“One moment, sir,” I replied coolly. “Ere I render you my sword, I must also have the honour of knowing to whom I am to deliver myself. Might I warn you to withdraw your foot—you are just within sword-reach, and I am somewhat over-hasty.”
He drew back quickly at that. The troopers closed in nearer to me. Stout-looking fellows they were for the most part and eager, I could see, to begin the affray. But the melancholy officer made no sign; on the contrary: “If that be all,” he answered with a touch of pride, “I think that I can satisfy your lordship. I am Pieter Van Someren, lieutenant in his Majesty’s Delft dragoons, and son of the burgomaster of that town.”
Again I swept him a low bow. “And pardon me!” I continued, raising my eyebrows. “In command of these troops, may I ask?” I thought that his face fell somewhat.
“Well, no,” he said hesitatingly. “To speak truth, my commanding officer is above; but the pathway is not to his liking, and—well—” he added, shrugging his shoulders, “he is from the ranks.”
There was that in his tone which caught my attention and of which I was quick to take advantage.
“Yet he is in command, nevertheless, by your own confession.”
“Sir,” I answered haughtily, “you are a man of birth yourself. You will readily understand that it is against my honour to surrender save to the officer of senior rank.”
For a moment he hesitated, and I could see there was a struggle going on in his breast. True, they might overpower me by a concerted attack, but there was also the risk of my being killed in the struggle, in which case farewell to all hope of the reward offered for my apprehension—or rather for that of the man whom I was impersonating. At the same time I had appealed to him as to an equal, and to be thus classed was flattering to his pride. I knew what his reply would be ere he opened his lips.
“As you please!” he said stiffly. And turning to one of the troopers, he gave a rapid order that sent the man hurrying back by the way that they had come.
So there, after the sounds of his departing footsteps had died away upon the path, we remained in the same attitudes facing each other; all save the lieutenant, who withdrew a few paces apart, where he could command a better view of the man’s progress. Suddenly he uttered a quick exclamation: