Red Caps and Lilies by Katharine Adams
CHAPTER XI
"THA MUST NOT CRY OUT, LASS"
Humphrey Trail called himself all sorts of names as he stood in theshadow near the side entrance to the Saint Frere house that night. Thesleet was changing into snow which gave no evidence of abating. Humphreytied his scarf closer about his throat and shifted from one fat leg tothe other. What a goose he was to come every evening and stand in theshadow of such a gloomy, proud-looking house just because he wasinterested in being of service to the proud boy who lived within it, andwho, perhaps, did not care a ha'penny whether he stood there in thesleet and wind or not!
It was a fortnight since Humphrey had seen Lisle in the bakery shop andhad given him the Saint Antoine address. He had not seen him since andhe could only comfort himself with the thought that the boy knew whereto find him. It was hard for Humphrey, as he knew so little of all thatwas going on and did not dare to ask questions of any one. Once he hadseen the servant Henri coming out of the bakery shop with a package, buthe had felt it wiser not to speak with him. Lisle had said that they didnot know whether or not they could trust Henri. Humphrey's heart warmedas he remembered how the lad had confided in him that night outside thebakery shop. It comforted him as he stood there in the storm. He hadchanged his position so that instead of facing the side of the house, hefaced the front. It was not wise as a rule to do this, or so he hadfelt, because the position was too public and open, even in thedarkness, but to-night the blizzardy snow made it safe enough.
Poor Humphrey, how his heart thumped when suddenly voices caught hisear! He had no time to be alarmed for himself or to do more than standclose to the wall when these words reached him: "The door by thebasement steps." Then followed a sentence or two which Humphrey couldnot understand. Then he heard the words, "The girl!"
Two figures made their way down the side street, away from the house.Humphrey watched them until they were out of sight. Then, looking backat the great mansion, he saw that the entrance door was being opened bysome one who seemed to find the process difficult, and the next moment alittle girl peered out into the storm. She glanced up and down thestreet, trying, evidently in vain, to distinguish something besides theswirling snow. Then she went inside, and the heavy door closed behindher.
Humphrey at all times found it difficult to think quickly, but he knewthat he must do so this one time. He could only surmise, from the fewwords which he had overheard, that Lisle had been seen in the cellar, orwas to be decoyed there. The incident of the little girl's coming to thedoor, as though in search of some one, convinced him that she waslooking for Lisle. He thought he had recognized Henri in one of the menwho had passed by him, but he was not sure. He wondered why they hadgone away from the house, instead of entering it. He was thankful thatthey had not done so, but the fact was borne in upon him that Lisle hadbeen abducted either by the men whom he had seen or by theiraccomplices. He felt fairly sure that they would return for Rosanne and,as he walked rapidly around the side of the house, he tried to thinkwhat it was best to do.
He found to his relief that the cellar door was open, and he slippedinside and made his way to the staircase, stumbling over the wood thatLisle had dropped. He climbed the stairs cautiously and passed quicklydown the long corridors, pausing when he came to the great entrancehall. A door at one side stood open, and he could see a spacious,candle-lit room beyond. It was the salon, and as he entered it he sawthe little girl standing by the fireplace. As he started to cross theroom, he spoke so as not to startle her too much.
"Tha has nought to fear, little lady. 'Tis Humphrey Trail, and MonsieurLisle has spoken of tha to me!" he said.
It was wise of Humphrey to speak so to Rosanne, for, instead of fear,she felt relief at once, and ran across the room to meet him, sayingeagerly: "Where is Lisle? Yes, he spoke of you last night. He said hetrusted you out of all Paris. He went to the cellar for wood quiteawhile ago. He said to stay here, and I did for such a long time. Then Iwent to the hall and called him. He did not come, so I opened the frontdoor and looked out. Where is Lisle, Humphrey Trail?" Rosanne's voicebroke as she put this question to the farmer, and she had to try veryhard not to cry.
Humphrey beamed upon her, and there was something so reassuring in hissmile that Rosanne smiled, too, through her tears. "Tha'll be a bravelass for his sake and the sake of those tha hold dear. I'll give my lifeto find tha lad, but now tha must come with me as quick as ever tha can.Tha must trust Humphrey Trail. If th'art not a brave girl, I canna helptha!"
While he was speaking Humphrey had gathered up a heavy, velvet draperywhich lay across the inlaid mother-of-pearl table near the fireplace,and before Rosanne could think he had wrapped it around her. "The coldis bitter. I'll hold tha close," he said.
He lifted Rosanne in his arms and glanced back at the shadowy doorway.She put both her arms around him and looked up at him, her bewilderedbrown eyes shining bravely.
"I'm not afraid, Humphrey Trail, and I do trust you. You'll take me toLisle, won't you? You'll promise to find Lisle for me!" she said. Henodded and whispered:
"I'll try!"
He moved cautiously across the room and when he reached the hall hepaused, putting up his hand to warn Rosanne not to speak. He thoughtthat he had heard a sound. As he stood there, holding Rosanne closelywrapped in the blue velvet table cover, he saw the front door openslowly, and he knew that those who had taken Lisle away had come backfor Rosanne. He knew, too, that a great deal depended on her, and hespoke quietly in her ear.
"Tha has nought to fear. I know well how to take tha away but tha mustnot cry out, lass, not for a' the world!" Rosanne nodded her head foranswer, and Humphrey crept with her along the hall, keeping in theshadow until he came to the turn which took them down the long corridor.He began to run when he had turned the corner, and he did not stop untilhe reached the top of the cellar stairs. He knew that the men would findout at once that Rosanne was not in the salon and would begin to huntfor her. They might think that she had gone to the cellar to look forLisle, knowing that he had gone there for wood, and they would follow.He was right.
It was necessary to take the steep stairs carefully, for it was verydark, and there were deep, worn places, like holes, in the stone steps.He nearly fell once, and had to stop to steady himself for a moment andto get his breath before he could go on. When he reached the bottom ofthe stairs, he listened intently but heard no sound except the scurry ofrats in the wall near them; so, lifting Rosanne to his shoulder andwrapping the table cover more closely about her, he went swiftly acrossthe cellar and through the half-open door, out into the winter night.
He kept well in the shadow of the great house until he came to the sidestreet, and then he started to run. As we know, he was short and fat,and Rosanne was not a very light weight. He kept up a sort of joggingtrot, and, finally, feeling sure now that no one was pursuing them, hebegan to walk. The snow was so dense that he had little fear of beingnoticed by passers-by, and every now and then he stopped to rest. Oncewhen he stopped Rosanne's voice reached him from under the velvetmantle.
"I can walk quite well in spite of the storm, Humphrey Trail," she said,but he answered:
"T'is wiser this way, lass. Th'art indeed a brave enough lass."
Humphrey's heart was sorely troubled. There was only one place that hecould take Rosanne, and that was to his lodgings in the alley! He feltvery helpless as they came into the rue Saint Antoine. The street seemeddreary and dingy, even through the lovely falling snow. He had come toParis for the first holiday in all his work-a-day farmer's life and oneafter another adventures had come to him, and with them the need tothink and plan.
There was no time just then to think or plan, at least not until theywere safe indoors. Humphrey, in spite of the storm, turned the rightnumber of corners and reached the alley in safety. Once inside the doorof his poor abode he placed Rosanne gently on her feet.
"Listen, little lady. This is but a poor place I bring tha to, poorindeed and cold, but it is saf
"I shall try to be brave so that you can find Lisle, Humphrey Trail,"she answered, and, putting her hand in his broad hard one, mounted therickety staircase with him.
Humphrey opened the door on the first landing and called "Vivi." A voiceanswered eagerly:
"Yes, yes!"
Humphrey came into the room with Rosanne's hand in his. He closed thedoor and walked with Rosanne over to the window where Vivi was standingwith Minuit in her arms. The two girls stared at each other. Vivi lookedthe longest, but it was not because she was any more surprised thanRosanne; it was only because Rosanne had been taught that it was notright to show one's surprise too much, or to stare too openly at anyone.
"Who is that?" Vivi asked, pointing at Rosanne over the dark curve ofMinuit's lean body.
Before he could answer Rosanne looked up at Humphrey and exclaimed:
"She's a little like Marie Josephine! It's odd, but she is!"
When Rosanne said this Humphrey felt a sudden great relief. Little Viviwould help him. He had not thought of that before. The two girls wouldhelp each other, each in her own way, lonely Vivi and lonely Rosanne,and in his big heart Humphrey vowed that he would take care of both ofthem.
"This is a new friend for you and Minuit, Vivi," he answered. "She iscold and tired and she is lonely, too. Sit close by her here on the cotwhile I make up the fire. You should not have let it go out for I leftyou plenty of wood!"
Vivi and Rosanne sat down on the cot, glancing shyly at each other.Minuit sat on Vivi's knee and looked distrustfully at Rosanne, whostroked his bony back timidly.
Humphrey went over to the rude fireplace, and after some puffing of hisfat cheeks, and shoving of paper here and there, started a good blaze.When the wood was burning nicely he put a very small shovelful of coalon top of it. Then he came back and spoke to the two children on thecot.
"Listen well to what I say, please, tha in particular, Miss Rosanne, as,perhaps, I'd best be calling tha. Vivi does not understand much that Isay. I am going abroad now for food. I may be back within a half hour.Th'art to bolt the door after me when I go, and th'art not to let anyone in but me. Tha will know me because I'll say 'Buns' very loudoutside the door. Tell Vivi what I have said to thee. Tell her she mustna open to any one!"
Rosanne promised. "I'll not let any one in who does not say 'Buns,'" sheassured him, and again, to his relief, he saw that she was smiling. Hewent out and waited on the top stair until he heard the bolt turn.
Because of the unusual and exciting turn of events, Humphrey for oncehad not brought food to Vivi. He would buy the food now and go back withit to the girls. Then he would go up to his own room and think. He musthave an hour to think, to consider, to plan. Rosanne de Soigne would besafe enough that night with Vivi, and they both would be warm and fed.He thought Rosanne might be safe there for some time. The next allimportant problem was Lisle Saint Frere, the boy with the proud face,who had told him that he trusted him out of all Paris! To find out whowere his captors, to find where they had hidden him, to rescue him, andto bring him to safety--these were the things above all others that hemust do. He would think out what was the best thing to do during thesnowy night, while the rats scudded back and forth in the walls of thedark alley and the two girls slept cuddled close together in the roombelow, covered with the blue velvet table cover and the piece of tornsacking.
Rosanne would wake in the morning to find herself in the cold gloom of apoor tenement, but that night she had been too dazed and tired to takestock of her surroundings. She had eaten the bread which Humphrey hadbrought, and with it a piece of cheese. She had sat close to the firewith Vivi, and she had seen Vivi looking at her with the big, astonishedblack eyes that somehow were like Marie Josephine's. The whole event ofthe evening had taken place so suddenly and unexpectedly. She and Lislehad been cosily roasting chestnuts by the fire one moment, and the nextmoment, so it seemed, he was gone, and Humphrey Trail had come andcarried her off! It all seemed like a dream to her that evening, and shefelt as though she would wake up at any moment. The dirty, dark room andthe quiet, staring little girl did not seem real. But she liked Vivi andafter the two girls had smiled at each other, they felt somehow likefriends. Rosanne was very glad indeed that Vivi was there. She put herarm around Vivi, who sleepily did the same. Then she fell asleep anddreamt that she was running along the south terrace at Les Vignes withMarie Josephine and that the lilies were in bloom all along the way.