The Rangers; or, The Tory's Daughter Part 31

At length the cloth was removed, and the table replenished with bottles and gla.s.ses. Then followed the usual round of toasts--"the health of the king,"--"the invincibility of British arms,"--"success to the present expedition,"--and, with many a deriding epithet, "confusion to the rebels and their ragged army."

"Fill, gentlemen," said Burgoyne, after the subjects above named had been sufficiently exhausted--"fill up your gla.s.ses once more; for, in descanting on the public responsibilities and glory of the soldier, let us not be unmindful of those private felicities which are to reward his prowess. I give you," he added, with a significant glance at our heroine--"I give you, ladies and gentlemen, the health and happiness of our two loyal American officers, Colonel Peters and Captain Jones, the prospective bridegrooms of the double wedding of to-morrow, extremely regretting that _both_ of the fair partic.i.p.ants of the happy occasion, instead of one, are not here to give the beautiful response of their blushes to the sentiment."

As the lively applause with which this toast was received and drank was subsiding, the ladies, to the great relief of the astonished and confused Miss Haviland, now rose and retired to another apartment.

Here, pleading some excuse for an immediate departure, Sabrey hurried out through a back way, and escaped unperceived to her father's quarters, a small adjoining cottage, where she had lodged since his arrival in camp, and where she now secluded herself, to endeavour to fathom the plot which the unexpected and unwarranted announcement just indirectly made, together with some other circ.u.mstances of recent occurrence, plainly told was in progress to in snare her.

But it may here be necessary, for a clear understanding of some things which have preceded, and others which may follow, to revert briefly to the experience of the luckless maiden since placed in her present uncongenial and embarra.s.sing position.

When Miss Haviland, on the termination of her compulsory journey, arrived at the outposts of the British army, she was conducted, by the order of some one evidently apprised of her coming immediately to her father's quarters. The old gentleman, at the somewhat awkward meeting that now took place between them, seemed both surprised and gratified at seeing her there; and though his manner betrayed a sort of guilty embarra.s.sment arising, perhaps, from the consciousness of his former harshness to her, he yet at once, and pointedly, disclaimed having had any agency in her abduction, which he laid to the chances of war; to which, he contended, her perverse and unadvised conduct had been the means of exposing her. Peters, also, who soon made his appearance, joined in the disclaimer; and tendering some empty apologies for what had happened, which, he said, grew out of the mistake of a subordinate officer in construing an order in relation to taking hostages from the enemy, in certain cases, offered to convey her back, if she chose it, as soon as found consistent with her safety. The offer, however, was never repeated; and his own conduct very soon belied his a.s.sertions, and convinced her of the truth of her suspicions from the first, that he was the sole instigator of the outrage she had received, and that it was still his purpose to detain her and keep her in a position which would enable him the more effectually to prosecute his designs; for although in the few formal calls he continued to make at the house, he never pressed his suit, but seemed rather to avoid the subject, as if determined to afford her no opportunity to repeat her former refusals, she yet quickly perceived that he was busy at his intrigues to bring about, by the agency of others and by secret management, what by himself, or by any open and honorable means, he despaired of accomplis.h.i.+ng. All this, from day to day, unfolded itself in the renewed importunities and reproaches of her father, the added entreaties of Jones, the lover of Miss McRea, then soon expected in the British camp to be married, in the reports which had been put in circulation to place her in a false light,--that of a perverse and coquettish girl,--in the efforts made to force her into social parties, where the opinions of all were obviously forestalled, and especially in the contrived introductions she was compelled to undergo to those who had evidently been enlisted as intercessors, among whom were some whose ambiguous conduct often greatly annoyed, and, at times, even filled her bosom with perplexity and alarm.

Such was the position of the unhappy girl at the time of her reluctant attendance as one of the guests of the merry party we have described.

Although annoyed, sickened, and disgusted at what she had daily witnessed, and vexed and indignant at the contemptible artifices and intrigues of Peters, which, however intended, were beginning to be the means of exposing her to new trials, yet, till what took place at that party, she had entertained no serious apprehension that any attempt would be made to coerce her into a marriage which she had so decidedly repudiated.

But the announcement which had just been so strangely made coming as it did from so powerful a personage, and one, at the same time, whose equivocal behavior, when she had casually met him, had excited her deepest aversion, now gave her to understand that such an attempt was indeed about to be made by the a.s.sumed arbiters of her fate, and that her resistance to the contemplated scheme, should she be able to make one against the overawing influence that was about to be brought to bear upon her, and even her acquiescence, she feared, was to be followed by persecutions, from the thought of which she shrunk with dismay. She might have taken that announcement, perhaps, as a mere ruse, as in part it really was, got up to place her in a predicament in which most females would yield rather than become the princ.i.p.al actor in the scene that would follow further resistance; or she might have viewed the whole as a contemptible fabrication, but for a circ.u.mstance of that morning's occurrence. Captain Jones had called and apprised her that he was about sending an escort to Fort Edward for his betrothed, informed her that the next morning was appointed for his wedding, and concluded by making his last appeal to induce her to consent to be united to Peters at the same time.

And it was this occurrence, in connection with the former, that had so thoroughly alarmed her.

While pondering on the means and chances of escaping the threatened destiny, she perceived from her window that the company at Reidesel's had broken up, and were scattering to their respective quarters. And presently her father entered her room, and after announcing that he had been honored by the commander-in-chief with a mission to Skenesboro', from which he should not be able to return till late at night, presented her a sealed billet, and immediately departed. With a trembling hand she opened the suspected missive and read,--

"Miss Haviland will pardon the mistake involved in the sentiment delivered at Lady Reidesel's table. Its author, however, cannot but think that the full arrangement which he had supposed to have been already settled may still be effected in season. And he therefore proposes, if Miss H. will permit, a call for friendly intercession, at twilight this evening."

With a flushed and flas.h.i.+ng countenance the offended maiden instantly sprang to her feet, and paced the room several minutes in silent agitation. Her naturally mild spirit was at length evidently aroused for some decided action; and the manner in which it was to be commenced appeared soon to be determined in her mind.

"Ay, and the step, as bold as it may be, shall first be taken," she said, as, preparing to leave the house, her burning thoughts began to press for utterance. "Ay, if it will not avail me, in bringing aid to escape from this den of iniquity, or protection to remain, it shall, at least, serve as a proclamation of villany, which shall yet be heard in every house and hamlet of the American people!"

The next moment she was in the street; and, with hurried step making her way to General Reidesel's quarters. Instantly seeking a private interview with the readily a.s.senting countess, she frankly and without reserve told the whole story of her wrongs, and implored a.s.sistance in escaping the toils that had been spread for her, or, at least, the protecting s.h.i.+eld of an influence which should enable her to withstand them. And the effect of her forceful recital soon showed her that she had not over-estimated the discernment and magnanimity of the n.o.ble lady she was addressing.

"Well, that is right, my bonny rebel, as they call you!" said the countess, encouragingly. "And it is the spirit in a woman which I like, and which I will have no hand in repressing. Yes, I see clearly, now, what I half suspected before--the man who had you brought here, where he could more surely noose you, is repugnant even to the misery; and some of those he has been fool enough to enlist as intercessors, are still more dreaded. Ah! wicked, wicked Briton! But, do you know, he is king here and that it is treason to talk, and worse treason to try to thwart him?"

"I have greatly feared so, my lady."

"What, then, do you propose to do, wherein I could befriend you?"

"Leave the army before night."

"Have you a carriage at command, and a protector?"

"I have, strictly speaking, neither, madam."

"Then how can you go?"

"On foot, and alone, unless I chance to engage one to attend me in the character of a servant."

"You are a brave one, my young lady. But they will be likely to detain you at the outposts."

"I had supposed so, and therefore came here with the hope that, after you had heard my story, you might be moved to prevail on your husband to give me a pa.s.s."

"O girl, girl! No, no, he would not dare to do it, after finding out the cause, which he must first know," exclaimed the lady, in a tone of kindly remonstrance. "He would dare do no such thing. But _I_ would, in such a case; indeed I would! And, stay, let me see!" she continued, rising and opening the general's desk. "Here are several pa.s.ses which he keeps for occasions of hurry, all signed off and ready, except inserting the name of the bearer. O, what shall I do? I am tempted to write your name in one, and trust to your honor and shrewdness to s.h.i.+eld me, in case of your failure, from exposure and blame."

"Will your hand-writing be acknowledged, madam?"

"O, yes, I don't hesitate on that account; for I often fill up the general's pa.s.ses under his direction."

"O, then, dear madam, as I know you would do by a daughter, do by me--trust to my discretion, and hesitate no longer."

The good-hearted countess soon yielded, and our heroine, with tears of grat.i.tude, mutely imprinted a farewell kiss on her cheek, and departed with the coveted pa.s.s in her pocket.

When Miss Haviland reached her chamber, she seated herself by an open, but partially curtained window, where, unseen her self, she could easily note what was pa.s.sing in the street below, to which her attention seemed somewhat anxiously directed. She had been but a few minutes at her post of observation, before she was apprised, by the hooting of boys, and the gibes and laughter of the idling soldiers, with whom the street, at this hour, was commonly thronged, that some unusual spectacle was approaching. And peering forward through the folds of the curtains, she beheld, amidst a slowly-advancing crowd, a meanly clad, simple looking country youth wearing a ragged broad-brim, and mounted on an unsightly, donkey-like beast, whose long tail and mane were stuck full of briers, and whose hair, lying in every direction, seemed besmeared with mange and dirt; all combining to give both horse and rider a most ungainly and poverty-struck appearance.

The fellow was trying to peddle apples, which he carried in an old pair of panniers swung across his pony's back and which seemed to be bought mostly by the boys, who with them were pelting him and his cringing pony, to the great mirth of the bystanders. While the crowd, and the object of their attention, were thus engaged, at a little distance, an officer, who was pa.s.sing, paused near the house, and, calling a couple of soldiers to his side, said to them,--

"Keep your eyes on that fellow with the scurvy pony yonder, and if you notice any thing suspicious in his movements, arrest him. It appears to me I have seen him in almost too many places to-day."

An expression of concern pa.s.sed over Sabrey's countenance, as she heard these words, and she gave an involuntary glance to the object thus pointed out, who, as she thought from his appearance, had also heard the order himself, or at least guessed its import. But instead of making off, as she expected, he spurred up his pony, and, coming directly up to the officer, asked him, with an air of confiding simplicity, to buy some of his apples, which he said were "eny most ripe, and grand for pies."

"Who are you, fellow?" said the officer, without heeding the other's request.

"Who I be? I am Jo Wilkins. But aint you going to buy some of the apples?" persisted the former.

"Blast your apples!" impatiently replied the officer; "that is not what I want of you. Where do you live?"

"Up in the edge of Arlington, when I'm tu hum--next house to uncle Jake's great burnt piece there, you know," answered the other; "but these ap----"

"Whom are you for? King or Congress?" interrupted the officer.

"Who be Congus? I don't know him," said the former, with a doubtful stare.

"Well, then, whom do you fight for?" resumed the somewhat mollified officer.

"Don't fight for n.o.body tu our house,--cause dad's a Quaker--but then if you'd buy--"

"Yes, yes; but you must tell me honestly, what you came here for to-day, and who sent you, my lad?"

"Why, dad sent me to sell the apples, 'cause he wants the money to buy some rye with. But I've been all round, and aint sell'd half, they kept bothering me so. And now its time to go hum, and n.o.body won't buy 'em!" said the speaker, with a doleful tone, and evident signs of snivelling.

"Well, well, my honest lad," responded the commiserating and now satisfied officer; don't mind it--n.o.body wants to harm you. There is half a crown to pay you for my part of the bothering.

"Why, you going to buy 'em all?" eagerly asked the other, as, with a grin of delight, he clutched the precious metal.

"No, no," said the former, kindly. "I don't wish for any of your apples--they are too green, though they may do for cooking. You would be most likely to sell them in some of these houses."

"Well, now, I vown! I never thought of that! jest's likely's not I mought, you!" exclaimed the fellow, brightening up. "Good mind to go right straight into this ere house and try it--will, by golly!" he added, leaping nimbly from his pony, swinging his panniers on his arm, and hurrying off round for the back door.

"Don't molest the poor simpleton any more, but disperse to your quarters," said the officer, now waving his ratan to the scattering crowd, and resuming his walk up the street.

Waiting no longer than to hear this order, and see that it was about to be obeyed by the crowd, Sabrey hurried down to the kitchen, where she encountered the object of her solicitude standing within the door, holding up the half crown between the fingers of one hand, and snapping those of the other, with a look that needed no interpreting.

"Your disguise, Bart," said the maiden, looking at the other with a smile--"your disguise is so perfect, or rather, the new character, in which you this time appear, has been so well acted, that had it not been the afternoon you set for your third appearance, I should have never known you. I think you make a better Quaker boy than you did a crazy man last time, or buffoon and tumbler the first one. But what have you been able to gather, to-day?"

"Pretty much all that's afoot, guess. The movement on Bennington is begun. Peters's corps of tories and Indians have gone on to Cambridge; and he, who is off to the lake, to-day, to consult with Skene and others about the expedition, is to follow some time to-morrow, as is the German regiment picked out to the service. Got at it all, think?"