Hardscrabble; or, the fall of Chicago Part 14

"That Mr. Heywood had been carried off by the Indians."

"From whom did she hear it?"

"It was I who told her, on the strength of what the corporal reported, not only to myself, but to Captain Headley."

"You are a considerate fellow, Elmsley," said his friend, warmly pressing his hand. "I thank you for that, and now that the great question, as you term it, is answered, I am quite ready for the promised breakfast. Did these fellows bring home any fish? I have a great fancy for fish this morning."

"No; they brought home dead men," and the lieutenant looked searchingly into the face of his companion, dwelling on every word, moreover, as if he would convey that he (Ronayne), knew perfectly well what freight the boat had brought to the Fort.

Further remark was prevented by their arrival at their destination--the front-door being open, and revealing the little party within. The first upon, whom the young officer's eye fell, was Mrs. Headley, of whose intended presence, his friend had not thought of apprising him. Still smarting under a keen sense of the severity of reproof of his commanding officer, and falling into the common error of involving the wife in the unamiability of the husband, Ronayne would have retired, even at the risk of losing his breakfast, and, what was of far more moment to him, of delaying his meeting with her to whom his every thought was devoted.

But when Mrs. Headley, who had remarked the movement, came forward to the door, and gave him her hand with all the warmth and candor of her n.o.ble nature, the pique vanished from his mind, and in an instant, he, like Elmsley, evinced that devotion and regard for her, which her fascinating manner could not fail to inspire.

The sense of constraint being thus banished by the only one whose presence had occasioned it, the party, after a few minutes low conversation between the lovers, sat down gaily to a meal--half-break fast, half-luncheon, at which the most conspicuous actor was the lately reprimanded ensign.

"Really, Mr. Ronayne, you must have met with a perfect chapter of adventures during your absence last night. You have devoured the last four fresh eggs, my cook says, there were in the house--three limbs of a prairie fowl, and nearly the half of a young bear ham. Do, pray, tell us where you have been to gain such an appet.i.te? Indeed you must--I am dying to know."

"My dear Mrs. Elmsley," he replied, coloring, "where should I have been but in the Fort?"

"True! where SHOULD you have been, indeed; but this is not the point, my hungry gentleman. Where WERE you? If I was, I KNOW WHO," she added, significantly, "I should have my suspicions, unless, indeed, you have already confessed within the few minutes you have been in the room."

"Nay, do not imagine I have so much influence over the truant, as to compel him to the confessional," said Maria Heywood. "I a.s.sure you I am quite as much in the dark as any one present."

"Come, Mr. Ronayne, recount your adventures," added Mrs. Headley.

"Recollect you are not on parade now, or exactly before the sternest Court of Inquiry in the world, and should therefore, entertain no dread of punishment on your self-conviction."

"Thus urged and encouraged," said the ensign, during one of the short pauses of his knife and fork, which, in truth, he had handled as much to study what he should say, as to satisfy his hunger; "who could resist such pleading, were there really any thing to communicate; but I am quite at a loss to conceive why so general an opinion seems to prevail that I have been out of the Fort, and in quest of adventure. Why not rather ascribe my tardiness at parade to some less flattering cause--a head-ache--fatigue from night-watching--indolence, or even a little entetement, arising from the denial of a very imprudent request I made to Captain Headley last evening, to allow me the command of a detachment for a particular purpose. Pardon me, I have made quite a speech, but indeed you compel me."

"Let us drown this inquisition in a b.u.mper of claret," interposed Elmsley, coming to the a.s.sistance of his friend, whose motive for thus parrying inquiry into his conduct, he thought he could divine. "I say, my dear fellow, you may wish yourself a head-ache--fatigue--indolence, or even a little entetement every morning of your life, if it is to be cured in this manner. This is some of the most splendid Lafayette that ever found its way into these western wilds. Look well at it. It is of the clearest, the purest blood of the grape--taste it again. A bottle of it will do you no harm if you had twenty guards in charge."

As he had desired and expected, the introduction of his remarks on the wine proved not only a means of changing the conversation, but of causing the ladies to withdraw from the table, round which they had been sitting, rather to keep the young officer company, than to partic.i.p.ate in the repast themselves. Mrs. Headley was the first to move.

"Give me your arm, and see me home," she said carelessly, to Ronayne, who now having finished his breakfast, had also risen. "Do not be jealous, my dear Miss Heywood, but you will later know, if you do not know already, that the wife of the commanding officer always appropriates to herself, the handsomest unmarried young officer of the regiment."

Both Ronayne and his betrothed were too quick of apprehension not to perceive, under this light gaiety, a deep interest, and a desire to convey to them both, that, if unhappily, there did not exist a cordial understanding between her husband and the former, in matters purely military, and in relation to subjects which should have no influence over private life, she was by no means, a party to the disunion.

"Not very difficult to choose between the handsomest and the cleverest of the unmarried officers of the garrison of Chicago," replied Maria Heywood with an effort at cheerfulness; "therefore, Mr. Ronayne, I advise you not to be too much elated by Mrs. Headley's compliment. After that caution, I think you may be trusted with her."

"What a n.o.ble creature, and what a pity she has so cold and pompous a husband," remarked Lieutenant Elmsley, as Mrs. Headley disappeared from the door-way. "I never knew her so well as this morning, and upon my word, Margaret, were both HE and YOU out of the way, I should be greatly tempted to fall in love with her."

"You would act wisely if you did, George; I have always thought most highly of her. She is, it is true, a little reserved in manner, but that I am sure comes wholly from a certain restraint, imposed upon her by her husband's formality of character. I say I am sure of this, for there have been occasions when I have seen her exhibit a warmth of address, as different from her general demeanor, as light is from shadow."

"Perhaps Headley has systematically drilled her into the particular bearing that ought to be a.s.sumed by the wife of the commandant of a garrison."

"Nay, George! that is not generous, but I know you are not serious in what you say. You judge Mrs. Headley better, and that she is not a woman to be so drilled. She has too much good sense, despite all her partiality for her husband, to allow herself to be improperly influenced, where her judgment condemns; and although, as his wife, she must necessarily act in concert with him, it by no means follows that she approves unreservedly, all that he does."

"You are a dear, n.o.ble creature yourself!" exclaimed the gratified Elmsley, as he fondly embraced his wife. "There is nothing I love so much as to see one woman warm in the defence of another--one so seldom meets with that sort of thing. What, Maria, tears?"

"Yes--tears of pleasure!" she answered earnestly, as she held her handkerchief to her eyes--"tears of joy to see so much generosity of feeling among those whom I have so much reason to esteem and admire. You are right," she pursued, addressing Mrs. Elmsley, "she is indeed a n.o.ble woman. Perhaps I may justly be accused of a little partiality, for I never can forget the frank and cordial proffers of friends.h.i.+p with which she received me on the first night of my appearance here."

"Ha! Von Vottenberg to the rescue!" exclaimed Elmsley, with sudden animation, as the stout figure of the former shaded the door-way. "Well, doctor, have you pa.s.sed away in the evaporation produced by fright, the violent head-ache you were suffering from this morning? If not, try that claret. It is capital stuff, and a tumbler of it will make up for the breakfast you have lost."

"Faith, and there is no breakfast lost, that I can perceive," chuckled the doctor, seating himself unceremoniously at the table, and commencing upon the remains of the bear ham, and prairie hen.

"I fear the tea and coffee are cold," said Mrs. Elmsley; "let me get some hot for you?"

"By no means, my dear Mrs. Elmsley, I could not think of such slops with generous claret at my elbow. Nay, do not look offended. Your tea and coffee are always of the best, but they do not just now, suit my taste.

Miss Heywood, how do you do this morning? How is your gentle mother?

I have called expressly to see her. Elmsley, where is that runaway, Ronayne?"

And where indeed was he? They had not walked more than three or four paces, when Mrs. Headley, after some little hesitation, addressed him thus:--

"Mr. Ronayne, notwithstanding your evident desire to conceal the fact, I can plainly see that you were not within the Fort last night. I can fully comprehend that your motive for absenting yourself, has been praiseworthy, but you must also admit that the reproof you met with this morning, was not altogether undeserved. Pray do not start or look grave, for, believe me, I am speaking to you only as a friend--indeed it was to have the opportunity of convincing you that I am such, that I asked you to escort me."

"Really, Mrs. Headley," interrupted the young officer, little divining to what all this was to tend, and feeling not altogether at his ease, from the abruptness with which the subject had been introduced, "I feel as I ought, the interest you profess to take in me, but how is that connected either with my a.s.serted absence, or the reproof it entailed?"

"It is so far connected with it, that I wish to point out the means by which any unpleasant result may be avoided!"

"Unpleasant result! Mrs. Headley?"

"Yes, unpleasant result, for I have too good an opinion of you not to believe that any thing tending to destroy the harmony of our very limited society, would be considered such by you."

"I am all attention, Madam. Pray, proceed."

"The pithiness of your manner does not afford me much encouragement yet I will not be diverted from my purpose, even by that. You have had the Commandant's lecture," she continued, with an attempt at pleasantry, "and now you must prepare yourself for (pardon the coinage of the term) that of the Commandantess."

"The plot thickens," said the ensign, somewhat sharply--"both the husband and the wife. Jupiter Tonans and Juno the Superb in judgment upon poor me in succession. Ah! that is too bad. But seriously, Mrs.

Headley, I shall receive with all due humility, whatever castigation you may choose to inflict."

"No castigation I a.s.sure you, Ronayne, but wholesome advice from one, who, recollect, is nearly old enough to be your mother. However, you shall hear and then decide for yourself."

"Although," she pursued, after a short pause, "we women are supposed to know nothing of those matters, it would be difficult, in a small place like this, to be ignorant of what is going on. Hence it is that I have long since remarked, with pain and sorrow, the little animosity which exists between Headley and yourself--(I will not introduce Mr. Elmsley's name, because what I have to say has no immediate reference to him), and the almost daily widening breach. Now, Ronayne, I would appeal to your reason. Place yourself for a moment in my husband's position. Consider his years, nearly double your own--his great responsibility and the peculiar school of discipline in which he has been brought up. Place yourself, I repeat, in his position, and decide what would be your sentiments if, in the conscientious discharge of your duty, you thought yourself thwarted by those very men--much your juniors both in years and military experience--on whose co-operation you had every fair reason to rely."

"You have, my dear Mrs. Headley, put the case forcibly yet simply."

returned the ensign, who had listened with marked deference to the whole of her remonstrance. "In such a case I should feel no slight annoyance, but why imagine that I have sought to thwart Captain Headley?"

"Was it not apparently to thwart him--bear in mind I speak to you dispa.s.sionately and as a friend--to refuse in the presence of the whole garrison this morning to account for your absence of last night, which might have been easily explained, had you been so disposed?"

"But, my dear Mrs. Headley, why is it persisted in, that I was absent--and even if such were the case, might not I have had a good reason for refusing to commit myself by the avowal."

"Admitting this, could you have maintained your position without, in a measure, setting his authority at defiance--thus encouraging the men to do the same. Was this right, I ask? Was this officer-like?"

"Well, no, perhaps not. I blush not to make the admission to YOU, for indeed, there is no resisting so bewitching a master in petticoats. Yet, what would you have me do?"

"Ah, now, I begin to entertain some hope of you," she replied, in a gayer tone, placing her hand at the same time familiarly on his shoulder and looking approvingly in his face. "Ronayne, you are engaged--perhaps will shortly become the husband of the n.o.ble girl, whom I love even as though she were my own daughter--yes," she repeated energetically, as she felt his grateful pressure of her hand, "even as though she were my own daughter--nay, you know I like yourself for your open, although rather too impetuous character. Do you then think that feeling this it can be any other than a source of deep pain and vexation to me, to see those in whom I feel so much interest, alienated from each other--in some degree even mutually hating and hated?"

"Yet, what would you have me to do, my dear Mrs. Headley? Some concession I suppose, must be made. Any thing in honor and in reason will I do for your sake," returned the young officer, deeply touched by her manner and language.

"This I wish you to do, Ronayne. Take the first favorable opportunity, either while on guard to-day, or when relieved to-morrow, to see Headley privately, and by such language as you well know how to use, remove the unfavorable impression you have left on his mind--depend upon it, although extremely cold and inflexible when apparently braved, my husband has a warm and generous--aye, a n.o.ble heart, and will freely grant what is frankly solicited. Bear in mind, moreover, Ronayne, that it is no humiliation to admit error when conscious of having committed it; and if this be so in the social relations of life, how much less derogatory is it in a military sense."