“There is foul play here,” he whispered. “Yon binkie travels too fast to have an honest errand. He will come this way, if he intend, as I verily think he does, to pass through to the camp yonder.”
The man made his way toward them rapidly, without stopping for a moment. It was clear that he intended to pass the angle were they stood, and they would not have to stir to intercept him as he passed.
“There may be need of this,” said Macpherson, drawing his sword, “but I think not; the traitor is nearly always a coward.”
They could now hear the man breathing hard as he ran; he was preparing to leap into the trench, when Macpherson presented himself before him, with his drawn sword in his hand.
The man stopped short as if astonished at the unexpected rencontre, and then thrust his hand into his breast. But Macpherson divined his purpose. “If you move that hand I will run you through the body,” and he held the point of the sword perilously near the man´s throat.
Gervase had not moved forward but was still standing in the shadow. Something warned him that the traitor whom he had been watching so long had made his attempt to-night, and was discovered at last.
“Now, sir, what is your errand here to-night? if you do not answer me I shall call the guard.”
“You need not call the guard, Captain Macpherson. I am here on no sinister business, but have come to seek for Mr. Gervase Orme, who, I am told, is in the lines to-night.”
He lifted off his hat and stood bareheaded in the midnight. As he listened, Gervase knew that it was a lie, but did not move from his place of concealment.
“Good God,” cried Macpherson, “´tis the brave wench´s brother. I´m thinking, Mr. Carew, it was a strange way you took to find the gentleman you speak of. It looked like as if you thought to find him yonder.”
“I am not familiar with your outworks, sir,” answered Jasper, who had recovered his composure, and spoke with studied coolness, “and I thought you had another line of defence along the hill.”
“There is no accounting for a man´s thoughts,” said Macpherson, “but the message must have been urgent that needed so much haste. In the future I would advise you to move more circumspectly when musket balls are plenty. Now, perhaps, as the gentleman is my friend, you will even give me your news and I will contrive that it reaches him.”