The Heart

There I lay on the floor of the hall well-nigh spent, and Mary

Cavendish was chafing my hands, bandaging my wounds with some linen

got, I knew not whence, and Catherine was there, and all the time

the great battering blows upon the door were kept up, and also on

the window-shutters, and the door began to shake.

Then I remembered something. There was behind the house a creek

which was dry in midsummer, but often, as now, in springtime,

swollen with rains, and of sufficient depth and force to float a

boat. And when it was possible it had been the custom to send stores

of tobacco for lading on shipboard to England, by this short cut of

the creek which discharged itself into the river below, and there

was for that purpose a great boat in the cellar, and also a door and

a little landing.

I, remembering this, whispered to Mary Cavendish with all the

strength which I could muster.

"For God's sake," I cried, "go you to the cellar, the boat, the

boat, the creek."

But Mary looked at me, and I can see her face now.

"Think you I did not know of that way?" she said, "and think you I

would leave you here to die? No, let them come in and do their

worst."

Then I turned to Catherine and pleaded with her as well as I could

with those thundering blows upon the door, and I well-nigh fainting

and my blood flowing fast, and she did not answer at all but looked

at me.

Then I turned to Sir Humphrey Hyde. "For God's sake, lad," I cried,

"if you love her, save her. Only a moment and they will be in here.

Hear the door tremble, and then 'twill be arrest and imprisonment,

and--I tell thee, lad, leave me, and save them."

"They can do as they choose," cried Mary. Then she turned to Sir

Humphrey. "Take Catherine, and she will show you the way out by the

creek," she said. "As for me, I remain here."

Catherine bent over me and tightened a bandage, but she did not

speak. Sir Humphrey looked at me palely and doubtfully.

"Harry," he said, "I can carry thee to the boat and we can all

escape in that way."

"Yes," I replied, "but if I escape through them, 'twill serve to

convict them, and--and--besides, lad, I cannot be moved for

the bleeding of my wounds, such a long way; and besides, it is at

the best arrest for me, since I have been seen by the whole posse

and have shot down Captain Waller. Whither could I fly, pray? Not

back to England. Me they will take in custody in any case, and they

will not shoot a wounded captive. My life is safe for the time

being. Humphrey--" With that I beckoned him to lean over me,

which he did, putting his ear close.