CHAPTER XX
WE ARRIVE AT A CRISIS
I remained there, pressed into one corner, unable to move, scarcelyventuring to breathe, her skirt brushing my leg, the strands of herhair, loosened by the night wind, almost in my face. She was gazingstraight out into the night, utterly unconscious of my presence, sodeeply buried in her own trouble that all else seemed as nothing. For amoment she remained motionless, silent; then her hands pressed againsther forehead, and her lips gave utterance to a single exclamation:
"Oh, God! I can never, never stand it! What shall I do?"
Perhaps I moved, perhaps some sense of the occult revealed my presence,for she turned swiftly, with a sharp gasp of the breath, and lookedstraight into my eyes. The recognition was instant, bewildering, a shockwhich left her speechless, choking back the cry of alarm which rose intoher throat. She gripped the rail and stared as though at a ghost.
"Don't cry out," I entreated quickly. "Surely you know whom I am."
"Yes, yes," struggling to regain her voice. "I--know; but why are youhere? How long have you been here?"
"It is a story too complex to repeat," I said earnestly, "but I havebeen here since your father first came--don't blame me, for I couldn'tget away."
"Then--then you heard--"
"Yes; I heard everything. I tried not to; I pledge you my word it wasall an accident. I was here for another purpose, a military purpose. Idid not even know this was your home. I am trapped on this balcony, anddare not attempt to get away--I had to listen. You will believe whatI say?"
I was pleading so desperately that she stopped me, one hand grasping mysleeve.
"Yes, of course. I am sure you could never do that purposely. But I donot know what to say, how to explain. You must go at once. Can you notrealize my position if you are discovered here? What--what Captain LeGaire would say?"
"Very easily," my voice insensibly hardening at the memory, "and Ishould like to remain to meet him, if that were the only danger. No,please stand exactly where you are, Miss Hardy, so as to keep me in theshadow. Thank you. There is a man sitting on a bench yonder just withinthe orchard. He has been there for the last twenty minutes, and it ishis presence which has made it impossible for me to get away. Can Iescape in any manner through the house?"
She shook her head, her glance wandering from the lighted room out againinto the night.
"No; there is only the one door."
"Who are here besides Le Gaire and your father?"
"A half-dozen officers, two from the Louisiana regiment, the restbelonging to the staff; they are just ending up a feast in thedining-room."
"And is the house under guard?"
She hesitated, looking me now squarely in the eyes, her face clearlyrevealed as the light from within fell upon it.
"Why do you ask?--for military reasons?"
"No; that is all passed and gone. We came hoping to capture GeneralJohnston, as scouts informed us this was his headquarters for the night.But he is not here, and you will do your cause no harm by telling meall I ask."
"I do not think there are any guards posted," she answered, convincedthat I spoke the truth. "I have not been out, but I am sure there are nosoldiers about the place, except the officers' servants at the stablewith the horses. The general departed before dark, and took hisbodyguard with him."
She had no reason to deceive me, and her sincerity was beyond question.This was better than I had dared hope, and instantly a new plan leapedinto my mind, the very audacity of which made me gasp. Yet it mightwork, carried out with sufficient boldness, although only to be resortedto as a last desperate necessity. As I stood there, revolving this newthought swiftly through my mind, the old fear seemed to return to her.
"Did--did you hear--everything?" she asked again.
"I am afraid I did," I confessed humbly, "but I am going to forget."
"No, that is not necessary. I am not sure I am altogether sorry that youoverheard."
"But I am--at least, a part of what I overheard struck me rather hard."
"What was that?"
"Your reference to me. Billie, I had been dreaming dreams."
Her eyes dropped, the long lashes shading them.
"But I had previously warned you," she said at last, very soberly. "Youknew how impossible such a thought was; you were aware of myengagement."
"Yes, and I also knew Le Gaire. All I hoped for was time, sufficienttime for you to discover his character. He is no bug-a-boo to me anylonger, nor shall any tie between you keep me from speaking. As I havetold you I did not come here expecting to meet you--not even knowingthis was your home--yet you have been in my mind all through the night,and what has occurred yonder between you and that fellow has set mefree. Do you know what I mean to do?"
"No, of course not; only--"
"Only I must believe what you said about me to him; only I must continueto respect an agreement which has been wrung out of you by threat. Irefuse to be bound. I know now the one thing I wanted most to know,Billie--that you do not love him. Oh, you can never make me thinkthat again--"
"Stop!" and she was looking straight at me again. "I shall listen to youno longer, Lieutenant Galesworth. I cannot deny the truth of much whichyou have said, but it is not generous of you to thus take advantage ofwhat was overheard. It was merely a quarrel, and not to be takenseriously. He is coming back, and--and I am going to marry him."
There was a little catch in her voice, yet she finished the sentencebravely enough, flinging the words at me in open defiance.
"When? To-night?"
"Yes, immediately, as soon as Captain Le Gaire can confer with myfather."
I smiled, not wholly at ease, yet confident I knew her struggle.
"You might deceive some one else, Miss Billie," I said quietly, "andperhaps if I were not here this programme might indeed be carried out--Ibelieve Le Gaire is cur enough to insist upon it. But I am here, and youare not going to marry him, unless you tell me with your own lips thatyou love the man."
She stared into my eyes, as though doubting my sanity.
"Will you consent to say that?"
"I deny your right to even ask."
"Yet I shall take silence as a negative, and act accordingly. No, youwill not hate me for it; you may imagine you do for the moment, but thetime will come when your heart will thank me for interference, forsaving you from a foolish sacrifice. You do not love Le Gaire; youcannot look me in the eyes and say that you do."
"You are impertinent, ungentlemanly. I simply refuse to answer aquestion you have no right to ask."
"I assume the right in accordance with a law as old as man."
"What law?"
"The law of love," I returned earnestly, "the love of a man for the onewoman."
I could see her slight form sway as the full significance of these wordscame to her; her cheeks flamed, but there was no shadowing of her eyes.
"I am going in, Lieutenant Galesworth," she said finally, drawing backto the open window. "You have forgotten yourself, forgotten therespect due me."
"But I have not, Billie," and in my earnestness I neglected all caution,stepping forward into the full glare of light. "The highest respect isthe basis of true love, and, little girl, I love you."
She clung to the frame of the window, rendered speechless by myaudacity, struggling with herself.
"Oh, don't say that! I cannot listen; I must not. Believe me, LieutenantGalesworth, I do not altogether blame you, for I have been indiscreet,foolish. I--I have not meant to be; I merely endeavored to prove kindand friendly, never once dreaming it would come to this. Now it mustend, absolutely end; even if you despise me for a heartless coquette,there is no other way. My path is laid out for me, and I must walk init. It may not be altogether pleasant, but I made my choice, and it istoo late now for retreat. I want you to help me, not make itany harder."
"By going away, you mean? By leaving you to be coerced?"
"I was not coerced; it was my own free choice."
We were both
so interested as to forget everything except ourselves,utterly oblivious to the situation, or to what was occurring without. Myeyes were upon her face, endeavoring to read the real truth, and I knewnothing of the two men at the edge of the orchard. Like a shot out ofthe night broke in a voice:
"Billie, who is that you have with you?"
I saw her reel against the side of the window, every trace of colordeserting her face, her eyes staring down into the darkness. She gaspedfor breath, yet answered, before a thought flashed through my brain:
"Only a friend, papa. Did you suppose I would consent to remain alonelong?"
"Le Gaire said he just left you."
She leaned out over the rail, half concealing me from view.
"Oh, that must have been fifteen minutes ago," and she laughed. "It isnever safe to leave me as long as that. You know that, papa, and now Iwarn Captain Le Gaire."
The older man echoed her laugh, striking his companion lightly on theshoulder.
"I fear the little witch is right, Gerald," he said pleasantly. "Come,we'll go in, and uncover the whole conspiracy."
Their backs were toward us, and she straightened up, grasping me by thehand. She was shaking from head to foot, even her voice trembled.
"You must not be found here, and we have but a moment. Drop to theground as soon as they turn the corner. Don't hesitate; don'tcompromise me."
"But what will you tell them?"
"Oh, I do not know--anything that comes into my head. Don't mind me,I'll take care of myself."
"But you will not; that is the whole trouble--if I go now I lose youforever. Billie, let me stay!"
She broke from me, stepping back into the room, yet there was a look inher eyes which made me desperate. She did not love Le Gaire, shedespised him. I was certain of that, and more than half convinced herheart was already mine. Should I run from the fight like a coward, sneakaway in the night, leaving her to be sacrificed? The very thoughtsickened me. Better to meet the issue squarely--and I believed I knewhow it could be done. I grasped the curtain, drew it down twice insignal, and stepped into the room.
"I am going to take command here now, Billie," I said with newsternness. "All you need to do is obey orders."