CHAPTER XXV.
DIPLOMACY.
"You denounce me?"
"Yes, I say that you are Ethan Allen, the man who surprised thegarrison at Ticonderoga."
"Am I to understand that these soldiers have listened to the ravings ofa creature like you?"
The sergeant in command of the squad saluted Allen, and replied:
"I am compelled to obey orders. This man reported that he could leadinto ambush one Ethan Allen, and I was detailed to effect his arrest."
"Sergeant, I acknowledge that you have a duty to perform, but cannot amerchant pass through Canada without being suspected of being a spy?"
"With that I have nothing to do; I must ask you to surrender."
"The asking is compulsion. With a pistol at each head, how can we doanything else but surrender?"
Allen wished to delay surrender as long as possible, for he was a firmbeliever in the doctrines of possibility, and a chance of escape mightpresent itself.
The sergeant laughed at Allen's question.
"It does look like surrender or death, but my orders were to take EthanAllen, dead or alive."
"Is he then so much feared?"
"If you are Ethan Allen it may be some consolation to know that he ishated by the British authorities more than any man who has joined theAmerican rebels; and if you are not Ethan Allen, as I hope you are not,then you may know that it is a great honor to be mistaken for such arebel."
"Logical, very. We are merchants in search of skins of a very peculiarshade of color. We work for a customer who is willing to pay largelyfor such skins--dyed ones will not do--and this fellow pretended thathe was French, could not speak English, and told my trapper that heknew where we could get the skins. In all trust we followed. Now Iask you: Is it likely that this Ethan Allen would allow himself to beentrapped?"
"No, you are right; but I am not the judge, and you will have to go toSabrevous and see the colonel."
"That will take time, and I am anxious to get the skins. I will makeyou a proposition: I will go with you to Sabrevous, but this man mustgo with me, and as a prisoner, for I have charges to make against himwhich will cause him to be hanged. My friends must go free to searchfor the skins."
"I cannot accept the offer--all must go."
"But you said you were to arrest Ethan Allen; now, we cannot all beEthan Allen, and I am the one accused."
Allen knew just as well as the officer that all must surrender, but hewanted to confuse the Englishman, and perhaps find a way of escape.
"I am very sorry, but if you are Allen, the party with you may be alsowanted. I must demand the surrender of all."
"Before I surrender I demand the arrest of that man."
"What for?"
"Murder!"
The informer almost shrieked as he heard the charge. His kneestrembled, the blood left his cheeks, and he looked a most guilty wretch.
"Look at him," Allen exclaimed. "Tell me, is he not guilty?"
"I did not do it. He--he shot himself."
"And you took the skins. Ah, my fine friend, Frenchman or Canadian,you may well tremble. England does not accept the services ofmurderers. You sought to save yourself by denouncing me. Your trickhas failed. I shall not surrender on the accusation of a murderer. Iwill give my parole to appear against you on your trial."
"You refuse to surrender?" asked the sergeant, in amazement.
"If my accuser was a man of honor instead of a murderer I should bow tofate, but unless you have some one to accuse me who is not tainted Ishall resist you, and if I fall my family will hold you accountable formy death."
The sergeant was in a quandary.
He had been ordered to arrest Ethan Allen, and here was a man who hadput him to the proof. The only accuser was one whose word was of noaccount, for he was a self-confessed murderer.
"Are you Ethan Allen?" the sergeant asked, most innocently.
"If you think so arrest me. I shall not answer any questions exceptbefore a proper tribunal."
"You are a brave fellow, and I wish there was some one here who knewyou."
"I know him!"
All turned toward the door and saw a man with a long white beard andpatriarchal appearance, though his garb was that of a monk.
"I know him," the monk repeated. "And I say that, whatever his namemay be, he is an honest man."
"You said you knew him, and yet do not know his name; is not thatstrange?"
"Not at all. In these troublous days a man may have more names thanthere are days in the week, and yet be honest."
"By what name did you know him?" asked the officer.
"As one who did good wherever he might be."
"He is accused----"
"The man who accuses him of wrongdoing must be bad at heart, for I willswear that he is innocent."
"But they say he is a spy?"
"A spy? Accuse him of being a spy? Why, one might as well accuse me.He is too open for a spy, and if he was one he would acknowledge it."
"And so criminate himself?"
"If he were a spy, I repeat, he would never deny it if put to the test.Who is his accuser?"
"This man----"
"That shivering wretch! He looks half dead."
"He will be dead soon," Allen interjected, "for he is a murderer, aswell as one who bears false witness against his fellows."
"You say that you believe that miserable reptile, instead of thishonest man? Beside, think of the illogical position. If this man is aspy, you have to admit that there is a war between your people and his,and that your government denies."
"I am a soldier and must obey orders."
Allen rose in the dignity of his manhood, and rather startled his ownfriends by saying:
"I never asked a man yet to disobey orders. Do your duty. I will gowith you to Sabrevous; but, mark me, I shall hold your governmentresponsible for my loss of time and for the indignity of this arrest."
Eben Pike had not been under arrest, and now he stood at the door,waiting developments. He saw clearly what should be done. If Allenwas condemned, then Montgomery must be informed, and a quick move madeon Sabrevous and Allen liberated.
The procession was formed and Eben walked at a little distance from theparty, apparently taking no more interest in the affair than one ofidle curiosity.
The accuser was pinioned, a musket being secured under his arms acrosshis back, but Allen and his friends were allowed to march entirelyunfettered.
The monk, whom we have recognized as the "mad monk" who rescued MarthaBaker, walked by the side of the sergeant, while Remember Baker walkedwith Allen, the soldiers marching in front and rear of the small party.
"How did you know that he was a murderer?" Baker whispered, pointing tothe miserable informer.
"I cannot tell. I felt that he was. I had but one thing to guide me.A trapper was found murdered near Ticonderoga, and I heard that the onelast seen with him was a fellow who could talk French as well asEnglish, and I guessed this man might be the one, so I hazarded theaccusation, and struck the bull's-eye."
"What will become of us?"
"Cannot say; but Eben is on the alert, and unless they shoot us withoutthe usual twenty-four hours' reprieve, he will have Montgomery come toour rescue."
"Did you give him instructions?"
"Only general ones; he is wide awake, and knows just as well as I dowhat ought to be done."
"Don't you think the 'mad monk' will betray us?"
"No; he is a sympathizer with our cause, and---- Let us change thesubject; one of these soldiers is getting suspicious."
When the party reached Sabrevous the sergeant handed his prisoners overto the proper authorities and reported that he was convinced that amistake had been made, and that the prisoners were peaceful merchantsand not American rebel spies.
The monk was examined in secret, and he also bore testimony to thetruth and honor of the chief prisoner.
The accuser was called and asked about the murder
he had committed, andunder the terror of the accusation he made a full confession, but askedfor mercy, because he had followed Ethan Allen and handed him over tothe authorities.
His plea for mercy helped Allen, for the English officer believed thatthe accusation against Allen was only made to obtain favor with theauthorities.
He was remanded to prison until the civil power could take him and meteout the punishment he merited.
Allen and his party received the apologies of the officers for theirarrest and detention, and were at once liberated.
It had been a narrow escape, but they did not value their liberty anythe less for that fact.
Some weeks afterward Allen learned that the officers had been severelyreprimanded for allowing the "rebel spy" to escape.