The Victim: A romance of the Real Jefferson Davis Part 88

In strained tones the girl said:

"Go to Captain Welford's office and ask him to come here immediately with two soldiers--"

"Ya.s.sam--"

The negro bowed and hurried from the house, and Jennie sat down in silence beside the door.

Socola confronted her, his hands gripped in nervous agony behind his back, his slender figure erect, his breath coming in deep excited draughts.

"You think that I'll submit to my fate without a fight?"

"You've got to submit. Your escape from Richmond is a physical impossibility--"

He searched the depths of her heart.

"I was not thinking of my body just then. I have no desire to live if you can hand me to my executioner--"

He paused and a sob came from the girl's distracted soul.

He moved a step closer.

"I'm not afraid to die--you must know that--I'm not a coward--"

"No. I couldn't have loved a coward!"

"The thing I can't endure is that you, the woman to whom I have surrendered my soul, should judge me worthy of death. Come, my own, this is madness. We must see each other as G.o.d sees now. You must realize that only the highest and n.o.blest motive could have sent a man of my character and training on such a mission. We differ in our political views for the moment--even as you differ from the older brother whom you love and respect--"

"I am not responsible for my brother's acts. I am for yours--"

"Nonsense, dear heart. My work was ordained of G.o.d from the beginning.

It was fate. Nothing could have stopped me. I came under a mighty impulse of love for my country--bigger than the North or the South. G.o.d sent me. You have helped me. But if you had not I would still have succeeded. Can't you forget for the moment the details of this blood-stained struggle--the maimed lad with his crutches strapped to his saddle, lost in the black storm night in the country of his enemies and shot to pieces--the mad scheme his impulsive brain had dreamed of wiping your Capital from the earth and leading fifteen thousand shouting prisoners back into freedom and life--surely he paid for his madness.

Forget that I have deceived you, and see the vision of which I dream--a purified and redeemed Nation--united forever--no North, no South--no East, no West--the inheritance of our children and all the children of the world's oppressed! I am fighting for you and yours as well as my own. The South is mine. I love its beautiful mountains and plains--its rivers and s.h.i.+ning seas--Oh, my love, can't you see this divine vision of the future? The Union must be saved. The stars in their courses fight its battles. Nothing is surer in the calendar of time than that the day is swiftly coming when the old flag your fathers first flung to the breeze will be again lifted from your Capitol building. You can't put me out of your life as a criminal worthy of death! I won't have it.

I am yours and you are mine. I am not pleading for my life. I'm pleading for something bigger and sweeter than life. I'm pleading for my love. I can laugh at death. I can't endure that you put me out of your heart--"

Jennie rose with determination, walked to the window and laughed hysterically.

"Well, I'm going to put you out. Captain Welford and his men are coming.

They've just turned the corner!"

The man's figure slowly straightened, and his eyes closed in resignation.

"Then it's G.o.d's will and my work is done."

With a sudden cry Jennie threw herself in his arms.

"Forgive me, dear Lord. I can't do this hideous thing! It's my duly, but I can't. My darling--my own! You shall not die. I was mad. Forgive me!

Forgive me! My own--"

"Halt!"

The sharp command of the Captain rang outside the door.

"Get into this room--quick--" the girl cried, pus.h.i.+ng Socola into the adjoining room and slamming the door as d.i.c.k entered the hall.

She faced the Captain with a smile.

"It's all right, now, d.i.c.k. I thought I had discovered an important secret. It was a mistake--"

The Captain smiled.

"You don't mind my looking about the house?"

"_Searching_ the house?"

"Just the lower floor?"

"I do mind it. How dare you suggest such a thing, sir--"

"Because I've made a guess at the truth. You discovered important evidence incriminating Socola. Your first impulse was to do your duty--you weakened at the last moment--"

"Absurd!" she gasped.

"I happened to hear a door slam as I entered. I'll have to look around a little."

He started to the door behind which Socola had taken refuge. Jennie confronted him.

"You can't go in there--"

"It's no use, Jennie--I'm going to search that room--the whole house if necessary."

"Why?"

"I know that Socola is here--"

"And if he is?"

"I'll arrest him--"

"On what charge?"

"He is a Federal spy and you know it--"

"You can't prove it."

"I've found the evidence. I have searched his rooms--"

"Searched his _rooms_?"

"Your servant told me that he was here. I leaped to a conclusion, forced his door and found this--"