The Midnight Queen - Page 118/177

"Sir Norman Kingsley," he cried, keeping a safe yard or two of pavement

between him and that infuriated young knight, "have you gone mad, or

what, is Heaven's name, is the moaning of all this?"

"It means," exclaimed Sir Norman, drawing his sword, and flourishing it

within an inch of the boy's curly head,--"that you'll be a dead page in

less than half a minute, unless you tell me immediately where she has

been taken to."

"Where who has been taken to?" inquired Hubert, opening his bright

and indignant black eyes in a way that reminded Sir Norman forcibly of

Leoline. "Pardon, monsieur, I don't understand at all."

"You young villain! Do you mean to stand up there and tell me to my face

that you have not searched for her, and found her, and have carried her

off?"

"Why, do you mean the lady we were talking of, that was saved from the

river?" asked Hubert, a new light dawning upon him.

"Do I mean the lady we were talking of?" repeated Sir Norman, with

another furious flourish of his sword. "Yes, I do mean the lady we were

talking of; and what's more--I mean to pin you where you stand, against

that wall, unless you tell me, instantly, where she has been taken."

"Monsieur!" exclaimed the boy, raising his hands with an earnestness

there was no mistaking, "I do assure you, upon my honor, that I know

nothing of the lady whatever; that I have not found her; that I have

never set eyes on her since the earl saved her from the river."

The earnest tone of truth would, in itself, almost have convinced Sir

Norman, but it was not that, that made him drop his sword so suddenly.

The pale, startled face; the dark, solemn eyes, were so exactly like

Leoline's, that they thrilled him through and through, and almost made

him believe, for a moment, he was talking to Leoline herself.

"Are you--are you sure you are not Leoline?" he inquired, almost

convinced, for an instant, by the marvelous resemblance, that it was

really so.

"I? Positively, Sir Norman, I cannot understand this at all, unless you

wish to enjoy yourself at my expense."

"Look here, Master Hubert!" said Sir Norman with a sudden change of look

and tone. "If you do not understand, I shall just tell you in a word or

two how matters are, and then let me hear you clear yourself. You know

the lady we were talking about, that Lord Rochester picked up afloat,

and sent you in search of?"

"Yes--yes."

"Well," went on Sir Norman, with a sort of grim stoicism. "After leaving

you, I started on a little expedition of my own, two miles from the

city, from which expedition I returned ten minutes ago. When I left, the

lady was secure and safe in this house; when I came back, she was gone.

You were in search of her--had told me yourself you were determined on

finding her, and having her carried off; and now, my youthful friend,

put this and that together," with a momentary returning glare, "and see

what it amounts to!"