CHAPTER XX
FRANCIS FINDS A HELPER
"It is the pursuivants," cried Francis in consternation. "Good mother,hide me, I entreat. They must not know that I am here."
Then, indeed, was she thankful that she had taken the old woman into herconfidence. The beldame arose and with an agility that was surprising inone of her years glided across the room, and opened a small door that wasso small, and black, and grimy that it had escaped the girl's attention.
"Enter," whispered the woman. "Enter and fear nothing. They shall notknow of thy presence."
Francis passed through the entrance and closed the door after her just asthe rapping came again with renewed vigor.
"What, ho inside!" came a voice. "Give entrance, whosoe'er ye be, else itwill be made by force."
"Now who be ye who would seek admittance to the house of a white witch?"asked Dame Margery's shrill voice.
"Gramercy! we will show who we be," and there was a sound as of a manpressing against the panels of the door. The dame undid the fasteningsand threw open the door. A man who had evidently put his shoulder againstit for the purpose of forcing an entrance sprawled his entire length onthe floor. With a loud laugh at his discomfiture several other mencrowded into the room.
"Marry! what an unmannerly welcome," cried the man picking himself up."My good woman, is this the way to receive guests?"
"Be that the way to enter a body's house?" cried the dame. "Ye bean'tgentle, surely, else ye would know that an old woman can't move theswiftest when she's bent with the rheums."
"I crave thy pardon, dame," said the leader who was evidently a man ofhigh degree. "I crave thy pardon for such an unceremonious entrance. Ithought that no one was within. Give us shelter from the storm andsupper. Then must we on our way. We pay for your trouble."
"Well, ye won't get either supper or shelter here. Do ye take this for aninn?" she asked querulously.
"Nay, dame; for then would we find greeting and good cheer," returned theleader good naturedly. "This seemeth more in truth like witch's dwelling.Whatsoe'er it be here we stay until the storm abates. We are from thequeen, woman."
Dame Margery said no more, but began to bestir herself about the supper.
"Some of you see about the horses," commanded the leader, placing himselfbefore the fire.
Two of the men went out and presently returned.
"'Tis a crazy sort of a barn, sir," said one, "but it encloses as good abit of horseflesh as e'er trod a heath. How now, dame? Where didst thouget so fine a horse?"
"Are there men here other than us?" asked the leader hastily. "If therebe we must look to ourselves for we are on the queen's business, andnaught must delay us."
"No men, sir," answered Margery.
"The stable is bad, sayst thou, Martin?" with an expression of relief onhis face as he heard the dame's reply. "The dwelling, too, is none of thebest."
"None asked ye to enter it," said the woman bluntly. "An ye like not mineabode, ye can leave it."
"Hold thy tongue, old beldame!" said the leader imperiously. "Nay;" asthe dame flashed an angry glance at him, "be not prodigal of thy looks.An thou cast the evil eye on me, I'll sheathe my blade in thy flesh. Wewant no witch's work here."
Margery made no answer, but placed the supper before them. The men fellto, and soon disposed of all that was on the table. Then the leader beganto show signs of impatience for the storm had not yet subsided.
"Beshrew me!" he exclaimed to his companions. "I fear that we will becompelled to pass the night in this vile place. Marry! how it rains!"
"It doth, Master Wainwright," answered one. "But better the storm thanpass the night in the abode of a witch, and if yon dame be not theveriest witch in the kingdom then I ne'er saw one. The house makes mecreepy. 'Tis fitting place for some dark deed to be committed. The horsein the stable, I dare say, belonged to some belated traveler caught likeourselves in a storm afar from an inn. Marked you how she answered me notwhen I spoke on't? How the wind howls, and how blue the taper burns!'Sblood! I'd sooner be out in the storm."
"I would not," observed Master Wainwright. "One drenching a day is enoughfor me. Marry! there is naught to do but to possess our souls inpatience. I dare say, we will o'ertake the boy on the morrow."
"Marry! yes, master. If he be out in this storm he will drown like a rat.Who would have thought that he could have kept so far ahead of us?"
"They ride fast who flee from justice," quoth another sententiously. "Ifwe be not careful he will outstrip us, and we will be void of ourquarry."
"Be not alarmed. We will o'ertake him," reassured the leader. "Though Ilike not for the storm to continue. It delays us too much." He mused fora moment and then turned to the dame suddenly.
"My good woman," he said, "have ye seen aught of a boy to-day?"
"A boy? What boy?" asked she stupidly.
"A boy of the court in page's dress. Hast thou seen him?"
"No boy have I seen this day," answered the dame stolidly. "Marry! norfor many days for the matter of that. What did ye want with the boy?"
"We have a warrant for his arrest," said the leader. "Also one for hisfather, Lord William Stafford. What think you, my good dame? There hasbeen foul attempt to slay the queen."
"Ye do well to say 'attempt,'" said the woman. "Elizabeth will never dieby the hand of an assassin."
"Say ye so?" asked the leader eagerly. "Good dame, how will she die?"
"Not in her bed. No hand shall be raised against her, and she dies bymisease; yet shall she not die in bed," and the old woman noddedprophetically.
"Ask her how long the queen will live," whispered one. "The queen waxethin years and it may not be amiss to be prepared."
"Seek no further, sir," said Margery quickly. "Know that thou wilt neverlive to see the day of her death. Thy time is nigh."
"Now a murrain on thee for that foul prophecy," cried the man startingup, his hand on the hilt of his sword. But Master Wainwright interposed.
"No brawling, sirrah. We are on the queen's business. Thou and thy rightarm may be needed ere it be completed. Have done!"
The man sank back. Quiet fell upon them, broken only by the sweep of therain against the house and the fitful howling of the wind. Nightdeepened, and still the storm continued. The men disposed themselvesabout the hearth for their damp clothing made them chilly, and soon oneafter another fell into slumber, until, after a time, all were asleep.Then Dame Margery rose to her feet and tiptoeing to the small door openedit, and passed out of the room.
Francis stood just within where she could hear everything that went on inthe outer chamber. She came forward eagerly as the woman entered.
"Mother," she cried, "those men must be detained here, but how? Canstthou help me?"
"Child, I could make them sleep until the sun was high noon, but they areabout the queen's business, and I durst not."
"Good mother, tell me how, and let me do it," coaxed Francis. "I must getto my father. O, if you have ever had a loved one, for the sake of thatone, give me the aid I ask. I am but a girl. Weak and helpless with thegreat queen and her ministers against me. Yet I must warn my father. Odame, I lack so little of being home. If I had a few hours more, just afew hours! Please, good mother,"--she paused, and flinging her armsaround the woman's neck, she kissed her. Dame Margery's frame shook andshe held the girl close. Then she whispered, stroking her hair softly:
"My bonny maiden, thou shalt have thy wish. For that kiss I would givethee anything. It hath been years since Margery felt the touch of freshyoung lips. Men fear me, and children shun me, but thou hast not. Oncemore, child."
Gratefully Francis kissed her; not once but many times. Then the damestole softly out, and the girl followed her. To a corner cupboard the oldwoman went, and taking out a phial that held some dark mixture she heldit to the light for a second and shook it gently. Then with thatmarvelous agility that had caused Francis to wonder earlier in theevening she glided among the sleeping men and let fall a tiny drop of thedecoction
near the nostrils of each slumberer. A sweet odor filled theroom so subtle and penetrating that the girl beat a hasty retreat intothe smaller chamber, fearing that she too might be overcome by it.
"Come, child," called Margery. "They sleep as slept the seven sleepers oflong ago. And so they will sleep until the dawn. I dare not give themmore for fear of death. And they are the queen's men. Thou wilt have tohasten, child. With these few hours' advantage thou shouldst reach thyfather in time. The storm hath broken. Now thou must away."
The storm had indeed passed. The rain still fell, but gently. In the westa few stars peeped between the rifts in the clouds.
"How can I ever repay thee?" whispered Francis embracing the dame warmly."Heaven bless thee, mother. Farewell!"
"Farewell. Fear naught. Trust to the guidance of thy horse and thislanthorne. The night is dark, but the dawn comes early. Ride now for thylife, girl. Farewell."
In Doublet and Hose: A Story for Girls Page 20
