“Will you swear it?”
“I will swear it.”
The particularity with which he proceeded gave Kate hope, which was increased by his next words.
“Will a hundred guineas be too much?”
“I will promise you a hundred guineas,” she said promptly. “It is a large sum, a very large sum, for these times, and you must give me leisure to procure it.” She would have added, “The more as my cousin, Mr. Aylesford, is absent.” But, remembering that this betrayal of her defenceless condition might stimulate the cupidity of the refugees, she corrected herself, and said— “It will require at least a fortnight.”
Anxiously, as she spoke, she studied the faces of her hearers, especially that of their leader, to notice the effect of her words. The affected interest with which Arrison had conducted the conversation, now suddenly gave place to a look of sardonic triumph, which betrayed to Kate that he had been amusing himself at her expense, as the tiger is said to play with his victim before he laps his blood.
“It won’t do, my pretty miss,” said the villain. “I’m too old a bird to be caught with such chaff. Your promises wouldn’t be worth a farthing, when once you were out of my sight. No, no, my cunning she-fox, you’re not so smart as you think you are. I have a plan of my own which you shall know in good time, by which I expect to make a better thing than a hundred guineas out of you. But, for the present, we will listen to no talk of ransom. You go with us, and if you can make up your mind to go quietly, it will be to your interest. But if not, we’ll find a way to make you.”
Kate trembled secretly at the dark hints of the ruffian. Oh! how she longed, at that moment, for the sight of even her cousin. The thought of Major Gordon also, and his stout arm, and of Uncle Lawrence and his brave spirit, rushed across her; and she glanced eagerly up and down the road, in the wild hope of beholding one or both.
“Come,” said her captor, brutally, “make up your mind quick. You needn’t count on help, for we’re strong enough for twice as many as would be likely to pass by; and now that we’ve got you we mean to keep you, even if we have to slit the throats of a dozen rebel officers or canting old scoundrels.” And as Kate’s countenance betrayed that he had divined her thoughts correctly, he continued— “You see I know what you’re hoping for; but they’ll not come, if you wait till to-morrow; since they’ve both gone down the river to fight King George, like two fools, leaving the coast clear for us.” And he laughed again mockingly.
With this announcement, that the only persons to whom she could have looked for aid were absent, her last hope departed. She now recognized fully to what a deliberate and carefully-executed plan she had fallen a victim. As Arrison had intended, she believed herself to be a prey to a lawless gang, who, as they seemed to be above the temptation of lucre, must have designs upon her at which she shuddered even to glance.