Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
Beadle’s Dime Library.
mocked Mrs. Deb, with s laugh that was pe-
ouliar both for its silence and significance.
The sergeant hung his head and walked
thoughtfully from the little compartment, the
+ ohaplain preceding him.
“Keep rubbin’ your head, sergeant dear,
and you ll make it all straight anon. There’s
no harm in pokin’ about the beds of timor
some gals, and there’s glory in stabbin’ inno-
cent gowns and petticoats with your sabre!”
“Humphrey,” said Giles, abstractedly, “I
* g’n’t satisfied’ That Guy Deerin’ come in,
- feel sart'in; but that he’s gone out, I’m not
ao sure. Come into the open air, Humphrey,
« and we'll hold a council o’ war. All right
there, Tom Thornton?”
* Allright!” responded Tom.
=. “The butcher looked for his knife when he
. had it in his mouth,” moralized the sergeant,
- and with Humphrey left the cabin. The two
were heard conferring earnestly together out-
> side, while those within awaited the result,
_ with all those varied emotions which their re-
spective positions rendered natural.
ow CHAPTER XXIII.
oe, IN THE CELLAR.
> Judith eprang from the bed the moment
. the door closed on Giles and Humphrey.
“You have acted well’!’ said Deborah Had-
. ley. “Be quiet afew minutes longer. There’s
= * wind-mill in the sergeant’s head that may
~ turn him round one revolution too many.
I've got ears as well as another, and must try
~ to catch a word of that buzzin’; for a word
> bo the wise is sufficient.”
_ The woman went softly to that side of the
, cabin where the voices could heard most
s distinctly. Crouching upon the floor, she put
her ear to the wall. The sergeant and his
~ companion were but a few feet distant. The
~ Jatter was satisfied with the search; not so
‘ with the former; a mischievous spite was
> whispering suspicion.
. tt stands to reason,” he said, ‘that aman,
* be he British or American, royalist or rebel,
> cannot sink into the earth or fly into the air.
” Parson, I’ve a feelin’ that we’ve been in some
+ way careumvented.”
+. You were’ always a fellow of dull and
~ heavy comprehension, and like a vicious
horee, ever ready to take the bit in your teeth
and go your own way; had it been otherwise,
you would long ago have been @ subject of
_* grace,” Humpbrey answered.
“I'm nobody’s subject!” retorted Giles.
“T cast off my allegiance when I took up arms
for Congress.”
“would be well for you to remember,
sergeact, that we're far from our broken and
battered brigade, and our return likely to be
- cut off at any moment by straggling parties
of tories, or the impetuous fire-eaters of
+ Tarleton. We've done all that any one could
reasonably expect. As Paul says—”
“ As I’ve told you, parson, it is what Rain-
ford says that I care for, and I would thank
‘Fou to mention no other commander in m:
earin’; although the officer that you spea
of may be very good in his way. There’s a
_ little insect in my ear that worries me.
ean’t go away content till I've taken another
* look. I was a little too tender of the feelin’s
. of Miss Redmond ; and, by-the-way, Humpb-
rey, I’ve heerd that there’s somethin’ atween
her and this same Guy Deeria’; though I
hope to the Lord it isn't true. As a thorough
soger, I should have passed my sabre down
through that bed a few times, with all delica-
ey and deference to the fair gal restin’ like a
enow-flake on one side on’t.”
“Truly, thou art wanting in respect to the
sex. It would frighten the poor child within
an inch of her life to see you thrusting and
lunging at harmless beda and bolsters. Veri-
ly, the profession of arms has hardened thy
heart.”
The chaplain clanked his sabres and, beside
the sergeant, was a3 Goliah to avid.
“Let not your tongue eut your throat; for
you know there isn't a redder sabre in the
sheath than yours. In battle, you are Satan,
and all the rest of the time asaint. Saddle the
right horse, my man! As for respect to the gal,
. rl show her as much as if rhe’s my own
sweetheart. She loves Congress and Washin’-
ton; andifI say ‘In the name of Congriss,
or in the name of Washin'ton,’ it will be both
law and gospel. Did you notice, Humphrey,
that the zal had a wide-awake look, and was
sometimes white and sometimes red in the
face? Ia it common, too, for young women
_
to go to bed with their day-clothes on? And
mark you, sir! I saw a little slipper peepin’
from beneath the bed-coverings, which atrikes
me is out o’ the common order, and ag’in na
tur’.”
Humphrey mused, throwing his weight upon
one limb, and then upon the other. Lo
“In the excitement, confusion, and terror
of these times, the common usages of life are
often violated ; however, if you think it best,
we'll return and go over our work again.”
“A thing that is worth doing, is worth
doing well. Let us move off a few steps, and
then come back of a sudden ; if there is any-
thing in the wind, we may find them off their
ard.”
The two men walked ont of ear-range, but
Deborah Hadley had heard sufficient. Judith
had observed her attentively, and now gath-
ered from her expression that there was new
danger.
“Come out, Iad, come out!’ she cried.
“They’re comin’ back!”
Deering sprang from his hiding-place,
where he had Peer half smothered. Drops of
moisture were on his brow. He gave Judith s
look of unspeakable gratitude.
“Sweet girl, I owe you life!” he murmur-
ad, as he passed her in obedience to a signal
from Deb, who opened the trap-door.
“Why is this?” asked Judith. “Was he
not safer where hewas? Ifso, to save human
life—”
“No, no! The suspicions of the sergeant
are already directed to the bed; he’ll probe
every inch on’t with his long sabre.”
“ And if he goes into the cellar, discove:
will be equally certain,” said Judith, in muc
Jai
“Distress not yourself, dear young lady,
for one who lives in daily expectation of a
violent death ; one who haa counted the cost,
and will not shrink from the payment when
the bill of mortality becomes due. It is plea-
sant to know that I have your sympathy, and
that notwithstanding I am infamous in Miss
Redmond's eyes—”
“Cease, for Heaven’s sake! your enemies
are at the door. Down! down! and God in
his mercy save you.”
“The door is fastened,” said Mother Had-
ley. “I ean delay them a minute.” She
thrust the fitful candle through the >pening
inthe floor. “Look!” she continued, coldly
and firmly. ‘ Behold that carcass; a devil
once lived in it, but has gone out, not by
fasting nor prayer, but by the rope. . Jump
down, and fia under that black lump of
mortality. Pull his great body and limbs over
ou. Do not fear him; he is more harmless
now than for any time these twenty years.
Shrink not—all are of a color in the dark.”
The spy threw a look of ineffable meaning
at Judith, and sprang into the vault.
“Tt never shall be eaid,” muttered the wo-
man, “that Deb Hadley hasn’t done what she
might for a friend in trouble.”
Then to Misa Redmond:
“Back to bed, gal, back to bed! Don't
fear their swords, for your person's as eafe
with em, for that matter, as ’twould be at your
own h’arth-stone. Behave as well as you did
afore, and we'll outwit’em, yet. Meg, you im-
age! in with your mistress, and see that your
tongue keeps its place.”
She closed the trap. The sergeant was by
this time kicking at the door.
“ Who's come now?” demanded Mrs. Had-
ley, ill-humoredly. .
“Them that hasn't seen 4t to go; so ship
the tolt, Cap’n Deb, and don’t keep two hon-
est men on the wrong side of the door.”
Deb bustled to the door with an affectation
ef premptnees, and pulled some seconds at the
olt.
“Be patient, my dears; it'll start presently,
There—here it comes!”
“ She is too affectionate ; the wolf has crawl-
ed into the lamb’s skin 1” grumbled Giles.
“Don't mind disturbin’ a lone woman, or
frightenin’ to death poor Miss Redmond. Don't
be yartic'lar, sergeant, because in war-time
murder, un’ robbery, an’ fright go for nothin’.
Spin this thing out as long as you can, for
oresently my son Christian’!l be here, with his
Roval Americans, and his long eword by his
side.” :
“The quicker he comes, the better!” re-
torted the chaplain, grasping, suddenly, the
hilt of his eabre.
“Pestilent hypocrite! you're throwed off
your guasd now an’ then!” exclaimed Deb,
with an abrupt return of her fierceness, “I
know what ye come for, yerebel hounds! The
gal’s in there; go and murder her, if ye like ;
but remember that her father’s # rebel and
she’s of your own way o’ thinkin’.”
“ Nobody talks o’ murder, old woman!
*Tisn’t the Continental boys that make war on
women and abuse helpless gals. Away, you
aparrow-hawk !" answered Giles, graffly. He
then raised his voice, and added: ‘‘’Tis I,
Sergeant Giles, Miss Redmond. Don't be
efeard. [he berty boys know their friends
as well as they do their enemies. God knows
we wont disturb ye more’n we can help; but
the fact is, we a’n’t yet satisfied. Rainford is
a devil of a feller when his blood’s up, and
‘ou wouldn’t want me faulted, I’m sure, jes’
for neglectin’ to murder the bed with my
sabre.”
suspected quarter.
“T had hoped,” eaid Judith, complainingly,
“that after the terrible excitements of this
moments of undisturbed repose.”
The pale face of Judith, the mournful se-
verity of her words, taken in conjunction with
her surroundings, brought Giles to a full-stop.
much longer!” whined Meg, dolorously. “De
life’s jest about gone out her precious body.
I wish to de Lor’ dar wa’n’t no Congress an’ no
liberty !” a
“The; garden, miss—I really don't msan—
that int idn’t come—” the sergeant began
but the word stuck in his throat.
“T had flattered.myself,” resumed Judith,
in the same deprecating tone, “ that the
daughter of your riend, Sergeant Giles, would
find a place in every patriotic heart.”
“By Heavens, Miss Judith, you have Aco
laces in mine !’”’ cried Giles. “If you wanted
it for a pin-cushion, I don’t know but I should
take it ont and give ittoyou. But I've gota
stern mistress, whose name is Daty, young
lady ; and, as a soger-lad, I must stick to her
through thick and thin. Duty, miss, says I
must search that bed you're layin’ on; and
on my knees, as ’twere, I beg of you to
rise.” . .
‘ He’s goin’ to steal the dientical bed she’s
layin’ on, and he’s goin’ to drive her up at the
yint of his sword in her night-gown !” said
eg, rocking her body to and fro, in much
apparent distress,
“T should suppose that my friendless situ-
ation,” resumed Judith, determined to make as
much delay as possible, “would soften the
heart of Cornwallis himself, were he present, to
witness my distress.” !
Giles turned to the chaplain for assistance,
for Tarleton’s dragoons would not have been
so formidable as Judith’s eyes.
“The duty is not a pleasant one,” said
Humphrey, coming in a prompt and resolute
manner to the rescue, “‘ but we know what is
expected of us. Miss Redmond is quite aware
that we would shed our blood in her defence ;
and her piausible words seem to me but an
idle pretext to gain time, for some object best
own to herself.’”
“ Whatever may be your virtues, reverend
sir, charity does not appear to be one of them.
Iam in your power, and youcan enforce your
commands. { really feel too weak to arise.
Give me your hard, Meg; these gentlemen
must be obeved. There must needs be a
British spy concealed in the bolster or in the
straw-mattress.”
“Beauty is duty, Miss Judith,” said Giles,
and the moment Miss Redmond’s feet touched
the floor, stalked aturdily to the bed, and com-
menced @ slashing assault upon it with his
sword. . .
“What bravery! what courage!” laughed
Mrs. Hadley. ~
The sergeant having probed the bed to his
satisfaction, turned from it with obvious dis-
appointment.
“T thought it meant something,” he mut
tered. “ Her manner justified suspicion.”
un hope you are satisfied?” observed Ju-
uth.
, “We are convinced that the.man we seck
is not here. I trust you will bear witness,
Miss Redmond, that we have discharged our
duty,” said the chaplain, bowing, and retiring
into the next room.
**One more look into the cellar,” edded
Giles, “and I shall be satisfied.”
er
“What!” screamed Mra. Hadley, “ Must
there be more bothcrativn? Havin’ gire ye
Giles gently opened the door leading to the - .
eventful night, I should be permitted a few
“Poor, dearlamb! She can’t stan’ dis yer |
ard heen amy ap re gen
ee
rim nee NT an et
haett”