IX.
MAGGIE AND THE ROBBERS.
"We are going out of here together," said Mario; "but John and I willconduct you only to the door of the hut. Thence we shall return to theflatboat, and all that two men can do to save our fortune shall be done.You, monsieur, have enough to do to take care of your daughters. To you,M. Carpentier--to you, son Celestino, I give the care of these women andchildren."
"I can take care of myself," said Maggie.
"You are four, well armed," continued Mario. (My father had his gun andpistols.) "This dog is worth two men. You have no risks to run; thedanger, if there be any, will be with the boat. Seeing us divided, theymay venture an attack; but one of you stand by the window that faces theshore. If one of those men in the hut leaves it, or shows a wish to do so,fire one pistol-shot out of the window, and we shall be ready for them;but if you are attacked, fire two shots and we will come. Now, forward!"
We went slowly and cautiously: 'Tino first, with a lantern; then the Irishpair and child; then Mario, leading his two younger boys, and Celeste,with her daughter asleep in her arms; and for rear-guard papa with one ofus on each arm, and Joseph with his precious burden. The wind and theirregularities of the ground made us stumble at every step. The rainlashed us in the face and extorted from time to time sad lamentations fromthe children. But, for all that, we were in a few minutes at the door ofthe hovel.
"M. Carpentier," said Mario, "I give my family into your care." Josephmade no answer but to give his hand to the Italian. Mario strode away,followed by Gordon.
"Knock on the door," said Joseph to 'Tino. The boy knocked. No sound washeard inside, except the growl of a dog.
"Knock again." The same silence. "We can't stay here in this beatingrain; open and enter," cried Carpentier. 'Tino threw wide the door and wewalked in.
There was but one room. A large fire burned in a clay chimney that almostfilled one side of the cabin. In one corner four or five chickens showedtheir heads. In another, the woman was lying on a wretched pallet in allher clothes. By her slept the little creature Suzanne had found, herribbon still on her frock. Near one wall was a big chest on which anotherchild was sleeping. A rough table was in the middle, on it some dirty tinplates and cups, and under it half a dozen dogs and two little boys. Inever saw anything else like it. On the hearth stood the pot and skillet,still half full of hominy and meat.
Kneeling by the fire was a young man molding bullets and passing them tohis father, seated on a stool at a corner of the chimney, who threw theminto a jar of water, taking them out again to even them with the handle ofa knife. I see it still as if it was before my eyes.
The woman opened her eyes, but did not stir. The dogs rose tumultuously,but Tom showed his teeth and growled, and they went back under the table.The young man rose upon one knee, he and his father gazing stupidly at us,the firelight in their faces. We women shrank against our protectors,except Maggie, who let go a strong oath. The younger man was frightfullyugly; pale-faced, large-eyed, haggard, his long, tangled, blonde hair onhis shoulders. The father's face was written all over with depravity andcrime. Joseph advanced and spoke to him.
"What the devil of a language is that?" he asked of his son in English.
"He is asking you," said Maggie, "to let us stay here till the storm isover."
"And where do you come from this way?"
"From that flatboat tied to the bank."
"Well, the house isn't big nor pretty, but you are its masters."
Maggie went and sat by the window, ready to give the signal. Pat sank ather feet, and laying his head upon Tom went straight to sleep. Papa satdown by the fire on an inverted box and took me on one knee. With her headagainst his other, Suzanne crouched upon the floor. We were silent, ourhearts beating hard, wishing ourselves with mamma in St. James. Joseph setAlix upon a stool beside him and removed her wrapping.
"Hello!" said the younger stranger, "I thought you were carrying a child.It's a woman!"
An hour passed. The woman in the corner seemed to sleep; Celeste, too,slumbered. When I asked Suzanne, softly, if she was asleep, she wouldsilently shake her head. The men went on with their task, not speaking. Atlast they finished, divided the balls between them, put them into aleather pouch at their belt, and the father, rising, said:
"Let us go. It is time."
Maggie raised her head. The elder man went and got his gun and loaded itwith two balls, and while the younger was muffling himself in an oldblanket-overcoat such as we give to plantation negroes, moved towards thedoor and was about to pass out. But quicker than lightning Maggie hadraised the window, snatched a pistol from her belt, and fired. The two menstood rooted, the elder frowning at Maggie. Tom rose and showed two rowsof teeth.
"What did you fire that pistol for? What signal are you giving?"
"That is understood at the flatboat," said Maggie, tranquilly. "I was tofire if you left the house. You started, I fired, and that's all."
"----! And did you know, by yourself, what we were going to do?"
"I haven't a doubt. You were simply going to attack and rob the flatboat."
A second oath, fiercer than the first, escaped the man's lips. "You talkthat way to me! Do you forget that you're in my power?"
"Ah! Do you think so?" cried Maggie, resting her fists on her hips. "Ah,ha, ha!" That was the first time I ever heard her laugh--and such a laugh!"Don't you know, my dear sir, that at one turn of my hand this dog willstrangle you like a chicken? Don't you see four of us here armed to theteeth, and at another signal our comrades yonder ready to join us in aninstant? And besides, this minute they are rolling a little cannon up tothe bow of the boat. Go, meddle with them, you'll see." She lied, but herlie averted the attack. She quietly sat down again and paid the scoundrelnot the least attention.
"And that's the way you pay us for taking you in, is it? Accuse a man ofcrime because he steps out of his own house to look at the weather? Well,that's all right." While the man spoke he put his gun into a corner,resumed his seat, and lighted a cob pipe. The son had leaned on his gunduring the colloquy. Now he put it aside and lay down upon the floor tosleep. The awakened children slept. Maggie sat and smoked. My father,Joseph, and 'Tino talked in low tones. All at once the old ruffian tookhis pipe from his mouth and turned to my father.
"Where do you come from?"
"From New Orleans, sir."
"How long have you been on the way?"
"About a month."
"And where are you going," etc. Joseph, like papa, remained awake, butlike him, like all of us, longed with all his soul for the end of thatnight of horror.
At the first crowing of the cock the denizens of the hut were astir. Thefather and son took their guns and went into the forest. The fire wasrelighted. The woman washed some hominy in a pail and seemed to haveforgotten our presence; but the little girl recognized Alix, who took fromher own neck a bright silk handkerchief and tied it over the child's head,put a dollar in her hand, and kissed her forehead. Then it was Suzanne'sturn. She covered her with kisses. The little one laughed, and showed theturban and the silver that "the pretty lady," she said, had given her.Next, my sister dropped, one by one, upon the pallet ten dollars, amazingthe child with these playthings; and then she took off her red belt andput it about her little pet's neck.
My father handed me a handful of silver. "They are very poor, my daughter;pay them well for their hospitality." As I approached the woman I heardJoseph thank her and offer her money.
"What do you want me to do with that?" she said, pushing my hand away."Instead of that, send me some coffee and tobacco."
That ended it; I could not pay in money. But when I looked at the poorwoman's dress so ragged and torn, I took off [J'autai] my shawl, which waslarge and warm, and put it on her shoulders,--I had another in theboat,--and she was well content. When I got back to the flatboat I senther some chemises, petticoats, stockings, and a pair of shoes. The shoeswere papa's. Alix also sent her three skirts and two chemises, and Suzannetwo old dresses
and two chemises for her children, cutting down what wastoo large. Before quitting the hut Celeste had taken from her two ladstheir knitted neckerchiefs and given them to the two smaller boys, andMaggie took the old shawl that covered Pat's shoulders and threw it uponthe third child, who cried out with joy. At length we returned to ourvessel, which had triumphantly fought the wind and floating trees. Mariotook to the cabin our gifts, to which we added sugar, biscuits, and a sackof pecans.