“I have said it,” he answered coldly, at the same time possessing himself of the sword which I had foolishly left upon the table. “The old man yonder was no fool. I am acquainted with your unsavoury reputation, and followed fast upon your heels. Once at the village it was an easy matter to procure a horse.” In a moment I saw it all. The old man must at some time have heard my name—doubtless when he had been drinking at the inn. I remembered how that De Brito had used it at our meeting in the hut; and this, coupled with the latter’s uniform, had enabled him to put two and two together with a shrewdness that I had not given him credit for. Of course it was all plain to me now. After my departure he had found means to arouse the earl from his swoon, and the latter had followed me with but little delay. I cursed myself for my lack of foresight.
“On the threshold stood the Earl of Cleeve himself”
“You are mad,” I answered, coming to myself. All those schemes which were forming in my brain were shattered to pieces by his unlooked-for appearance. “Mad to venture hither! Have you not heard——?”
“If you mean, sir, have I heard of the ruin of the cause to which I had devoted my life, I answer that I have, both that and many things. And I am here to perform a solemn duty. It is to rid the world of a very dirty scoundrel.”
I felt the hot blood flush my brow.
“Your Grace,” I answered, striving to speak calmly, “if you will permit me to explain——”
“Enough of words, sir,” he cried impatiently. “The honour of my house is dear to me, and honour forbids that men like you should invade its threshold and contrive such work as that!” He nodded as he spoke to where my lady still remained, unconscious despite her sister’s efforts to revive her.
“But,” I muttered, cudgelling my brains to discover some means whereby I might evade him, “I have no quarrel with your Grace—and no sword.”
“For the first, sir,” he replied haughtily, “I am the best judge. And for the second, ’tis a matter that can be easily remedied.” He stepped quickly to the wall as he spoke, and took therefrom a beautiful duelling rapier, which he measured beside his own. Then turning, he held the two out to me.