Crestlands: A Centennial Story of Cane Ridge

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  DRANE PRACTICES PENMANSHIP

  One morning in October, Drane, who at this time seemed to have businessdemanding his frequent presence at Cane Ridge, passed by the Rogers'homestead just as Abner was coming from the house. The two conversedfor a time at the stile, then Drane, as he was preparing to ride on,asked, "Any commissions I can execute for you in town, Dudley?"

  "No," Abner replied, "I believe not; I was in Lexington myselfThursday. But stay," he added, "you may post a letter, if you will beso kind. Wait a minute," and he ran to the house and soon returned witha letter which he handed Drane.

  This missive, which the lawyer opened as soon as he was in the privacyof his room, was addressed to Chas. M. Brady, Williamsburg, Virginia,and read as follows:

  CANE RIDGE, Oct. the 5, 1802.

  Honored Sir;--I was in Lexington again on Thursday; saw Morrison, and del'v'd y'r enclosure containing recommendations, etc. But just now, owing to the absence of two of the trustees, John Meeks and Israel Power, I can accomplish nothing. Judge Barr favors y'r appointment, but he is so handicapped that he can do very little. I learn from a trustworthy informant that Ezra Spaiter, of Milledgeville, is also an applicant for this professorship. Therefore, it would not be advisable to open negotiations with Ingraham, for I know that he is strongly in favor of Spaiter. Nor do I think it would be well to make application through Brown, who, I learn, contemplates withdrawing altogether from the University. Consequently, I advise that you make no further move in this matter until you are apprised of Power's return. I will see him and Tarr as soon as possible; and you may rest assured that I will do all I can for you.

  Y'r ob't, humble serv't to command,

  Abner Dudley Logan. To Charles M. Brady, Williamsburg, Va.

  "Now, what does this mean?" Drane thought as he saw the full signature,Abner Dudley Logan. "Has the fellow been adopting an alias? I mustinvestigate this matter. But meanwhile I've another task before me,"and he spread the letter before him on the table, drew forth writingmaterials, and set to work. The next evening and the next found himsimilarly engaged, until by dint of repeated effort and closeobservation, aided by natural aptitude for such work, he produced afair counterfeit of Abner's writing. While thus engaged, another schemepresented itself to his fertile brain. To carry out this scheme, hefirst made a copy of the letter to Brady. The wording was the same asthat of the original, and the penmanship so good an imitation that onlya suspicious and close observer could detect the difference.

  "As this Brady is far away, and probably not so well acquainted withthe schoolmaster's fist as Gilcrest is, it will be safer to send mycopy to him," Drane decided, "and manipulate the original for theMajor's benefit. If this, in conjunction with that other document Ishall show at the same time, doesn't put an end to that upstart'schances with Gilcrest's daughter, I'm much out of my reckoning. Ah,Betty! bewitching, tormenting Betty! I'll have you yet in spite of yourstand-off airs and half-veiled scorn of James Anson Drane."

  The next afternoon found this unscrupulous plotter closeted with MajorGilcrest in the pleasant library at Oaklands.

  First pledging Gilcrest to absolute secrecy, Drane submitted a letterbeginning with the address, "Dear A. D.," and signed with the initials"B. S." Much of the letter was couched in language so obscure as tobear no precise meaning without a verbal interpretation which, theletter stated, would be given by the bearer, S. Swartwourt, to whom "A.D." was referred. The letter alluded to the confidence the writer hadhitherto placed in "A. D.," and to the former correspondence betweenthem. It also mentioned an enclosure from "Gen. W.," written in cipher,to which cipher "B. S." stated "A. D." had a key. "B. S." ended hisletter with the request that the enclosure from "W." be shown toMessrs. "M." and "A.," and then promptly forwarded to "T. P."

  Before showing this communication from "B. S." Drane had torn off thatpart which bore the date, "May 2, 1802," and at the bottom of the pagehad added in a fair likeness of the handwriting of "B. S.," the date,"Oct. 12, 1802."

  It will be remembered that at this period there was a renewal of theold rumors in regard to Spanish intrigues, and that Gilcrest on Aprilcourt day had seen Abner in what had appeared to be a confidentialconversation with Wilkinson, Sebastian and Murray; and also that Abner,when calling at Oaklands after his return from Virginia, had mentionedtraveling in the company of Sebastian and Murray and stopping with themat Blennerhassett Island. Moreover, early in the year, Gilcrest,through his friend, Dr. Bullock, of Louisville, had been apprised of aconspiracy in which Thomas Power, a Spanish emissary, and the threeprominent Kentuckians, Wilkinson, Sebastian and Murray, were suspectedof being involved. So great was Gilcrest's infatuation for Drane, hehad violated his promise made to Bullock, and had hinted of theseintrigues to Drane, who thus had much material to work upon in hisattempt to prejudice Gilcrest against Betsy's lover.

  "How in the world did this paper fall into your hands?" was Gilcrest'sfirst query, after examining the communication of "B. S."

  "Wait," Drane answered, "until you have seen this," placing before theold gentleman the following torn and crumpled fragment:

  CAN

  Honored Sir:--I was in Lexington again and del'v'd y'r enclosure containing reco owing to the absence of two of the Power, I can accomplish nothing. Jud but he is so handicapped that he ca a trustworthy informant that Ez also an applicant for this pro be advisable to open negotiation he is strongly in favor of Spai well to make application through B withdrawing altogether from the Uni that you make no further move in th ed of Power's return. I will see him and you may rest assured that I will

  Y'r ob't, humble serv't to

  Abner Dudley

  After this, too, had been examined, Drane explained. A short whilebefore, he said, he was returning from a ride to Frankfort, and as hewas on the road just by the woodland pasture belonging to Mason Rogers,had dismounted to dislodge a stone from his horse's foot. As he waspreparing to remount, he spied a folded paper peeping out from someunderbrush on the roadside. He had examined it. It was this enigmaticalletter from "B. S." to "A. D." "I had my strong suspicions," Dranecontinued, "as to the identity of both writer and recipient; but, ofcourse, not being sure that the document belonged to Abner Dudley, Idid not think it wise to give it to him. Furthermore, it seemed that inview of what you had revealed to me in regard to certain malignantconspiracies with the Spanish Government, it behooved me to becautious. It was too late in the day to see you; so I returned home,resolving that at the first opportunity I'd advise with you. The veryday after finding that letter, last Thursday afternoon, Dudley rushedinto my office and asked for writing materials. I furnished what herequired, and he sat at my desk to write. He made several attempts andruined several sheets of paper, which he tore up and tossed into thefire--all save this scrap," indicating the fragment shown above, "whichlay on the floor under the desk and escaped his notice. He finallywrote a letter to suit him. This he sealed and directed, and then,saying a messenger was waiting, he thanked me hurriedly and rushed out.I have little doubt that this messenger was the 'S. Swartwourt'mentioned in 'B. S.'s' letter; for Swartwourt was in town thatThursday. I had seen him at noon at the tavern in close converse withWilliam Murray, Isaac Adamson (in all likelihood, the Messrs. 'M.' and'A.' of 'B. S.'s' letter), and Abner Dudley, who is as certainly 'A.D.' as 'B. S.' is Benjamin Sebastian; and that torn fragment before youis that shameless young hypocrite's answer to Sebastian's letter ofOctober 12."

  "You are undoubtedly correct in your surmises," said Gilcrest whenDrane had finished. "The 'Power' referred to in this torn piece, andthe 'T. P.' referred to in the letter signed 'B. S.,' both mean thatvile and most dangerous diplomat, Thomas Power; and, see, Dudleymentions 'the enclosure,' too, which he had probably shown to Murrayand Adamson, and then forwarded to Thomas Pow
er. Notice, too, theexpression in Dudley's letter, 'he is strongly in favor ofSpai'--meaning, of course, Spain; and also this line, 'withdrawingaltogether from the Uni', which last word, with its missing letterssupplied, would be Union. Why, man, this is a most dangerous conspiracyagainst the Federal Government! We must be very wary indeed, if wewould succeed in bringing the whole matter to light. But how carelessof Dudley," he continued after a moment, "to lose that letter by theroadside! It is unlike his usual caution, and certainly not in keepingwith the diabolical cunning and consummate skill with which the moversin this plot appear to be working. However, as the enclosure wasalready forwarded, and as the letter itself without the verbalinterpretation is so obscure as to have no real meaning for one not inthe scheme, I presume Dudley was not as cautious as he would have beenhad he dreamed that any one in this neighborhood had an inkling ofthese nefarious plots they are concocting."

  After some further consultation and further pledges between Drane andGilcrest as to caution and silence, the former prepared to leave.

  "No, James," said Gilcrest, when the lawyer reached out to get the twodocuments, "you are impetuous and rather thoughtless; and besides, youare frequently away from home; so I had better take these papers intomy charge for safe-keeping. You'll be showing them to some one, or,rather, somebody may get at them while you are out of town, and----"

  "But, Major Gilcrest," remonstrated Drane, secretly much frightened atthis unexpected move on the part of his confidant, "I--I found them,and they belong to me. I assure you they will be perfectly secure withme, and--and--I----"

  "But they'll be safer with me," persisted Gilcrest.

  James argued and remonstrated as much as he dared without endangeringby overeagerness his own nefarious little plot; but he could not shakethe old gentleman's purpose, and at last he had to depart, thoroughlydiscomfited. Much enraged he was, too, as he rode homeward, and fullydetermined, as he said, "to regain possession of those two documents,in spite of that blamed, stubborn old blockhead, Hiram Gilcrest."