CHAPTER XXIX.
BEGINNING OF THE RAID.
The raid into Delaware was all organized when Levin and Hulda weredriven to Johnson's tavern, and the arrival of Van Dorn called forthcheers and yells, as that blushing worthy threw his trim, athleticfigure out of the wagon and bowed to Joe Johnson, on the tavern porch:
"_O hala hala!_ do you go, son-in-law?"
"I'll ride with ye, Captain, a split of the Maryland way, but sprat forthat Delaware! I'll go in it no more. I'll stand whack with you,however, fur the madges I give you and fur my stalling ken."
"_Quedito!_" lisped Van Dorn; "we never leave your interests out,son-in-law. How is Aunt Patty?"
"She's made a punch fur the population, an' calls fur young Levin tharto lush with her."
"I'll take mine along," Levin cried, "an' drink it in the chill o' thenight."
"No," commanded the voice of Patty Cannon; "it's a-waitin' fur you, son:a good stiff bowl of apple and sugar. Him as misses his drinks yer wesets no account on."
As Van Dorn and Levin pushed through the motley crowd on the littleporch into the bar, where Mrs. Cannon administered, she set before themtwo fiery bowls, and cried:
"Come in yer, Colonel McLane, an' jine my nug an' my young cousinLevin."
"No, Patty," answered a voice from the next room within; "I've drunk myshare. There's nothing like a conservative course."
As Patty put her head into this inner room, Levin Dennis, seeing awindow open at his elbow, threw the whole of his liquor over hisshoulder into the yard and smacked his lips heartily, saying,
"Good!"
"Ha!" exclaimed Van Dorn, evidently noticing Levin's deceit; "smartpeople are around us, Patty. Beware!"
He took from his pocket the fateful letter and glanced at itsendorsement, and, as he did so, Levin heard an exclamation in the yardfrom a man who had received the whole of the apple brandy and sugar inhis face, and was furious; but as soon as he seemed to recognize thethrower he muttered, apologetically:
"Hokey-pokey! By smoke! and Pangymonum, too!"
When Levin looked at Van Dorn again, the blush was on his face, but theletter had disappeared.
"Beware of the conservative course, Colonel," lisped Van Dorn, "exceptwhen generous Patty makes the punch; for she holds such measure of itthat she does not see our infirmities."
"Honey," cried Patty Cannon to Levin, giving him an affectionate hug,"have ye swallered yer liquor so smart as that? Why, I love to see anice boy drink."
"But no more for him now, _cajela_," the Captain protested; "two suchwill make him fall off his horse. _Bebamos_, Patty! _Estaexcelente!_"--drinking.
"How purty the Captain says them things," the madam cried to thegentleman within. "Maybe he's a mockin' his ole sweetheart. Oh, VanDorn, if I thought you could forget me I would kill you!"
Levin noticed the rapid temper and demoniac face of this not unengaginglady as she spoke, her whole nature turning its course like a wheelingbat, and from plausibility to an instant's jealousy, and then to a darktide of awful rage, took but a thought.
"_Que disparate! hala o he!_" Van Dorn lisped, sweetly, chucking thehostess under the chin; "but I do love to see thee so, thou charmer ofmy life. Never will I desert thee, Patty, whilst thou can suffer."
Her dark clouds slowly passed away as Levin turned from the place, buther small head and abundant raven hair showed the blood troubled to theroots, and the eyes, once rich with midnight depths, now glazing in thecourse of time, like old window panes, by age, searched the bandit'sface with a strange fear:
"Van Dorn, time and pleasure cannot kill you: how well you look to-day.I think you are a boy, to be ruined again every time you love me, youblush so modestly. Where is that pot of color you paint your cheeks witheven before _me_, whose blushes none can recollect? Why do you love me?"
"_O dios!_" said Van Dorn; "I love thee for these spells of splendor,dark night and noonday passion, the alternations of earth and hell thateclipse heaven altogether. I love to see thee fear, though fearingnothing here, because I see nothing that you fear beyond the grave. Youhate this boy?"
"I hate him worse than wrinkles. Let him not come to me a childto-morrow; let him see ghosts long as he lives."
"How are the prisoners, Patty?"
"Why, the white nigger, dovey, is sick to-day; blood-loss and blistershave give him fever. My nigger, that I tied--ha! ha! a good job forPatty Cannon, at her age!--says t'other's a pore coaster named JimmyPhoebus."
"Joe must be ready for a quick departure," the Captain exclaimed, "whenwe come back from Dover: it is a bold undertaking, and the whole of thelittle state will be aroused like a black snake uncoiling in one'spocket."
The woman pointed from her shoulder towards the inner room, and spokeeven lower than before:
"Van Dorn, I have a customer."
"For negroes?"
"No, for Huldy. He shall have her."
* * * * *
As Levin Dennis stood at the cross-roads without, he saw a strange manploughing in the farm so recently deserted by his hostess for the gayercross-roads. The afternoon light fell on the sandy fields and struck apolish from the ploughshare, and, as the ploughman passed the bramblyspot again, the buzzards slowly circled up, as if to protest that hecame too near their young.
The long, lean servant, who had waited on the breakfast-table, came outto Levin and watched his eyes.
"Ploughin', ploughin'," he said. "Levin, I kin show you how to plough: Ican't do it, but you're the man."
"Cyrus, Huldy don't hate you. She says you're the nighest to a friendshe's got."
"Oh, I love her like sugar-cane," the lean, cymlin-headed servant said."Tell her I'm goin' to be a great man. I'm goin' to spile the game. Theylick me, but Cy Jeems has courage, Levin."
"Cyrus, tell Huldy all that's goin' on agin her. We don't know nothin'.You kin go and come an' nobody watches you. Huldy will be grateful furit."
Putting his long arms on his knees and bending down, the scullion staredclose to Levin's eyes and whispered, looking towards the field:
"Ploughin'! ploughin'!"
Then, turning partly, and gazing over the old tavern with a look ofwisdom, Cy James whispered again:
"Hokey-pokey! By smoke! an' Pangymonum, too!"
"I reckon he's crazy," Levin thought, as the queer fellow turned andfled.
It was about three o'clock when the cavalcade was reviewed by CaptainVan Dorn from the porch of the hotel, and it consisted of about twentypersons, white and black; some riding mules, some horses, and there wasone wagon in the line--the same that had been driven to Cannon'sFerry--intended for Levin, Joe Johnson, and the Captain. Van Dorn stoodblushing, pulling his long mustache of flax, and resting on his cowhidewhip.
"Dave," he called to a powerful negro, "get down from that mule; you'retoo drunk to go. Jump up in his place, Owen Daw!"
The widow's son gladly vaulted on the animal.
"Sorden," continued Van Dorn, "you know all the roads: lead the way!Whitecar, go with him! We rendezvous at Punch Hall at eight o'clock. Theorder of march is in pairs, a quarter to half a mile apart. If any manacts in anything without orders, or halloos upon the road, he may getthis lash or he may get my knife."
"Captain, where do we feed?" asked a small, wiry mulatto.
"Water at Federalsburg," answered Van Dorn; "feed at the Punch Hall."
They rode off in pairs at intervals of ten minutes; Van Dorn's vehiclewent last. A moment before he departed, Cy James touched the Captain'ssleeve and whispered, "Huldy." Turning to see if he was unobserved, VanDorn followed to the deep-arched chimney at the northern gable, anddismissed his guide with a look.
"Captain Van Dorn," Hulda said, her large gray eyes strained intenderness and nervous courage, "do that boy Levin no harm: I love him!God forgive all your sins, many as they are, if you disobeygrandmother's wicked commands about my darling!"
"Ha! wild-flower, you have been listening?"
"No, I have only looke
d: I know Aunt Patty's petting ways when she meansto ruin, and watch her black flashes of cunning between: she is nocousin of Levin; he is Joe's gentle prisoner; his very name she made himhide when she saw you coming this morning."
"_Creo que si_: Hulda, let me kiss you!"
"Yes, if you dare."
She gave him that pure, soul-driven, child's strong look again, exertingall the influence she had ever felt she exercised over him.
Nevertheless he kissed her for the first time:
"To-day, _bonito_, I dare to kiss thee. Believe me, my kiss is a tenderone."
"Yes, sir. There is something like a father in it. Oh, my father, artthou in heaven?"
"If there be such a place, wild-flower, I think he is."
"Oh, thank you, Captain Van Dorn. There may you also be and find thefaith I feel in my one day's love on earth. I pray for you every day."
"_Ayme_, poor weakling! Pray now for thyself: if thou canst save thyselfsinless a brief day or two, it may be well for thee and Levin. Thygrandmother is dreadful in her joys this night."
"I can die," said Hulda, "if Levin be saved."
He kissed her again, and something wet dropped down his blushes.
"Eternal love!" he sighed; "I've lost it."