re him, and struck his
hand fiercely upon the paper.
The others looked round, each in his neighbour's face, with a
doubtful, and disconcerted look, and Green went on before any one
could answer.
"Why was all this, Sir George Barkley?" he said. "Why was this
concealment? I will tell you why: because you dared not for your life
propose such a thing to me, till you thought I was so far committed
that I could not escape you; and if I had not asked you myself the
question, I should never have heard the truth till this day."
Dark and darker shades of passion had come over the countenance of
Sir George Barkley while Green had been speaking; and he, Charnock,
and one of the others, during the latter part of their new
companion's somewhat vituperative address, had been exchanging looks
very significant and menacing. At length, however, Sir George Barkley
exclaimed, "Come, come, Colonel--this language is too much. You have
been asking questions and answering them yourself. We have now one
or two to ask you, and we hope you will answer them as much to our
satisfaction as you have answered the others to your own."
"What are your questions, sir?" demanded Green, fixing his eye upon
him sternly. "Let me hear them, and if it suits me I will reply; if
not, you must do without an answer."
"To one question, at least," replied Sir George Barkley, "to one
question, at least, we must compel an answer!"
"Compel!" exclaimed Green, "compel!" and he took a step back towards
the door.
"Look to the door, Fenwick!" exclaimed Sir George Barkley. "Parkyns,
help Sir John! I should be sorry to take severe measures with you,
Colonel; but before you stir a step from this room you must pledge
yourself by all you hold sacred that you will not betray us."
Green heard him to an end without any further movement than the step
back which he had taken, and which placed him in such a position that
he could front either Barkley and the rest on the one side, or those
who were at the door upon the other, without the possibility of any
one coming upon him from behind without being seen. The moment the
other had done, however, he shook back the cloak from his shoulders,
and took from the broad horseman's girdle which girt him round the
middle, a pistol, the barrel of which was fully eighteen inches long,
while its counterpart appeared on the other side of the belt, in
which also were two more weapons of the same kind, but of less
dimensions. He leaned the muzzle calmly upon his hand for a momen