CHAPTER XXII
THE LADY'S PLAN
I must have remained there an hour undisturbed, listening to faint soundsin the rooms above, and peering out between the iron bars at a littlesquare of blue sky, and some waving tree branches. Once, with ear pressedagainst the door, I could distinguish the regular steps of a sentinelpacing back and forth, and out of the window I caught the silhouette of acocked hat and brown gun barrel. Seldon was evidently guarding me withthe utmost care.
By the light I judged the time somewhat beyond noon, when the door openedsuddenly, and Peter appeared bearing a tray. He was as mysteriouslysilent and professional as upon his first visit, not even favoring mewith a glance, his mind apparently intent upon his duties, moving aboutnoiselessly, wiping the table, and placing his load of dishes thereonwith great care that all should be arranged in perfect order. The doorremained ajar during these preparations, a Queen's Ranger standing theremotionless, leaning on his gun, and eying us steadily. At last Peter drewup a chair, dusted it, and with wave of the hand invited me to be seated.I ate as slowly as possible, while he stood over me, anticipating myevery want. I endeavored to converse on commonplace topics, hoping thusto kill time, and possibly lead him to some word of guidance, but hisanswers were monosyllables, most respectfully uttered, and meaningless.As he passed back and forth about the table his face remained vacant ofexpression, his eyes devoid of intelligence. He might have been a waxfigure, so mechanically did he operate, and the sentinel never for aninstant relaxed his scrutiny.
I had picked up almost the last crumb, toying with it in desperation,when a voice spoke apparently from the head of the stair. The Rangerturned his head to answer, and at the instant a paper pellet was crushedinto my hand. Instinctively my fingers closed over it, and as the guardturned back again, gruffly ordering us to hurry up, Peter was at theopposite side of the table gathering up the dishes, his bald head shiningbrilliantly, his eyes as dull as those of a fish. I leaned back watchinghim, clutching the paper pellet in the palm of one hand, until he passedout with his tray, and the door clicked behind him. Not once did heglance toward me, or acknowledge my presence. Fearful lest I might bespied upon, my heart beating wildly in anticipation, I lay down in thebunk with face to the wall, and unrolled the pellet. It contained but afew words, hastily scribbled, in a lady's delicate handwriting. "Don'tdespair; if they are away until after dark I will arrange. Can do nothingbefore." There was no signature, but I needed none to know whose fingershad held the pencil. My lips pressed the paper ere I tore it intofragments, and scattered them outside the bars.
The hours of that afternoon dragged themselves along with exasperatingslowness, as I listened for hoof-beats, imagining every sound theapproach of returning horsemen. With no longer any doubt of herintention, my apprehension riveted itself on the possibility of theBritish getting back before darkness gave opportunity for putting herplans into execution. As to what they might be I cared nothing, beingready to assume any risk which would lead to escape. The room I occupiedmust have been upon the west side of the house, as the afternoon sunstreamed in through the bars, and stretched golden across the floor. Icould almost count the minutes as those shafts of light crept up thewall, and then slowly faded. The silence all about was intense, even thebranches of the trees without having no movement. As the gray of twilightapproached, my ears, strained to the slightest sound, distinguished thechanging of sentinels. But I waited vainly for any visitor; darknessclosed me in, but no one came with food.
I pressed my face against the bars striving to look into the night, myonly reward the glimpse of a few distant stars. Suddenly, as I stoodthere, voices sounded at a distance, the words indistinguishable, andthen footsteps crushed along the gravelled footpath, as though a numberof men were running toward the back of the house. They were below myrange of vision, but a moment later I heard the sounds of scatteredshots, and saw the sharp flash of firing. I was still clinging to thebars, trying to determine what it all meant, when the door was opened.The light of a lantern in his hand revealed a green and white uniform,and the deeply seamed face of a man of fifty.
"Quick now, yer damned rebel," he said hoarsely. "Be up an' lam me one,an' here's the rope."
"What!"
"Didn't yer hear? or wasn't yer told the game? Sufferin' Moses, it's gotto be played swift, or ye'll lie here an' rot. That's what thatbald-headed skate is out thar leadin' 'em off for. I'm ter come in widyer supper; ye slug me first sight, bind me up wid the rope, and skip.'Tis a dirty job, but the friends of ye pay well for it, so come on now."
I comprehended the plan in a flash. She had discovered a sentry moneywould buy; to lead the others away long enough to effect my escape, Peterhad taken to the woods with a gun. Whether he escaped or was captured,the delay would be short. With the knowledge came action. I bore theunresisting Ranger to the floor, hurling down the tray of food he bore ina mass of broken crockery, and bound him hand and foot, leaving thefellow lying across the open doorway. He was without arms, except hisheavy gun, which I left beside him. An instant I paused to ask aquestion, holding aloft the lantern so as to see his face.
"Now man, speak quick; you were given some word for me? Some instructionshow I was to get away?"
"Sure; but ye drew those cords tight! You are to go up stairs, out thefront door, and turn to the right; there's a horse in the thicket beyondthe summer house. Damnation, loosen that ankle rope, will ye?"
I gave it a twitch, but felt little compassion for the fellow, and ran upthe steps, leaving the lantern below. I knew the way even in the dark,and experienced little trouble in feeling my passage. I met with nointerference, and heard no sound, the house seemingly deserted. Only as Iopened the front door could I hear distant, irregular firing to thenorthwest. Assured that no guard remained I flung myself recklessly overthe porch rail onto the smooth turf of the lawn. The dim outlines of thelatticed summer house could be discerned not thirty feet distant, and Istarted toward it unhesitatingly. I had made half the distance when ahorse neighed suddenly to my right, and, startled at the sound, I fellflat, creeping cautiously forward into the shadow of a low bush. I hadrisen to my knees, believing the animal must be the one left there for myuse, when I heard the growl of a voice, a man's voice, from out thesummer house.
An instant I could not locate the sound nor distinguish it clearly; thena sentence cut the air so distinctly that I recognized the speaker.Grant! What was he doing here? Had we delayed too long? Had Fagin'spursuers returned? If so, why was he there in the summer house, and withwhom was he conversing? I crouched back listening, afraid to move.
"I saw the gleam of your white skirt as I rounded the house," heexclaimed. "By Gad, I thought the horse was going to bolt with me. Finebit of luck this, finding you out here alone. What's going on outyonder?"
"There was an attack on the horse guard, and Mr. Seldon is in pursuit.But how does it happen you have returned alone? Has anything occurred tomy father?"
I judged from the sound that he seated himself before answering, andthere was a hesitancy sufficiently noticeable, so as to cause the girl toask anxiously:
"He has not been injured?"
"Who, the Colonel!" with a short laugh. "No fear of that while pursuingthose fellows; they ride too fast, and are scattered by now all the wayfrom here to the Atlantic. Probably a squad of the same gang out therefighting Seldon. Trouble with the Colonel is he takes the affair tooseriously; imagines he is actually on the trail, and proposes to remainout all night. I became tired of such foolishness and rode back."
"You mean you left? Deserted?"
"Oh, hardly that," lazily. "You see I was sent out with a detachment toride down the Lewiston road. I merely left my sergeant in command andturned my horse's head this way. I can be back by morning, and I wantedto see you."
"To see me, Captain Grant! You disobeyed my father's orders to ride backand see me? I hardly appreciate the honor."
"Oh, I suppose not," his tone grown suddenly bitter. "But I am here justthe same, and propose carryi
ng out my intention. What do you think I ammade of--wood? You treat me as though I possessed no feelings to be hurt.See here, Claire, don't draw away from me like that. What has got intoyou lately? You have led me a merry chase all winter in Philadelphia, butnow you have even dared to flaunt me to my face, and in the presence ofyour father. Do you suppose I am the kind to stand for that? What is thematter, girl? Who has come between us? Is it that rascally rebel? No; youstay where you are, and answer me. That is what I came back alone for, tofind out."
She was upon her feet, and I could even see her hand clasping a latticeof the summer house.
"Why do you ask this? What right have you? There was never a promisebetween us."
"The understanding has existed for ten years; never denied until now," heprotested hotly. "You knew I loved you; I've fought a dozen men on youraccount--"
"True enough," she broke in, "you have challenged every gentleman who hasdared address me. Did you think such swash-buckling was going to win myheart? Any girl possessing self-respect would revolt at such methods.Whatever affection I may have felt for you as a boy has been driven fromme by these actions. You wanted a slave, a servant, not a companion, andit is not in Mortimer blood to yield to every whim, to every crack of thewhip. I never loved you, never confessed I did. I tried to be obedient,endeavored to like you to please my father, but this past winter has sothoroughly revealed your real character that I will pretend no longer."
"My character! We have known each other from childhood. I know wellenough what has made the difference in you."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, indeed; it's that damned Continental spy."
"It has been some one all along according to your theory--any gentlemanwho has shown me ordinary kindness. You have called out Captain Kincade,Lieutenant Mathieson, Major Lang, and others, just to prove yourownership of me. You have made me the laughingstock of Philadelphia. Nowit pleases you to select Major Lawrence with which to associate my name.Because he danced with me once you felt justified in quarrelling with himin my presence, in goading him into fighting you. It was the act of acowardly bully. Whatever respect I may once have had for you, CaptainGrant, has been dissipated this past winter."
"Can you tell me it is not Lawrence?"
"I could tell you, and very plainly, but I refuse to be questioned."
"Well, by Gad! I know without asking," and he sprang to his feet,gripping her hand. "You've helped that fellow against me from the first.I'll put up with it no longer. I came back here to-night desperate,prepared to resort to any measures. I meant to give you a chance, and, byheaven! I have. Do you think I am the sort of man you can play with? If Ican have you only by force then it is going to be that. Oh, don't try topull away! I've got you now just as I wanted you--alone! Your father isnot here, and that fool Seldon is busy enough out yonder. There is noteven a guard to interfere. Do you know what I mean to do?"
She made no answer, but her very silence seemed to fan his anger.
"Sulky, are you! Well, I'll tell you just the same. There's a preacherliving at the crossroads--you know him, that snivelling, long-facedJenks. He's a ranting rebel all right, but he'll do what I say, or I'llcut his heart out. You are going there with me to-night to be married.I'll put an end to these tantrums, and by to-morrow you'll have come toyour senses. Now will you go quietly, or shall I make you?"
She wrenched away from him; there was a moment's struggle, and then herwhite-robed figure sprang forth into the starlight. I saw him grasp her,tearing the shoulder of her dress with the fierce grip of his fingers. Iwas already upon my feet, crouching behind the bush, prepared to spring.She drew back, her face white as marble.
"You coward! You cur!"
"Hold your temper, Mistress," with a snarling laugh. "I know how toconquer you."
That moment I reached him.