Page 215 - A Jacobite Exile

Chapter 12

: Treed By Wolves.

Charlie and Stanislas were, that evening, sitting apart from the rest, at a
short distance from the fire, talking over the future. They agreed that it

would be comparatively easy to withdraw from the band as they journeyed
forward, if, as seemed likely, they travelled in very small parties. If, indeed,

they found themselves with two others, they could leave openly, for these
would scarcely care to enter upon a desperate struggle, merely for the sake
of retaining two unwilling companions in the band.

The difficulties would only begin when they started alone. As they were

talking, the captain came across to them.

"I can guess," he said, "that you are talking together as to the future. I like

you, young Englishman, and I like your companion, who seems an honest
fellow, but I would not keep you with me by force. I understand that you

are not placed as we are. We have to live. Most of us would live honestly if
we could, but at present it is the choice of doing as we do, or starving. We
occasionally take a few crowns, if we come across a fat trader, or may ease

a rich farmer of his hoard, but it is but seldom such a chance comes in our
way. As a rule, we simply plunder because we must live. It is different with

you. Your friends may be far away, but if you can get to them you would
have all that you need. Therefore, this life, which is hard and rough, to say
nothing of its danger, does not suit you; but for all that, you must stay with

us, for it would be madness for you to attempt to escape.

"As I told you, the peasants are maddened, and would kill any passing
stranger as they would a wild beast. They would regard him as a spy of
some band like ours, or of a company of disbanded soldiers, sent forward to

discover which houses and villages are best worth plundering. In your case,
you have other dangers to fear. You may be sure that news has been sent

from Warsaw to all the different governors, with orders for your arrest for
killing Ben Soloman, and these orders will be transmitted to every town
and village. Your hair and eyes would at once betray you as strangers, and