CHAPTER II.
THE PEDDLER.
A storm below the highlands of the Hudson, if it be introduced withan easterly wind, seldom lasts less than two days. Accordingly, theinmates of the Locusts assembled on the following morning aroundtheir early breakfast, as the driving rain, seen to strike in nearlyhorizontal lines against the windows of the building, forbade the ideaof exposing either man or beast to the tempest. Harper was the last toappear; after taking a view of the state of the weather, he apologizedto Mr. Wharton for the necessity that existed for his trespassing onhis goodness for a longer time. Henry Wharton had resumed his disguisewith a reluctance amounting to disgust, but in obedience to thecommands of his parent. No communications passed between him and thestranger after the first salutations of the morning.
While seated at the table, Caesar entered, and laying a small parcel insilence by the side of his master, modestly retired behind his chair,where, placing one hand on its back, he continued, in an attitude halffamiliar, half respectful, a listener.
"What is this, Caesar?" inquired Mr. Wharton, turning the bundle overto examine its envelope,[3] and eying it rather suspiciously.
[Footnote 3: wrapper.]
"The 'baccy, sir; Harvey Birch, he got home, and he bring you a littlegood 'baccy from York."
"Harvey Birch!" rejoined the master, with great deliberation, stealinga look at his guest. "I do not remember desiring him to purchase anytobacco for me; but as he has brought it, he must be paid for histrouble."
Sarah Wharton bade the black show Birch into the apartment; when,suddenly recollecting herself, she turned to the traveller with anapologizing look, and added, "If Mr. Harper will excuse the presenceof a peddler."
Harvey Birch had been a peddler from his youth; at least, so hefrequently asserted,[4] and his skill in the occupation went far toprove the truth of the declaration. He was a native of one of theEastern colonies; and, from something of superior intelligence whichbelonged to his father, it was thought they had known better fortunein the land of their nativity. Harvey possessed, however, the commonmanners of the country, and was in no way distinguished from men ofhis class but by his acuteness,[5] and the mystery which enveloped hismovements. Ten years before, they had arrived together in the vale,and, purchasing an humble dwelling, continued peaceful inhabitants,but little noticed and but little known. Until age and infirmities hadprevented, the father devoted himself to the cultivation of the smallspot of ground belonging to his purchase, while the son pursued withavidity[6] his humble barter. Their orderly quietude had soon giventhem so much consideration in the neighborhood as to induce a maiden(Katy Haynes by name) of five-and-thirty to forget the punctilio[7] ofher sex, and to accept the office of presiding over their domesticcomforts.
[Footnote 4: declared.]
[Footnote 5: sharpness.]
[Footnote 6: eagerness.]
[Footnote 7: exactness in conduct.]
Harvey was in the frequent habit of paying mysterious visits in thedepth of the night to the fire-place of the apartment that served forboth kitchen and parlor. Here he was observed by Katy; and, availingherself of his absence and the occupation of the father, by removingone of the hearth-stones she discovered an iron pot, glittering witha metal that seldom fails to soften the hardest heart. Katy succeededin replacing the stone without discovery, and never dared to trustherself with another visit.
In a few minutes after receiving the commands of his young mistress,Caesar reappeared, ushering into the apartment a man above the middleheight, spare, but full of bone and muscle. At first sight hisstrength seemed unequal to manage the unwieldy burden of his pack; yethe threw it on and off with great dexterity,[8] and with as muchapparent ease as if it had been filled with feathers. His eyes weregray, sunken, restless, and, for the flitting moments that they dwelton the countenance of those with whom he conversed, they seemed toread the very soul. They possessed, however, two distinct expressions,which in a great measure characterized the whole man. When engaged intraffic, the intelligence of his face appeared lively, active, andflexible, though uncommonly acute; if the conversation turned on theordinary transactions of life, his air became abstract and restless;but if, by chance, the revolution and the country were the topic, hiswhole system seemed altered--all his faculties were concentrated;[9]he would listen for a great length of time without speaking, and thenwould break silence by some light remark that was too much at variancewith his former manner not to be affectation. But of the war and ofhis father he seldom spoke, and always from some obvious necessity. Toa superficial[10] observer, avarice[11] would seem his ruling passion.
[Footnote 8: quickness and skill.]
[Footnote 9: centred upon one thing.]
[Footnote 10: looking at the surface only.]
[Footnote 11: love of gain.]
On entering the room the peddler relieved himself from his burden,which, as it stood on the door,[12] reached nearly to his shoulders,and saluted the family with modest civility. To Harper he made asilent bow, without lifting his eyes from the carpet; but the curtainprevented any notice of the presence of Captain Wharton. At length,Sarah, having selected several articles, observed in a cheerful voice:
[Footnote 12: a door cut into halves, upper and lower.]
"But, Harvey, you have told us no news. Has Lord Cornwallis beaten therebels again?"
The question seemed not to have been heard, for the peddler,burying his body in the pack, brought forth a quantity of lace ofexquisite[13] fineness, and, holding it up to view, he required theadmiration of the young lady. Finding a reply was expected, heanswered, slowly:
[Footnote 13: extreme.]
"There is some talk, below, about Tarleton[14] having defeated GeneralSumpter[15] on the Tiger River."[16]
[Footnote 14: a British colonel.]
[Footnote 15: an American general; also spelled Sumter.]
[Footnote 16: a branch of the Broad, which is a branch of the Congaree River, South Carolina.]
"Indeed!" cried the exulting Sarah; "Sumpter--Sumpter--who is he? I'llnot buy even a pin until you tell me all the news," she continued,laughing and throwing down a muslin she had been examining.
For a moment the peddler hesitated; his eye glanced toward Harper, whowas yet gazing at him with settled meaning, and the whole manner ofBirch was altered. Approaching the fire, he took from his mouth alarge allowance of the Virginian weed, and depositing it, with itsjuices, without mercy to Miss Peyton's andirons,[17] he returned tohis goods.
[Footnote 17: irons for supporting wood in a fire-place.]
"He lives among the colored people in the south, and he has lately hada scrimmage with this Colonel Tarleton"--
"Who defeated him, of course?" cried Sarah, with confidence.
"So say the troops at Morrisania."[18]
[Footnote 18: a village in Westchester County, north of the Harlem River.]
"But what do _you_ say?" Mr. Wharton ventured to inquire, yet speakingin a low tone.
"I repeat but what I hear," said Birch, offering a piece of cloth tothe inspection of Sarah, who rejected it in silence, evidentlydetermined to hear more before she made another purchase.
"They say, however, at the Plains,"[19] the peddler continued, firstthrowing his eyes again around the room and letting them rest for aninstant on Harper, "that Sumpter and one or two more were all thatwere hurt, and that the rig'lars[20] were all cut to pieces, for themilitia were fixed snugly in a log barn."
[Footnote 19: White Plains.]
[Footnote 20: regular troops, British.]
"Not very probable," said Sarah, contemptuously,[21] "though I make nodoubt the rebels got behind the logs."
[Footnote 21: with scorn.]
"I think," said the peddler, coolly, again offering the silk, "it'squite ingenious to get a log between one and a gun, instead of gettingbetween a gun and a log."
The eyes of Harper dropped quietly on the
pages of the volume in hishand, while Frances, rising, came forward with a smile on her face, asshe inquired, in a tone of affability[22] that the peddler had neverwitnessed from the younger sister:
[Footnote 22: readiness to converse.]
"Have you more of the lace, Mr. Birch?"
The desired article was produced, and Frances became a purchaser also.
"So it is thought that Colonel Tarleton has worsted General Sumpter?"said Mr. Wharton.
"I believe they think so at Morrisania," said Birch, dryly.
"Have you any other news, friend?" asked Captain Wharton, venturing tothrust his face without the curtains.
"Have you heard that Major Andre[23] has been hanged?"
[Footnote 23: British spy, captured near Tarrytown, and hanged near Tappan.]
Captain Wharton started, and for a moment glances of greatsignificance[24] were exchanged between him and the trader, when heobserved, with affected indifference, "that it must have been someweeks ago."
[Footnote 24: The glances conveyed a hidden meaning.]
"Is there any probability of movements below, my friend, that willmake travelling dangerous?" asked Harper, looking steadily at theother in expectation of his reply.
Some bunches of ribbon fell from the hands of Birch; his countenancechanged instantly, losing its keen expression in intent meaning, as heanswered slowly: "It is some time since the rig'lar cavalry were out,and I saw some of DeLancey's[25] men cleaning their arms as I passedtheir quarters; it would be no wonder if they took the scent soon, forthe Virginia horse are low in the county."
[Footnote 25: DeLancey was a British officer in command of the Cow-Boys (see note, p. 30).]
"Are they in much force?" asked Mr. Wharton.
"I did not count them."
Frances was the only observer of the change in the manner of Birch,and on turning to Harper, he had resumed his book in silence. Shesaid, blushing with a color that suffused[26] her neck:
[Footnote 26: overspread.]
"I thought the Southern horse had marched towards the Delaware."
"It may be so," said Birch; "I passed the troop at a distance."
Caesar had now selected a piece of calico, in which the gaudy colors ofyellow and red were contrasted on a white ground, and, after admiringit for several minutes, he laid it down with a sigh, as he exclaimed:"Berry pretty calico."
* * * * *
The party sat in silence for many minutes after the peddler hadwithdrawn, when the stranger suddenly broke it by saying:
"If any apprehensions[27] of me induce Captain Wharton to maintain hisdisguise, I wish him to be undeceived; had I motives for betrayinghim, they could not operate under present circumstances."
[Footnote 27: fears.]
The younger sister sank into her seat colorless and astonished. MissPeyton dropped the tea-tray she was lifting from the table, and Sarahsat with her purchases unheeded in her lap, speechless with surprise.Mr. Wharton was stupefied; but the captain, hesitating a moment fromastonishment, sprang into the middle of the room, and exclaimed, as hetore off the instruments of disguise:
"I believe you, from my soul, and this tiresome imposition shallcontinue no longer. Yet I am at a loss to conceive in what manner youshould know me."
"You really look so much better in your proper person, CaptainWharton," said Harper, with a slight smile, "I would advise you neverto conceal it in future. There is enough to betray you, if othersources of detection were wanting." As he spoke, he pointed to apicture suspended over the mantelpiece, which exhibited the Britishofficer in his regimentals.
"I had flattered myself," cried young Wharton, with a laugh, "that Ilooked better on the canvas than in a masquerade. You must be a closeobserver, sir?"
"Necessity has made me one," said Harper, rising from his seat.
Frances met him as he was about to withdraw, and, taking his handbetween her own, said with earnestness, her cheeks mantling with therichest vermilion[28]: "You cannot--you will not betray my brother!"
[Footnote 28: a bright red color.]
For an instant Harper paused in silent admiration of the lovelypleader, and then, folding her hands on his breast, he repliedsolemnly: "I cannot, and I will not." He released her hands, andlaying his own on her head, gently, continued: "If the blessing of astranger can profit you, receive it." He turned, and bowing lowretired, with a delicacy that was duly appreciated by those hequitted, to his own apartment.
The whole party were deeply impressed with the ingenuous[29] andsolemn manner of the traveller, and all but the father found immediaterelief in his declaration.
[Footnote 29: open; frank.]