’Twas given quickly, and I signed the will, with Tybee and the lawyer for the witnesses; Margery standing by the while and looking on; though not, I made sure, with any realizing of the business matter.

When all was done the priest found his book, and we stood before him; the woman who had sworn to hate, and the man who, loving her to full forgetfulness of death itself, must yet be cold and formal, masking his love for her dear sake, and for the sake of loyalty to his friend.  And here again ’twas Tybee and the lawyer who were the witnesses; the one well hated, and the other loved if but for this; that when the time came for the giving of the ring, he drew a gold band from his little finger and made me take and use it.

And so that deed was done in some such sorry fashion as the time and place constrained; and had you stood within the four walls of that upper room you would have thought the chill of death had touched us, and that the low-voiced priest was shriving us the while we knelt to take his benediction.  All through this farce—­which was in truth the grimmest of all tragedies—­my lady played her part as one who walks in sleep; and at the end she let her father lead her out with not a word or look or sign to me.

You’d guess that I would take it hard—­her leaving of me thus, as I made sure, for all eternity; and I did take it hard.  For when the strain was off, and there was no one by to see or hear save my good-hearted death-watch, I must needs go down upon my knees beside the bed in childish weakness, and sob and choke and let the hot tears come as I had not since at this same bedside I had knelt a little lad to take my mother’s dying love.

XII

HOW THE NEWS CAME TO UNWELCOME EARS

Though all the western quarter of the sky was night-black and spangled yet with stars, the dawn was graying slowly in the east when Tybee roused me.

“They have not come for you as yet,” he said; “so I took time by the forelock and passed the word for breakfast.  It heartens a man to eat a bite and drink a cup of wine just on the battle’s edge.  Will you sit and let me serve you, Captain Ireton?”

“That I will not,” said I; adding that I would blithely share the breakfast with him.  Whereat he laughed and clipt my hand, and swore I was a true soldier and a brave gentleman to boot.

So we sat and hobnobbed at the table; and Tybee lighted all the remnant candle-ends, and broached the wine and pledged me in a bumper before we fell to upon the cold haunch of venison.

My summons came when we had shared the heel-tap of the bottle.  It was my toast to this kind-hearted youngster, and we drained it standing what time the stair gave back the tread of marching men.  Tybee crashed his glass upon the floor and wrung my hand across the table.

“Good by, my Captain; they have come.  God damn me, sir, I’ll swear they might do worse than let you go, for all your spying.  You’ve carried off this matter with the lady as a gentleman should, and whilst I live, she shall not lack a friend.  If you have any word to leave for her—­”