If Marbury had played for effect, he could not have done it better.  
For an instant, no one spoke—no one even stirred. Then, the Governor recovered himself.
 
"My God! man! do you realize what you have said?" he exclaimed.
 
"I do," said Marbury; "and I am ready to prove it." He strode to the window. "Let Jamison and his mate come in!" he shouted.
 
At the same time, the Governor raised his voice.
 
"Herford!" he called, "the guard! the guard!—Your pardon, sir," addressing Brandon, "but the seriousness of the charge obligates it."
 
De Lysle had sprung up in indignation; Brandon stayed him with a gesture.
 
"I understand," he said, crossing his legs, with unconcern. "It is a proper precaution. If I were Long-Sword, there might be need for them. As I am not he, I must ask Mr. Marbury to produce his evidence at once. It is scarcely fitting, that Sir Charles Brandon rest under an imputation so serious, an instant longer than is required to disprove it."
 
"Let Jamison, and the mate, wait in the outer room until required," said Colonel Sharpe, to Herford who, at that moment, appeared at the head of[Pg 321] the guard.—"Now, Mr. Marbury, we are ready to hear your proofs."
 
"Your Excellency knows of the attack on Hedgely Hall," Marbury said, "and the capture of their leader, who, by his own admission to me, was Long-Sword—also, of his escape, after killing his guard. I had every chance to observe him, during the long colloquy concerning ransom, and, afterward, on the ship. The voice, the face, the build, every action of the man is the same. I identify him, beyond question. And more, I have had no communication with Jamison and his mate, their ship brought me here, and I have sent for them—I have not seen them. They have never seen Sir Charles Brandon. I am willing to submit the case on their testimony. Let them confront him. If they do not sustain me, I will withdraw the charge, and apologize, most humbly."
 
The Governor turned to Herford, who, sword drawn, was standing by the closed door, and nodded for him to admit Jamison.
 
The skipper entered, hesitatingly, and halted just within the room. The soldiers, the Governor's mansion, the unfamiliar surroundings, the sudden summons, the mystery of it all had produced their natural result. He was frightened.
 
"Jamison," said Colonel Sharpe, "will you do us the favor to look at the gentleman, immediately on your left, and tell us whether you have ever seen him."
 
[Pg 322]
 
The skipper turned, slowly; at the same instant, Marbury threw back the hangings from the window, and the morning sun flooded the apartment.
 
"Good God!" he exclaimed, starting back. "It is Long-Sword! Long-Sword the Pirate!"
 
"That will do," said the Governor; "stand aside. Now, summon the mate."
 
He also entered, slowly, as though doubtful of his reception, his hat held nervously in his fingers, his eyes shifting rapidly from side to side, yet appreciating nothing. When the Governor spoke, he jumped as though he had been struck, instead, and the question had to be repeated before he understood its tenor. Then he wheeled, suddenly—and came face to face with Brandon.
 
Instantly, he let out a yell, and sprang clear to the other side of the room.
 
"Long-Sword! Long-Sword!" he cried.
 
Brandon laughed, lightly.
 
"Long-Sword must have been the very devil!" he said. Then, he became grave. "Surely, your Excellency will not view too seriously what must be a very striking resemblance between this pirate and myself. But, that you may be relieved of all embarrassment, I am willing to go to England under guard. There, that I am Sir Charles Brandon can be instantly attested by any one at Court, his Majesty, himself, included. If you do this, I will give you, in addition, my parole that I will not seek to escape."
 
[Pg 323]
 
"Why should you do it?" exclaimed De Lysle, seeing the play, and seeking to aid it.
 
"Because it is proper that I should aid his Excellency in his perplexity," Brandon said. "Three witnesses name me as Long-Sword; it is absurd, and the quickest way to prove the absurdity is to send me home for identification. It is the penalty I pay, for being a pirate's double."
 
"Will you be satisfied, if I send him to England under guard?" the Governor asked Marbury.
 
"No, I am not satisfied," was the answer. "He may, in truth, be Sir Charles Brandon, but that does not prevent him from being Long-Sword, too. By his own admission (I heard it, as I stood in the outer room), he has not been home for four years, and he has had no word from England in the interim. Why?—Why?—Where has he been these four years?—what doing? It is just about that period since Long-Sword the Pirate appeared. Strange coincidence, is it not, when you consider the resemblance?—and the further fact, that he is discreetly silent as to his whereabouts during these four years. I was willing to let him go, when he escaped. I wanted no further bother concerning him. But, when he actually has the effrontery to invade your Excellency's house, as a guest, and impose upon the good people of this Province, I say, let him be punished. No, sir, I am not satisfied to have him sent home, and then released, if he be identified as Brandon."
 
[Pg 324]
 
The Governor nodded, gravely.
 
"What have you to say, monsieur, to the proposition, that you could be both Sir Charles Brandon and Long-Sword?" he asked.
 
Brandon raised his hands, expressively.
 
"That may be true," said he. "But an English gentleman, of means, is not likely to become a pirate."
 
"Your Excellency," said Jamison, coming a step forward, "might I be permitted to say something?"
 
Colonel Sharpe turned to him, with a frown.
 
"Speak up!" he said, shortly. "What is it?"
 
"Long-Sword had a collar-bone broken in the fight, when he was captured—" began Jamison.
 
"And you mean, that there may be evidence of it?" the Governor interrupted. "Very good!—Brandon, will you submit to examination?"
 
"Certainly, sir! I shall be glad to let either you or Mr. Maynadier inspect my shoulders. Why did you not speak of this sooner, fellow?" he added.
 
It was the evidence he had been hoping for—had, indeed, depended on to establish his innocence. And they had been long in coming to it! The bones had knit as neatly as before the break.
 
"And when you are about it," added Jamison, "you might look for a star-shaped birth-mark, under the left arm. I noticed it, when I bound up his injury. If it is not there, then he is not Long-Sword."
 
[Pg 325]
 
"Very good! my man, they may look for the birth-mark, too," said Brandon.
 
He crossed to the window, where the sun would fall full upon him, divesting himself of his coat as he went; glanced out at the turf, below, tossed the coat, carelessly, on a chair, and, putting one hand on the ledge, suddenly vaulted through the opening.
 
It was so totally unexpected, that, for an instant, no one moved. Then Captain Herford, with a shout to his men to follow, bounded across the room, and leaped out in pursuit.
 
Brandon had slipped on the gr............