Earl Risingham, although by far the most important
person then in Shoreby, was poorly lodged in the house
of a private gentleman upon the extreme outskirts
of the town. Nothing but the armed men at the
doors, and the mounted messengers that kept arriving
and departing, announced the temporary residence of
a great lord.
Thus it was that, from lack of space, Dick and Lawless
were clapped into the same apartment.
“Well spoken, Master Richard,” said the
outlaw; “it was excellently well spoken, and,
for my part, I thank you cordially. Here we are
in good hands; we shall be justly tried, and, some
time this evening, decently hanged on the same tree.”
“Indeed, my poor friend, I do believe it,”
answered Dick.
“Yet have we a string to our bow,” returned
Lawless. “Ellis Duckworth is a man out
of ten thousand; he holdeth you right near his heart,
both for your own and for your father’s sake;
and knowing you guiltless of this fact, he will stir
earth and heaven to bear you clear.”
“It may not be,” said Dick. “What
can he do? He hath but a handful. Alack,
if it were but to-morrow—could I but keep
a certain tryst an hour before noon to-morrow—all
were, I think, otherwise. But now there is no
help.”
“Well,” concluded Lawless, “an ye
will stand to it for my innocence, I will stand to
it for yours, and that stoutly. It shall naught
avail us; but an I be to hang, it shall not be for
lack of swearing.”
And then, while Dick gave himself over to his reflections,
the old rogue curled himself down into a corner, pulled
his monkish hood about his face, and composed himself
to sleep. Soon he was loudly snoring, so utterly
had his long life of hardship and adventure blunted
the sense of apprehension.
It was long after noon, and the day was already failing,
before the door was opened and Dick taken forth and
led up-stairs to where, in a warm cabinet, Earl Risingham
sat musing over the fire.
On his captive’s entrance he looked up.
“Sir,” he said, “I knew your father,
who was a man of honour, and this inclineth me to
be the more lenient; but I may not hide from you that
heavy charges lie against your character. Ye
do consort with murderers and robbers; upon a clear
probation ye have carried war against the king’s
peace; ye are suspected to have piratically seized
upon a ship; ye are found skulking with a counterfeit
presentment in your enemy’s house; a man is slain
that very evening—”
“An it like you, my lord,” Dick interposed,
“I will at once avow my guilt, such as it is.
I slew this fellow Rutter; and to the proof”—searching
in his bosom—“here is a letter from
his wallet.”
Lord Risingham took the letter, and opened and read
it twice.
“Ye have read this?” he inquired.
“I have read it,” answered Dick.
