CHAPTER XXXI
THE LOVERS AND SOLOMON'S LAST FIGHT
Meanwhile, Margaret and her mother had come up the river in a bargewith General and Mrs. Arnold to the house of the latter. Jack had goneout on a tour of inspection. He had left headquarters after the noonmeal with a curious message in his pocket and a feeling of greatrelief. The message had been delivered to him by the mother of acaptain in one of the regiments. She said that it had been given toher by a man whom she did not know. Jack had been busy when it cameand did not open it until she had gone away. It was an astonishing andmost welcome message in the flowing script of a rapid penman, butclearly legible. It was without date and very brief. These were thecheering words in it:
"MY DEAR FRIEND: I have good news from down the river. The danger ispassed.
"HENRY THORNHILL."
"Well, Henry Thornhill is a man who knows whereof he speaks," the youngofficer said to himself, as he rode away. "I should like to meet himagain."
That day the phrase "Good news from down the river" came repeatedlyback to him. He wondered what it meant.
Jack being out of camp, Margaret had found Solomon. Toward the day'send he had gone out on the south road with the young lady and hermother and Mrs. Arnold.
Jack was riding into camp from an outpost of the army. The day was inits twilight. He had been riding fast. He pulled up his horse as heapproached a sentry post. Three figures were standing in the duskyroad.
"Halt! Who comes there?" one of them sang out.
It was the voice of Margaret. Its challenge was more like a phrase ofmusic than a demand. He dismounted.
"I am one of the great army of lovers," said he.
"Advance and give the countersign," she commanded.
A moment he held her in his embrace and then he whispered: "I love you."
"The countersign is correct, but before I let you pass, give me onemore look into your heart."
"As many as you like--but--why?"
"So I may be sure that you do not blame England for the folly of herKing."
"I swear it."
"Then I shall enlist with you against the tyrant. He has never been myKing."
Lady Hare stood with Mrs. Arnold near the lovers.
"I too demand the countersign," said the latter.
"And much goes with it," said the young man as he kissed her, and thenhe embraced the mother of his sweetheart and added:
"I hope that you are also to enlist with us."
"No, I am to leave my little rebel with you and return to New York."
Solomon, who had stood back in the edge of the bush, approached themand said to Lady Hare:
"I guess if the truth was known, they's more rebels in England thanthar be in Ameriky."
He turned to Jack and added:
"My son, you're a reg'lar Tory privateer--grabbin' for gold. Give 'emone a piece fer me."
Margaret ran upon the old scout and kissed his bearded cheek.
"Reg'lar lightnin' hurler!" said he. "Soon as this 'ere war is overI'll take a bee line fer hum--you hear to me. This makes me sick o'fightin'."
"Will you give me a ride?" Margaret asked her lover. "I'll get onbehind you."
Solomon took off the saddle and tightened the blanket girth.
"Thar, 'tain't over clean, but now ye kin both ride," said he.
Soon the two were riding, she in front, as they had ridden long beforethrough the shady, mallowed bush in Tryon County.
"Oh, that we could hear the thrush's song again!"
"I can hear it sounding through the years," he answered. "As life goeson with me I hear many an echo from the days of my youth."
They rode a while in silence as the night fell.
"Again the night is beautiful!" she exclaimed.
"But now it is the beauty of the night and the stars," he answered.
"How they glow!"
"I think it is because the light of the future is shining on them."
"It is the light of peace and happiness. I am glad to be free."
"Soon your people shall be free," he answered her.
"My people?"
"Yes."
"Is the American army strong enough to do it?"
"No."
"The French?"
"No."
"Who then is to free us?"
"God and His ocean and His hills and forests and rivers and thesechildren of His in America, who have been schooled to know theirrights. After this King is broken there will be no other like him inEngland."
They dismounted at Arnold's door.
"For a time I shall have much to do, but soon I hope for greatpromotion and more leisure," he said.
"Tell me the good news," she urged.
"I expect to be the happiest man in the army, and the master of thishouse and your husband."
"And you and I shall be as one," she answered. "God speed the day whenthat may be true also of your people and my people."