CHAPTER XXIII.
MASON ROGERS' DIPLOMACY
Ever since Stone's memorable sermon in June of the preceding year,Deacon Gilcrest, who really believed that the young minister wassubverting the truth and teaching dangerous heresies, had urged thatthe synod investigate the matter, and that until such investigationshould be made, Stone should not be allowed to occupy the pulpit atCane Ridge. But the majority of the members were convinced of the truthof Stone's teachings, and had, moreover, too warm a regard for theirminister to permit them to listen to Gilcrest.
These were bitter days for the old man. In the main just andkindhearted, despite all his narrowness and vindictiveness, it was nosmall element of his trouble that his brethren with whom until now hisopinions had been highly esteemed and his influence paramount, shouldpay no attention to his views. Especially did he sorrow because ofMason Rogers. The intense regard which these two men, so contrasted inculture and worldly position, had always felt for each other, was bothstrong and pathetic. More in sorrow than in anger had Gilcrest argued,reasoned and pleaded to bring Rogers to his own way of thinking. Rogersdid not attempt to combat any of Gilcrest's arguments, and rarelyprotested against anything he said, except when he attacked his ownbeloved minister personally. Each valued the other too highly to loseself-control in these talks, both seeming determined that no matterwhat their differences of opinion with respect to church and minister,they themselves would live in neighborly harmony. But what neitherminister nor religious difference could effect was presently broughtabout by the schoolmaster.
Abner, knowing the long friendship between Gilcrest and Rogers, and notwishing to be the means of causing a rupture, for some time told hiskind host nothing of Gilcrest's altered demeanor toward himself. Butafter the encounter at the stile-block he informed Rogers of hisengagement to Betsy and of her father's opposition and bitter enmity.Rogers accordingly went to Oaklands.
Several days had elapsed since Abner had been so grossly insulted.Gilcrest had had time for reflection and for realizing that he had saidmany things in that stormy interview which good feeling and prudenceshould have forbidden. He was at heart a gentleman, and since hispassion had cooled he bitterly reproached himself for his brutal tauntin regard to Abner's probable illegitimacy; for Gilcrest was sure thepoor boy was entirely ignorant on this point. Gilcrest also acquittedhim of being knowingly a party to any fraud in claiming to be heir tothe Hite estate. The Major likewise reproached himself for lack ofcaution; for until he and Drane had made full investigation into MaryPage's history, it behooved them to be absolutely silent concerningMrs. Gilcrest's claim. Moreover, it was essential that for the presenthis suspicions of Abner's connection with political plots should not berevealed. So now that Mason Rogers was here, eager to set matters rightbetween Betsy's father and her lover, Gilcrest was in a quandary. Herefused to give his reasons for opposing Abner's suit; but he hinteddarkly of nefarious schemes and dangerous, even treasonable, plots inwhich the young man was implicated.
"I nevah hearn tell uv sich an outrageous thing in my borned days,"exclaimed Rogers, "I thought too high uv you, Hiram, to believe you'dlisten to whispers an' insinerations ag'in sich a man as Abner."
"But, Mason, I tell you I have not heeded mere whispers andinsinuations; I have clear proof, proof, man, for what I hold againstthis schoolmaster."
"Then, fur the sake uv common jestice, out with yer proofs!"
"I can not, Mason; I am pledged to silence; moreover, it would bedangerous to the peace of the commonwealth, and frustrate the ends ofjustice, to reveal anything now. I had intended to let no hint of mysuspicions reach him, but when he presented himself as a suitor for mygirl, and would demand my reasons for refusing him, and was altogetherhigh-headed and arrogant and impudent, I was carried away byindignation, and hinted that I had knowledge of his intriguingschemes."
"High-headed he may be," said Rogers, "an' who hez a bettah right, I'dlike to know? But arregent an' imperdent he ain't; an' not even you,Hiram, shell call him so to my face, 'thout me denyin' it."
"Mark what I tell you, my friend," interrupted Gilcrest; "I could withtruth say even harder things of that young man. He has hoodwinked youfinely, but the time is not far distant when you yourself will say thatI am right."
"The time won't nevah come," said Rogers with homely dignity, "when Ishell hev cause to think anything but good uv that deah boy. He's eato' my bread an' sot et my h'arth fur three year come nex' October, an'he's lak my own son."
"Ah! he's deceived you grandly," retorted Gilcrest with a sneer, losingall patience. "I tell you he's a political schemer and traitor, and ifhe ever dares show his face on my premises again, I'll have himflogged."
"Yes, Hiram Gilcrest, I am deceived," Rogers answered slowly, but withrising anger, "an' it's in you, not him. I've stood a heap frum youlately. I've held my lip while you've been dissercratin' religion, an'tryin' to turn ole Cane Redge chu'ch upside down, inside out, an' wrongeend foremos'; but, blame yer hide! I won't stand ev'rything, an' Idraw the line et yo' abusin' Abner Dudley."
"Why, Mason, old friend----" began Gilcrest.
"Don' you 'Mason' an' 'ole friend' me, Hiram Gilcrest! I'm done withyou. Ef Abner hain't good 'nough to set foot on yo' place, you hain'tgood 'nough to set foot on mine; an', by glory, ef you evah do, I'llsick the dogs on you. You need hoss-whippin' to fetch you to yo'senses. You've got so et up with proud flesh an' malice, kaze you can'tbe high cock-o'-the-walk in Cane Redge chu'ch, thet you're gittin'rabid ez a mad dog."
"Not even from you, Mason Rogers, will I stand such words," exclaimedGilcrest, furiously.
"Then, don't stand 'em!" retorted Rogers. "Set down on 'em, or lay on'em, or roll ovah on 'em--jes' ez you please! I'm done with you," and,without once looking back, he strode wrathfully out of the house.
He was in a towering rage as he rode homeward, but, before reaching hisown gate, he had cooled down sufficiently to plan what he should andshould not say at home about his visit to Oaklands.
"'Twon't do to tell Abner whut thet ole sea skunk hinted 'bout plotsan' treasons. Hiram'd be tortured by Injuns befoh he'd tell out plainwhut he'd promised to keep secret; an' ef Abner knowed he'd hinted etsich damnation things ag'in him, he'd t'ar up the airth to mek himtell; fur Ab in his own way's ez stubbo'n an' sot ez the ole Scratchhisse'f. With the two uv 'em to manidge, I'm betwixt tommyhock an'buzzard, so to speak, an' I won't hev a minit's peace tell I wollop 'emboth, an' mek 'em behave therse'ves. So I reckon I'll hafto talk inkindah gen'ral terms, or in par'bles, ez Brothah Stone would say, whenAbner axes me 'bout my intahview with Hiram."
The opportunity for Rogers' diplomatic use of "par'bles" came thatevening. "The angel Gabriel hisse'f couldn't mek heads or tails o' whutHiram means," he said in answer to a question from Abner. "He don'tknow hisse'f whut he means. He's bittah an' sore ag'in ev'rything an'ev'rybody whut hain't ready to fall on Brothah Stone, an' eat him ha'ran' hide. You teched him up fust on thet p'int; then while he's stillkindah riled with you--fur it teks him a long time to fergit a man'sdarin' to sot up opinions 'ginst his'n--up you prances ag'in 'boutBetsy. No, you didn't beg him sortah bashful an' meechin' lak--I knowyou so well, Ab--but you jes' demands his gal's hand in marridge. Thisriles him still futhah. Then, instid o' bein' meek an' lowly, an'smoothin' him down, an' axin' him to please be so kind ez to reconsidahthe mattah, you puts on yo' I'm-ez-good-ez-you-an'-a-blamed-sight-bettahair, an' axes him to explain his conduc'."
"But indeed, Mr. Rogers, I was both respectful and deferential to MajorGilcrest."
"Oh, yes, ez meek ez Moses, I s'pose you think yo'se'f," ejaculatedMason, with a shrewd smile.
"I don't know exactly how meek Moses really was when he was courtingJethro's daughter," Abner began.
"Oh, go to thundah with yo' Moses an' yo' Jethro's daughtah!" laughedMason, impatiently. "Mayby you thought you wuz meek an' differential;but don't I know you? Then, thah's anothah p'int," he added after apause. "Thah's thet sneakin' fellah, Drane. Buttah won't melt in hismouth, an' m
aple syrup hain't ez sweet ez his ways. He's rich an' fineez a fiddle, too, an' is all respect an' 'umbleness with ole Hi, whothinks jes' kaze the daddy, ole Anson Drane, wuz a honest man, thet theson is natchelly obleeged to be honest too. But with all this drawin'uv the wool ovah ole Hiram's eyes, Jeemes hain't succeedin' egzactlywith the gal, an' he's cute 'nough to see whah the hitch is; so he useshis influence with her pap to belittle an' backbite the one she doesfavor. Mark my words, thet slick-tongued lawyer is et the bottom uv alot o' this devilment."
"I never did thoroughly trust that fellow," exclaimed Abner, "but I'veno proof against him; so what can be done?"
"No, you hain't no proof," returned Rogers, thoughtfully, "and mayby wemistrust him wrongful. So, fur the present," he added with quainthumor, "whut you got to do is to jes' fire low an' save yo' waddin'.'Sides, ef Betsy loves you, an' you're both patient, things is bound tocome out right in the eend."
"As for patience," Abner rejoined, "just think how long I've waitedalready. This state of things must not go on much longer, for Betty'ssake as well as for mine."
"See here, my boy," said Rogers, quickly, a new gentleness in look andtone, "you hain't thought uv this thing in all its bearin's."
"Yes, I have. I've thought of nothing else for months," Abner respondedgloomily.
"No, thah's one p'int you've ovahlooked," pursued the older man. "It'show ole Hiram will treat her, ef you an' her persists in goin' ag'inhim; an' ef you love Betsy strong an' tendah, you'll hafto begin tothink on it. Why, boy, that's the only way to spell love--to kiver selfout o' sight, an' think only uv the peace an' well-bein' uv the galwhut hez given her heart intah yer keepin'. Hiram's a kind fathahusually, an' thet gal o' his'n is lak his very eyeballs to him; butthet very love an' pride he hez fur her will mek him more ovahbearin'an' obstrep'rous, ef she persists in open disregawd o' his wishes an'commands; an' thah's no tellin' how mean he might git. He might evenlock her up."
"If I thought that----" cried Abner. "But he's not so much of a villainas that, for all his dictatorialness and his insulting treatment ofme."
"But he hain't in his senses jes' now, I tell you," replied Rogers,judicially. "Thah's no tellin' how much uv a brute he may act, an' it'sher we should be thinkin' uv."
"By heaven," Abner exclaimed, starting up, "if I thought he'd evermistreat Betty, I'd----"
"You'd whut?"
"I'd run away with her," he answered, facing Rogers as he spoke. "If afather abuses his authority, he no longer merits consideration on theground of his fatherhood."
"Well, my boy," said Rogers, kindly, "I advise patience an' prudence;but ef the wust comes to the wust, an' he begins to act mean to thegal, you'll do right to tek her away. I'll holp you all I kin;leastways, I'll wink et whut you do. Betsy's too fine a gal--bless hersweet face--to be made onhappy jes' bekaze her ole daddy's et up withspitefulness ag'in you an Parson Stone."
Rogers, knowing his wife's old feeling against the Gilcrests--a feelingcompounded of envy on account of the superior social position of thefamily at Oaklands, jealousy on account of the friendship between herhusband and Hiram Gilcrest, and resentment against Gilcrest's treatmentof Stone--did not give her an account of his encounter with Gilcrest,but merely told her that Betsy and Abner loved each other, that herfather did not favor the match, and that he had forbidden Betsy to haveanything more to say to the young man.
"Reckon Hirum an' Jane expaict a dukedom or a king ter marry ther gal,"remarked Mrs. Rogers, scornfully. "Abner not good 'nough! He's wuth thewhole kit an' bilin' o' Gilcrests an' Temples; an' ef Betsy lets 'emthreaten an' coax or skeer her inteh breakin' her word to him, shehain't the gal I tek her to be. But, pore thing! she must be havin' ahard time. An' who'd 'a' thought uv them two a-lovin' each othah lakthet? Come to think on it, though, it's a wondah I hain't suspicioned'em foh this; but, la! they're both so young. Abner hain't more'ntwenty-four or twenty-five, an' Betsy hain't but two yeah oldah'n ourCissy."
"You furgit, Cynthy Ann, thet Betsy's ez old or oldah then you wuz whenyou fust begun to mek eyes et me," observed Mason, with a droll smile.
"La, now, I wouldn't wondah ef Cissy didn't know all about Abner an'Betsy right 'long; her'n' Betsy wuz allus so thick," commented Mrs.Rogers, ignoring her husband's remark.