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before the pavilion door。 If the carbonari come； why； it's theirs
at any rate。〃
〃No； no；〃 cried Mr。 Huddlestone； 〃it does not； it cannot； belong to
them！ It should be distributed pro rata among all my creditors。〃
〃Come now； Huddlestone；〃 said Northmour； 〃none of that。〃
〃Well； but my daughter；〃 moaned the wretched man。 〃Your daughter
will do well enough。 Here are two suitors； Cassilis and I； neither
of us beggars； between whom she has to choose。 And as for
yourself； to make an end of arguments； you have no right to a
farthing； and； unless I'm much mistaken； you are going to die。〃
It was certainly very cruelly said； but Mr。 Huddlestone was a man
who attracted little sympathy； and； although I saw him wince and
shudder； I mentally indorsed the rebuke； nay； I added a
contribution of my own。
〃Northmour and I；〃 I said； 〃are willing enough to help you to save
your life； but not to escape with stolen property。〃
He struggled for awhile with himself； as though he were on the
point of giving way to anger； but prudence had the best of the
controversy。
〃My dear boys；〃 he said； 〃do with me or my money what you will。 I
leave all in your hands。 Let me compose myself。〃
And so we left him； gladly enough I am sure。
The last that I saw； he had once more taken up his great Bible； and
with tremulous hands was adjusting his spectacles to read。
VII
The recollection of that afternoon will always be graven on my
mind。 Northmour and I were persuaded that an attack was imminent；
and if it had been in our power to alter in any way the order of
events； that power would have been used to precipitate rather than
delay the critical moment。 The worst was to be anticipated； yet we
could conceive no extremity so miserable as the suspense we were
now suffering。 I have never been an eager； though always a great；
reader； but I never knew books so insipid as those which I took up
and cast aside that afternoon in the pavilion。 Even talk became
impossible； as the hours went on。 One or other was always
listening for some sound； or peering from an upstairs window over
the links。 And yet not a sign indicated the presence of our foes。
We debated over and over again my proposal with regard to the
money； and had we been in complete possession of our faculties； I
am sure we should have condemned it as unwise； but we were
flustered with alarm； grasped at a straw； and determined； although
it was as much as advertising Mr。 Huddlestone's presence in the
pavilion； to carry my proposal into effect。
The sum was part in specie； part in bank paper； and part in
circular notes payable to the name of James Gregory。 We took it
out； counted it； inclosed it once more in a dispatch box belonging
to Northmour； and prepared a letter in Italian which he tied to the
handle。 It was signed by both of us under oath； and declared that
this was all the money which had escaped the failure of the house
of Huddlestone。 This was； perhaps； the maddest action ever
perpetrated by two persons professing to be sane。 Had the dispatch
box fallen into other hands than those for which it was intended；
we stood criminally convicted on our own written testimony； but； as
I have said； we were neither of us in a condition to judge soberly；
and had a thirst for action that drove us to do something； right or
wrong； rather than endure the agony of waiting。 Moreover； as we
were both convinced that the hollows of the links were alive with
hidden spies upon our movements； we hoped that our appearance with
the box might lead to a parley； and； perhaps； a compromise。
It was nearly three when we issued from the pavilion。 The rain had
taken off； the sun shone quite cheerfully。 I had never seen the
gulls fly so close about the house or approach so fearlessly to
human beings。 On the very doorstep one flapped heavily past our
heads； and uttered its wild cry in my very ear。
〃There is an omen for you；〃 said Northmour； who like all
freethinkers was much under the influence of superstition。 〃They
think we are already dead。〃
I made some light rejoinder； but it was with half my heart； for the
circumstance had impressed me。
A yard or two before the gate； on a patch of smooth turf； we set
down the dispatch box； and Northmour waved a white handkerchief
over his head。 Nothing replied。 We raised our voices； and cried
aloud in Italian that we were there as ambassadors to arrange the
quarrel； but the stillness remained unbroken save by the seagulls
and the surf。 I had a weight at my heart when we desisted； and I
saw that even Northmour was unusually pale。 He looked over his
shoulder nervously； as though he feared that some one had crept
between him and the pavilion door。
〃By God；〃 he said in a whisper； 〃this is too much for me！〃
I replied in the same key： 〃Suppose there should be none； after
all！〃
〃Look there；〃 he returned； nodding with his head； as though he had
been afraid to point。
I glanced in the direction indicated； and there； from the northern
quarter of the Sea…Wood； beheld a thin column of smoke rising
steadily against the now cloudless sky。
〃Northmour；〃 I said （we still continued to talk in whispers）； 〃it
is not possible to endure this suspense。 I prefer death fifty
times over。 Stay you here to watch the pavilion； I will go forward
and make sure； if I have to walk right into their camp。〃
He looked once again all round him with puckered eyes； and then
nodded assentingly to my proposal。
My heart heat like a sledge hammer as I set out walking rapidly in
the direction of the smoke； and； though up to that moment I had
felt chill and shivering； I was suddenly conscious of a glow of
heat all over my body。 The ground in this direction was very
uneven； a hundred men might have lain hidden in as many square
yards about my path。 But I who had not practiced the business in
vain； chose such routes as cut at the very root of concealment；
and； by keeping along the most convenient ridges； commanded several
hollows at a time。 It was not long before I was rewarded for my
caution。 Coming suddenly on to a mound somewhat more elevated than
the surrounding hummocks； I saw； not thirty yards away； a man bent
almost double； and running as fast as his attitude permitted； along
the bottom of a gully。 I had dislodged one of the spies from his
ambush。 As soon as I sighted him； I called loudly both in English
and Italian； and he； seeing concealment was no longer possible；
straightened himself out； leaped from the gully； and made off as
straight as an arrow for the borders of the wood。 It was none of
my business to pursue； I had learned what I wantedthat we were
beleaguered and watched in the pavilion； and I returned at once；
and walked as nearly as possible in my old footsteps； to where
Northmour awaited me beside the dispatch box。 He was even paler
than when I had left him； and his voice shook