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The Buccaneer - A Tale

Page 135

"But I don't understand it," at length murmured Robin; "I can't see it:

how could he possibly suffer Sir Willmott Burrell to place him in

confinement?"

"It was not he at all," replied Barbara; "it was Major Wellmore, and he

is at the Place now."

"Death and the devil!" exclaimed Robin, at the same instant pressing his

back against the wall beside which he stood: it instantly gave way, and

Barbara was alone--alone in that wild and most dreary-looking place.

She summoned Blanche, but Blanche was far away over the cliffs,

exploring, under Crisp's guidance, the nooks and intricacies of the

hills and hollows. She would have called still louder, but her quick eye

discerned not now a shadowy figure, but Sir Willmott Burrell himself,

within a distance of two or three hundred yards, and approaching towards

her. She was concealed from his sight by a projection of the cliff: but

this she never considered, alive only to the feelings his appearance at

once suggested. She had noted the spot where Robin had disappeared, and,

urged by terror, flung herself against the same portion of the wall,

with such success, that it gave way before her, replacing itself so

suddenly that, in an instant, the light of the bright stars in the blue

heavens was shut out, and she stood in total darkness, within the recess

that had so mysteriously opened to receive her.

When she became a little collected, she distinctly heard the sound of

voices at no great distance, and groping about in the same direction,

discovered a narrow flight of stairs, which she immediately descended,

imagining that she was following the course which Robin had pursued. Her

progress was soon arrested by a door, which she attempted to shake, but

in vain; she leaned against it, however, or rather sank down upon the

steps, worn out by fatigue of body and anxiety of mind. She could not

have lain there a moment, when the door opened, and Robin literally

sprang over her in his haste to re-ascend. She started from her position

on perceiving before her the well-remembered figure of the Buccaneer,

who was about to mount also, evidently with as much eagerness, though

with less activity, than Robin Hays.

The sight of a stranger at their most secret entrance, even though that

stranger was a woman, sent Hugh Dalton's hand to the pommel of his

sword, but it was as quickly stayed by Robin's cry of, "It is Barbara."

The Buccaneer had just time to catch the fainting form of his daughter

in his arms, and the wild and reckless seaman was so overpowered by the

unexpected meeting, that he thought not of inquiring how she had

obtained admittance. We have observed that women in the inferior ranks

of society continue much briefer time in hysterics, swoons, and

such-like, than the highborn and well educated, who know how to make the

most of all matters of the kind. Barbara rapidly revived, and as rapidly

urged Robin to heed her message, and to take her away, informing him in

the same breath, that she had pushed against that portion of the wall

where he had so strangely disappeared, because she had seen Sir Willmott

Burrell approaching the spot with determined speed.

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