and voices were heard below. Loud ordersfollowed. Then the trumpet brayed out again, the trampling of horsesfollowed, and the girl set down the bowl, and went to the end of theloft, where she climbed up and looked through the little window, stayingthere till the trampling of the horses had died away.
"Gone," she said, as she returned to Fred's side, and prepared to bathehis brow once more.
"No," he said gently; "let me sleep now. But haven't I seen youbefore?"
"Yes, sir; you came here and brought Captain Markham and the prisoners,"said the girl, turning a deeper red, as she recalled her own action uponthat occasion, and gazed suspiciously in his face for signs that he knewof all that she had done.
"Yes, I remember now."
"And I suppose you were wounded when they were rescued by a party of theking's horse?"
"Yes," sighed Fred. "I thought I remembered you. The little inn nearthe moor."
"Yes, sir. Father's inn."
"And you are Royalists, I suppose?"
"I don't know what we are, sir. We only wish the war was over, and wewant to do all we can for the poor wounded folk."
"For rebels, too?" said Fred, bitterly.
"For any one who is in trouble, sir; and if you don't want me to batheyour head again, I'll go and attend to your servant. Father saysthere's nothing like clean cold water for a cut."
"Yes, go and help the two poor fellows; but, one moment--there was quitea regiment there, was there not?"
"Yes, sir; the greater part of one. Came from the town."
"Do you know where they have gone?"
"No, sir, only along the Exeter road. News came, I think, of the enemybeing there, and I'm afraid we shall be having more wounded to-night."
The girl went on to where Samson and the other man lay, and soonafterward the landlord's red face appeared at the head of the stairs, tocry hastily--
"Here, Polly! Dick has just come in from the top of the hill, and hecould see soldiers riding this way to meet the regiment going along theroad. There'll be a fight not far from here, I'll wager, and--Hark atthat!"
"I don't hear anything, father."
"But I do. Horses galloping. Now can you hear?"
There was a faint distant sound, gradually increasing--a sound whichsoon developed into the rapid beat of horses' hoofs, and the girlclimbed to the window to look out again.
"Yes, father, I can see them," she cried.
"Well, well, what is it? the king's regiment?"
"Yes, father, coming galloping back along the road, and--yes, I can seethem too, a great regiment of the other side galloping after them, andyou can see more soldiers off on the moor."
"Coming this way?"
"No; going right off behind the wood."
"To cut them off," cried the landlord. "It's some one who knows thecountry, and if the king's regiment keeps to the road those last willget before them; they'll be between two parties of the rebels, andthey'll be cut to pieces."
"Hooray!" came from the straw where Samson lay, and the landlord turnedupon him angrily, but there was too much that was exciting outside tolet him find words of reproof.
The clatter of hoofs and jingle of sword against stirrup increased, andFred lay with his eyes glittering, panting heavily as, full ofexcitement, he listened to the sounds of hurried flight.
Then came another trumpet blast, sounding distant, and a rushing soundas of a coming storm, ever increasing in power.
Then another blast, and another, both sounding farther away, and as thewounded lad lay there, he pictured to himself the advance of two moreregiments of the Parliamentary cavalry rapidly coming on in pursuit, hismental pictures being endorsed by the words of the landlord's daughter,as she forced her head out of the little opening to watch the retreatand pursuit, turning from time to time to speak to her father in answerto some eager question.
"Are they keeping to the road, Polly? Quick, my girl? Why don't youspeak?"
"Yes, father; they are keeping to the road."
"Can't you tell 'em to turn off across the moor?"
"No, father; they are too far away."
"Shout to them."
"It's of no use, father. One, two, three rebel regiments are comingalong at full gallop."
"All on the road?"
"No; one on the road, the others across the moor."
"The poor fellows will be cut all to pieces. Can nothing be done?Here, Polly, come down, and let me look."
"There is plenty of room beside me, father. How they are gallopingnow!"
In spite of his weakness, Fred had turned himself a little on one side,so as to watch the backs of the pair who were now blocking out thelittle light which came from the window; and as the exciting events wenton, and he listened to the galloping of the horses, the shouts of thehorsemen--his own party--and the trumpet calls, the perspiration due toexcitement stood upon his brow, and he at last groaned out--
"Oh, if I could only see!"
"Ay, Master Fred, if we could only see!" came from close at hand. "Harkat 'em! hark at 'em!"
There was no need for Samson's adjuration, for Fred's sense of hearingwas strained to the utmost, and he was picturing mentally the effects ofthe scattered shots which were now being fired.
"All waste, Samson; all waste," he said hoarsely. "No man can take aimwhen he's galloping full stretch."
"No, Master Fred; but it'll scare t'other side a bit, p'raps make someof 'em surrender."
Fred shook his head slowly, and then listened again as the girlexclaimed excitedly--
"Look, father; there's one down!"
"Ay, how could he expect to leap the wall on a horse blown like that?"
"Those two have galloped up to him. Ah, cowards! two to one. Father,they're killing him. Oh!"
"They're not," cried Fred, hotly. "They're taking him prisoner."
"Right!" cried the landlord, turning sharply; "but how did you know?"
"Because I know our side would not act like butchers with a defencelessman," said Fred, proudly, "They take prisoners, sir, and always givequarter."
The landlord uttered a grunt, and turned sharply to watch the progressof the fight and pursuit.
"Look, Polly!" he cried; "they have got to the top of the hill, and seetheir danger."
"Yes, father; look, look--they have halted and turned. Yes; they arecoming back."
"Can the two regiments trying to cut them off see them?"
"No, I think not; they are down in the hollows. Look, father; they'recoming back."
"The enemy?"
"No; the king's men. Can't you see!"
"See? yes," cried the landlord, with increased excitement. "Why,they're mad. They're coming right into danger. Whatever do they mean?"
"I don't know, father. Why, they'll all be taken."
"They must have a fool for leader."
"Ah!" sighed Fred, as he strained his ears to catch every word and soundfrom outside.
But the landlord was wrong. The king's regiment of horse had no foolfor colonel. On the contrary, he had suddenly woke to the fact that aregiment of Ironsides on his left, and another on his right, were tryingto get round him by short cuts, so as to head him back to the regimentin pursuit; and, what was more, he saw that there could be no doubt ofthe success of the manoeuvre.
With a gallantry that almost approached recklessness he faced round hisregiment, and in the full intent of attacking his enemies, corps bycorps, he gave the order to charge, and dashed right at the pursuingregiment.
This movement resulted in bringing the engagement well within view ofthe spectators in the loft, or rather, it should be said, of thespectator; for, as soon as the landlord's daughter saw that a deadlyshock was inevitable, she covered her face with her hands, stepped downfrom beside her father, and fell upon her knees in the straw close towhere Fred lay.
"God help them, poor men!" she murmured. "How horrible it is!"
Then there was a painful silence within that straw-spread loft, whilewithout there
was a rushing sound, as of two great torrents hurrying tomeet, and above this came the jingling of sword and spur, the hoarseshouting of words of command; then the brazen blare of trumpets,followed by a distant cheer; then one more near; and then one horrible,crashing, hurtling noise, as man and beast dashed at man and beast, andcame into collision. There was the clash of sword upon sword, of swordupon helmet, and again of sword upon breastplate. Yells of pain, wildshrieks, shouts of defiance, and then one