The Talisman Ring

Law!”

The captive said in a low, breathless voice: “Let me go! Let me go at once!”

“You’re coming along of us, that’s what you’re going to do,” replied Mr Stubbs.

The sound of a horse trotting towards them made the Runners drag their captive to the side of the road. The horse and rider came into sight, and the prisoner, recognizing the rider, cried: “Sir Tristram, help! Help!”

The horse seemed to bound forward as under a sudden spur. The prisoner, struggling madly, shrieked again for help, and the next instant Sir Tristram was abreast of the group, and had swung himself out of the saddle. Before the Runners could explain matters, he had taken the management of the affair into his own swift and capable hands. Mr Stubbs, starting to proclaim his calling, encountered a smashing right and left which dropped him like a log, and Mr Peabody, releasing his captive and aiming a blow at Sir Tristram with his cudgel, quite failed to find his mark, and the next moment was sprawling on the road, having been neatly thrown on Sir Tristram’s hip.

Sir Tristram paid no further heed to either of them, but took a quick stride towards the cloaked figure, saying sharply: “Are you hurt? What in heaven’s name is the meaning of this, Miss Thane?”

“Oh, I am bruised from head to foot!” shuddered Miss Thane. “These dreadful creatures set upon me with cudgels! I shall die of the shock!”

This dramatic announcement, instead of arousing Sir Tristram’s chivalrous instincts anew, made him look penetratingly at her for one moment, and say in a voice torn between amusement and exasperation: “You must be out of your mind! How dared you do such a crazy thing?”

The Runners had by this time begun to pick themselves up. Mr Stubbs, cherishing his nose, seemed a little dazed, but Mr Peabody advanced heroically, and said: “I arrest you, Ludovic Lavenham, in the name of the Law, and it will go hard with them as seeks to interfere!”

Sir Tristram released Miss Thane’s hands, which he had been holding in a sustaining manner, and replied: “You fool, this is not Ludovic Lavenham! This is a lady!”

Mr Stubbs said thickly: “It’s the abigail. It ain’t no female.”

“Oh,, don’t let them touch me!” implored Miss Thane, shrinking artistically towards Sir Tristram.

“I’ve no intention of letting them touch you, but don’t get in my way,” said Sir Tristram unromantically. “Now then, my man, perhaps you will tell me what the devil you mean by arresting this lady?”

“It ain’t a lady!” said Mr Peabody urgently. “He’s a desperate criminal dressed up for an abigail! No lady couldn’t fight like him!”

“I tell you she is Sir Hugh Thane’s sister!” said Sir Tristram. “Look, is this a man’s face?” He turned as he spoke, and put back the hood from Miss Thane’s head.

The Runners peered at her doubtfully. “When my brother hears of this, you will be sorry!” said Miss Thane in a tearful voice.

A look of deep foreboding stole into Mr Stubbs’s watering eyes. “If we’ve made a mistake—” he began uncertainly.

“It’s my belief it’s a plot, and they’re both in it!” declared Mr Peabody.

“Take me to my brother!” begged Miss Thane, clinging to Sir Tristram’s arm. “I fear I may be going to swoon!”

Mr Stubbs looked at her over the handkerchief which he was holding to his nose. Also he looked at Sir Tristram, and rather unwisely accused him of having assaulted an officer of the Law.

“Oh, you’re law officers, are you?” said Sir Tristram grimly “Then you may come and explain yourselves to Sir Hugh Thane. Can you walk, ma’am, or shall I carry you?”

Miss Thane declined this offer, though in a failing voice, and accepted instead the support of his arm. The whole party began to walk slowly towards the Red Lion, Sir Tristram solicitously guiding Miss Thane’s tottering steps, and Mr Peabody leading Sir Tristram’s horse.

They entered the inn by the door into the coffee-room, and here they were met by Eustacie, who, upon sight of Miss Thane, gave a dramatic start, and cried: “Bon Dieu! What has happened? Sarah, you are ill!”

Miss Thane said faintly: “I scarce know ... Two men attacked me ...”

“Ah, she is swooning!” exclaimed Eustacie. “What an outrage! What villainy!”

Miss Thane, having assured herself that Sir Tristram was close enough to catch her, closed her eyes and sank gracefully back into his arms.

“Hartshorn! Vinegar! shrieked Eustacie. “Lay her on the settle, mon cousin!”

Nye, who had come in from the taproom, said: “What! Miss Thane in a swoon? I’ll call Sir Hugh this instant!” and strode away to the parlour.

Sir Tristram carried his fair burden to the settle and laid her down upon it. A glance at her charming complexion was sufficient to allay any alarm he might otherwise have felt and with his fingers over her steady pulse, he said: “I think we should throw water over her, my dear cousin. Cold water.”

Miss lips parted a little. A very soft whisper reached Sir Tristram’s ears. “You dare!” breathed Miss Thane.

“Wait! I will instantly fetch the hartshorn!” said Eustacie, and turning sharp on her heel, collided with Mr Peabody, who was anxiously peeping over her shoulder at Miss Thane’s inanimate form. “Brute! Bully! Imbecile!” she stormed.

Mr Peabody stepped aside in a hurry. Having seen Miss Thane’s shapely figure in the candlelight, he was now quite sure that a mistake had been made, and the look he cast at Mr Stubbs, standing glumly by the door, was one of deep reproach.

Eustacie came running down the stairs again just as Sir Hugh walked into the coffee-room with the landlord at his heels.

“What’s all this?” demanded Sir Hugh. “Here’s Nye telling me some story about Sally fainting. She never faints!”

Sir Tristram, looking down at Miss Thane, saw a shade of annoyance in her face. His lips twitched slightly, but he answered In a grave voice: “I fear it is too true. You may see for yourself.”

“Well, of all the odd things!” said Sir Hugh, surveying her through his eyeglass with vague surprise. “I’ve never known her do that before.”

“She has sustained a great shock to her nerves,” said Shield solemnly. “We can only trust that she has received no serious injury.”

“Ah, la pauvre!” exclaimed Eustacie, enjoying herself hugely. “I wonder she is not dead with fright!” She thrust her cousin out of the way as she spoke, and sank upon her knees by the settle, holding the hartshorn under Miss Thane’s nose. “Behold, she is recovering! C’est cela, ma chиre! Doucement, alors, doucement!” Over her shoulder she addressed Sir Hugh. “Those wicked men attacked her—with sticks!” she added, observing the Runners’ cudgels.

It took a moment for Sir Hugh to assimilate this. He turned and stared at the two Runners, incredulous wrath slowly gathering in his eyes. “What!” he said. “They attacked my sister? These gin-swilling, cross-eyed numskulls? This pair of brandy-faced, cork-brained—”

Miss Thane interrupted this swelling diatribe with a faint moan, and opened her eyes. “Where am I?” she said in a weak voice.

“Dieu soit bien!” said Eustacie devoutly. “She is better!”

Miss Thane sat up, her hand to her brow. “Two men with sticks,” she said gropingly. “They ran after me and caught me ... Oh, am I safe indeed?”

“A little brandy, ma’am?” suggested Nye. “You are all shook up, and no wonder! It’s a crying scandal, that’s what it is! I never heard the like of it!”

“Sally,” said Sir Hugh, “do you tell me that these blundering jackasses set upon you?”

She followed the direction of his pointing finger, and gave a small shriek, and clutched his arm. “Do not let them touch me!”

“Let them touch you?” said Sir Hugh, a martial light in his eye. “They had better try!”

“It was all a mistake, ma’am! No one don’t want to touch you!” said Mr Peabody. “I am sure we never meant no harm! It was the poor light, and us not knowing you.”

“All a matter of Dooty,” said Mr Stubbs, still holding his handkerchief to his nose.