CHAPTER XIII
A DECIDED DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
If Homer Passford was not a rich man in the sense that his brother was,he was still a wealthy man, and lived in a style as elegant as that ofany nabob in the South. More than this, and of vastly more consequence,he was a good and true man. He was a member of his church, and hisbrother believed that he was a genuine and true religious man. The sameprinciples of justice, humanity, and fairness had been born into both ofthe brothers, and inherited from the same father.
This was the brother whom he from the North was about to visit on themost solemn and momentous questions which could unite or separate theonly two sons of the same father. Though Horatio had reasoned himselfinto the belief that Homer was as strongly a Union man as he washimself, he had argued without any adequate premises; and now, when hewas almost on the threshold of his door, he did not feel sure of theposition of his brother, though his hope was very strong.
It was with no little trepidation on this account that he rang the bellat the front door of Glenfield. A few minutes or an hour or two wouldsettle the momentous question, and decide whether or not all the family,as well as Florry, would take passage in the Bellevite for a moreNorthern clime.
"De Lo'd!" exclaimed the venerable colored man that came to the door."De hull family done be wery glad to see you, Massa 'Ratio."
"I hope you are very well, Pedro," replied Captain Passford, as he gavehis hand to the old servant. "Here is Christy."
"De Lo'd bless Massa Christy!" And he shook hands with the son as he hadwith the father.
"Is your master at home, Pedro?" asked the visitor, in haste to see hisbrother.
"Yes, sar; all de folks to home; jes' gwine to lunch. I spects dey allwery glad to see Massa 'Ratio and Massa Christy. Walk in, sar; took aseat in de parlor; and I done reckon we call Massa Homer and de rest obde folks afore you gits to sleep in yer char, thar," said Pedro, as hescurried out of the room where he had shown the visitors.
It was Florry who caught the first sound of the visitors who hadarrived, and she rushed into the drawing-room before the others could becalled from up-stairs. She bounded into the room like a fawn, with hereyes swimming with tears, and threw herself into her father's arms. Shecould not speak a word, and the captain was as dumb as she was.
For a moment she remained folded in his arms, and then she gentlydisengaged herself, to render the same wealth of affection in itsmanifestation to her brother, who was standing by her father when shedarted into the room. But Christy was a boy, and not as demonstrative ashis father, though he discharged the duties of the affecting occasionwith becoming fidelity, so that the loving girl was sure that his heartwas where it had always been.
"Why, papa, I had no idea of seeing you to-day!" exclaimed Florry, whenshe had wiped away her abundant tears. "I did not know that I shouldever see you again, for they say that all the roads to the North havebeen closed to travel."
"We did not come by land, either by railroad or otherwise; and theBellevite lies at the wharf near this house," the captain explained.
"I was terribly afraid I should never see you again, and that I shouldhave to stay here till this war is ended, papa; but they say it willsoon be over," said the fair girl.
"I am afraid it will not be over for a long time, for each side isfirmly united in its own cause. But I could not leave you here. Do youwant to go back to Bonnydale, Florry?"
"Do I want to go back? What a funny question, papa!" exclaimed she.
"Why is it a funny question?" asked the anxious father, recalling therather presumptuous suggestion the gallant major from Fort Gaines hadmade.
"Don't you think I want to see mamma? You have not told me a word abouther; and it is a long time now since I have heard any thing. I do wantto go home, and especially I want to see mamma."
"Then you shall see her."
"Is she here, papa?" exclaimed Florry, leaping out of the chair in whichshe had seated herself.
"She is not here, my child. She is at home, but it will not take manydays to bear you to her," replied the devoted father, embracing heragain, while she kissed him over and over again.
"Can I see her before the war is over, papa?" she asked.
"Certainly you can, if no accident interferes with my plans. You reallywant to go home?"
"To be sure I do. How cruel it is of you to ask me such a question!"
"Then I won't ask it again. But perhaps you will not be able to come toGlenfield again for years," added Captain Passford, looking earnestlyinto her face.
"What makes you look at me so, papa? What have I done? You look just asyou did when I was little and pulled the kitten's tail."
"It is a long time since I have seen you, Florry and I want to look atyou all I can."
"She was Clasped in her Father's Arms" (Page 148)]
"Then you may look at me as much as you wish; and I shall be thankful itis not that Major Pierson who comes here, for he has stared me out ofcountenance every time he came," replied she, blushing a little.
"Then you don't like him, do you?" asked her father, with more interestthan he cared to display.
"I like him well enough, but I wish he would not stare at me all thetime. He seems to think I am good for nothing but to look at," repliedFlorry smartly.
But the entrance of Mr. and Mrs. Passford turned aside the inquiriesthe captain was making before he had satisfied himself, though he hadobtained enough to afford him some hope. The greeting extended to thebrother and nephew was all that could be expected or desired; and ifthe country had not been riven into two bitterly hostile sections, theinterview could not have been more brotherly and affectionate. A fullhour was used in talking about the trip of the Bellevite, so anxiouswere the family, including Florry, to hear the particulars of thevoyage.
"But how in the world did you get here, Horatio, when every publicconveyance that leads into the South has been discontinued?" askedHomer.
"I came as I came before," replied Horatio.
"You came in the Bellevite!" exclaimed Homer.
"I did."
"But how did you get by the forts? Both of them have been garrisoned,and they have been ordered to allow no vessel to pass unless she givea good account of herself," continued the planter.
"In other words, it is war now," added Horatio.
"Undoubtedly it is war; and, in my judgment, it will be a terribleconflict before it is finished."
"I fully agree with you, Homer."
"But you did not tell me in what manner you passed the two forts, whichare already strong enough to blow your steamer into a thousand pieces,"suggested Homer.
"I did not tell you, and I think we had better understand each other alittle better before I say any thing at all about the passage of theforts; though I can assure you that not a single shot was fired at theBellevite," said Horatio, somewhat embarrassed by the situation.
"De lunch am ready, saw," said a darky at the door at this moment; andperhaps the summons saved the owner of the Bellevite from some furtherannoyance.
An hour was spent at the table, for there was enough to talk aboutwithout meddling with delicate subjects. When the repast was over,Florry invited her brother to look at the flower-garden, which wasin the height of its glory, and she was followed by Gerty her cousin,and by Mrs. Passford. As in the Northern family, there were only twochildren; but Cornelius, or Corny as he was generally called, was notat home, though nothing at all was said about him.
Horatio was invited into the library by his brother, and they seatedthemselves for a long talk. The owner of the Bellevite was confidentthat he should soon know on which side the planter belonged, though hewas still confident in his former views.
"I suppose there is no other way for you to get here at the presenttime except in your yacht, and not many men can command so elegantand substantial a vessel as the Bellevite," said Homer, when they wereseated. "But what in the world do you expect to do with her down here?"
"I intend to return to my home in
her, and to take my daughter back toher mother," replied Horatio, as unmoved as though he had uttered acommonplace expression.
"Take Florry back to her mother!" exclaimed Homer, springing out of hisarmchair as though his five-and-forty years counted for nothing. "I hopethat nothing at all is the matter with your brain, Horatio."
"Nothing at all, so far as I am aware, Homer. You seem to think it is agreat undertaking to take my daughter home," added Horatio.
"But it is war in this country, and all along the coast. You willcertainly be captured, and your daughter sent to a prison, at least tillshe can be sent home. You have not more than one chance in ten to get toNew York."
"Do you think so?" asked Horatio, smiling.
"If you don't know it, I do, my dear brother, that the SouthernConfederacy has sent out agents to buy up all the suitable vessels theycan find, to do duty as cruisers and privateers. You are almost sure tobe captured, and think what Florry would suffer in such an event."
"You seem to think that the North is going to hold still, and let you doall this, Homer," added the owner of the Bellevite.
"I don't see how the North can help itself."
"My information is rather meagre; but I am informed that the Governmentof the United States has proclaimed the blockade, and even that it isenforced farther north, as I am sure it will be on the south."
"That is all nonsense, Horatio, and you know it."
"I don't understand it so."
"How is it possible for the Yankee Government to station ships-of-war onthe coast of the Southern States? It is simply impossible," said Homer,warming up with the argument. "The business of fitting out vessels isalready begun, I read in the newspapers; and it will be pushed to theutmost."
"I am confident that every Confederate port in the United States will beinvested by one or more vessels within a reasonable time."
"But your steamer will be captured before you can get home, even if youget out of Mobile Bay."
"I don't apprehend any difficulty on that account. If the Bellevitecan't keep out of the way of any thing that floats, she deserves to becaptured. She will belong to the Government within a few weeks," addedHoratio quietly.
"The Bellevite!" exclaimed Homer.
"The Bellevite, certainly. I should be ashamed to retain her a monthafter I knew that the Union needs her, and the Union shall have her as afree gift," added Horatio, quite as warmly as his brother had spoken.
"You will give your steamer to the Yankee Government!" gasped Homer,rising from his chair again, and darting across the room, as though hewas both shocked and disgusted at the conduct of Horatio. "You willallow her to be used in subduing a free people? I am sorry."
Homer was very deeply grieved, and Horatio hardly less so.