CHAPTER XIX. THE COURT OF THE BARONS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 345, 23 February 1889, Page 5

CHAPTER XIX. THE COURT OF THE BARONS.

A:? may be readily supposed, and as our hero at once realised, his full force had arrived ab bhe village. In fact, the last squadron of the cohort had just pulled up before the White Stag Inn as Nelly gave her signal of distress to the breeze, and a few of the men did nob leave their saddles. While those who had jusc arrived were making ready for the remount, after having learned the meaning ot the floating of the black flag from the distant tower, the good host, with his willing assistants, brought forth the stirrup-cup to those who had lately come, and thus there had been no delay. Within five minutes after the signal had appeared the head of the column was ready to start, and faithful old "Donald Jar- \ is, having seen the last thirsty man satisfied, leaped upon the horse which had been provided for him and led the way up the hill. Reynard Bevern, when he saw the stern, steel-clad warriors filling the hall, knew that his plot against the hated MarGregor was at an end What passed in his thoughts during the rii-st few moments of his discomfiture it would be difficult to tell. That he had a thought -moved thereto by savage impulse — to personally attack his rival on the spot was evident: but he quickly saw that any such act would be only dangerous to himself, and he wisely for boie. His emotions during the time given him for reflection must have been humiliating and crushing. He turned pale, and anon his face was pm pie, his powerful frame shook from top to toe, his lips quivered, his breath came in laboured gasps, and his strong hands were clenched until the veins and muscles stood out like whip cords ; and once, when his impotent rage had overpowered him, flecks of foam came out upon his lips. At length, however, when fully two hundred armed men had entered the hall, arranging themselves on the moment, as though each man were an integral part of one vast machine — when he saw them salute their youthful colonel, not only with respect, but with a love and devotion not to be doubted — when he had seen all this, he seemed to come to a realising sense ot the situation. The fire died out from his eyes, his lips were firmly closed, and he raised himself proudly erect and gazed around upon the scene. Physically, thece was nothing of the coward in Reynard Be\ ci n. He was as bold as he was bad, and as unblushingly brazen as he was unscrupulous. We can imagine the feeling with which our hero had witnessed the opportune arrival of his devoted followers. His first thought was of thanks to Heaven ; his second, of gratitude and blessing to Iselly Nichol, for full well did he know that sbe had bi ought bo him the saving help. And Blanche ! She could only look on and thank the Giver of all Good tor Ibis great mercy. In the presence of so many she could not obey toe ardent impulse of her heart, and throw herself upon her lover's bosom in the plenitude of her joy ; but she caught his arm and clung to him ; and he caught the whispered prayer that went forth from her lips : That Heaven would be as kind in all things else as it had been in thib. We saw Nelly Nichol, when she had discovered Reynard and his men, glide back from their sight ; but she had not gone far ; and when she had witnessed the entrance of the brave troopers, whom her signal had called, she came down to her lady's side. Blanche caught her hand quickly and warmly. • O, Nelly ! you called them ?' ' Yes, dear lady.' And while the lady spoke to her words of thanks and blessing, Sir Malcolm turned to the discomfited chief and broke the silence, he being the first to speak. 'Well, Reynard,' he said, with a smile which came* to his handsome face of its own accord. ' I suppose you will give over your plan for my arrest and incarceration ?' The bold Highlander struggled hard to keep back his wrath. He realised how greatly the manifestation of a rage utterly impotent lowers and belittles any man He did not answer at once. He returned bhe colonel's 100k — gazed into his face a. few seconds, and then once more swept his eyes over the strange scene around. As he did so, and before he had spoken, he caught sight of the wondering faces of the Highland lairds, in a far part of the hall. It was already too dark to clearly distinguish objects at any distance ; bub these men chanced to stand in an open doorway, where their forms were plainly outlined. In an instant a change came over the chieftain's face, and over his whole bearing. The look of triumph returned ; all the old hatred came once more to the surface. In this mood he faced his rival, and made answer to his remark. * MacGregor, I know when I am beaten. In the matter of your arrest you have the best of me ; but, by heavens ! in nothing else! Man to man, I would like to meet you in a fair field ; but I cannot afford to contend against such odds as you are favoured with at the present time. So, sir, we are as we were. ' He then turned to his lieutenant, Rupert, and directed him to withdraw with his men ; and when the order had been obeyed, he spoke again to Malcolm, going on as though he had not broken off. 1 We are as we were. Sir Malcolm MacGregor. I am master of this castle, and you are my guest ; and as soon as we can gain the help of Mr Kirkland, and obtain from him my uncle's will, we will very quickly decide whether or no I am to remain master. ' Malcolm bowed, and replied that, so far as he was concerned, he cared npt how soon the right was done. Then, with a quiet, significant smile, be added : ' Reynard, since you have plainly shown yourself my enemy, and since you have within these walls a considerable force o. armed men under your immediate com mand, you will allow me to retain, at least. a force equal to your own ?' Bevern, being well assured that he was to come off conqueror in the approaching trial, felt that he could afford to be magnanimous, so he replied, with something of grandness in bis manner : ' Keep as many as you please, fair sir. Our larders and magazines are ample for their support. Act your own pleasure in this and you will not displease me. And now, if you have no more to say, I will join my friends, who, I see, are waiting for me.' Malcolm answered by a nod, upon which the other, without further remark, turned and left him. As soon as Bevern had gone, our hero gave a little time to ardent greetings with the new-comers ot his command. His gratitude for their promptness in answering Nelly's signal could not be spoken in words, bat they understood "it. In' few word* he

explained to them the situation, thus showing them from what indignity, if not from j worse, they had saved him. Weak and faint from exeitement,now that bbc danger to her lover was passed, Lady Blanche would not stop to be presented to the officers of the command. As she afterwards told Malcolm, when she greeted oue she wished to greet them all alike ; for to her, whether officers or privates, they were true and steadfast friends, whom she would equally honour. So, as soon as Reynard had gone, she retired to her own apartments, taking Nelly along with her. The knight's first thought, after this, was of his men whom Bevern had arrested and incarcerated. He easily found a servant who was acquainted with the dungeons, and having been informed that the doors could all be opened from the outside without the use of keys, he procured a torch, and calling upon Sandy Graham to lead the way, he went down in company with half a score of his men, aud had the imprisoned ones very soon at liberty. We need not make a record of the scene that followed. We will only say : When Kilcullen and his six comrades in dui'ance had heard the story of their beloved commander's providential rescue, they felt almost glad that they had suffered. As one of the liberated men laughingly remarked : ' While they were after us, our colonel was left in peace, in consequence of which you reached him in season. Moreover the short time we were forced to spend in that dungeon rather tends to enhance the present joy.' When Malcolm reached the main hall, on his return from the crypts below, he turned his attention to the matter of the force he would retain with him at the castle. Both Capcain Scott — the officer who had led the rescuing force to the castle — and Kilcullen were in favour of keeping the whole squadron ; but he thought differently. The matter was finally referred to Blanche. She would gladly have retained the entire force, as there was ample accommodation, and plentj r of provisions ; but she thought fifty or seventy-five men would be all that could be required. It was the moral force, after all, that was wanted ; and fifty wellarmed veteran warriors would give enough of that. So it was decided that the captain, with fifty of his men, should remain, while the others were sent back to the village ; arrangements being made, howe\ er, so that they could be recalled at any time, if it should be thought politic or necessary to do so. Theold steward, Sandy, had justinformed Lady Blanche that Bevern had ordered supper for himself and friends, to be served in the banquet hall ; and she, in return, had directed him to make ready the meal for herself, and such friends as she might wish to invite, in the common eating-room, when the old lawyer, Kirkland, was announced ' Well met, my good old friend !' was Blanche's salutation. ' You are just in season to receive an invitation to join us at supper. Do not tell me you have supped.' * If I had,' returned the attorney, ' you should not know it. But set your mind at rest. lam as hungry as a bear.' He laughed ; and Blanche laughed. The first real natural laugh that had escaped her since her father's death. Was it prophetic ? The lawyer had been called to the castle by his anxiety to know what the signalling from the great tower, and the setting forth of the cohort immediately thereafter, could possibly mean. Further, he had felt a deS'"re to see and confer with his brother practitioner from Inverness ; though the latter inducement would not, of itself, have brought him before the morrow. The evening meal passed off pleasantly, and ere long thereafter word was brought to Mr Kirkland that Will Macomber wished to see him in an adjoining apartment. The old man followed the messenger at once, and gladly ; he had known Macomber for many years, and their intercourse had always been of the most pleasant character. On the present occasion they met with the most friendly greetings; and doubtless both were sincere. The attorney tor Bevern \ cry soon made known his wish. He first asked the other if he had in his possession a Will and Testament made by the late Baron Ka\endale. Upon Kirklands answer in the affirmative, he said : * It is the earnest desire of Kilroy and Altonfeld to leave the castle for home at an early hour on the morrow ; and, since you are on the ground, why may we not hold a preliminary examination this evening ? It would be, in my opinion, an excellent plan in many respects. Especially will it give us an opportunity of setting at the root of the matter this evening, of hearing the facts in the case plainly stated ; so that we may have the night before us for consideration. Then, do you see, we can meet in the morning: and pass judgment understandingly. Will you and Lady Blanche attend ?' 'Not without the next nearest relative of the deceased is also present, most assuredly.' 1 Why —of course he will be present. You allude to Colonel MacUi egor ?' 'I do.' ' Have him present, by all means. Mind you — this is not the proposition of my client, but of the justices themselves — of the court. ' Kirkland finally gave assent, and promised that he would meet the justices in the large drawing-room within one hour from that time, which was satisfactory. Our old lawyer did not really apprehend any trouble ; yet he knew the character of the men with whom he had to deal ; and he knew the utter lack of principle of Bevern. He — Kirkland— had the old will on his person, and it made him cautious, if not timid. At all events, before the hour for the meeting had arrived he made arrangements with Lieutenant Kilcullen that he should be near at hand, with at least a score of men ; and he made further arrangement with Nelly Nichol that she should ensconce herself in an ante-room or closet opening out from the drawing - room, where she could catch a signal from him, and convey it to the officer. This done, he was ready for the work in hand. Afc precisely nine o'clock on that evening, Lord Douglas Altonfeld, sitting with Sir John Kilroy on his right hand, and Jamie Lawton, Lord of Belmondy, on hie left, declared a legal Court of Barons, open for business ; and he called on Fergus Watson, his servant, who had been qualified to act as constable, to make formal proclamation. Then he, the presiding judge, made a statement of the case before fchem. His somewhat grandiloquent harangue set forth that his long-time friend and fellowpatriot, Reynard Bevern, claimed to be legal heir, under a proper will and statement, of the late Bertrand, Lord llavendalo. If such a will was in existence, he claimed that it should be published forthwith ; and if there appeared no other will, he asked to be put in possession of the estate that was legally his, etc., etc. Then up rose Mr Macomber, who announced himself as counsel for the said Reynard Bevern, the prosecutor in the present case. He desired to know if the respondents were represented, as he had been given to understand there were two of them. • May ie please the honourable court,' gaid Mr Kirkland, rising to the point, 'there are two respondents in thio case — the fcwd

I nearesb living relatives of the deceased Baron Ravendale ; and, I may add, the only living relatives by blood. I represent them. ' 'May it please (etc., etc. ),' said Macomber, after the other counsel had sat down, 4 I would ask the counsel for the respondents, through you, if he is in possession of the last will and testament of the late baron ?' Never mind the many questions and an&wers ; Mr Kirkland finally admitted that he had the will with him at that present moment. And here ho looked nervously toward the prosecutor, but he had no occasion for alarm. Reynard had no thought of using anything like foree — at least unless all other means should fail in producing the will. ' Then tho Inverness lawyer went a step further. He persuaded the honourable court to order the reading of the will. This Kirkland had expected ; but before he complied he claimed the privilege of making a statement, and he added, that on the morrow, when the case came up for final judgment, he would call his witnesses to prove its truth. He then went on and told the story ot the will which the late Baron had made when on his death-bed. 'You will remember,' he said, 'he was dying from the effects of a dagger-thrust, which did not in the least degree impair his mental faculties, nor in any way blunt them. If anything, it caused him to think more clearly and more deeply.' He told of the making of the will, and assured the court that it entirely and in tolo set aside and abrogated the will he now held in his possession, and which he had been ordered to read. He then declared, and would prove by witnesses at the proper time, chat he placed that new will, together with the old, in a certain drawer of the baronet's cabinet, and turned three keys upon it ; but after the funeral, when he had gono co look for the will to read it, it was gone. The old will was theie — not as he had left it — but it was there, while the other was missing. ' To-morrow, your honors, I shall have a bit of curious testimony to present in relation to the loss of that document.' At this point Reynaul Bevern, literally boiling over with rage, sprang to his feet, and demanded that ' that old liar ' .should present his ' curious testimony ' then and there. But hie> counsel, by dint of much persuasion — begging him not to prejudice hih own cause— at length succeeded in quieting him, and getting him back into his seat. And then Mr Kirkland, slowly and distinctly, as though not at all afraid of it, read the will he held in his hand. We know its provisions. It gave everything of importance to Reynard Bevern, and gave the testator's reason for disinheriting his sister's son. When he had concluded the reading and taken his seat, a ailence ensued, which was bioken by the chiof-justice asking Mr Macomber if he ha:l anything further to say. ' Nothing at this time, your honor,' he replied, with profound respect. But he presently added, as though appealing to the judge's superior wisdom, 'I know I agree with you, my loid, in regarding the story to which we have listened concerning a new will as worth just about aa much as that same measure of empty air. We ha\ c heard what appears, as it purports, to bo the last will and testament of the late baron. Now let Ub stif a later willjrom the, ocune boura ' That will be worth more to the cause of the other side than can be all the &toiies that were ever cold or ever will be' And with that he smiled serenely, bowed with princely grace, and resumed his seat. Then Baron Altonfelcl arose with sur-pa^r-ing dignity, and having shed the light oi his rubicund countenance upon all around him, ho thanked them lor their attendance, and would detain them no longer. He said that they (the court \ had gained the information they sought — a knowledge of the existing will -, bo thai now they had something upon which to base a decision. He could not see why counsel should consume much time on the morrow. To him, and, he thought, to his associates, the oase was very simple and very plain. However, they would libten very patiently to any piopor and pertinent argument. 'But,' he added, in closing, 'let one thing be distinctly understood : We want fact 5*5 * «s they are, and not what they might or ought to have, been. ' And then the court was adjourned to the moirow, at nine of the clock in the forenoon