"Live to disgrace you with my love!"
"Mary!"
There was such a depth of love, such intensity in the tone in which he uttered her name, that she moaned aloud.
"Ah, you are in pain!" he cried.
"In pain for you," she whispered, "for you suffer for my sake. Hist!
Do you hear?"
She clung to him tightly.
"No," he said, "there is nothing."
"Yes," she said, softly. "Steps. I can hear them--they are coming back."
He listened once more, but his ears were wanting in the preternatural keenness brought on by his companion's exalted nerves. He heard nothing for a few moments, and then with a start he seized the sword, for steps were faintly heard now to grow plainer and plainer till they were close overhead.
Mary signed to him to listen; and at that moment the stone slab moved gently a few inches, for someone had seated himself upon the edge, and the buzz of talking was heard.
"Now, my lad," cried a hoarse, drink-engendered voice, which came plainly to where they crouched, "you know all about it, and I'm captain now. Where's that prisoner?"
"Sure, and how could I know anny way, Black Mazzard?"
"Captain Mazzard!" roared the first speaker.
"Oh! Murther! Put them pishtols away, and I'll call ye captain, or adhmiral if ye like!"
"No fooling! Where is that prisoner?"
"Which one, sor?"
"No fooling, Paddy! Captain Armstrong?"
"Faix, an' he must have run away, skeart loike, whin he heerd you were coming."
"You know where he is?"
"Faix, and that's thrue," said Dinny.
"Where is he, then? Tell me the truth, and I'll let you live this time.
Tell me a lie, and I'll hang you."
"Och, don't, captain! Ye'd waken yer crew horribly if ye were to hang me."
"I'll hang you, as sure as you stand there, if you don't confess."
"Murther! Don't, now, captain, for I shouldn't die dacently if ye did hang me. It isn't a way I've been accustomed to. Ah, moind! That pishtol might go off."
"It will go off if you don't speak. He's hidden somewhere here, and you know where. Speak out!"
"Shpake out! And is it shpake out?" said Dinny, slowly as with advanced blade Humphrey stood ready to plunge it into the breast of the first man who attempted to descend. "Oh, well, I'll shpake out then."
"The traitor!" mattered Humphrey. "False to one, false to all."
"Where is he, then?" roared Mazzard.
"Faix, he's in his skin, captain."
"You dog!" roared Mazzard. And there was the report of a pistol, followed by a wild shriek.
"Don't--don't kill!" cried a piteous woman's voice. "Don't kill him!"
"Not kill him!" snarled Mazzard.
"No--no! Spare him, and I'll tell you."
"Bedad, an' if ye do, I'll niver forgive ye," cried Dinny, fiercely.
"Ye don't know nawthing. He's eshcaped."
"Where is he!" roared Mazzard. "Speak out, woman, or I'll blow his head off!"
Humphrey sprang up a couple of steps to defend Dinny; but Mary Dell lay there, and to show himself was to betray her--the woman whom he knew he passionately loved. Of himself he thought nothing.
But the task of betrayal to save her lover was spared to Mistress Greenheys, for, as Black Mazzard stood with one hand on Dinny's shoulder, and his second pistol pointed close to his ear, so that his second shot should not fail, one of his men exclaimed aloud--
"Why, he's there! Look at the blood!"
Mazzard turned and glanced down at the floor upon which he stood, then at the stained stone which formed the cover of the vault. He uttered a harsh laugh, for the stone had been slightly moved.
"Here, half a dozen of you!" he roared. "Lay hold!"
His men seized the stone; and after one or two trials to raise it up, it was thrust sideways, and the hiding-place revealed.
With a yell of savage delight Black Mazzard began to descend, followed by his crew. There was the clash of swords, two men fell, wallowing in their blood, and then Humphrey drew back into the corner before Mary Dell, determined to defend her to the last.
Two more men went down; and there was a brief pause, followed by a savage rush and a _melee_, in which Humphrey's sword snapped off at the hilt, and the next minute he was above in the great chamber, pinioned between two of Mazzard's men; and Mary Dell was borne up to lie at her conqueror's feet.
"You savage!" roared Humphrey, as he sank panting on a stone.
"Savage!" retorted Mazzard, with a brutal grin. "Stand up, you dog!"
"Stand yourself--in the presence of your king's officer!" shouted Humphrey in his rage.
"King!" cried Mazzard, mockingly. "I'm king here. Now then, you!" he cried to his men, who enjoyed seeing him bearded. "Quick!--two ropes!"
He turned sharply upon his men, who hurried off to obey the command.