CHAPTER XXVI
IN WHICH APPEARS THE HORSE OF DESTINY AND THE JUDAS OF WASHINGTON'S ARMY
In Boston harbor, Jack learned of the evacuation of Philadelphia by theBritish and was transferred to a Yankee ship putting out to sea on itsway to that city. There he found the romantic Arnold, crippled by hiswounds, living in the fine mansion erected by William Penn. He hadmarried a young daughter of one of the rich Tory families, for hissecond wife, and was in command of the city. Colonel Irons, havingdelivered the letters to the Treasurer of the United States, reportedat Arnold's office. It was near midday and the General had notarrived. The young man sat down to wait and soon the great soldierdrove up with his splendid coach and pair. His young wife sat besidehim. He had little time for talk. He was on his way to breakfast.Jack presented his compliments and the good tidings which he hadbrought from the Old Country. Arnold listened as if he were hearingthe price of codfish and hams.
The young man was shocked by the coolness of the Commandant. Theformer felt as if a pail of icy water had been thrown upon him, whenArnold answered:
"Now that they have money I hope that they will pay their debt to me."
This kind of talk Jack had not heard before. He resented it butanswered calmly: "A war and an army is a great extravagance for a youngnation that has not yet learned the imperial art of gathering taxes.Many of us are going unpaid but if we get liberty it will be worth allit costs."
"That sounds well but there are some of us who are also in need ofjustice," Arnold answered as he turned away.
"General, you who have not been dismayed by force will never, I amsure, surrender to discouragement," said Jack.
The fiery Arnold turned suddenly and lifting his cane in a threateningmanner said in a loud voice:
"Would you reprimand me--you damned upstart?"
"General, you may strike me, if you will, but I can not help sayingthat we young men must look to you older ones for a good example."
Very calmly and politely the young man spoke these words. He toweredabove the man Arnold in spirit and stature. The latter did not committhe folly of striking him but with a look of scorn ordered him to leavethe office.
Jack obeyed the order and went at once to call upon his old friend,Governor Reed. He told the Governor of his falling out with theMajor-General.
"Arnold is a sordid, selfish man and a source of great danger to ourcause," said the Governor. "He is vain and loves display and is livingfar beyond his means. To maintain his extravagance he has resorted toprivateering and speculation, and none of it has been successful. Heis deeply involved in debt. It is charged that he has used hismilitary authority for private gain. He was tried by a court-martialbut escaped with only a reprimand from the Commander-in-Chief. He isthick with the Tories. He is the type of man who would sell his masterfor thirty pieces of silver."
"This is alarming," said Jack.
"My boy an ill wind is blowing on us," the Governor went on. "We haveall too many Arnolds in our midst. Our currency has depreciated untilforty shillings will not buy what one would have bought before the war.The profit makers are rolling in luxury and the poor army starves. Thehonest and patriotic are impoverished while those who practise fraudand Toryism are getting rich."
Depressed by this report of conditions in America Jack set out forWashington's headquarters on the Hudson. Never had the posture ofAmerican affairs looked so hopeless. The Governor had sold him a youngmare with a white star in her forehead and a short, white stocking onher left fore-leg, known in good time as the horse of destiny.
"She was a well turned, high spirited creature with good plumes, anoble eye and a beautiful head and neck," Jack wrote long after the dayhe parted with her. "I have never ridden a more distinguished animal.She was in every way worthy of the task ahead of her."
When he had crossed the King's Ferry the mare went lame. A littlebeyond the crossing he met a man on a big, roan gelding. Jack stoppedhim to get information about the roads in the north.
"That's a good-looking mare," the man remarked.
"And she is better than she looks," Jack answered. "But she has throwna shoe and gone lame."
"I'll trade even and give you a sound horse," the man proposed.
"What is your name and where do you live?" Jack inquired.
"My name is Paulding and I live at Tarrytown in the neutral territory."
"I hope that you like horses."
"You can judge of that by the look of this one. You will observe thathe is well fed and groomed."
"And your own look is that of a good master," said Jack, as he examinedthe teeth and legs of the gelding. "Pardon me for asking. I havegrown fond of the mare. She must have a good master."
"I accepted his offer not knowing that a third party was looking on andlaying a deeper plan than either of us were able to penetrate," Jackused to say of that deal.
He approached the little house in which the Commander-in-Chief wasquartered with a feeling of dread, fearing the effect of latedevelopments on his spirit.
The young man wrote to Margaret in care of Franklin this account of theday which followed his return to camp:
"Thank God! I saw on the face of our Commander the same old look ofunshaken confidence. I knew that he could see his way and what a senseof comfort came of that knowledge! More than we can tell we areindebted to the calm and masterful face of Washington. It holds up theheart of the army in all discouragements. His faith is established.He is not afraid of evil tidings. This great, god-like personality ofhis has put me on my feet again. I was in need of it, for a differentkind of man, of the name of Arnold, had nearly floored me."
"'Sit down here and tell me all about Franklin,' he said with a smile.
"I told him what was going on in Paris and especially of the work ofour great minister to the court of Louis XVI.
"He heard me with deep interest and when I had finished arose and gaveme his hand saying:
"'Colonel, again you have won my gratitude. We must keep our courage.'
"I told him of my unhappy meeting with Arnold.
"'The man has his faults--he is very human, but he has been a goodsoldier,' Washington answered.
"The thought came to me that the love of liberty had lifted many of usabove the human plane of sordid striving.
"Solomon came into camp that evening. He was so glad to see me that hecould only wring my hand and utter exclamations.
"'How is the gal?' he asked presently.
"I told him of our meeting in Passy and of my fear that we should notmeet again.
"'It seems as if the Lord were not yet willing to let us marry,' I said.
"'Course not,' he answered. 'When yer boat is in the rapids it's notime fer to go ashore an' pick apples. I cocalate the Lord is usin' yefer to show the Ol' World what's inside o' us Americans.'
"Margaret, I wonder if the Lord really wished to show you and othersthe passion which is in the heart of Washington and his army. On theway to my ship I was like one making bloody footprints in the snow.How many of them I have seen! And now is the time to tell you thatDoctor Franklin has written a letter informing me how deeply our partin the little pageant had impressed Mr. Hartley and the court people ofFrance and that he had secured another loan.
"Solomon is a man of faith. He never falters.
"He said to me: 'Don't worry. That gal has got a backbone. She ain'tno rye straw. She's a-goin' to think it over.'
"Neither spoke for a time. We sat by an open fire in front of his tentas the night fell. Solomon was filling his pipe. He swallowed and hisright eye began to take aim. I knew that some highly important themewould presently open the door of his intellect and come out.
"'Jack, I been over to Albany,' he said. 'Had a long visit withMirandy. They ain't no likelier womern in Ameriky. I'll bet a pint o'powder an' a fish hook on that. Ye kin look fer 'em till yer eyes runbut ye'll be obleeged to give up.'
"He lighted his pipe and smoked a few whiff
s and added: 'Knit seventypair o' socks fer my regiment this fall.'
"'Have you asked her to marry you?' I inquired.
"'No. 'Tain't likely she'd have me,' he answered. 'She's had troublesenough. I wouldn't ask no womern to marry me till the war is fit out.I'm liable to git all shot up any day. I did think I'd ask her but Ididn't. Got kind o' skeered an' skittish when we sot down together,an' come to think it all over, 'twouldn't 'a' been right.'
"'You're wrong, Solomon,' I answered. 'You ought to have a home ofyour own and a wife to make you fond of it. How is the Little Cricket?'
"'Cunnin'est little shaver that ever lived,' said he. 'I got him ateeny waggin an' drawed him down to the big medder an' back. He had astring hitched on to my waist an' he pulled an' hauled an' holleredwhoa an' git ap till he were erbout as hoarse as a bull frog. When wegot back he wanted to go all over me with a curry comb an' braid mymane.'
"The old scout roared with laughter as he thought of the child's playin which he had had a part. He told me of my own people and next totheir good health it pleased me to learn that my father had given allhis horses--save two--to Washington. That is what all our good men aredoing. So you will see how it is that we are able to go on with thiswar against the great British empire.
"That night the idea came to me that I would seek an opportunity toreturn to France in the hope of finding you in Paris. I applied for ashort furlough to give me a chance to go home and see the family.There I found a singular and disheartening situation. My father'smodest fortune is now a part of the ruin of war. Soon after thebeginning of hostilities he had loaned his money to men who had goneinto the business of furnishing supplies to the army. He had loanedthem dollars worth a hundred cents. They are paying their debts to himin dollars worth less than five cents. Many, and Washington amongthem, have suffered in a like manner. My father has little left buthis land, two horses, a yoke of oxen and a pair of slaves. So I am toopoor to give you a home in any degree worthy of you.
"Dear old Solomon has proposed to make me his heir, but now that he hasmet the likely womern I must not depend upon him. So I have tried tomake you know the truth about me as well as I do. If your heart isequal to the discouragement I have heaped upon it I offer you this poorcomfort. When the war is over I can borrow a thousand pounds to keep aroof over our heads and a fowl in the pot and pudding in the twifflerswhile I am clearing the way to success. The prospect is not inviting,I fear, but if, happily, it should appeal to you, I suggest that youjoin your father in New York at the first opportunity so that we maybegin our life together as soon as the war ends. And now, whatevercomes, I would wish you to keep these thoughts of me: I have loved you,but there are things which I have valued above my own happiness. If Ican not have you I shall have always the memory of the hours we havespent together and of the great hope that was mine.
"While I was at home the people of our neighborhood set out at daylightone morning for a pigeon party. We had our breakfast on an island.Then the ladies sat down to knit and sew, while the men went fishing.In the afternoon we gathered berries and returned at dusk with filledpails and many fish. So our people go to the great storehouse ofNature and help themselves."