CHAPTER II
SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLES
Mogridge's sneers went to bed with the squire and arose with him inthe morning. The thought that a man whom he had befriended wasopposing him rankled deeply. And while in this irritable condition oneof the first persons the squire met was David Allison, who had comeearly to work on the accounts.
"Good morning, Allison," was the squire's greeting, spoken gruffly.
"Good morning, Squire Danesford," replied the Scotchman. "I thought Iwad coom early an' ha' the work oot o' the way."
"So as to have time for carrying on your treasonable mischief, Isuppose."
"Excuse me, Squire, but I dinna think I understand."
"D'ye think I don't know that you go about preaching the perniciousdoctrines of Patrick Henry and Tom Jefferson, who sports on his sealthat sentiment of the demagogue: 'Resistance to tyrants is obedienceto God.' Who's the tyrant? Why, our most gracious sovereign! That sortof talk is nothing short of treasonable. The purpose of it isrevolution. Oh, I know!"
Allison looked at the squire in wonderment, which apparently served tofurther excite the squire's rage, for he, without waiting for reply,exclaimed: "There soon will come a time when the traitors will have toeat their words. When she was ready, England put her powerful hand onthe Indies, and they became hers. She reached out into Canada and,taking France by the coat collar, marched her out. When she feels likeit, she'll devote some spare half hour to knocking your headstogether."
The bent figure of the Scotchman straightened as he looked full in theface of his employer. "You misunderstand me, Squire; I only ask thatEngland shall treat the colonists as she would treat Englishmen, forthat is what we are. But for us she wad na' found the task o' runningFrance out of Canada an easy one. I fought for England in that war assurely as I did for the colonies an' I dinna intend to make talk thata self-respecting man should not."
"That sounds well, but it means treason; and I for one will notharbour or support traitors," was the angry response.
"And I," replied Allison, with dignity, "will permit no man to controlmy thoughts or call me a traitor to the country for which I fought."
Thus the kindly relations between the two men, who in their heartsheld warm regard, each for the other, were abruptly ended in mutualill will. At a window looking out stood Henry Mogridge, with the samedisagreeable smile his face had worn the previous evening.
How like a chill fog stealing in and shutting down, shrouding a place,is trouble in a household!
The squire was uneasy all the morning and then, calling for his horse,mounted him and rode away. Elizabeth eluded her cousin, who, left toamuse himself, heartily wished himself back in London.
At the home of the Allisons the trouble was of a very serious nature.David's intention to keep from his wife and family what had occurredthat morning, failed. Mrs. Allison knew that something serious hadhappened and, in her quiet way, finally learned what it was. Rodney,too, learned of it and that night went to his bed feeling that otherboys fared better than he. There was his cousin, Dick Tawbee, withhorses and dogs and servants to care for them, while he--well, therewas no lad he knew who had so much of trouble.
It might have contributed to Rodney's peace of mind that evening couldhe have seen the predicament of a boy, about his own age, who, toescape abuse, had run from his cabin home and huddled down behind astump in the clearing around the cabin. He lived on the frontier ofthe colony of Pennsylvania, and, though a rather uninteresting littlefellow, had troubles of his own and was bearing them without a murmur,and, instead of thinking about them, was considering the pleasuresthe day had afforded him.
The Vuysens with whom he lived, because after the death of his parentshe could not find a better home, had been abusing him for running awayin the morning, leaving his duties because he had wished to see abeaver colony at work. He had not intended to do anything wrong, butthe temptation had been too great. That morning the world seemedoverflowing with the alluring promises of spring, and the birds weresinging in the forest. He thought of the beaver colony he haddiscovered the winter before when it was locked in ice. The ice wouldnow be gone. Surely here was his opportunity.
He had approached very cautiously so as not to alarm the littleanimals, and finally found a place where he had a good view of them atwork, cutting down trees with their chisel-shaped teeth and buildingdams with a skill which causes men to wonder.
While trying to get into a comfortable position he had stepped on adry twig that snapped under his feet. A big beaver slapped his broadtail on the water. Splash! and they disappeared in a twinkling. ButConrad, that was the boy's name, was a patient little fellow and aftera time his patience was rewarded by seeing the beaver resume theirtasks. Some cut down the trees, cutting them so they fell just wherethe beaver wanted them, woodsmen could have done no better. Some werepiling brush among the branches of the trees while others broughtearth to fill in the network of brush, patting it down with theirbroad tails, as masons would use their trowels; others were rolling astone into the dam they were building. Seemingly they had the work ascarefully planned as men could have done.
Conrad was fond of the woods and animals, his only friends, for theVuysens looked upon him as a sort of slave and treated him unkindly.It was rare pleasure for the lad to watch the beaver colony, and, nowthat he had been turned out of the cabin supperless, he sat down bythe stump to think over his pleasure, rather than his trouble, andsoon fell fast asleep. While Conrad slept, a small band of Indians wasapproaching along a spotted trail leading through the forest.
When awakened, Conrad thought he was dreaming; but, after rubbing hiseyes and collecting his senses, he realized that the yelling andcommotion were being caused by savages. His instinct prompted him tosteal away, but, when he saw them leading the horse from the stableshed and one Indian cruelly beat it, he forgot himself and rushed tointerfere. The horse was the best friend Conrad had known since hismother died.
A half drunken savage seized the boy by the hair, but othersinterfered, and so it happened that, instead of being killed on thespot, he found himself, together with the horse, a prisoner andhurried along the trail in the forest.
Conrad made no complaint but quietly went with his captors. Herecalled that Vuysen had said there was peace with the Indians but hadadded, in the words of an old chief, "The rogues on both sides alwaysmake trouble." Perhaps, after all, this was but a thieving expeditionand they might adopt him as a member of the tribe, a thought whichstrangely enough brought comfort to the boy's heart. He loved thewoods and did not love the Vuysens. The savages could not know thisand so, though he had no thought of trying to escape, they bound him.Although his bonds were uncomfortable he slept soundly, while Rodney,down in Virginia in his comfortable bed, passed a restless night; allof which helps to prove that it does not always depend so much on whatone has, as on what one thinks about it.
When Rodney came down to breakfast the next morning he was resolved tourge his father to make a pioneer home in the wonderful West he hadheard so many tales about, out where there was plenty of big game andwhere there were broad acres to be had for the taking.
Not until he had nearly finished his breakfast did he screw up hiscourage to the point of carrying out his resolve. Then he said:"Father, I've heard you say there is land out on the Ohio River whichyou can have because of your service in the last war. Why don't wesettle on it? This place has nothing for us with the squire for anenemy, and not much at best."
"You little know of the perils, my lad. Surely ye wouldna' ha' themother an' little one killed by the savages? But I'm minded to saythat a venture into the western part o' this colony is much to myliking this morning. From all I can learn a poor man in those parts isnot so hedged aboot as here."
Neither father nor son thought of the generally observed fact thatwhen a poor man began to seek a home where land was cheap he usuallybecame a pioneer with his face turned toward the West, the greatlonging for a better home luring him toward the richer lands said tol
ie beyond the mountains.