For fully an hour after her departure the old miller and his sons sat drinking Hollands, and discussing the ways and means for the projected enterprise, speaking in modulated voices the while, as they well knew the suspicion entertained by the authorities as to their complicity in the doings of the smugglers, and that there may be listening ears outside the door or windows at any moment. At length they, too, grew weary, and retired, leaving the lonely cottage to the unbroken silence of night.
The following day being market day in Hull, early in the morning Nettleby, along with his eldest son, set off for that town, as might any other industrious miller only intent on the purchase and grinding of corn; whilst Joseph, the younger son, after loitering around the house in an idle, listless fashion for a short time, saddled the Galloway and rode off in the same direction, leaving Susan once more sole mistress of the establishment. She was not, however, to remain in solitude. Joseph had scarcely been gone an hour when a most welcome visitor made his appearance; it was her lover, Will Hardisty, who being now off duty, occupied the time in paying his devoirs to his promised wife.
“I’m so glad you’ve come, Will,” she said, as he tenderly kissed her blushing cheek. “I was going to have another tiresome, lonely day. They are always away from home now, father and brothers.”
“Aye, Susey! And I’m thinking ‘twould be better for them if they stopped at home a bit more. They say queer things about thy father.”
What do they say, Will; and who is ‘they’?”
“At the station, dear! They say the old man is deeply in with Wild Hennesey’s set.”
“What a falsehood! I wish they would let him alone; ’tis all their nasty envy because he has been successful.” and the girl spoke as though she felt virtuously indignant; but Hardisty replied in a sadder tone which she could not help remarking.
“Well dearest, say no more about it, ‘twould have been better to trust me. I would gladly serve you if I could and shield them.”
“I know you would, dear Will,” she replied, giving way to a sudden flood of tears as she continued, “Heaven guide me! I don’t know what to do for the best.”
Will Hardisty placed his arm round her, endeavouring to calm her agitated feelings, and dried her tears with his own red silk bandanna, soothing her with gentle words of encouragement.
“Tell me, darling, what is it that troubles you. If it is the old man and his doings, let me help you, dear. It is no secret that he is connected with the smugglers; therefore you would not be breaking faith in telling me sufficient to enable me to be of service to you. Can’t you trust me?”
“Can I trust you, Will?” she exclaimed, partially recovered. “I could trust you with my life myself; but ’tis father and brothers I think of; if they ever knew I ever talked of these things with you they’d kill me, I know.”
“Now, dear, I’ll give you a proof I know all about it. They intend to make a run next week; now don’t they?”
“Who told you that? O, God! If father heard you he would swear I had told. What shall I do?”
“Contrive to hint to him, dear, that they are closely watched, and are sure to be nabbed if they attempt it. Or should I tell him?”
“Not for the world. Joe would accuse you directly of everything, and me of having told you. But who says anything is intended?”
“That I can’t say, Susey. I only know the chief has the whole thing at his finger ends, and the force is being strengthened in readiness.”
“So father heard, but I must think it over again. I daren’t let father know I talk with you about such things. He’s an awful man when he gets put in a passion. I believe he’s think nothing of killing me.”
“Killing you, my angel? No man living could look into your pretty, soft eyes and lift even a little finger to hurt you.”
But the talk here glided into a lover-like strain, which does not concern our story; and we may very well leave them to pass some of those delicious hours with which most people become acquainted at some period in their lives, “In love’s young dream.”
During the whole of the succeeding days, poor Susan was in an agony of doubt and fear; how to act she could not determine. From the conversation which passed between her father and brothers, she was aware that preparations were being proceeded with for the reception of the goods from the anticipated run; and from her lover she heard of the counter-arrangements progressing in the Preventative Service, and received constant warnings of the immediate danger threatening her relatives, who, he said, were under increasing supervision. Thus she was tossed to and fro in a sea of uncertainty and indecision. She dare not for a moment think of hinting to her parent what she had heard from Hardisty. Were she to do so, his jealous, suspicious nature would prompt him immediately to blame her, and accuse her of having betrayed their plans to her lover; therefore, she could not protect them in that manner.
She had endeavoured to mislead Hardisty as to the night fixed for the attempt, and failing in this had tried to withdraw him from the service of the Crown; but his allegiance to his King had proved too true, and she seemed doomed to know that her lover and relatives would soon be assailing each other in a desperate conflict, for the information possessed by the officials appeared to be too accurate to permit her to hope that a struggle might be avoided. And, then, which ever party became the conquerors, she muist suffer. She must prepare herself for evil happening to either her lover or her relatives, or perhaps all she held most dear.
There is little wonder, then, that during these days of anxious cogitation she was unable to sleep, and would lay with widely open eyes throughout the long dark hours of night, vainly speculating how she could rescue her loved ones from the threatened danger. Many times during the night she would exclaim, “Would I dare warn them!” But it would be too great a risk.
At length an idea intruded itself which she thought might be carried out successfully. She was aware that the practice of the smugglers was to lie off the coast until their accomplices on shore signalled that all was secure and a landing practicable, and she thought if she could only ascertain what signals had been agreed upon, and the exact hour when the lugger might be expected to arrive, and could then by any means contrive to alter their signals from “safety” to “danger” the landing would be delayed, and the smugglers rendered cautious would, in all probability, retire without attempting to effect a landing, and her relatives thus escape being caught actively participating in a breach of the laws. From the conversation held by her father with her brother Joe, Susan had learnt how the instructions as to the signals would be received on the day prior to that fixed for the expedition. Until that time, therefore, nothing could be done, and she strove to bear the distressing uncertainty of her position with an equable countenance; but despite her bravest endeavours she could not prevent her cheeks growing pale, and a sad thoughtful expression clouding her eyes to such an extent that the suspicions of her brother were aroused, and she frequently saw him gazing at her with bent brows, whilst he muttered something about “betraying,” and openly spoke of being revenged on Hardisty.
On the evening before the momentous day an opportunity occurred for testing the value of the idea she entertained as to the means by which the difficulties with which she was surrounded might be overcome. Attending carefully to the after-supper conversation of her father and brothers, she soon learned the fact that the former had that day received a letter instructing him as to the code of signals to be used on the morrow; indeed, at one moment the listening girl thought all her difficulties would be solved by her father reading the letter; but instead, taking it from his pocket-book, after slowly re-perusing, the old man returned it to that receptacle, and so destroyed her hopes. This she could only rely upon her pre-arranged scheme. She had many qualms of conscience before bringing herself to act in a manner so reprehensible, and which she knew to be dishonourable; but unwittingly her scruples were subject to the Jesuit’s argument, “the end would justify the means,” and the doctrine proved too acceptable not to be adopted as a salve to her conscience.
Waiting, therefore, until her father and brothers had returned to rest, and the heavy silence of night hung around the house, with the quiet stealthy step of a secret marauder she stole silently to her parent’s sleeping apartment, where the sound of his regular breathing gave token that he was buried in profound sleep. Gliding into the room, more like a ghostly visitant than a “maiden young and blooming,” the pale silvery rays of the moon, shining through the narrow casement, easily enabled her to find te coat her father had worn a short time previously. In a moment she was in possession of the pocket-book containing the all-important letter, with which she retired to her own apartment, where a light was still burning. Very little time was required to make a copy of that part of the letter referring to the signals; having done which, and after ascertaining the hour when the smugglers were to be expected off the Point, she returned to her father’s apartment, and placed the pocket-book once more in the place from whence it had been taken. This duty was performed without anything occurring to alarm her, and a very few moments found her once more in her own chamber, where, before retiring to her couch, she sank on her knees to ask forgiveness for the evil she had committed, and God’s blessing on the attempt she was making to rescue those she loved from danger. Susan was a simple uneducated country maiden, but spotless and innocent as a child, and when she prayed it was from the heart. As she rose from her knees her heart was full of steadfast trust that God would bless her endeavours, and not grievously punish her for the sin committed that night.
Once more, when they met for a moment at noon on the following day, Will Hardisty tried to persuade her to warn her relatives of the danger they were about to incur. “For God’s sake, Susan,” said he, “let me beg of you to follow my advice, and inform your father that their plans are knows, and a capture is certain. Think what my feelings must be, when I know that, ere many hours elapse, I shall be compelled by duty to raise my hand against your relatives, and perhaps be driven to give evidence against them; for I can assure you, the fact of the run being expected to-night is well known, and everything may be made safe by telling your father.”
“Again and again, dear Will,” replied the weeping girl, “I dare not for my life; he would never allow us to meet again, I know.”
“Well, dearest, I can do no more then; only try my best to shield them when the struggle comes.” And this, they parted, to meet again, when and how they knew not.
Hollands: A term for Jenever, a juniper flavoured spirit originating in The Netherlands
The Galloway pony is a now extinct breed of pony from Scotland and Northern England