him.”
He then looked at this friend and added, “Tony, do you take
Imogene to her mother, for I have my duty here, which will be no
sight for ladies.”
Tony shook his head. “I am sorry, old friend. But, knowing
the man’s reputation, I feel obligated too stay here and see
fair fight.”
“This is my home, gentlemen,” cried the Squire. “And I’ll
brook your insults no longer. Let us either hear the clash of
steel or the crack of artillery, and be done with it. Then I
shall be at liberty to enjoy the fresh beauty of this ravisher.”
In two strides Syn was at him, and with all his strength he
smote him on his unhealed wound upon the jaw, cutting it open
till the blood fell in a red cascade upon his cravat.
“I’ll kill you for this!” hissed the Squire.
- 39 -
“I ask nothing better than that you should try,” replied the parson.