CHAPTER VIII
When I came to the library the door stood partly open, and I could seea party of gentlemen lounging within, and somewhat boisterous overtheir wine and filberts; so thinking no harm to enter, I walked in andsat down on the arm of a leather chair by the window.
Nobody had observed me, however, and I was on the point ofrespectfully making known my presence to Sir William, when I sawWalter Butler rise and shut the door, taking the additional precautionto lock it. Turning to rejoin the company around the table, his darkgolden eyes fell upon me, and he stood still, one hand tightening onthe back of his chair.
"Well?" inquired Sir William, testily, looking up at Mr. Butler. "Whenyou are seated, sir, I will continue, unless I weary the company."
"If Mr. Cardigan has been here all this time, I, for one, was notaware of it," observed Mr. Butler, coldly, never taking his unblinkingeyes off me.
I began to explain to Sir William that I had but that moment came in,when he interrupted querulously, and motioned Mr. Butler to be seated.
"Tush! tush! Let be, let be, Captain Butler! My young kinsman has myconfidence, and it is time he should know something of what passes inhis own country."
"At sixteen," observed my Lord Dunmore, with a maudlin chuckle, "Iknew a thing or two, I'll warrant you--curse me if I didn't, SirWilliam!"
Sir John Johnson regarded me without interest; Colonel Claus nevereven troubled to give me a glance, but I saw the hawk's eyes of WalterButler watching me steadily.
"To resume," began Sir William, but Lord Dunmore broke out:
"At sixteen I had outlived you all--pierce me if I hadn't, now, SirWilliam! Scratch me raw! if I hadn't put a finger in the world'spudding, a-stirring the plums at sixteen, by God!"
"Doubtless, my Lord," said Sir William, dryly. "And now, gentlemen,concerning our show of force here, I have only to say--and I say itwith all respect and submission to Governor Tryon--that I do notbelieve it will produce that salutary effect on the discontented inNew York and Boston which Governor Tryon expects."
"Gad! I _do_ expect it!" said Tryon, briskly. "Look you, Sir William,you and your militia dominate the county, and these rascals must bebrought to understand it. Trust me, messires, the damned Yankees willknow of this militia display before the post rides into Boston!"
"Add our Mohawks to the militia," observed Walter Butler, in acolourless voice.
Sir William's jaw was set hard, but he said nothing.
"Add the whole Six Nations," suggested Lord Dunmore, leering at SirWilliam; "come, now! curse me blind! but we shall have the whole SixNations, and that filthy little Red Jacket to boot."
"My Lord," replied Sir William, "if it lay with your Lordship youwould have Red Jacket against you."
This blunt rebuke almost sobered Lord Dunmore for a moment, and heasked Sir William what he meant.
"I mean," said the Baronet, "that you mocked this powerful chief, RedJacket, at my table to-night, and he knew it. That is not the way togain allies, my Lord."
"The drunken, guzzling son of a slut!" bawled Lord Dunmore, "d'yethink I care what the bandy-legged little beast thinks?"
"I only know," replied Sir William, curtly, "that if your Lordship hasso conducted in Virginia, the King cannot look for any Indian supportin that colony."
"Oh, choke me, Sir William, but that's too bad now!--pinch me blue ifit isn't!" protested Lord Dunmore in a pet. Then a subtle smirksettled on his waxen cast of a face and he winked his weak eyes atWalter Butler, a proceeding observed by me and by Sir William.
Not for a moment now did I doubt that Lord Dunmore had set ColonelCresap to drive the Cayugas into a hatred for the colonies, nor did Idoubt but that Walter Butler knew of this plan, perhaps had evenconnived at it.
Sir William, too, had come to some quick conclusion, for I saw thecrease deepen around his jaws, and his steady eyes strike fire. But hesaid nothing to interrupt Lord Dunmore, who had now launched into agust of incoherent words and protestations and hiccoughs, to which alllistened sneeringly until his voice ended with a hollow buzz insidehis wine-glass.
There came a silence, broken by the clear sarcastic tones of SirWilliam.
"I beg permission to submit to Governor Tryon the opinion of a countryBaronet--for what that opinion may be worth."
"With pleasure," said Governor Tryon, cordially, looking up from theplate of nuts he was picking.
"And this is my opinion," continued Sir William, "that, firstly, thedisaffected classes in Boston and New York will not care a fig for ourconference here, nor for our show of militia; that, secondly, if theyshould once entertain a suspicion that England, in the event of war,proposes to employ savages as allies to subdue rebellion, we wouldhave to-morrow the thirteen colonies swarming like thirteen hives tosting us all to death--ay--and there would not be an Indian left twixthere and the Ohio!"
"What would become of them?" piped up Lord Dunmore, so innocently thatI saw Governor Tryon pass his hand over his mouth to conceal a smile.But Walter Butler's passionless voice was sounding now, and I saw SirWilliam turn his head to lose no gesture or shade of meaning.
"It is come to the point where either the rebels are to win over theIndians, or where we must take measures to secure their services. I amnot in a position to inform you, gentlemen, as to the actual existingconditions in the Indian Department. That, Sir William can do betterthan any one in America. Therefore, I beg Sir William to kindly makeit clear to us what chances we have to win the support of the SixNations--in the event of a rebel rising against the King's authority."
The tangled knot was cut, the cat had sprung from the bag. Yet nobodyby glance or word or gesture appeared to be aware of it.
Sir William's manner was perfectly composed, though that deep creasebinding his chin deepened, and his brows bent in towards his nose ashe rested his chin on his hand and spoke, eyes fixed on hiswine-glass:
"Captain Butler believes that it has come to this: that either thosein authority or the disaffected must seek allies among these savagehordes which hang like thunder-clouds along our frontiers. Gentlemen,I am not of that opinion. I have said openly, and I care not who knowsit, that if war must come between England and these colonies, let itbe a white man's war; in mercy, let it be a war between two civilizedpeoples, and not a butchery of demons!
"I do believe--and I say so solemnly and before God--that it ispossible to so conduct that these savages will remain neutral if warmust come. Ay, more! _I_ will answer for them!"
He lifted his eyes and looked straight at Lord Dunmore, raising hisvoice slightly, but betraying no passion.
"And, gentlemen, as I am his Majesty's intendant of Indian affairs inNorth America, I shall now do all that I can to pacify my wards, tokeep them calm and orderly in the event of a war which I, for one,regard with horror. Were I to do otherwise, I must account to my Kingfor a trust betrayed, and I must answer also to Him whom King andsubject alike account to."
On Walter Butler's lips a sneer twitched; my Lord Dunmore wiped hisbleared eyes with a rag of lace and stared at everybody with drunkengravity.
"I know not," said Sir William, slowly, "what true loyalty may be ifit be not to save the honour of our King, and rebuke those who seek totarnish it. And if there are now those among his counsellors ordeputies who urge him to seek these savages as allies, I say it is amonstrous thing and an inspiration from hell itself."
He swung on his elbow and fixed his eyes on Walter Butler.
"You, sir, know something of border war. How then can you propose tolet loose these Indians on the people of our colonies?"
"Lest they let loose these same savages on us," replied Mr. Butler,calmly.
Sir William frowned.
"You do not know the colonists, Mr. Butler," he said. "What marvelthen that my Lord North should misunderstand them, and think to buytheir loyalty with tuppence worth o' tea?"
"Come, come, Sir William!" cried Governor Tryon, laughing, and plainlyanxious to break the tension ere sharp words flew. "Did I not know youto t
he bone, sir, I should deem it my duty to catechise you concerningthe six articles of loyalty!"
"I, too, i' faith!" squeaked Lord Dunmore. "Skewer me! Sir William,but you talk like a Boston preacher--ay--that you do, and--"
"Have done, sir!" cut in Sir William, with such bitter contempt thatthe faces of all present sobered quickly. Even Governor Tryon glanceduneasily at Lord Dunmore to see how he might swallow such a pill, butthat nobleman only blinked stupidly and sucked his thin lips, toodrunk to understand how like a lackey he had been silenced.
Sir John Johnson and Colonel Claus, deputies to Sir William in theIndian Department, exchanged puzzled glances. But I noticed that Mr.Butler never took his eyes from Sir William's darkening visage.
"There is one more matter," said the Baronet, "that I may be pardonedfor introducing here amid all the perplexities of the times; but it isa matter touching on my own stewardship, and as that concerns my King,I deem it necessary to broach it."
He turned again deliberately on Lord Dunmore.
"It has come to my knowledge that certain unauthorized people aretampering with a distant tribe of my Cayuga Indians. I know not, nordo I care, what the motives of these men may be, but I protest againstit, and I shall do all in my power--without infringing on the rightsor laws of a sister colony--to protect my Cayugas from unlawfulaggression!"
"Damme!" gurgled Lord Dunmore, passing his jewelled hand over hisbefuddled head. "Damme, Sir William, d'ye mean to accuse me? Curseme! Skewer me! Claw me raw! but it is not fair," he snivelled. "No, itis not fair! Take your hands off my sleeve and be done a-twitching it,Captain Butler! Damme! I never set Cresap on. Will ye have donea-pinching my arm, Captain Butler?"
The ghastly humour of the exposure, the ludicrous self-conviction ofhis tipsy Lordship--for nobody had mentioned Cresap--the startlingdisclosure, too, of Walter Butler's interest in the plot--for that itwas a plot no longer could anybody doubt--cast a gloom over thecompany.
Every man present understood what Cresap's aggression meant; no manthere dared acknowledge a desire for Cresap's success.
Then Sir William's sarcastic voice pierced the silence.
"I trust your Lordship would not believe that any gentleman presentcould harbour suspicions of a foul conspiracy between your Lordshipand Captain Butler, to incite my Cayugas to attack white men!"
Walter Butler's slow eye rested on Lord Dunmore, on Sir William, andthen on me. But his bloodless visage never changed.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, let us have harmony here at any cost,"protested Governor Tryon, half in jest, half in earnest. "God knows Ihave discord enough in New York town without seeking it among theloyalists of this county. Nobody believes that my Lord Dunmore isseeking trouble with your tame Indians, Sir William. If this fellowCresap, who is a notorious malcontent, too, be imposing on theCayugas, I doubt not that my Lord Dunmore will recall him and dealwith him severely."
"No, I won't! Claw my vitals if I do!" snapped his Lordship, in thedrunken sulks, and straightway fell a-squabbling with Walter Butler,who had again laid a hand on his arm.
For Captain Butler knew his treachery had been discovered, and hisshameless impudence in openly attempting to muzzle his noble partnerin conspiracy passed all bounds of decency.
I saw the angry light glimmer in Sir William's eyes, and I knew itboded no good to Walter Butler, as far as his hope of Silver Heels wasconcerned. A fierce happiness filled me. So now, at last, Sir Williamwas discovering the fangs in his pet snake!
Lord Dunmore had succeeded in reversing a decanter of port overhimself and Colonel Claus, and the latter, mad as a wet cat, left theroom swearing audibly, while his playful Lordship threw a few glassesafter him and then collapsed in a soiled heap of silk and jewels,feebly calling on "Billy Tryon" to try and "conduc likeer--er--gen'l-m'n, b' God!"
Sir William was steadily staring at Walter Butler; I, too, had my eyeon him; and, when he left the table to saunter towards the door, SirWilliam rose immediately to follow him, and I after Sir William.
He saw us coming as he opened the door, and surveyed us with cooleffrontery as we joined him in the hallway.
"I shall not require your services hereafter as my secretary, CaptainButler," said Sir William. "Will you kindly hand your keys to me?"
"At your command, Sir William," replied Mr. Butler, drawing the keysfrom his pocket and presenting them with an ironical inclination.
The man's careless self-possession was marvellous considering he wasfacing the man he had so vilely betrayed.
"Mr. Butler," said Sir William, with reddening face, "I considermyself released from my consent to your union with my kinswoman, MissWarren!"
"As to that, sir," observed Captain Butler, cynically, "I shall takemy chances."
I heard what he said, but Sir William misunderstood him.
"It is your mischance, sir, to put no harsher interpretation on it.But my decision is irrevocable, Mr. Butler, for I have destined MissWarren to a loyal man, my kinsman, Michael Cardigan!"
The spasm that jerked Mr. Butler's mouth into that ghastly grimace Iknew so well, was not lost on Sir William.
"I'll take that chance, too," said Mr. Butler, bowing.
"What do you mean, sir?" demanded Sir William, steadying his voicewith an effort.
But Walter Butler only replied with such glare at me that Sir Williaminvoluntarily turned to find me, rigid, behind him. The next momentCaptain Butler passed noiselessly out into the starlight, wrappinghis black cloak around him.
Sir William followed him mechanically to the door, and I at his heels,burning for a quarrel with Walter Butler, and awaiting only for SirWilliam to return to the library, and leave me free to follow andinsult Mr. Butler for the treacherous villain he had proved himself.
But Sir William, seeing me slinking out, laid a hand on my shoulderand spun me sharply round on my heels to look into my eyes.
"Now what the devil are _you_ up to?" he broke out, half divining thetruth. "Michael! Michael! Don't be a fool! Are there not fools enoughhere to-night?"
"No, sir," I answered, sheepishly.
"That is not the way to serve me, lad," said Sir William, roughly."Have I not sorrow enough without seeing you carried in here with ahole in your breast, you meddlesome ass?"
"I have a certain score to clean off," I muttered.
"Oh," observed Sir William, coldly, "a selfish quarrel--eh? I was afond old fool to think I might count on you."
Tears started to my eyes; I could have bitten my tongue off.
"You can count on me, sir," I said, choking out the words. "I meant noharm; I am not selfish, sir; I care only for you."
"I know it, lad," he said, kindly. "And mind, I do not rebuke yourspirit; I only ask you to learn discretion. This is no time to settleprivate matters. No man in America has that right now, because everyman's life belongs to the country!"
"On which side, sir?" I faltered.
Sir William was silent for a while. Presently he took my arm and wewalked out under the stars.
"My boy," he said, sadly, "I cannot answer you, but I can placematters in a clear light for you. The decision must remain withyourself."
Then he told me how the Boston people had been taxed without theirconsent, but I could not see why they should not cheerfully give theirall to their King, and I said so.
"Very well," replied Sir William, gravely. "Let us approach the matterfrom your personal view. Here are you, young, vigorous, of goodlineage, and sure to succeed to your uncle's title and estate someday. You are, at sixteen, an officer of his Majesty's border cavalry;you have every prospect of promotion; the King remembers your father,Governor Tryon is your friend. And I, Michael, have decided to leaveyou, in my testament, sufficient to maintain you handsomely should youdesire to marry Felicity before your uncle's death. _That_, my boy, isthe _King's side_.
"Now suppose, from a high motive of duty, you should suddenly resolveto embrace the cause of the plain people. Could you renounce yourcommission in the King's army to shoulder a firelock,
perhaps astable-fork, in the ranks of your countrymen? Could you give up ease,hopes, position? Could you give up your friends and kinsmen? Could yougive up what sum I may leave you in my will? For Sir John would neverlet a penny of my money go to a rebel. Could you give up, if need be,the woman you loved? Think, and be not in haste to answer. For _that_is the _other_ side to embrace, with perhaps a hangman's rope at theend."
"Am I to answer you to-night, sir?" I asked.
"God forbid!" he said, solemnly.
"I will say this," said I; "that where my heart is, I would follow inrags. And my heart is with you, sir."
He stood still, drawing me closer, but said nothing more, for therecame running out of the darkness an officer with naked claymoreshining in the starlight, and when he drew near we saw it was Mr.Duncan.
"The Indian is gone!" he panted. "Gone away crazed with fever! Thedoctor lies in the hut with a broken shoulder; Quider crushed it inhis madness!"
Sir William swayed as though struck.
"The sentries chased him to the woods," continued poor Duncan, out ofbreath; "but he ran like a panther and--we had your orders not tofire. He will die, anyhow; the doctor says he will seek some creek orpond and die in the water like a poisoned rat. They are bringing thedoctor now."
Up out of the shadow loomed two soldiers, forming a litter with theirmuskets, on which sat our doctor, Pierson, head hanging. And when SirWilliam came to him he looked up with a sick grimace and shook hishead feebly.
"He broke those ropes as though they had been worsted," he said. "Itried to hold him down, but he had the strength of delirium, SirWilliam. I want that fat surgeon of the Royal Americans to set thisbone," he added, weakly, and fell a-groaning.
Mr. Duncan started on a run for the barracks; the soldiers and theinjured man passed on towards the guard-house, and Sir William stoodstaring after them.
Presently he said, aloud, "God's will be done on my poor country!"
We walked back to the house together. Some of the guests were leaving,but the card-room was still crowded, and in the library my LordDunmore lay on the carpet cursing and vomiting and shrieking that noman should put him to bed, and that he meant to crack another bottleor a dozen heads.
Here and there, out through the orchard, drunken Indians lurchedlodgeward, followed by their patient squaws; here and theresedan-chairs passed, the grunting bearers stepping lively in the brisknight wind.
Below the hill, in Johnstown, the court-house windows were stilltwinkling with lights, and when the wind set our way, we could hearthe distant strains of the brigade band playing for the dancers.
Sir William entered the hallway of his house and looked around. In acorner of one window sat Mrs. Hamilton and Mr. Bevan, somewhat closetogether; in another window were gathered Colonel Claus and his ladyand Sir John Johnson, whispering. Brant, surrounded by a bevy of fineladies, was turning over the pages of a book and answering questionsin polite monosyllables, for he had a quiet contempt for those whoregarded him as a curiosity, though susceptible enough to real homage.
"And out of all my house," murmured Sir William, in a bitter voice,"not one whom I can trust--not one!--not one!"
After a moment I plucked at his sleeve, reproachfully.
"Yes--I know--I know, my boy. But I need a man now--a man ofexperience, a man in bodily vigour, a man in devotion."
"You need a man to go to Colonel Cresap," I whispered. For the firstand only time in my life I saw that I had startled Sir William.
"Let me go, sir?" I entreated, eagerly. "If I am keen enough to readyour purpose, I am not too stupid to carry it out. I know what youwish. I know you cannot trust your message to paper, nor to a livingsoul except me. I know what to say to Colonel Cresap. Let me serveyou, sir, for I do long so to help you?"
We had fallen back to the porch again while I was speaking, SirWilliam holding me so tightly by the elbow that his clutch numbed myarm.
"I cannot," he muttered, under his breath. "To-morrow Dunmore will sethis spies to see that Cresap remains undisturbed. The Ohio trails willbe watched for a messenger from me. Who knows what Dunmore's andButler's men might do to carry out their designs on my Cayugas?"
"Dare they attack an officer in uniform?" I asked, astonished.
"What is there to prevent a shot in ambush? And are there no renegadesin Johnstown to hire?" replied Sir William, bitterly. "Why, the town'sfull of them, lad; men as desperate as Jack Mount himself."
"But I know the woods! You, yourself, sir, say I am a very Mohawk inthe woods!" I pleaded. "I fear no ambush, though the highwayman JackMount himself were after me. Have I not been twice to the Virginialine with Brant? Do you think I could fail to reach Cresap with thewhole forest as plain to me as the Stony Way below this hill? Andremember I carry no papers to be stolen. I could first go with beltsto the Cayugas, and tell the truth about Quider and his party. Then Iwould deliver the belts as you delivered them to Quider. Then I wouldfind Cresap and show him what a fool he is."
"And so serve the enemies of the King?" said Sir William, lookingkeenly at me.
"And so serve you, sir," I retorted, in a flash. "Are you an enemy tothe King?"
"But, my boy," said Sir William, huskily, "do you understand that youmust go alone on this mission?"
I sprang forward and threw my arms around him with a hug like a youngbear.
"Then I'm going! I'm going!" I whispered, enchanted, while he murmuredbrokenly that he could not spare me and that I was all he had onearth.
But I would not be denied; I coaxed him to my little bedroom, lightedthe candle, and made him sit down on my cot. Then I explainedexcitedly my purpose, and to prove that I knew the trails, I sharpenedmy treasured Faber pencil and made a drawing for him, noting everyford and carrying-place--which latter I proposed to avoid--and finallyhazarded a guess as to the exact spot where Colonel Cresap might befound.
Also, in pantomime and whispers, I rehearsed the part I meant to playbefore the Cayugas, making the speeches that Sir William had made toQuider, as nearly as I could remember, and delivering each belt indumb show and with all the dignity I could command, till I came to thelast, which, by mistake, I spoke of as a _red_ instead of _black_belt.
"Wait," interrupted Sir William, who had become deeply interested;"what is 'black' in the Mohawk tongue?"
"Kahonji," I replied, promptly.
"And in Onondaga?"
"Osuntah, sir."
"And in Cayuga?"
I hesitated, then blushed, for I did not know.
"Sweandaea," said Sir William, gravely; "how are you to bear mypeace-belts if you know not the red of war from the black of goodintent?"
"I should have said 'Hot-Kwah-Weyo'--_good_-red, not _war_-red," Ireplied, so naively that Sir William laughed outright.
"With such resourceful impudence," he said, "you cannot bemisunderstood among the Six Nations. It eases my mind to find youquick and ingenious in a tight place, lad. But, Michael, have a careto use no Delaware words, for that would render my Cayugassuspicious."
I promised eagerly, and we sat down together to go over the trail,mile by mile, computing the circles I should be obliged to take toavoid the carrying-places where spies were most to be feared.
"Dunmore rides South in a week," said Sir William. "But he will notwait till he reaches Virginia before he sends out his emissaries tourge Cresap on. You must beat them, lad, and go afoot at that."
"I can go the faster," said I. "Horses are useless in the Pennsylvaniabush until you reach Crown Gap. I take it that Lord Dunmore's men,being Virginians, will go mounted, and that gives me double time toreach Cresap."
And so we sat there together on the bed, planning, suggestingprecautions, counting the dangers and mischances only to discount themwith confidence in my knowledge of woodcraft, and the night wore ontill my candle sank into a lake of wax, trailing a long, flaringflame.
"There is one thing I have thought of," said I, soberly. "It is this:if I am going out as an enemy to the King, I cannot for shame aid meby wearing
the King's uniform. Therefore, with your approval, sir, Iwill go in my buckskins, unless you believe that, by this journey ofmine, I will benefit our King."
"Then," said Sir William, slowly, "you must go in your buckskins,lad."
The moment had come; I was face to face with it now.
"Am--am I to resign my commission in the Border Horse, sir?" Ifaltered. The prospect of the sacrifice choked my speech, and my heartswelled with a grief that sent the water to my eyes in spite of me.
Sir William considered me in silence, then broke out: "No, no! Notyet. Who knows but what this war may never break over us! No, no, myboy! Your errand is an errand of justice and mercy. I send you as myown messenger. It is my duty to protect my Cayugas, and it is yours toobey me. You may, for the present at least, retain your commission andyour sword with honour. It is Dunmore and Butler we are fighting now,not our King."
"I shall go in my buckskins, anyhow," I said, cheerfully, and thankfulthat the evil moment had been put off--that evil moment which I nowunderstood was surely coming for us both. He knew it, too; his facewas loose and seamed and gray and haggard; the light of the candle'ssmoky wick, swimming in wax, threw ghastly shadows over brow andcheeks.
As we sat there, my hand in his, staring at the phantoms of thatominous future, I heard Silver Heels come running up the stairs andstop at my door, calling out to Sir William.
When I opened the door she drew back scornfully, but, catching aglimpse of Sir William within, she marched past me and perched herselfon Sir William's knees, both arms around his neck.
What she whispered to him I could not hear, but he promptly shook hishead in refusal, and presently it came out that she was teasing to beallowed to go with a certain fat dame, Lady Shelton, and make amonth's stay with her at Pittsburg.
"I do so long to go," pleaded Silver Heels. "I have never beenanywhere, you know. And we are to have such rare pleasures at the Junerunning races, and there will be horses from Virginia and Maryland andNew York, and we are to have dancing every evening and a dinner givenfor me! Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I want to go so much! I truly do, sir, andI should be so happy and so thankful to you--"
"In Heaven's name, stop your chatter, Felicity!" cried Sir William,striving to undo her arms from his neck, but she only kissed him andclung so tightly and reproachfully that he gave up in sheer fatigue.
"Oh, go, then! Go, you little witch! And mind you take Betty with you!And mind that Aunt Mary provides for you ere you go!"
Silver Heels embraced him rapturously with a little shout of delight,and sped away to the nursery without a glance at me. What did I care?I had begun to dislike her cordially; I could afford to, now that shein her turn disliked Mr. Bevan.
I had also the savage satisfaction of remembering that she was free ofWalter Butler forever, and I observed her departure grimly. As for SirWilliam's new desire to see us wedded, I had not at all made up mymind. Besides, Silver Heels despised me, and I would not endure that.
Presently Sir William rose and walked out into the hallway, saying,with affected carelessness: "Then you will start before dawn,Michael?"
"Yes, sir," said I, cheerfully.
"I shall be in the library when you go. Stop there a moment."
His voice was quivering, but he did not flinch, and I heard himdescending the stairs towards the nursery where Mistress Molly wassaying: "What is all this about Felicity's journeying to Pittsburg,Sir William? Why, the child has no clothes that befit her rank andstation, dear, and the expense--"
"Tush! Who cares for the expense? If she's going she's got enough tostart with, and I'll send to New York, my dear. Of course I know ourlittle maid must outshine the rest o' them, Molly. Make a list forYork, and I'll send it by Billy Tryon."
Their voices were shut out with the nursery door closing, and I stoleback through the dark entry into my room and lighted another candle.
In the feverish delight of preparation, I gave little thought toSilver Heels. Excitement at the nearness of my departure proved alively antidote for sorrow--nay, the fever of anticipation burnt outregret and seared with its caustic the frail unopened bud of romance.
Silver Heels? Silver Heels? What did I care now? Let her live toregret it all--after I had gone! Let her live to marvel at mymysterious disappearance, and vainly seek to solve it until Ireturned, loaded with glory and importance. Then I might see her atFort Pitt. But what did I care? She couldn't marry Walter Butler; thedragoon Bevan belonged to Mrs. Hamilton; and now she was going toPittsburg to see the races and be rid of both Butler and Bevan. So allwas right everywhere; let the world spin on! As for me, I was off forglory and the green delight of the woodlands that I loved.
I made up my pack on the bed: a blanket, four pairs of Mohawkmoccasins, a change of flannels, a spare shirt, and three pairs ofknitted socks. Down in the store-room I found corn-meal, salt, andpork, and tied each in its sack. Powder and ball were to be had in theguard-house, so I ran across the grass and into the block-house whereWraxall, our sottish Johnstown barber, stood shaving Mr. Duncan.
"Better join me in a midnight shave!" he called out, as I darted pastand unhooked the keys of the magazine from the brass nail over thefireplace.
When I returned with the powder and bullets I weighed them in theguard-house scales and gave Mr. Duncan a written receipt for them.
"Come! come! Mr. Cardigan," he said, "would you kill deer in May? Whatthe deuce do you want of all this powder? Nobody has dug up anywar-hatchets that I know of."
Wraxall, who was strapping his razor, looked at me curiously. Iignored Mr. Duncan's banter and plumped myself into the chair where hehad been sitting.
"A close shave for Mr. Cardigan!" said Mr. Duncan, holding hisdripping face over the barber's basin. "Unless," he added, politely,"the gentleman desires you to leave his mustachios a la Francaise."
My face being as smooth as a girl's, the barber sneered, but I badehim lather me deep and have a care to follow grain. I cared not a whitfor Mr. Duncan's mirth, I was too happy, and when Wraxall had scrapedme well, I ordered him to shear off my hair.
"Piteous Heaven!" exclaimed Mr. Duncan. "Nay, barber!--spare thatqueue!"
"Off it drops!" said I, briskly. "Now get the hair-powder out, andtrim my hair to a crop, Wraxall! Whew! man, don't breathe on me, youmalt-worm! I don't want to get drunk, I want a cropped head!"
"Shaved for a wig, sir?" demanded Wraxall, sulkily, fiddling with hisshears.
"No, no," I replied, hastily, while Mr. Duncan roared with laughter;"I don't desire a shaved pate, my friend. Cut it a la coureur-de-bois!"
"Do you expect to take the King's highway with Jack Mount?" asked Mr.Duncan. But I refused to be drawn out, and finally he went away withhis curiosity on tenter-hooks and none the wiser.
When Wraxall had shorn me and removed the powder from my hair, Igathered up my ammunition and provisions and hastened back to thehouse. The place was dark save for a light in the library. I felt myway up the stairs and into my chamber, where I first filledbullet-pouch and powder-horn, then rolled the spare ammunition andprovisions into my pack and buckled the load tightly.
Now, rapidly undressing, I donned a new hunting-shirt and leggings,first making sure that the fringe had not been weakened by mice, toleave me without cords should I need them. Over my shoulders I slungpowder-horn and bullet-pouch, slipped hatchet and hunting-knife intothe clout pockets, and then took my rifle from the corner andunwrapped the deer-hide case.
Thrice I tested the flint, pouring a little powder into the pan, andthrice the pan flashed, and the ball of vapour shot up to the ceiling.So all was ready. I lingered only to buckle my money-belt under myshirt, pouch a dozen new flints and a case of wadding, then hoisted mypack to my shoulders, strapped it on the hips, blew out the candle,and stole into the hallway, trailing my rifle.
Passing the door of Silver Heels's chamber, my heart suddenly grewtender and I hesitated. But the memory of her many misdeeds hardenedit immediately, and I went on, tasting contentedly of a perverseresentment which smack
ed pleasantly of martyrdom. All asses, they say,are born to martyrdom.
I crept past the nursery without accident, but barked my shins on thestocks in the hallway. Yet Mistress Molly did not awake--or was itthat she knew what errand I was bound on? Perhaps. Still, to this dayI do not know whether or not Sir William had confided in her. God resther! I never saw her again.
I went softly through the lower hall, through the card-room, andtapped at the library door. It was opened without a sound.
We gazed silently at each other for a long time. I, for one, could nottrust myself to speak. All the joy and exhilaration of adventure hadsuddenly left me; I felt the straps of my pack straining my shoulders,but the burden on my back was not as heavy as my heart's full load.
He seemed so old, so tired, so gray; his eyes had acquired thatpeering look which one notices in faces scored by care. What a blighthad come upon him in these few weeks! Where was that ruddy glow, thatfull swell of muscle as he moved, that clear-eyed, full-frontedpresence that I knew so well! How old his hands appeared under thecuff's limp lace; how old his loose face, all in ashy seams; how oldhis slow eyes--how old, old, old!
He rose as though his back, instead of mine, bore the burden, andtogether, without a word, we passed through the dark house and out tothe porch. Dawn silvered the east, but the moon in its first quarterlay afloat in the western clouds, and a few stars looked down througha sky caked with frosted fleece.
He embraced me in silence, holding me a long time to his breast, yetnever a word was said, and never a sound fell on the night air save mydesperate gulps to crush back the sob that strained in my throat.
Presently I was conscious that I had left him, and was running fastthrough the darkness, blind as a bat for the tears, breathless, too,for, as I halted and turned to look back, far away against the dawn Isaw our house as a black mass, with a single candle twinkling in thebasement. So I knew Sir William still kept his vigil in the library.
The streets of Johnstown were dark, save for the rare lanthorns of thewatchmen, but there seemed to be many people abroad, most of themnoisy and quarrelsome. To tell the truth, I had never before seen somuch swaggering and drunkenness in Johnstown, and I marvelled at it asI hastened on. Once, as I passed a tavern, two men, journeying inopposite directions, hailed each other with a new phrase: "Greeting,friend! God save our country!" At which a drunken soldier from thetavern bawled out: "God save our country--eh? That's the Bostonrebels' password! God save the King and damn the country!--youyellow-bellied Whigs!"
A small crowd gathered, but I hastened on; yet behind me I heard oathsand blows and cries of: "Lobster! Tory! Kill the red-coat!" Andeverywhere along the street windows were raised and men looked out, someshouting: "Rebel!" "Traitor!" or "Bloody-back!" "Tea-sot--toss-pot!"and some called for the watch.
Many people began to rush hither and thither. A little peddler gotunder my feet and fell sprawling and squealing till I picked him upand set him on his legs. He was a small Hebrew man, Saul Shemuel, whocame a-peddling often to our servants; but in his terror he did notknow me, and he fled madly into Rideup's Tavern with a soldier afterhim, vowing he'd have one rebel scalp even though it were a Jewishone.
I had no time to linger, yet behind me I heard a sharp fight begin atRideup's Tavern, which is another pot-house much frequented by Bostonmen. Presently as I climbed the hill I heard the drums at theguard-house beating the alarm, and I knew the fray would soon end withthe patrol's arrival from their barracks.
But what had come over our staid towns-people and farmers and tenantsthat they should damn each other for rebels and Tories? It amazed meto see old neighbours shaking their fists out of windows and cursingone another with such extraordinary and unnecessary fury.
Truly, if in our village this question of tuppence worth o' tea drovemen mad, what wonder Sir William and Governor Tryon should frown andshake their heads over a pinch o' snuff?
But I was to leave all this trouble behind me now. Already the mistywilderness loomed up in the south, vague as a ghostly vision in themoon's beams. Ah, my woods!--my dear, dear woods! One plunge into thatdim, sweet shadow and what cared I for King or rebel or any woman whoever lived?