“You need not fear so greatly for the safety of your precious skin. The Americans are so few that they can only harm us if they cut all our return to our vessel in the harbour; could we but have the chance of surprising them, they would be quite helpless in the face of our numbers. Yet I should rather leave them unmolested and accomplish our errand as quietly as possible. I do not care to risk good lives in the rescue of a rascal like your master, Andrew Shadwell.”
He turned back into the room and spoke in English to the two soldiers.
“We may as well go on,” he said, with a visible effort to make it appear that their errand was only a casual one. “We owe this maid an apology for troubling her with questions that are of no great moment. You must pardon us, my Mistress.”
“I could find out all we want to know,” growled Merton, “if you would but leave me alone with her for a little. Or,” he added hopefully, “there may be some one else here to ask.”
While the Captain was talking with the pedlar, the other soldier had tramped up the narrow stairs that led from this room to those overhead, and was now coming down again after having searched the tiny sleeping quarters above.
“There is no one else in the house,” he announced. “We may as well cease to frighten the young Mistress and go upon our way.”
They were all three moving toward the door, when the pedlar, who was still peeping furtively into the room, cried to them to stop.
“Wait,” he exclaimed, in French. “This young Mademoiselle cannot be left here to run with the news of our coming and alarm the town. Monsieur, the Captain, will pardon me if I say that it would be wrong. I saw her face change a moment ago, at the last words we spoke together and it is my belief that she heard and understood all you said. If she did, then can she betray us the moment our backs are turned. Ah, look, look at her eyes, she is pretending ignorance but cannot hide that she understands.”
In spite of herself, the colour rose in Clotilde’s cheeks. She was not actress enough to conceal her excitement over what she had heard. Oh, for a chance to run through the wood and give warning to the American soldiers!
“Is this true?” cried the officer. “Have you indeed understood all that we have said?”