He was evidently at that moment feeling at a disadvantage. His thin, lanky figure hastily attired, looked not half so important as usual, and he was trembling within with agitation or cold.
The whole party stopped; and the eldest of the young men, whose countenance was very far from prepossessing, drawing the bailiff aside, said, with a low, chuckling kind of laugh--
"Are you going down to the village, sir?"
"Yes," replied Rogers, "I have not come from it very long, and only just stepped back to the Manor. But why do you ask?"
"Because, if you take my advice, you'll keep as clear of it as you can, for the men are hot, and you know, sir," he added, with a low laugh, "they aint all on em very particlar friends o'yourn. I heard words spoke to-night, as may be you would not like."
"I must go, however," replied Rogers, with a shaky attempt to look swaggering, "and I should like to see what the cowards dare do."
"I tell you ye'd better not," said the young man, decisively, "but I've given my warning, I heard some one say, it was very hard if one life was not lost in the bustle to-night--though I do not like peaching, but I owe you a good turn for sending Sally Lyn and her old sick father out of their cottage, that cold Christmas night, at my asking," he added, with a bitter laugh.
Rogers did not look particularly obliged by this grateful reminder, that he had once lent himself to his revenge at an easy bribe. As the mingled smoke and flame rose in columns of awful majesty, like the workings of a supernatural power, till he felt sickened at the sight, he would have given a great deal could the young man have recalled one single act of disinterested mercy.
"Yet I must go," he said, at length, "I cannot help it."
"Well, then, be careful, that is all," replied his companion.
Rogers smiled nervously, and passed slowly on towards the village, leaving him to join the others, who, anxious to complete their task, were waiting impatiently for him.
They had not much further to go, and soon entered a side gate from which a narrow pathway led through a shrubbery of evergreens, round to the back entrance. Here two or three dogs began to greet them with a loud bark, giving no very pleasing indications of welcome; and, as they carried their living burden up the court-yard, they felt half inclined to turn back or to leave the sick man at the door to speak for himself; but the woman hastily prevented them by ringing loudly at the bell, which sounded through the building, making her heart sink. There was rather a lengthened pause, and, tired with waiting for the unexpected welcome, and anxious to shift the responsibility from themselves, the men laid down their burden, and, spite of the woman's entreaties, left them to their fate. They had scarcely passed the court-yard before they heard the sound of doors unbolting, but they did not stop to enquire further, and hurried back to the village, glad to escape from an office of which they were heartily tired.