“I do not care to leave Yorke,” I answered. “This duty is not within my understanding of what I promised when I took service. If you wish it, I will withdraw from the Red Band, but—”
“Withdraw! Such a thing was never heard of.”
There was a murmur of discontent throughout the room. Some spoke openly and bade me remember Ronald Guy. Disobedience had been a part of his offense.
I was standing close to the patroon and spoke to him so that no one else could hear what I said. “Do you intend to treat me as you treated your—” I was on the point of saying “your son,” but he cut me short.
“No, no, if you don’t want to go you need not. No one shall go against his will. Never mind, my men; you will lose a good blade, but I shall gain one. I really need him here after all. It cost me an effort to make up my mind to let him go.”
The patroon whispered to someone next him and after that two or three men left the hall. We were detained but a few moments longer. Then the men began to say good-by to their master. Only about one in ten of them lived on the estate. Some of these came to take his hand and even wept at parting. “You have been a good master. I’ll never forget when the old woman was sick,” said one. And another, “I’ll do my best for you. I’ve not forgot when my little boy died.” Truly this master was good to his own, save only when his malady was upon him.
I was much touched by what I had just witnessed. From the assembly room I went to my own. I was anxious to read the secret contained in the second packet which Louis had hidden in the oven. But I was to be interrupted once again. I had hardly closed the door behind me when I discovered that I was not alone in the room. A tall figure, completely robed in a black mantle, stood in one corner. When I closed the door she stepped forward.
“Mistress Van Volkenberg,” I exclaimed, “what has brought you here?”
It took me several minutes to recover my self-possession. Miriam meantime dropped her cloak and stood blushing before me. Her voice trembled with confusion and she could hardly speak.
“Oh, what will you think of me?” she broke out after one or two attempts to speak. “But I could not help it. Listen to me and let me go. What have you done? My father has given orders to have you watched. In a few minutes you will not be able to get away; you must go at once.”