CHAPTER XVII.
A COWARD'S DEED.
Mr. Ray was hobbling about his room blithe as a lark. He had sleptsoundly, awaked refreshed, enjoyed his breakfast and the music of theband at guard-mounting; was rejoicing in the arrival of Dandy, who hadbeen sent down from Laramie, and was now in a little paddock in theback-yard of the quarters he and Blake occupied in company. He had spentan hour delightfully at Mrs. Truscott's, where the ladies were outtaking the morning air, and finally had come home to write to "themother" at Lexington, who, with all her pride in her boy's achievements,was still vastly worried. She had written to the commanding officer, infact, and begged particulars from him, as her son was so averse towriting. The colonel had shown the letter to Gleason, who happened, asusual, to be on hand, and Gleason had remarked, "Well! That's what Ialways told you. You'll get to know him after a while." Ray had writtena joyous letter to her and a few jolly lines to sister Nell, whose lastletter had perplexed him somewhat, and then, his work finished, he hadrisen, and was limping around with the aid of a stick singing lustilythe old darkey camp-meeting lines,--
"Oh, de elder's on de road, mos' done trabbelin', De elder's on de road, mos' done trabbelin', De elder's on de road, mos' done er trabbelin'; I'se gwine to carry my soul to de Lawd,"
when the door opened, and in came Blake.
"What ho! Mercutio. _Your_ bosom's lord sits lightly on his throne,anyhow! What you been drinking, Billy? Getting shot seems to agree withyou. Faith! lad, I've had a joyous morn, chaffing Gleason andsupervising his packing. What a damned sneak that fellow is, anyhow!" hebroke off, in sudden disgust.
"What's he been doing now?"
"Oh!--I can't tell you; just hinting and insinuating as usual. He's noend grumpy at being sent off; seemed to think he had the inside trackwith the Jersey bluebell. (Look out, William, or you'll be moth to thatcandle next. She's the winningest thing I ever saw,--winning as fouraces, i' faith!) Gad! Did you hear the K. O. W.'s[A] speech about her?Hullo! There they go now. She and Mrs. Stannard driving to town.Wouldn't wonder if they were going just to get rid of having to saygood-by to Gleason. Come, Billy; let's limp over to the store and have acup of sack."
[Footnote A: Army _argot_ for commanding officer's wife.]
"B'lieve not, Blakie, I've--well, let up on it, so to speak."
"_What?_ Billy? Oh, come now, that's too--why, angels and ministers ofgrace! Ray, is it love? delirious, delicious, delusive love, again?Sweet William! Billy Doux! bless my throbbing heart! Odds boddikins!man,--nay, think,--
''Tis best to freeze on to the old love Till you're solid as wheat with the new.'
Don't throw off on Hebe when Shebe, maybe, only fooling thee. Peace, sayyou? Nay, then, I mean no harm, sweet Will. Here's me hand on't. Butfor me, no dalliance with Venus,--
'Her and her blind boy's scandalled company I have forsworn.'
You have my blessing, Billy, but--
'Dost thou think because thou art virtuous There shall be no more cakes and ale?'
Avaunt! I'll hie me to metheglin and Muldoon's." And off he went,leaving Ray half vexed, half shaken with laughter.
It must have been one o'clock when, looking up the row as he sat baskingin the sunshine, he saw Gleason come out of Captain Truscott's quartersand rapidly nearing him along the walk. He had been idly looking over anewspaper and thinking intently over matters which he was beginning tofind vastly interesting; but something in Gleason's appearance changedMr. Ray's expression from that of the mingled contempt and indifferencewith which he generally met him into one of more active interest. Thebig and bulky lieutenant lurched unmistakably as he walked; his face wasflushed, his eyes red. He was muttering angrily to himself, and shot aquick but far from intelligent glance at Ray as he passed.
"Now, what on earth could have prompted him to go to Truscott's lookinglike that?" thought Ray. "I wonder if Mrs. Truscott saw him. She did notgo driving."
Presently there came a little knot of ladies down the row. They stoppedto speak to Ray, and he rose, answering with smiling welcome, and theyon the sidewalk and he, leaning against one of the pillars of the lowwooden portico, were in the midst of a lively chat when his own dooropened and there came from within his quarters Mrs. Truscott's soldierservant, an old cavalryman whose infirmities had made him glad, longsince, to exchange the functions of a trooper for those of generalmessenger, bootblack, and scullion on better pay and rations. He hadcome in from the rear. He held out a note.
"Mrs. Truscott said I was to find you at once, sir."
"Pardon me, ladies, I will see what this is," he said, opening itleisurely with pleasant anticipations of an invitation for tea. He readtwo lines: the color left his face. Amaze, consternation, distress, wereall pictured there in an instant.
"Excuse me! I must go to Mrs. Truscott at once," he said, and wentlimping eagerly, rapidly up the walk.
"Why, what can she want?" asked one of the astonished ladies.
"I cannot imagine. Don't you think we--some of us ought to go and see ifanything is the matter?"
"Nonsense! It is nothing where we would be of any service. What makes mewonder is what she can want of Mr. Ray; what made _him_ look sostartled?" (A pause.)
"Didn't Mrs. Turner say he was very attentive to her in Arizona, andthat she threw him over for Captain Truscott?" (Tentatively.)
"It wasn't that at _all!_" promptly interrupted another, with thepositive conviction of womankind. "Mrs. Wilkins told me all about it,and I _know_. It was another girl Mr. Ray was in love with, and--no, itwas Mrs.--somebody--Tanner, whose husband was killed, and Mrs. Truscott_did_ break an engagement with somebody----"
"I didn't know about _that_. What I say is that Mr. Ray was desperatelyin love with Mrs. Truscott, because----"
And by this time all four were talking at once, and the thread ofconversation became involved.
But Ray had hurried on. What he read had indeed startled him.
"Come to me the moment you get this. I am in fearful trouble.
"G. P. T."
He knocked at the door, and she herself opened it and led him into theparlor. She was pale as death, her eyes distended with misery, everyfeature quivering, every nerve trembling with fright and violentemotion. She began madly walking up and down the little room wringingher hands, shivering, gasping for breath.
"In heaven's name, what has happened?"
"Oh! I cannot tell you! I cannot tell you! It is too fearful! Oh, Mr.Ray! Mr. Ray!"
"But you must tell me, Mrs. Truscott. Try and control yourself. Isanything wrong with Jack?"
"Oh, no--no!"
"Good God! Has there been an accident? Has anything happened to MissSanford?"
"No--no--no! It's only me!" she answered, hysterically inaccurate in herwild wretchedness. "I'll tell you.--It is that awful man, Mr. Gleason.He has been here and----"
Ray's face set like stone. The words came through clinched teeth now. Heseized her hand--released it as suddenly.
"Tell me instantly. There's no time to lose. He goes at three."
And then at last, half sobbing, half raging with indignation, shemanaged to tell her story.
Gleason had come in half an hour before, and walking at once into theparlor, had sent up word that he wished to see her. She asked to beexcused, but he called up that it was a matter of the utmost importance,and she came down. He closed the parlor door, stood between her andescape, and then proceeded to accuse her of slights and wrongs to him,and of interfering with his rights as a gentleman to pay his addressesto Miss Sanford,--of prejudicing her against him. He accused her husbandof treating him with disdain, and then--she saw he had been drinkingheavily--he with wild triumph told her she was in his power; he had longsuspected her. She strove to check him and to call her servants (for awonder they weren't at the keyhole), but she was powerless against him.Then he went on to denounce her as a faithless wife, and to accuse herof a vile correspondence with a soldier,--an enlisted man, a sergea
ntformerly of her husband's troop. He drew a letter from his pocket, andwith sneering emphasis read it aloud. It was an ardent love-letter fromWolf, in which he raved of his love for her, spoke of other letters hehad written, and reminded her of his happiness in past meetings, andbegged to be told when he could see her alone. She was horror-stricken;indignantly denied any knowledge of him whatever. He simply sneered, andtold her he meant to take that letter "to crush her husband with" thefirst time he asserted any authority over him, and to hold as a menaceover her. Then she implored him as an officer, as a gentleman, to giveit to her, but he only added sneering insult.
Ray could hardly wait till she had finished. At first he blazed withwrath, then that odd preternatural coolness and _sang-froid_ seemed tosteal over him. He looked at his watch--One thirty: time enough--thenasked a quiet question or two. Had any one heard? Did any one else know?Not a soul. Whom could she tell? Whom could she call but him,--Mrs.Stannard and Marion being away?
"Don't worry a particle. I'll have him here on his knees if need be. Yousay Wolf was the signature. Do you know any----Why! does he mean thatgood-looking German?"
And to his amaze she was blushing painfully.
"Yes, Mr. Ray, and he was with us at the Point, and always coming toborrow books of Jack, but indeed he never wrote me, nor I----"
"Hush! Who but a blackguard would think it? Just sit here quietly tenminutes or so. You shall have that letter. If any one comes, I think itwould be best to keep quiet about this until later."
With that he went hobbling down the row. There were the ladies and theyaccosted him to know if anything were wrong,--if they had not better goto Mrs. Truscott? et caetera, et caetera; but he answered withunaccustomed brilliancy and mendacity that he had a scare for nothingbecause he could not read her fine Italian hand. She was only gettingsome things ready to send to Captain Truscott by the stage to Fetterman.All the same he slipped into his room, got his revolver, gave a quiettwirl to the cylinder to see that all was working smoothly, and the nextminute, without knocking, banged into the front room of Gleason'squarters, finding that worthy sluicing his head and face with cold waterat the washstand.
"Who's that?" he shouted, turning half round to find Ray standing lessthan ten feet away with a cocked six-shooter gleaming in his hand. Therewas dead silence a moment, then Ray's placid tones were heard,--
"Sit down, Gleason."
Gleason stood glaring at him an instant, a ghastly pallor stealing overhis face, his rickety legs trembling beneath him.
"Do you hear? _Sit down!_"
And though the words were slow, deliberate, clean-cut, there was ahissing prolongation of the one sibillant that gave the impression ofthe 'scape-valve of some pent-up power that bore a ton to the squareinch. There was a blaze, a glitter, in the dark, snapping eyes; therewas a pitiless, contemptuous, murderous set to the lips and jaw; afearful significance in the slowly-raising pistol hand and the pointingfinger of the other. Limp as a wet rag, cowering like a lashed cur,terrified into speechlessness, Gleason dropped into the indicatedchair.
"If you attempt to move except at my bidding I'll shoot you like a dog.I want that letter."
"What letter?" he whimpered, in his effort to dodge.
"The letter you were blackguard enough to steal and coward enough tothreaten Mrs. Truscott with. Where is it?"
"Ray, I swear I meant no harm! It was all a--a joke. I didn't dreamshe'd take it so seriously. I picked it up in her yard, and meant togive it----"
"Shut up! Where is it?"
"I--I haven't got it now."
"You lie! Bring it out, or I'll----" And again the rising pistol handwith dread suggestiveness supplied the ellipsis.
Gleason began fumbling in the pocket of his waistcoat. It was evidentthat he was on the verge of maudlin tears; he shook and trembled andbegan protesting.
"Bah!" said Ray. "The idea of showing a pistol to such a whelp ofcowardice! Hand me the letter!" And with an impatient step forward, hestood towering over the cringing, shrinking, pitiful object in thechair. The nerveless hands presently drew forth a letter from an innerpocket. This Ray quickly seized; glanced hurriedly over it, stowed it inhis blouse, then walked to the door.
Fancying him going, Gleason's drunken wits began to rally. He half rose,and with a face distorted with rage, shook his fist, and his high,reedy, querulous tenor could have been heard all over the house.
"You think you've downed me, but, by God! you'll pay for this! You'llsee if in one month's time you don't bemoan every insult you put uponme, and if she don't wish----"
"_Silence!_ you whelp, you drivelling cur! Don't you dare utter hername! Just what I'll do about this infamous business I don't know--yet.A woman's name is too sacred to be dragged into court, even to rid theservice of such a foul blot as you; but, now mark me: by the God ofheaven, if you ever dare bring up this matter again to a single soul,I'll kill you as I would a mad dog."
And with one long look of concentrated wrath, contempt, and menace, Rayturned his back upon his abject enemy and left him. Gleason's orderlyentering the room a minute after was told to hand him a tumbler and thewhiskey-bottle, and with shaking hand the big subaltern tossed off abumper, while the man went on strapping and roping his trunks andfield-kit. Half an hour afterwards, half sobered and partially restored,he was able to say a brief word of farewell to the post commander,--avenomous word.
Meantime, stopping at his quarters a moment to return his revolver andwash his hands, Ray went up the row to Truscott's. He had not time toknock. Grace was waiting for his coming with an intensity of eagernessand anxiety, and the moment she heard his step flew to the door andadmitted him, leading, as before, the way to the parlor.
Mrs. Turner had, meantime, been apprised by some of her infantry friendsthat Mrs. Truscott had sent a note to Mr. Ray, and also that there mustbe something queer going on. Mr. Ray had been much agitated at first andhad hurried thither, and heaven only knows the variety of conjecturespropounded. By the time Ray was seen coming up the row again there werefour ladies on Mrs. Turner's piazza, who were vehemently interested inhis next move. They watched his going to Truscott's; but, of course,watching was perfectly justifiable in view of their anxiety about her.
"Did you see?" said Mrs. Turner. "He didn't even knock. She was waitingto let him in."
It was by no means an unfrequent thing for any one of the ladies of thegarrison to receive a visit from some old and tried friend of hers andher husband's while the latter was in the field. Mrs. Turner neverthought anything of having officers call day or evening, though, as arule, there was a sentiment against it, and the majority of theladies--especially the elders--thought it wrong for the young matrons toreceive the visits of young officers at any time when the head of thehouse was far away. Now that there were only four young officers ingarrison and more than a dozen ladies, the feeling had strengthened tothe extent of considerable talk. It was therefore the unanimous view ofthe ladies on Mrs. Turner's piazza that in Mrs. Truscott's receiving twovisits from Mr. Ray in one morning, under circumstances provokinglymysterious, there was something indecorous, to say the least, and unlessthey knew the why and the wherefore, it was their intention to sodeclare. "Indeed!" said Mrs. Turner, "I think Mrs. Truscott ought to bespoken to."
Utterly oblivious of this most proper and virtuous espionage, Ray hadreturned to Mrs. Truscott. She looked at him with imploring eyes as theyentered the parlor.
"There is the letter," he said; "do you want it or shall I burn it?"
She shrank back as though recoiling from a loathsome touch.
"Oh, no, no! Burn it! Here is a match," she cried, springing to themantel, and then her overcharged heart gave way. She threw herself uponthe sofa, burying her face in her hands, sobbing like a child withrelief and exhaustion. Ray touched the match to the paper; had justfairly started the flame, when laughing voices and quick footsteps wereheard on the piazza. The door flew open, and all in a burst of sunshineand balmy air, Marion Sanford, saying, "Oh, come right in. You haven't amo
ment to spare, and she'll be so glad to see you!" whisked into theroom followed by Captain Webb.
Tableau!