He approached her; his arms closed round her. She struggled to free
herself from his embrace. At that moment they both heard the crackle of
breaking underwood among the trees behind them. Lord Harry looked
round. "This is a dangerous place," he whispered; "I'm waiting to see
Arthur pass safely. Submit to be kissed, or I am a dead man." His eyes
told her that he was truly and fearfully in earnest. Her head sank on
his bosom. As he bent down and kissed her, three men approached from
their hiding-place among the trees. They had no doubt been watching
him, under orders from the murderous brotherhood to which they
belonged. Their pistols were ready in their hands--and what discovery
had they made? There was the brother who had been denounced as having
betrayed them, guilty of no worse treason than meeting his sweetheart
in a wood! "We beg your pardon, my lord," they cried, with a thoroughly
Irish enjoyment of their own discomfiture--and burst into a roar of
laughter--and left the lovers together. For the second time, Iris had
saved Lord Harry at a crisis in his life.
"Let me go!" she pleaded faintly, trembling with superstitious fear for
the first time in her experience of herself.
He held her to him as if he would never let her go again. "Oh, my
Sweet, give me a last chance. Help me to be a better man! You have only
to will it, Iris, and to make me worthy of you."
His arms suddenly trembled round her, and dropped. The silence was
broken by a distant sound, like the report of a shot. He looked towards
the farther end of the wood. In a minute more, the thump of a horse's
hoofs at a gallop was audible, where the bridlepath was hidden among
the trees. It came nearer--nearer---the creature burst into view, wild
with fright, and carrying an empty saddle. Lord Harry rushed into the
path and seized the horse as it swerved at the sight of him. There was
a leather pocket attached to the front of the saddle. "Search it!" he
cried to Iris, forcing the terrified animal back on its haunches. She
drew out a silver travelling-flask. One glance at the name engraved on
it told him the terrible truth. His trembling hands lost their hold.
The horse escaped; the words burst from his lips: "Oh, God, they've killed him!"