The COURAGEOUS EXPLOITS OF DOCTOR SYN - Thorndike Russell (книги онлайн полные TXT) 📗

Scarecrow’s men, and he was forced to open the cell and release the old woman. They carried her away in triumph

to the Oast House at Doubledyke, only to discover too late that Captain Blain had feared such a rescue and had

fooled them, for the woman was discovered to be none other than the Bos’n tricked out in Katie’s clothes. The

unfortunate sea-dog was dumped into a filled dyke from whence he fortunately escaped by a miracle in time to be in

Court as witness against Katie, whom the Captain has imprisoned at the Vicarage in Doctor Syn’s absence. In the

meantime the news of Captain Blain’s success had spread to London, and broadsheets were being sold in the streets

to tell of the Scarecrow being a woman of seventy.

Doctor Syn read them and laughed to himself, and then he busied himself, thinking with admiration of the

Scarecrow’s rival, ‘Old Katie’, the only retail smuggler on the Marshes. He reappeared in his parish upon the

morning of her trial, and sat at the back listening to her condemnation. Despite her age and sex, she had done too

many heinous crimes against the Realm to be pardoned, and much against his will and conscience Sir Antony had to

bring in the verdict of hanging.

It was then the old Vicar’s cue to stand up when asked by the clerk if there was anything anyone wished to say

further.

“My Lords of the Level,” he said quietly, “since this brave old lady has confessed her faults and told us

something of her daring, there would no more to be said by me, or anyone who wishes the poop distracted old

creature well. But I have had the honor to be received by the Prince of Wales, and have pointed out to His Royal

Highness a promise he made on behalf of the scarecrow when he received the fox’s brush after the Royal hunt

Dinner at Lympne Castle. I reminded His Highness that he had praised the Scarecrow for his spirit of sport in

giving praise where it should be, adding that he had stated publicly that if ever the Scarecrow were taken he would

use his influence to set him free. His Hig hness is so astounded that the Scarecrow is neither man nor ghost but

woman, that he has given me the signature of his Royal father the King, in pardon to ‘Old Katie’ known as the

Scarecrow, so long as she in my opinion keeps the peace of the realm in future. I am sure my old friend Katie will

give me that promise, and on this Royal authority I demand the release of one of my own misguided but brave flock.

I hope ‘Old Katie’s’ promise to keep the peace will stamp out the evils of smuggling. That is if they really exist

amongst my own parishioners.”

There was no answer to the Royal command, and the authorities feared the joy and triumph of the whole parish.

And while Captain Blain swore revenge, though he hardly knew how to get it, Doctor Syn whispered to Mipps as

they strolled with the released Katie to the Vicarage, “The ‘run’ goes forward next week as arranged, for ‘Old Katie’

here will be comfortably lodged in our place in France, and the Scarecrow will be free to show the world that she

was lying out of loyalty, and that he, not she, still rides supreme on Romney Marsh.”

Mipps grinned and nudged the old woman. “Told you he’d get you out of it, didn’t I? And will you be

comfortable in our place in France? My dear old girl, you’ll love it there, and will they love you? “Old Katie’, that

they will.”

11

THE CURSE OF ALDINGTON KNOLL

Above the wide extent of Romney Marsh, that pleasant territory reclaimed from the sea by wall and dykes, and but a

few miles inland, stand two grim sentinels upon the old coastline cliffs. One is Lympne Castle, growing from the

hill into a man-made high-perched cluster of fortifications, and the other Aldington Knoll, a naked hump of nature

from whose grassy summit can be obtained a far-flung view of Marsh and Channel waters. An advantageous spyglass look-out if ever there was one.

No wonder that there existed round it a local legendary curse proclaiming that should the Knoll at any time be

leveled, it would bring a grave disaster upon shipping.

The reverence and awe attaching to this curse was well supported not only by navigators who used its sky-backed

prominence when taking bearings, but by generation of smugglers who had ever availed themselves of the mound

for signaling with flashers and beacon when giving orders to their incoming luggers.

The hill being privately owned for grazing purposes was often threatened by would-be levelers, and the

Scarecrow, whose men used it to such good advantage, saw to it that any attempt at its removal by its owners should

be met with the stoutest opposition.

Now in the days when Doctor Syn ruled the spiritual good of the Marsh, and the Scarecrow dominated the evil

upon it, a certain Farmer Finn, inheriting the land from his father, became one of the most powerful holders in the

district.

Full of energy and with a passion for farming he disregarded the local superstition by announcing his intention of

leveling the Knoll in order to improve his cultivation.

A storm of protest arose when his word went out for labour. The local men of Aldington would not touch it.

Even those who worked on his land refused the task. Posting notices, distributing leaflets, sending out criers; all

these methods brought no response. Not an ablebodied man from Lydd to Dymchurch would volunteer.

Doctor Syn who liked to keep in touch with all events connected with the Marsh, rode over to Aldington to visit

Farmer Finn. He found him in an angry mood. Why, he demanded, should he be boycotted by local labour? He

would show them that they could not dictate to him in a matter concerning his property. He was aware that the work

was hard, but had he not raised the rate of pay to nearly double the amount which anyone else would offer? The

right of way over the top would save pedestrians a stiff climb if the Knoll was level ground. Knowing that the

height was used by the smugglers, he railed against the authorities for not having laid the Scarecrow by the heels. It

was obvious that this same Scarecrow must have issued a manifesto that the work should not go forward.

“I think it goes deeper than that,” suggested Doctor Syn. “You may scoff if you like, but people who live on or

about the sea are superstitious as a class, and you know the ancient curse that some say was laid upon the Knoll by

the Holy Maid of Kent.”

“Aye, I know she was a local celebrity in the days of Henry the Eighth,” sneered the farmer, “but she went to

death at Tyburn, a confessed fraud. Besides, I doubt very much whether it was she who uttered this ridiculous curse.

More likely some scoundrelly smuggler-chief , like this Scarecrow, who finds it so useful. If bad luck comes of its

removal, no doubt the ill-fortune will be mine to bear.”

“The labourers you have approached evidently fear the curse will fall on them,” said Doctor Syn.

“Well, I can tell you this, Reverend Sir,” replied Finn. “The Knoll goes down with their help or without it. I can

import men from another district, who will be glad enough to earn good money.”

“But there is another point about this vexed question, which you may not have considered,” went on Doctor Syn.

“Indeed I made this journey on purpose to discuss it with you. Captain Blain, who as you know is in charge of the

ferreting out of smugglers, and is staying at my Vicarage, informs me that the Knoll is given some importance upon

all Admiralty charts of the Channel coast. Now I know something of the Law, and realizing the power of the Naval

fellows in London, I should advise you to examine your ground very thoroughly before removing it. I mean it