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trot rising up and down in his saddle like a first rate good night replied and he made a low how taking off his hat and his foot in a very polite fashion through the snow after this pushed home pretty fast for he was growing more sober and his teeth began to chatter with cold he had a way of thrusting aside a back door bolt and getting into the house without making a disturbance and then before he went to bed he usually took a sleeping draught from a stone which he kept in the cupboard went through this manual on the night in question and was very soon afterwards stretched out upon his couch where he set to like a he never could tell how long it was after he had got to bed that night but it was before day when he opened his eyes and saw by the broad moonlight that was shining upon the floor through the window a figure about the room it had a thin long face of a dirty white hue and a mouth that was drawn up at the comers with a smile a pair of ram s horns seemed to be twisted above his brows like ladies curls and his head was covered with hair that looked more like a bunch of thorns with a stiff cue sticking straight out behind and tied up with a large knot of red ribbons his coat was black across the breast with crimson and bound round all the with the same color it fitted as close to his body as the r could make it and it had a rigid standing collar that seemed to lift up a pair of immense ears which were thus projected from the head the coat was very short and terminated in a skirt that partly rested upon a long tail which was about in constant motion he brown wore tight small clothes bound with black and silk stockings of black and red one of which terminated in a instead of a human foot as he walked about the room he made a great clatter but particularly with the that with the sound of loose iron in his hand he carried a crimson cap with a large black at the top of it said that as soon as he saw this fellow in the room he knew there was something coming he therefore drew his blanket well up around his shoulders his head out that he might have an eye to what was going forward in a little time the figure began to make bows to from across the room first he bowed on one side almost down to the floor so as to throw his body into an acute angle then in the same fashion on the other side keeping his eyes all the time on he had according to s account a strange swimming sort of motion never still a moment in one place and passing from spot to spot like something that floated at one instant he his arms and his tail and took one step forward like a dancing master beginning to dance a in the next he made a sweep and retreated to his position where he erected his figure very stiffly and with strides all round the room all this while he was twisting his features into every sort of then he shook himself like a merry and sprang from the floor upwards flinging about his arms and legs like a jack which being done he laughed very loud and winked his eye at then he on the top of a chest and from that to a table from the table to a chair from the chair to the bed and thence off putting his foot upon s breast as he passed and pressing upon him so heavily that for some mo ments could hardly breathe after this he danced a dance dose up to the bedside and fetched a spring that brought him upon s stomach where he stooped down brown as to bring his long nose almost to touch s and there he twisted his eyebrows and made faces at him for several minutes from that position he a backwards as r as the room permitted all this time the foot with the loose iron very load was not in the least afraid but he tried several times to speak without being able to utter a word he was completely tongue tied nor could he move a limb to help himself being as he affirmed under a but there he lay looking at all these strange which appeared so odd to him that if he had had the power he would have laughed outright at last the figure danced up to him and stood still i have the honor to address myself to fm the blacksmith said he making a bow at the same time the same replied having in an instant recovered the power of speech my name said the figure is here he pronounced a terrible name of twenty that sounded something like water pouring out of a bottle and which never could repeat i am a full brother of old harry and belong to the family of the i have taken the liberty to call and make my respects this morning because i want to be shod thereupon he made another bow and lifted up his right foot to let see that the shoe was loose to be done at this time of night said it does not want but two new nails said the figure the of one old one blast the nail will you get till daylight replied i will thank mr brown said the figure if you will only take my in your hand and pull out the loose nail that makes such a rattling brown i can t do tiiat answered why not because i am afraid of waking e thy i	29
ll answer for the consequences said the other mistress brown knows me very well and will never complain at your doing a good torn to one of my family i m sleepy said so be about your business then brown i will you cried the other in a rage i told you i would teach you manners saying these words he came close to and his nose between the of the two first fingers of his right hand and wrung it so hard that roared aloud then letting go his hold he away with a ludicrous short step throwing his legs upwards as high as his head and bringing them back nearly to the same spot on the floor and in this fashion whistling all the time a slow he passed directly out of the window when had sufficiently come to his senses he found his gentle standing by his bedside with a blanket round her spare figure calling him all sorts of hard names for disturbing her rest her account of this matter when she heard from the neighbors s version of this marvellous visit from the devil was that she did not know when he came into the house that night nor did she see any thing of his strange visitor h she was sure old nick must have been with him and flung him into such an odd position as he was in for he made a terrible smothered sort of noise with his voice which her up and there she found him stretched across the bed with his clothes on and his head inclined backwards over the side with both arms down towards the floor she said moreover that he was a drunken brute and she had a great mind to his nose for him and i will be bound she helped the old to do that very thing said i don t know how that was replied but s nose got nd after that and always looked very much bruised which he said was upon account of the fingers beings hot and him very much this adventure of s gave him great in the neighborhood and by degrees the people began to be almost as much afraid of as they were of the who was supposed to frequent the swamp added to this impression by certain mysteries which he used in his craft he had the art of wild by whispering in their ears which had such an effect that he could handle them at his shop as safely as the oldest horses and he professed to cure the s and other by writing some signs on a piece of paper and causing the horse to swallow it in his these accomplishments of course were set down to the proper account namely to s intimacy with his old companion which was known now to be very great as will appear by the following incidents some years after the last adventure in the summer about the month of june when the moon was in her third quarter was crossing the common late at night just the moon was rising he was in his usual condition for was scarcely ever sober there had been rain that night but the clouds had broken away and he was talking to himself and making the road twice as long as it was by crossing and his path like a ship in the wind and every now and then bringing himself up against a tree or and sometimes stepping with a vast stride across a streak of shadow thinking it a and at others walking plump into a real without seeing it until he came upon his back in the mud on such brown he would out a good natured oath get up and go on his way rejoicing as usual it happened as he was along in this plight there suddenly stood before him his old friend in the how do you do was his usual salutation pretty well i thank you sir was noted for being polite when he was in his cups so he made a bow and took off his hat although he could hardly keep his ground t walking to night mr enough sir replied rather short as if he didn t wish to keep company with tiie devil mistress brown said the other following up pretty well i thank you sir returned the blacksmith walking as fast as he could trade brisk mr brown quite the contrary replied there s nothing to do worth speaking of how are you off for cash asked the other coming up close side i have to lend answered the blacksmith i did not suppose you had you and i have been acquainted a long while i hope there is no grudge us i never knew any good of you said us drink to our better friendship said the taking a flat bottle from his pocket with all my heart i cried as he stretched out his hand and took the here s to you mr devil they both took a drink now said let us take another to bid virginia hot i ir ji the these without mr if lad been in a drawing i m and sometimes him to vice s the al en at last they aimed il jf margin of one of the a tke f i l s about two feet deep nt bi now said the it take a drink i lied the bottom of this i iii i gold and all that have to do is t ik jam a light this he withdrew i a made of a oak each about a foot long aad tke having taken a good deal horn his to stand bat still he of to make money the image of the moon ace being slightly agitated hj movement of small i fragments that	29
glittered gold at the bottom all that to do said oat these scraps of metal aad pat m weak don t give up and wet feet as aa i at home fat i bid good m l good night uttered aad joy go yoa my ou finding himself al me in the bosom of tke swamp at this on the high road to fortune the addressed hiss to his task as as the depth of his ds would allow lying on the brown agreed answered the gentleman so they took another you re a very clever fellow said beginning to up i know that replied the gentleman you are a man after my own heart continued here s your health again give us your old fellow then they shook hands let us drink to mistress brown said the gentleman politely damn mistress brown i ll make you a present of her i accept your offer replied the other here s her health well said here s the health of your wife i am much obliged to you replied the gentleman here he pronounced his own name will thank you herself some of these days when you may honor her with your company but as i have taken a liking to you make your fortune will you cried the blacksmith then i m your man come with me said the other and i will show you where you may find as much gold as you can carry home in a bag but you must not mind trouble trouble any trouble for money p follow me said the gentleman upon thb they both turned their steps towards the swamp the part of which they reached not very far from the scene of their the here was covered with sheets of water some of them ten or twelve yards in the gentleman in black and crimson easily traversed these without his more than if he had been in a but made his way with great difficulty himself first in one hole and then in another and sometimes plunging up to his middle in water but his companion him to brown and kept up resolution by presenting him now and then with the which said was of great use to him at last they arrived at the inmost part of the swamp upon the margin of one of the in the middle of which the water was about two feet deep but shallow towards the edges now said the gentleman my brave fellow i do you take a drink certainly replied the bottom of this pond continued the other la full of gold and all that you have to do is to it out get you a light with this he withdrew for a few moments and returned with a made of a white oak with twelve iron teeth to it each about a foot long and put the in s hand who having taken a good deal from his host s had much to stand up but still he was full of resolution and very much determined to make money the image of the moon was reflected upon the water whose surface being slightly agitated by the and the frequent movement of small insects broke the reflection into fragments that glittered upon s vision like pieces of bright gold at the bottom all that you have to do said s conductor is to out these scraps of metal and put them in your pocket work hard don t give up and wet your feet as as possible so make yourself at home for i must bid you good night uttered and joy go with you my old boy finding himself alone in the bosom of the swamp at this hour and on the high road to fortune the blacksmith addressed himself to his task as vigorously as the depth of his would allow he took up the that was lying on the brown ground and raised it was as as he could do and keep his balance considering the state of his head and the slippery ground he had for a footing besides the was very heavy being made of green wood and at least twenty feet long when he had it well poised and ready to make a stroke in the water he took two steps forward to bring him to the edge of the pond here goes he cried aloud at the same time flinging the downwards which motion disturbed his centre of gravity and plunged him headlong into the pool at the same moment with the were heard a dozen voices laughing from the midst of the bushes with a prolonged and loud ho ho ho t that echoed through the stillness of the night crawled out of the water keeping hold of the and once more stood upright on his former well i ejaculated with a thick utterance and a kind of gravity what do you see to lai h at in that never see a man in the water before he now very seriously raised the a second time and made a more successful pitch driving it into the bottom and breaking the water into a thousand then taking hold of the long shaft which he as children when they ride a stick he began to pull with might and main he strained until the perspiration poured down his cheeks in large drops but the teeth had sunk so deep in the mud that the was immovable pretty tough work said stopping to run his finger along his brow but all his efforts proved and he was therefore forced to into the pond again to release the iron teeth firom their bed and resting them lightly on the bottom he again began to pull and succeeded in bringing the to the shore upon examination the fruit of all this labor was nothing more than some decayed and grass brown no great haul	29
mattered to himself and in the swamp was alive again with the same of the choir of considering this as a that he would bear from neither devil nor returned it scornfully and in defiance by an equally loud and affected ho ho delivered in bass tones i can laugh as well as the best of you he said nodding his head towards the quarter from which the noises came s temper now began to give way and as he grew he toiled with energy but with the same disappointment which was always by the same coarse laugh the violence of his exertions the weight of the with which he worked and his frequent gradually his strength he grew and began to wake up to the real nature of his the chill of the night slowly the fever of his brain and at last the full conviction of the truth broke upon him if i was not a born fool said he i should think i was drunk i see how it is that fellow who left the marks of his hot fingers upon my nose has been playing his tricks upon me again it is unaccountable but if i don t have my revenge he may bridle and saddle me both and ride me over the swamp as much as he pleases so saying threw down his and resolutely his steps through the marsh as soon as he set his foot upon the firm land he heard the voice of his late companion calling out good night brown which was instantly followed with the accustomed laugh good night you cried as loud as he could your liquor is as bad as your lodgings and posted off homeward as fast as his legs could carry him all the ne ft day run sullenly over this adventure i i brown and the more he thought upon it the more he there is nothing more to be dreaded than a pleasant tempered fellow of good bone and muscle when he is once roused quarrel not being one of his habits he it roughly and with great energy or as would say like a hand at the the put upon him the night before went very hard with and he therefore resolved to call his false friend to an account it was singular that after this thought took possession of his mind there seemed to be a relish in it that almost brought him into a good humor the idea of standing upon his with the devil and giving him a fair beating was one of those luxurious that no man ever of but brown there was a in it that upon the strongest in his character had never met his match in daylight and he had a droll conviction that he could master any thing in darkness if he could only come to it arm to arm his first and most natural suggestion was to put himself in order for the projected interview by making a merry evening of it and then to depend upon his genius for bis success in the subsequent stages of the adventure followed one half of the old custom in all affairs of perplexity he first considered the subject when he was drunk but he did not it again in a sober mood on the present occasion his reflections had the advantage of being under circumstances of peculiar animation induced by the disturbed state of his feelings for he has often said that when any thing fretted him it made him awfully thirsty there was one determination that was uppermost in all the variety of lights in which he contemplated his present purpose and that was as it was a delicate affair to treat it like a gentleman and to give his adversary fair play accordingly as soon as had cast off work for the day he put on his took his brown and set out for his usual haunt to prepare himself for the business in hand never did he enter upon a campaign with a more wary or soldier like providence he remained at the tavern in the neighborhood until he had put all his asleep and then in the dead hour of the night when the moon was but a little way above the and divided her quiet empire with s own nose he crept forth silently upon his destined it was a goodly sight to see such a blacksmith sa with his sword tucked under his arm stealing out at such an hour and his silent way to the swamp there to have a pass at arms with the the night breeze blowing upon his cheek and his heavy sullen tramp falling without an echo upon his own ear and not a thought of dread flickering about his heart with his head spinning like a top and his courage considerably above striking heat after many arrived in about half an hour on the frontier of the field of action here he halted according to a military fashion and like a cautious officer entering upon an enemy s territory he began to explore the ground then drawing his sword and his person he commenced an to himself in the manner of a general addressing his troops now my brave boy keep a stiff upper lip mind your eye f look out for don t fire until you see the of their r eyes carry swords advance all this he uttered with a solemn drunken wisdom and with the flourish of an old soldier at the words he stepped forward and continued to approach the swamp muttering half sounds and falling one step backward from carrying himself rather too erect as soon as he reached the edge of the he gave the word halt in a loud and tone of brown voice as if to inform his adversary of his he did not wait long before he heard a noise as of	29
in his ludicrous position the of his feet sliding outward in the material of the banks thus more effectually him asunder whilst the great weight of his body denied him all power to himself even if he had stood upon a firmer base and with a less relaxed frame he was of course wholly at the mercy of his upon whose generosity ho relied with the confidence of a true soldier if this failed him he had nothing better left than to fall in the manner of a pair of into the water and abide the consequences of going headlong to the bottom of a pool where for aught he knew he should not only be compelled to swallow a portion of the liquid but come into familiar contact with snapping and other abominable inhabitants of such a place for the present therefore he began to entreat the aid of his old companion in the most terms to his utter dismay the gentleman in the scarlet mantle not only refused him a hand but answered his request with a malignant laugh so loud as to make the swamp ring with its blood and fury i why don t you me your hand cried at last in an extremity of torture where are your manners f brown what you said the devil that jou roar bo loud v i m in a the is this the way you treat a gentleman in distress don t you see i m up to my chin when i fight replied the other calmly i choose my own ground and if you can t reach it it is no fault of mine don t mean to give satisfaction asked all the satisfaction in the world brown bare satisfaction said the devil laughing and holding his sides you are a coward cried drawing his sword and flourishing it over his head step out and make your words good you are no gentleman granted said the devil i never set up for one but i don t think you are much better or you would never stand there with your sword and as if you thought yourself a man of consequence what s the use said in a gentle tone of keeping a man here all night tearing the life out of him by inches just give us a hand like a genteel christian and as to the quarrel i ll not be particular about it good night brown said the devil i see you have no mind to fight and as i did not come here to trifle i will wait no longer for you so the devil turned round and disappeared from s view with a bitter laugh the being thus left alone without relief found hia torment becoming every m more and therefore without farther effort to reach the ground on either side he plunged head foremost into the pond from which he rose in a moment covered with black mud and with a multitude of ropes of green clinging to his shoulders and about his throat this shock had the effect to bring the blacksmith partially to his senses he awoke from his like one from a dream wondering at the chances that brought him into such a and with a confused recollection of the strange he had just been engaged in hia conclusion was that the old chap had taken him in again and he therefore set off homeward very much ashamed of the failure of his expedition and not less vexed to hear as he once more arrived on dry land the usual good night with its hoarse wild and accompaniment i will not pretend to give any further for these facts than the authority of who affirmed that he had them from himself and as was a little prone to when his personal was in question the judicious reader will make some of allowance on that score there were various incidents in s life similar to those above but it is only material to know that not long after this last adventure began to grow jealous of his old s attentions to mistress brown there was a spirited intercourse kept up between this worthy and the family which resulted at last in the sudden disappearance of the matron from the neighborhood the folks in these parts have their own notions of the matter but they don t like to speak freely on the subject however bore his misfortune like a philosopher he very increased his allowance of comfort by the strength of his cups and in consequence was more frequently than ever beside himself a very refreshing expedient for a man who has been left alone in the world the heir apparent and the rest of the their and wandered off it is supposed in search of food the shop was deserted the was sold and the fell a victim to a attack the roof of the dwelling had decayed so as to give the wind and rain free admission the relics of the were one windy brown night blown down the frame of the house first became twisted out of its perpendicular line and gradually sunk to earth at the base of the brick chimney that stands at this day a monument to show that another of the host of heroes has departed the well grew to be choked up with weeds the stiff and in its and finally ceased to be seen in the country side it is now many years gone by since these mysterious events employed the gossip of the neighborhood and many witnesses amongst the rest affirm that and his wife are yet seen to hold occasional with their old associate in that part of the swamp known as the devil s well said i when this story of brown was concluded do you believe it all why i don t know replied it does seem to me as if	29
mind and upon his abilities he had the art she said to impart a charm to the subjects his was and his journey through the of like one that wandered oyer a meadow who but a man of genius could the darkness of the boundary line and shed certainty in one day upon an important question in opposition to all the courts and all the lawyers of a state that boasted of both with that mr prejudiced against his opinion on the other side there was a moral in it it was like casting a spell of over his the world would talk of this thing hereafter it is very surprising muttered think of it my dear i cried prudence the country before long will discover his talents and he will be compelled to forego his reluctance to guide the of his native state it can be nothing but his modesty rejoined that an keeps him in the now ho never would have been beaten three times for if he had not been so he is what i emphatically said prudence a man of lofty sentiments nothing sordid nothing paltry nothing nothing nothing replied nothing of the sort sound opinions and spoken in such language i such a strain of charity i such a beautiful of the virtues that with the principles that the heart such a rare union echoed never has the world seen more perfect harmony than that which ruled in the counsels of our two at length they fell into a speculation upon the question why he did not marry women consider very naturally life to be a sort of comedy and constantly look to see the hero off by way of preparation for the catastrophe they agreed that there were not many of the sex who would not think themselves fortunate in an from mr but it was allowed that he was fastidious it resulted from the peculiar nature of his organization i confess said prudence it me it is one of the inexplicable of human action that i cannot explain nor i neither replied there are men said miss of such fibre that they shrink at the rude touch of reality they have the of the and find their affections withering up where the blast of scrutiny blows too roughly upon them such a man is i believe that is very true rejoined miss and an besides i think mr is a dashed by being refused often to this succeeded a shrewd inquiry as to what was his present purpose for said prudence it is quite clear to me that he an important revolution in his fate prudence i have lately taken up the same idea there is something continued prudence in his thoughts that him he is and visionary sometimes you would suppose all if your opinion were governed by the beaming expression of his but when he speaks it is only to say some common place thing with an air of earnestness that shows his thoughts to be looking upon some invisible idea he is at other times so pensive that one would think melancholy had marked him for her own what can it signify can he have taken a religious turn asked with an air of wonder no replied the other thoughtfully it has the of genius distracted by its own emotions it is not religion we should wish it were so but it is not that it is the agitation of sensibility an imaginative temperament amidst the attractive of its own oh prudence how much that is like himself i think returned miss i have studied his character well and to tell you the truth my dear i fancy he some between us i perceive that when he is anxious to share his thoughts with a friend he flies to me and it strangely happens that some secret instinct brings us into that holy confidence where friendship puts on its garb of naked simplicity and ideas flow together on the same high road without reserve an indeed i did not know you were so intimate with mr it is strange it should have escaped me why it was it is wonderful to think how long two spirits may associate in the same sphere without striking upon that which in in the hearts of both but for an accidental walk we took three or four mornings ago before breakfast i doubt if i should have been brought to that conviction which i entertain of high qualities and take him altogether i think him a timid man he is even timid in his intercourse with me although he passes so many moments in my company i did not think him timid said oh sure that he is so my dear to tell you the truth with that frankness which should over the of friendship i have no question from his manner that he has something of a very delicate nature no prudence i you don t think so i my dear you deceive yourself you are entirely mistaken in his views indeed i know you are cried with energy indeed i am sure i am not i have it in every thing but then said with emphasis there s no faith in man why not my dear it is of no consequence replied the other in a tremulous murmuring voice the thing is not worth from any other lips than yours i never would have believed that such a thought well i wish you joy of your conquest i heavens do i understand you right what a dreadful truth do you to my mind f i comprehend your silence my dearest and do not ask an explanation because i see it all this is one of the that fate has up in her quiver an what shall we do my dear prudence lam all amazement do what ought we to do but	29
banish him from our favor as a false hearted banish him to the circle of our regard and fix upon him the stain of our displeasure from this moment i him from my heart and i from mine said now we are free cried prudence is it not lucky that we have had this interview most fortunate but are you sure my dear prudence that you have not made some mistake do you think he seriously aimed at your affections sure my love he did every thing that man could do and said every thing that man could say short of falling on his knee and offering me his hand what when i contrast what you tell me with what i know and for seven long months have so frequently experienced for seven months for seven months believe me my dear prudence for seven months why he told me only this morning that he never could grow intimate with you that you had a reserve in your manners which all advances that good does say so there is an in that my dear prudence which me he has had some sinister design oh forbear do not mention it i always thought him somewhat worldly minded a little hollow hearted he shows it in the expression of his countenance particularly replied about the eyes when he smiles do you know i always suspected him i have a horror an of a man of extravagant professions and have often doubted the sincerity of sincerity i let not the word be by wedding it with his name it is plain that all those apparently deep emotions by which he vainly endeavored to from me yes to from me my affections were but the false glitter that plays about the sunny summit of worldly profession but when you tell me said interrupting her friend that he has made an assault upon your affections i am lost in amazement he has twenty times to me that although he thought you a woman of some pretensions yet you were the last woman in the world that could interest his regard he said he thought your manners unnatural and your tone of feeling superficial i recollect his very words what reason have i to be thankful exclaimed prudence clasping her hands that i have escaped the he has into my cup he has been lavish of to me would you believe it he has actually written a long and i must do him the justice to say letter the misery of the greek and their devotion to the cause of their country with a view to gratify me and inspire me with a sentiment of admiration for him he was aware of my seal in that cause the said does he pretend to be an advocate for the cause of the his precise words to me were that he thought the the most barbarous the most uninteresting and the wretches in the world the the preposterous man what a fatal must have struck its into the understanding and the heart of the being that uttered such a sentiment i and then what must have his face whilst his pen traced his appeal to the of virginia in behalf of the suffering an it could not have been bis own replied indeed i should doubt it myself said prudence if it were not remarkable for those affected ornaments of style which dis figure even the best of his you may easily see that it in those vicious which betray a false taste those superfluous that sparkle out in his like the smothered embers of an extinguished furnace i think added that it will invariably be found that a bad heart yes my dear that is perfectly true a bad heart never puts pen to paper but its guardian stands at its elbow and into the composition a of and had he the assurance to say that he thought my manners unnatural v yes he said you were stiff and formal and almost inaccessible that shows his poverty of thought for he made use of the same terms in reference to you he said he thought it strange continued that you should fancy you were doing good by tracts he observed this was another of your follies that these tracts and so he had the to attack the tract society he had and went further he remarked that the society was a mere invention to give employment to busy bodies and country heavens and earth had he the to question my motives to be sure he had and called you one of the then i am done with man depend upon it the sex is not to be trusted there is a natural i mean in this part of creation to all that is virtuous i never saw one man whose impulses were not essentially wicked an d nor i neither except my father replied of course i except my brother frank said prudence i the sex i think i will too said in a lower tone well now continued miss it becomes us to take a decided part in reference to this what do you propose to treat him with that cutting coldness which we both so well know how to assume i don t think we ought to make him of so much importance my dear said prudence after a moment s hesitation perhaps you are right there is up these lords of creation so much as to find our sex guilty of the weakness of even the homage of contempt suppose we indicate to him by our manner that we have his treachery and show him that although it has been so to himself into our good opinion we regard him as an object of perfect indifference as one added whose ways were known to us whose fate said prudence in is a subject that has never occupied our	29
thoughts whose has failed of its aim said whose and have alike excited our ridicule replied prudence agreed let us do so continued how shall we manage it by our looks my dear i will look into the deepest recesses of his heart with a glance and him into a spectacle of scorn looks may do a great deal replied and i will my by yours i am glad we have found him out an let us retire to rest my dear said the other let as to our prayers and be thankful that we have escaped these impending dangers for a while all was silent bat at midnight again and long afterwards a of suppressed voices was heard from the chamber chapter summer mornings in the country every thing wears a sunday look the skies have a deeper the clouds rest npon them like painting the soft flutter of the groves one into silence the of the as he leaps in his short semi circles along your path has the of a whisper and the great vagabond butter fly which amongst the moves noiseless as a leaf borne upon a then there is a of cows upon a distant meadow and a scream of birds heard at intervals the sullen hammer of a lonely from some withered trunk and high above a soaring troop of hoarse with send forth a far off note sometimes a huge and mother of the with her litter of pigs steps leisurely across the and a choir of in the neighboring woods spin out a long of music like the pupils of a singing school the elements of still this varied concert falls faintly upon the ear and only seems to measure silence our morning pursuits at swallow barn partake somewhat of the quiet character of the scenery frank is an early at this season and generally before the rest of the family this gives him time to make a circuit on horseback summer mornings to inspect the progress of his farm concerns he returns before the heat of the day and about noon may be found stretched upon a broad in the hall with a pile of books on the floor beneath him and a dozen newspapers thrown around in great confusion not too he is overtaken with a deep sleep with if volume his nose and he will continue in this position gradually from a lower to a higher key until he himself by a sudden and alarming burst that the bark of a he says the old clock puts him asleep and in truth it has a very but frank is growing and what is a little amusing he in the face of the whole family that he does not the girls get at the piano immediately after breakfast and ned and myself usually commence the morning with a stroll if there happen to be visitors at swallow barn this after breakfast hour is famous for we then all in the porch and fall into grave upon hunting or in neither of which do i profess any great though i take care not to let that appear some of the party amuse themselves with throwing pebbles picked from the gravel walk or draw figures upon the earth with a cane as if to assist their and when our topics grow scarce we towards the bridge and string ourselves out upon the rail to watch the that float down the stream and are sometimes a good deal perplexed to know what we shall do until dinner time there is a numerous herd of little about the estate and these sometimes afford us a new diversion a few mornings since we encountered a of them who were darting about the bushes like they are afraid of me because i am a stranger and take to their heels as soon as they see me if i ever chance to get near enough to speak to one of i i j l i summer mornings them he at me with a gaze and after a moment makes off at full speed very much frightened towards the at some distance from the house they are almost all clad in a long coarse shirt which reaches below the knee without any other garment but one of the group we met on the morning i speak of was oddly in a pair of ragged conspicuous for their ample dimensions in the seat these had evidently belonged to some grown up person but were cut short in the legs to make them fit the a piece of across the shoulder of this grotesque served for and kept his from falling about his feet ned ordered this crew to prepare for a foot race and proposed a reward of a piece of money to the they were to run from a given point about a hundred paces distant to the margin of the brook our whole of dogs were in attendance and seemed to understand our at the word away went the accompanied by every dog of the pack the shouting and the dogs yelling in the ran with prodigious vehemence their speed exposing their bare black and to the scandal of all and the strange in struggled close in their rear with ludicrous earnestness holding up his and troublesome apparel with his hand in a moment they reached the brook with speed and as the banks were muddy and the dogs had become tangled with the in their path two or three were into the water this only increased the and they continued the contest in this new element by kicking and about like a brood of ducks in their first descent upon a pool these young have wonderfully flat noses and the most oddly mouths which were now opened to their full dimensions so as to display their white teeth in striking t heir they are a strange summer of and careless animals and the picture that	29
is to be found in nature of that of which in the old time were supposed to play i in the forest at moonlight ned stood by enjoying this scene like an amateur encouraging the in their and to the dogs that by a kindred instinct entered into the sport and kept up the confusion it was difficult to decide the contest so the money was thrown into the air and as it fell to the ground there was another rush in which the hero of the succeeded in getting the small coin from the ground in his teeth somewhat to the prejudice of his finery a special pre eminence over these young and has them into a kind of local he sometimes has them all in the yard and us with a review they have an old watering pot for a drum and a dingy for a standard under which they are arrayed in military order as they have no hats amongst them makes each stick a cock s feather in his wool and in this guise they parade over the grounds with a in which s shrill voice and the of the old watering pot may be heard at a great distance besides these occupations hazard and myself frequently ride out during the morning and we are apt to let our horses take their own way this brings us into all the by places of the neighborhood and makes me many acquaintances and often accompany us and i have occasion to admire their expert they have each a brisk little pony and these are wonderful with them and to hear them talk you would suppose them in all the affairs of the stable with such amusements we contrive to pass our mornings not but idly this course of life has a quality summer mornings that already begins to exercise its influence upon my habits there is a fascination in the quiet and reckless nature of these country pursuits that is apt to seize upon the imagination of a man who has felt the of business ever since i have been at swallow bam i have entertained a very philosophical longing for the calm and dignified retirement of the woods i begin to grow moderate in my desires that is i only want a thousand acres of good land an old house on a pleasant site a hundred a large library a host of friends and a reserve of a few thousands a year in the stocks in case of bad crops and finally a house full of pretty intelligent and children with some few et not worth mentioning i doubt not after this i shall be considered a man of few wants and great resources within myself chapter a country gathering the day that followed our adventure in the swamp was a busy one we were to have our dinner party at swallow barn at an early hour before breakfast a servant waited at the front door for hazard s orders this was a negro boy equipped for service on horseback he was rather more in his appearance thai i was accustomed to see the servants from his air and the conceited he had given to an old cap with a yellow band which stuck upon one side of his head i was not wrong in my conjecture that he had something to do with the race horses he was mounted upon one of this stock a tall full blooded bay just ready to start when hazard came to instruct him in the purpose of his errand said ned you will go to the court house and give my compliments tes sir said the messenger with a joyful countenance to toll hedges and the doctor and tell them that we expect some friends here at dinner to day yes sir shouted the negro and striking his heels ii to his horse s sides at the same instant plunged forward some paces come back cried ned what are you going after to ax toll hedges and the doctor to come here to dinner to day returned the impatient boy a country wait until you hear what i have to tell you continued ned say to them that your master frank will be glad to see them and that i wish them to bring any body along with them they choose that s all exclaimed the negro again and once more bounded off towards the high road you black rascal cried ned at the top of his voice and laughing come back again you are in a monstrous hurry i wish you would show something of this activity when it is more wanting now hear me out tell them if they see the squire to bring him along yes sir and as you pass by mr s stop there and ask him if he will favor us with his company and if ho cannot himself tell him to send us some of the family tell him to send them at any rate let me see is there any body else if you meet any of the gentlemen about give them my compliments and tell them to come over yes sir now can you remember it all never fear me ned said the negro with his broad that entirely the letter r then be off cried hazard and let me hear of no on the road that s me shouted in the same tone of excessive spirits he evinced on his first appearance i ll be bound i make tracks and saying this the negro flourished his hand above his head struck his heels again on the horse s ribs with a wild scream and shot forward like an arrow from a bow soon after breakfast the visitors from the began to appear first came prudence with in mr s carriage about an hour afterwards s a country gathering arrived bringing b l under the of the	29
something like a against a bank when the are all dashing in to get the preference in the payment of their notes was at last relieved from the spirited that had been made upon his courtesy the two ladies drew off to other engagements and the gentleman came round to the door where we were sitting it happened that a few moments before had been released from school and had walked into the parlor where prudence and were entertaining the poet but finding them earnestly occupied had made a circuit round the room and out again without stopping and then came and seated himself on the sill of the front door where he remained when joined our party what had previously been occupying s brain i know not for he sat silent and abstracted but at last drawing up his naked heels on the floor so as to bring hi knees almost in contact with his chin and embracing his legs with his arms in such manner as to form a round them with his fingers he looked up at us with a face of some perplexity as he broke out with the exclamation dog them women if they ar nt too much whom do you mean inquired aunt and what have they been doing you seem to be in a bad humor j oh dog em i say they won t let mr do any thing he wants always after him was a great favorite of s principally on account of his horses i don t wonder he don t like to stay with them what fault have you to find with the ladies asked a country gathering amused with the boy s manner you are not angry with them on my account i hope tes i am they re always a talking about you for my share i think they must be in love with you here laughed aloud what do they say of mr tou needn t laugh mr said t i heard them both talking about mr oh oh i wouldn t like any body to talk about me so i hope they said nothing ill of me said a little confused i guess they didn t replied but you had better look out else every body will say that you are going to get married to both of them that would be queer wouldn t it but you t told us what they said interrupted no matter about that said we most not tell tales out of school you know catch me replied i m not going to tell saying these words he jumped up and ran off to his sports with his natural careless and manner not dreaming that the slightest consequence could be attached to any thing he had uttered this simple incident had a sensible influence upon the conduct of during the rest of the day he had of late been haunted by an apprehension that he was almost ashamed to acknowledge namely that it was possible his both to prudence and might be and they had both flattered his vanity and him by that means into a somewhat intimate intercourse although it was very far from up a serious interest in his feelings still this attention was agreeable to him and once or twice the suspicion a country gathering might have crossed his mind that he was permitting matters to go too far an which he foresaw might produce some unpleasant consequences it was in this state of doubt that he had left the ladies but a few moments since and it was therefore with something of and alarm that he heard s abrupt disclosure made with the boyish i described saw this and was inclined to make advantage of it but took the caution by and the object the most amusing feature in the transaction was that it brought about the very state of things by the voluntary choice of that prudence and on their part had resolved the night before to compel but which their uncertain and policy to day had came to the sudden determination to the false hopes he had raised by assuming for the future a more and reserved behavior and as soon as the opportunity favored to from the field of action and make his way back to his native oaks where he hoped his absence would in a short time at least in as short a time as so sore a disease allowed heal up the wounds his innocent and had inflicted upon the peace of two and unhappy full of this sentiment he suddenly became pensive formal and cold never did the fall more rapidly to whilst these things were going on our company continued to two odd looking figures arrived on horseback at the gate followed by our boy who had staid behind to accompany the guests he had been sent to invite the older of the two was the doctor a fat short gentleman dressed notwithstanding the heat of the season all in cloth behind his saddle he carried a small such as gentlemen of his profession use in the country for the conveyance of and a country gathering the other was our old friend considerably in attire bat with his some white cotton fabric rubbed up by the action of his horse almost to his knees he wore his broad and tattered straw hat that his eyes with a supreme air of and as he dismounted at the gate he deliberately his mouth of a of tobacco and walked up to the door it was now past one o clock and as it is usual in this part of virginia to up the introduction of a guest at this hour of the day with an to take of the our new comers were ushered into a back room where an immense bowl had been prepared by ned hazard who was there present with and mr	29
to administer it in the midst of the jest and laughter of the tion that was now assembled admiring and doing homage to the icy and well bowl other visitors were introduced amongst the rest mr an extensive of sheep and blooded horses he was a tall thin gentleman who had an way of the person he addressed and laying down the heads of his discourse by striking the fingers of his right hand upon the palm of his left and shaking his head somewhat as i have seen a school boy when he was going to fight mr formed a part of this group but stood rather in the background with his hands tucked under the skirts of his coat so as to throw them out like the tail of a cock he erected his figure even beyond the perpendicular line for a time this was a busy and a gay scene by the exhibition of that good and natural freedom from the of forms which one of the most features of a genuine hospitality the tumult gradually subsided as the several personages in the room retreated towards the hall and it was not long before the whole party seemed to be entirely a gathering and had separated into as many fragments as whim or chance produced some sauntered towards the bridge and thence to the stable some sat in the shade of the porch and the topics that interested the country and others wandered as far as the whence might be heard an occasional laugh the sudden consequence of some well told story as the dinner hour drew nigh our scattered forces were fast upon one point the ladies had assembled in the drawing room and there were many signs that could not be mistaken that the hour to the imperious calls of appetite was near at hand still mr had not yet appeared divers speculations were set on foot us to the cause of his absence perhaps he had forgotten his engagement but that was not probable considering how careful he was known to be in all such matters and especially after the interest he had expressed to relieve from the sense of mortification which he supposed his friend felt in his defeat he could not have lost his way nor could he have mistaken the hour a general anxiety at length began to prevail on the subject was particularly desirous to meet his neighbor at this moment of and the rest of the party were curious to note the old gentleman s behavior at so critical a juncture the dinner hour had now come and every one was still on the for our ancient guest most of the gentlemen were about the door watching every object that came in sight upon the road leading to the at last slowly emerging from behind a of trees at some distance off where the road first occurred to view was seen the venerable himself he had dismounted from his horse and by any servant was walking leisurely with his arms behind his back the bridle dangling from one hand and his horse along after chapter the dinner table about half after three with a solemn official air which was well set off by a singularly stiff costume assuming for the the rank and station of head waiter announced that dinner was on the table the greater part of the company was collected in the drawing room some two or three through the hall at the summons mr with that motion which sometimes belongs to old men sprang upon his feet and hastened to the opposite side of the room where my cousin was seated took her hand and with a repetition of formal bows after a fashion in in the last century led her to the dining room stood at the door to one after another of his guests with that kind smile and grace which are natural to a benevolent temper his tall figure somewhat constrained in its motion by an of modesty which is always in him when placed in any conspicuous position as soon as mr led the way with some offered his arm to the other ladies found an escort among the more gallant of the gentlemen and after them the r st of the party pressed forward towards the dining room leaving to bring up the rear who upon arriving at the table with that which never the dinner table him in the smallest matters placed mr mr and one or two of his elder guests near his own seat i most not forget to mention that before we had taken our mistress out in all the pomp of silk and muslin sailed as it were with muffled oars into the room from a side door and with a and stealthy motion deposited her worn person near to my cousin it is a custom of affectionate courtesy in the family to accord to this venerable of the past generation the of a place at table mr was aware of s feelings towards the aged dame and prompted by his zeal on the present occasion to manifest his deference to his host he no sooner observed her than he broke out into a and gallant recognition mistress what my old friend it me to see you looking so well and so youthful the world goes merrily with you s my life if colonel were only alive again to make another visit to the james it would be hard to persuade him that time had gained so small a victory over the girl whom he had the impertinence to chuckle under the chin so boldly a and he was in those days mistress but the the i warrant did his business for him long ago ha ha you hav nt forgot old times mistress although they have well nigh forgotten you the housekeeper during this outbreak hemmed and smiled and with much	29
confusion her silken folds in her chair with somewhat of the motion of a hen in the process of mr had touched upon an incident which for nearly half a century had been a theme that warmed up all her self complacency and which owed its origin to one of the english s upon the river side during the in which be was said to have made himself very thb dinner table much at home at swallow barn and to have bestowed some notice upon the then and blooming of the family the table was furnished with a profusion of the afforded by the country and notwithstanding it was much more ample than the accommodation of the guests required it seemed to be stored rather with a reference to its own dimensions than to the number or wants of those who were collected around it at the head immediately under the eye of our hostess in the customary pride of place was deposited a goodly ham of bacon rich in its own as well as in the honors thai belong to it in the old dominion according to a usage worthy of imitation it was clothed in its own dark skin which the imaginative mistress of the kitchen had by carving into some fanciful figures the opposite end of the table smoked with a huge saddle of mutton which seemed from its trim and air ready to gallop off the dish between these two extremes was scattered an of poultry prepared with many and especially t luxury which yet so slowly finds its way northward sworn brother to the ham and old virginia s standard dish the intervening spaces displayed a profusion of the of the garden nor were and wanting where room allowed and where nothing else could be deposited as if scrupulous of showing a bare spot of the table cloth the of mistress had provided a choice selection of of every color and kind from the whole array of the board it was obvious that abundance and variety were deemed no less essential to the entertainment than the excellence of the a of in every stage of training attended upon the table presenting a lively type of the progress of the dinner table tion or the march of intellect i the being well contrasted with the rude half monkey half boy who seemed to have been for the first time admitted to the parlor whilst between these two were exhibited the successive degrees that mark the advance from the savage to the and image of the old fashioned negro nobility it was equal to a gallery of a sort of satire upon man in his various stages with his odd illustrated in the lines each had added some article of to his dress a fastened to the shirt for a breast pin a dingy colored ribbon displayed across the breast with one end lodged in the waistcoat pocket or a preposterous up an shirt collar that the driven snow as it traversed cheeks as black as midnight and fretted the lower of a pair of ears one more conceited than the rest had his wool fashion common amongst the into five or six short both before and behind whilst the of the whole group wore that grave momentous which is peculiar to the african face and which is eminently adapted to express the official care and personal importance of the as the more immediate and what is universally to be the more important business of the dinner was discussed to wit the process of the edge of appetite the merriment of the company rose in proportion to the leisure afforded to its exercise and the elder portion of the guests gently slid into the vivacity of the younger mr did not lose for an instant that air which he had assumed on entering the room as expressed it he was painfully polite and very precisely gay the ladies for a time gave their tone to the table and under this influence we found ourselves falling into detached circles where each pursued its separate x the dinner table theme sometimes in loud and rapid converse mingled with frequent bursts of laughter that spread an din through the room and sometimes in low and confidential of which it was impossible to say whether they were grave or gay s voice was poured into ear in gentle and whispers of which ned hazard alone of all the guests to judge by his intense and abstracted gaze was able to the import prudence equally abstracted was merry and laughed much more than was necessary at s jokes talked with singular sagacity and listened with still more singular earnestness to mr who was her with equal interest and eloquence upon the wholesome effects he had found in the abundant use of flannel which he described with unnecessary of details in the of an ancient enemy the now and then a load and rather laugh not altogether suited to the region he inhabited and which some such consciousness seemed abruptly to arrest was set up by hedges this worthy had already begun to occupy that questionable ground which a gentleman of loose habits and reputation is pretty sure to arrive at in his descending career had lowered him somewhat in the world and had already introduced him to a class of associates who had made a visible impression on his manners a circumstance which very few men have so little as not to perceive nor so much as not to be ashamed of in truth toll had some of the and much of the of the bar room but he had not yet given such indications of the of his infirmity as to induce his acquaintances who for the most part him on some family consideration to him from their houses on the contrary a certain strain of but generous companionship breaking out and shining above the	29
vices the table to it was akin still him to the favor of those who were unwilling to desert him as long as his ease was not absolutely hopeless the of however by a fatal law downwards it is unfortunately of the most rare occurrence that the mind which has once been by a habit of ever that of self respect which preserves the purity of the individual it was easy to perceive that hedges labored under a perpetual le to his within even the broader boundaries that limit the indulgence of the class of gentlemen amidst these mr li art ate like a man with a good appetite and gave himself no trouble to talk except in the intervals of serving his plate for he remarked that he was not accustomed to these late hours and thought them apt to make one his stomach the parson who sat opposite to him wore a perpetual smile during the sometimes looking as if he intended to say something but more every word that fell from mr s lips the courses disappeared a rich came and went the spirits of the company rose still higher the wine almost to the point moved in a busy sphere for the intense heat of the weather gave it an additional zest we had made the usual to the ladies and exchanged the frequent according to the and custom which i suppose when the epoch arrived at which by the arbitrary law of the feast the are expected to withdraw that time which if i wore a sovereign in this dinner party realm should be blotted i om the i should shame me to acknowledge that there was any moment in the social day when it was for the temperate sex to look upon or listen to the lord of creation in his but i was neither monarch nor and so we d the dinner table were left alone to the current upon which we had been lifted before ns glittered the dark sea of the table studded over and with the wealth of the spain and france and with the by which these precious were and deposited in their proper in the wine was very good almost the first words that were spoken after we had ourselves from the stir occasioned by the retreat of the ladies came from mr he had been waiting for a suitable opportunity to himself of a grave and formal duty ihe occasion of the dinner he conceived demanded of him a peculiar compliment to the host his strict and refined to the of gentle breeding have forbidden mm to sleep quietly in his bed with this task and therefore with a tremulous and motion like that of a young orator awe struck at the thought of making a speech he rose to command the attention of the table a faint hearted smile sat rigidly upon his like moonlight on a marble statue his eye his cheek pale and his gesture contrived to a faint and feeble of mirth it was evident the old gentleman was not accustomed to public speaking and so he remarked as he turned towards and continued an address somewhat in the following terms since we have my dear sir so fortunately succeeded in putting an end to a question which although it has resulted in throwing upon my hands a few barren and acres has given all the glory of the settlement to you here his voice considerably for it was my very worthy and excellent friend at your instance and suggestion that we struck out the happy thought of leaving it to the of our kind friends and to tell the truth at this point the the dinner table old gentleman brightened up a little and looked although he still had the i don t know but i would as have the as the land seeing that it has been the occasion of many merry meetings i will take upon myself to propose to this good company of neighbors and friends that we shall drink ha ha continued the waving his hand above his head and towards the table with a gay that we shall drink gentlemen a here he took the in his hand and filled his glass fill your glasses all around no fill up fill up t cried every one anxious to help the old gentleman out of his difficulties mr s toast in a here continued mr holding his glass on high with a trembling hand here is to our admirable host francis of swallow barn i a sensible and enlightened gentleman a considerate landlord a kind neighbor an independent upright sensible enlightened here he became sadly puzzled for a word and paused for a full half minute reasonable of right and justice a man that is not his perplexity still increasing on the score of or indeed on any score i say gentlemen here s wishing him success in all his aims and long life to enjoy a great many such joyous meetings as the present besides health of our host and many meetings i exclaimed mr interrupting the speaker and thus cutting short a toast of which it was evident mr could not find the end health to our host joyous meetings cried out half a dozen voices and thus relieved from his progress the old gentleman took his seat in great glee remarking to the person next to him that he was not much practised in making dinner the dinner table speeches but that he could get through very well when he was once pushed to it sat out this and unexpected assault with painful emotions sinking under the weight of his natural the rest of the company awaited in silence the slow and distinct of the speaker with an amused and ludicrous suspense until mr s interruption which	29
was the signal for a shout of approbation and in the uproar that ensued the wine was while mr chuckled at the eminent success of his essay and stood bowing and blushing with the of a girl when the subsided remarked in a quiet tone i think our friend will scarcely escape a speech in reply to this compliment the fashion is to return the it is given i pray you said with an emotion almost to alarm do not ask me to say any thing i have an aversion to such efforts my nerves will not stand it sir knows how kindly i take the expression of his regard who observed s real embarrassment rose to divert the attention of the company to another quarter and putting on an air of great solemnity observed that he was unwilling to lose so favorable an opportunity of paying a tribute to two very worthy and on the present occasion he might say conspicuous persons i mean gentlemen said he mr and mr gentlemen here s to the health of the the men whose judgments could not be led astray by the of and whose energies could not be subdued by the formidable difficulties of the apple pie th dinner f i rang from every a speech from mr i ned a from mr echoed from all quarters the gentleman called on rose from his upon the table to command silence there followed a pause i do not rise to make a speech said with great formality of manner hear him j shouted i do not rise gentlemen said the other to make a but custom in these times almost the spontaneous and of the table that i remark the spontaneous and of the in the heat of zeal should meet their response in the same spirit in which they find their origin will understand me it is not my purpose to rebuke a custom which may and doubtless does contribute to the of the social relations it is merely my purpose on the present occasion as an humble and if i know myself an individual to respond to e free and expressions of the good will of this company to myself and my distinguished with whom my name has been associated in his name therefore and in my own i desire to acknowledge the deep sense we entertain of the compliment conveyed in the toast of our worthy fellow guest bowed and smiled it will be amongst the topics of remembrance left to me gentlemen amidst the of a life that the personal sacrifices i have made and the toil i have bestowed in the successful endeavor to define and establish the complex relations and rights of two friends have found a favorable and flattering approval in the good sense of this enlightened company if it further result that the table the great principles developed and to a certain extent in this endeavor should hereafter to the advantage of the generation amongst which i have the honor to live i need not say how sincerely i shall rejoice that neither my friend nor have lived in vain i propose gentlemen in return the of the old dominion the prosperity of the securely upon their intelligence amen said hazard in an under intended only for my ear and may they never fail to do honor to merit i i suppose said mr speaking in an unusually placid tone as he rose with a face into half its ordinary length with smiles and at the same time expressing arch i suppose it is necessary that i also should speak to this point there are if your honor pleases mr president ordinarily two different motives for proposing the health of an individual at table the one is a bond purpose to and honor the person proposed by a public of the common feeling toward by reason of some certain act or deed by him him in the estimation of the persons proposing to applause in this point of view my worthy friend who has just spoken seems to have considered the case in hand the second motive for the act may it please you mr may be and such i take it a certain intent inter to promote and cheerful companionship with whatever gravity the y be conducted i hold that it is to be looked upon according to the temper and condition of the company for the time being now sir i will not venture to say that my learned friend has not wisely considered the toast in the present instance as intended and made in all gravity of purpose but seeing that this company did on the occasion the table b i choose air to on the sunny side of the question as the safest in th present sir qui i therefore sir go for the joke i have sometimes seen air old upon a false but then there is music made and i believe that is pretty much all that is wanting on the present occasion when a man is praised to his face gentlemen of the jury he continued rising into an energetic key and the he was addressing i beg pardon gentlemen you see the mid the will stick to my tongue as an ancient author i forget his name remarks what is bred in the bone you know the proverb but when a man is praised to his face here the speaker stretched out his arm and stood silent for a moment as if to recollect what he intended to say for be had lost the thread of his speech and during this pause his countenance grew so irresistibly comic that the whole company who had from the first been collecting a storm of now broke out with concentrated violence ned hazard you put every thing i had to say out of my head with	29
that continued the orator looking at ned who had thrown himself back in his chair giving full vent to his merriment patiently awaited the blowing over of this with an increased of look and then as it subsided he made a bow with his glass in his hand saying in an emphatic way your gentlemen swallowed his wine and took his seat amidst renewed of mirth at the same moment from the depths of this tumult was distinctly heard the voice of mr who cried out with his eyes of tears and a half voice a prodigious queer man that i thb dinner table were now introduced the were filled for the second time and the h of social enjoyment into a deeper hue some one or two additional guests had just arrived and taken their seats at the table a full lower in tone than their excited comrades of the board it was like the mingling of a few too many in a lively but the custom of the soil and these and it was not long before this rear guard hastened on to the van the scene presented a fine picture of careless and hospitality where the guests enjoyed themselves according to their varying impulses whether in grave or merriment now and then a song none of the best in execution was sung and after that a boisterous catch was with some decisive on the table by way of marking time in which it might be perceived that even old mr was with the prevailing glee for his eyes sparkled and his head shook to the music and his fist was with a downward swing almost in the style of a professed in the intervals of the singing a story was told sometimes the conversation almost sank into a murmur sometimes it mounted to a gale its rolling in with a deep toned heavy swelling roar until it was spent in a general explosion not a of the din surprised some single speaker in the high road of his narrative and thus detected him in an upper key some incident which he had perhaps addressed to one and which not a little to his he found himself compelled to communicate to the whole circle it was in such an interval as this that hedges was left struggling through the following with i made a narrow escape how was that asked oh a very serious accident i assure you i came the dinner table an ace of getting that trip married sir by all that s lovely no exclaimed you didn t sure enough toll if i didn t replied tou i wish i may be hero he slipped out a round full and expressive i ll tell you how it was at the sweet springs i got acquainted with a rich old sugar from he had his wife and daughter with him and a whole of servants forty thousand dollars a year and the daughter as as a not so particularly young neither but looking as innocent as if she wa nt worth one copper i went in for grace and began to show out a few of my and what do you think she was most horribly struck i put her into an ecstasy with one of my pigeon wings she wanted to find out my name well and what came of it were only three things said toll in the way if it had not been for them i should have been planting sugar this day first the old one didn t take to it very kindly and then tbe mother began to rear a little at me too but i shouldn t have considered that of much account only the daughter herself seemed as much as to that the thing wouldn t do did you carry it so far as to put the question to her not exactly so far as that no no i was not such a fool as to come to the ore terms i went on the non principle she as much as signified to a friend of mine that she didn t wish to make my acquaintance and so i took the hint and was off wa nt that close this concluding was followed up by one of toll s loud that might have been heard a hundred paces from the house and which was as usual short by his perceiving that it did not take effect so decidedly as he th dinner table expected upon the upon this hedges became rather silent for the half hour the dining room had for some time past been gradually assuming that soft mellow tint which is said by the painters to spread such a charm oyer an indian summer landscape the volumes of smoke rolled across the table and then rose into the upper air where they spread themselves out into a rich mass and flung a certain over the scene the busy riot of seemed to echo through another and the figures of the guests were clad in even a obscurity motionless exact and sombre as an egyptian old s form was dimly seen relieved against the light of a window near one end of the table all the other had fled and the body guard alone remained on duty the wine went round with the regularity of a city milk cart stopping at every door a mine of wit was continually pouring out its treasures the guests were every moment growing less fastidious and the banquet had already reached that stage when second rate wit is as good as the best if not better the good humor of our friend had attracted the of and hazard and they were and provoking him to a more conspicuous part in the farce of the evening like s frozen horn the was rapidly melting into a noisy temperature he had volunteered	29
some two or three stories of which he seemed somehow or other to have lost the in short it was supposed from some droll expression of the eye and a slight faltering of the tongue that mr was growing gay when matters were precisely in this condition by signs and secret messages to the attention of the company the old lawyer just as he was setting out with the history of a famous campaign dinner e you all remember the late war said looking around and finding the eyes of every one upon him announcement was followed by a laugh of applause indicating the interest that all took in the commencement of the narrative there is certainly nothing particularly calculated to excite your faculties in that said he as much amused as his i was honored by his the governor of virginia with a commission as captain of a troop of horse having been previously elected to that station by a unanimous vote at a meeting of the corps explain the name of the troop said ned hazard the invincible replied the other the uniform being a blue and the corps having resolved that they would never be i am told interrupted that you furnished yourself with a new pair of yellow small clothes on the occasion and that with them and your blue you produced a sensation through the whole country faith said mr speaking across the table mr bi s i can assure you i don t think a well mounted n leather small clothes i took prodigious pains continued not the interruption to into my men the highest military discipline there wasn t a man in the corps that couldn t carry his over any worm fence in the country throwing off the rider the rider of the fence you mean said hazard to be sure i do replied with you don t suppose i meant to say that my men were ex d if i may be allowed to coin a word no sir while the horse kept his legs every man was like a horse fly the table what system of discipline did you introduce inquired the system of answered mr the best that ever was used for cavalry go on said we received intelligence somewhere m the summer of eighteen hundred and thirteen that old admiral was beginning to somewhat awfully at and rather taking liberties in as we lawyers say it was thought prudent to call into immediate service some of the most efficient of the military force of the country and accordingly up came an order addressed to me me to repair with my men as speedily as possible the neighborhood of island this summons like an electric shock it was the first real flavor of that the troop had ever i never saw men behave better it became my duty to take instant measures to meet the emergency in the first place i ordered a meeting of the troop at the court house for i was resolved to do things coolly you are mistaken mr said in the order of your movements the first thing that you did was to put on your new breeches nonsense said the i called the meeting at the court house directing every man to be there in foil and you sent forthwith to interrupted hazard for a white three feet long now gentlemen i said one at a time f if you wish to hear me out let me go on well sir the men met in complete order harry you remember him mr a devil may care sort of a fellow a perfect walking nuisance in time of an offence going at large table be was my orderly and the very best i suppose in virginia i furnished harry it was entirely a thought of my own with a the shaft twelve feet long and pointed with a foot of polished iron as soon as i put this into his hands the fellow set up one of his horse laughs and galloped about the square like a wild i should think said that one of our countrymen would scarcely know what to do with a pole twelve feet long after he had got into his saddle however i take it for granted you had good reason for what you did the polish replied produced a terrible impression with a weapon somewhat similar no matter said ned about the polish let us get upon our campaign well continued mr i thought it would not be amiss before we started to and encourage my fellows with a speech so i drew them up in a hollow square and gave them a flourish that set them half crazy that was just the way with before exclaimed mr with great exultation from the opposite side of the table i should like to have heard mr his men i will tell you exactly what he said for i was there at the time said ned hazard follow me my brave boys the eyes of the world are upon you keep yours upon my white and let that be your point i cried turning round and showing his black teeth with a good natured half grin i said no such thing i told them what it was my duty to tell them that we had joined issue with the british government and had come to the and that we must now make up our minds to die on the field of our country s honor rather than see her soil with the dinner table the footsteps of an that an enemy was at oar door threatening our ton told them interrupted hazard again that the next morning s sun might find them and stiff and on the dew sod i can remember those expressions as well as if it were yesterday i might have said something like that replied by way of encouragement	29
soon as this short meal was and made their preparations for departure ned like a lover was polite in his attentions to the lady of his affections he had brought her bonnet and assisted in it to her head with care and as he led her to the carriage he took occasion with many figures of speech to tell her how much he in the affliction she had experienced by the loss of and as he was sure the did not a total separation from his mistress he vowed to bring him back to her if he was to be found alive in the county endeavored to the service and getting into the coach she and were soon in full progress homeward mr s horse was led up to the steps and the old gentleman after some civil speeches to the company a little of his ability as a and a respectful to up with a slow but effort into his saddle a breaking up i should make a brave fox yet mr said he with some exultation when he found himself in his seat and would puzzle jou to throw me out on a fair field you see i can drink too with the best of you i am good yet mr upon my word sir said smiling you do wonders there is not to day in a better mounted of the same age good eating and drinking mr and good wine warm the blood of an old like me and set him to if he can do nothing else come you and must get to your horses i will haye my de mount you young dogs and never i allow no grass to grow to my horse s heels i warrant ye i mount and the two attendants obeyed the order and their near to his now don t run away from us said why as i think upon it again more replied the old gentleman i think we will along slowly we might alarm the horses of the carriage if we got to any of our so good evening good evening with these words the set forward at a brisk walk mr in a manner that showed him to be engaged in an animated conversation with his companions soon after this mr s was brought to the door this gentleman with a languid and delicate grace that he was about to wing his flight to there to himself in pursuits which his present visit had suspended and consequently he could not promise himself the pleasure of soon again meeting his worthy friend at swallow bam he reminded his host however that he would carry into his retirement the agreeable consciousness that his a breaking up visit had not been a one since it had contributed so happily to the of an ancient dispute he insisted on the honor of a return visit from and his friends his parting with the ladies might be said to have been even touching it presented an elegant compound of sensibility and deference prudence could not possibly mistake the impression he designed to convey to her he gently shook her finger as he said with a gentle and embarrassed smile i particularly regret that the nature of the occupation to which i am about to return is such as to me for some months and most probably may compel me again to cross the atlantic it is likely therefore that i shall have added some years to my account before we meet again your fate will be doubtless changed before that happens as for mine i need scarcely allude to it i am already written down a of the soil i still may hope i trust to be sometimes remembered as a passing shadow he means to write a book and die a bachelor poor devil that is the english of this flourish said ned to prudence as soon as walked towards the front door was silent and inwardly vexed at length she said to ned he more consequence to his movements than any body else shortly after this the glittering vehicle with its burden was seen darting into the distant forest one after another our guests followed until none were left but mr and hedges who having determined to ride together as far as the court house were waiting as they said until the night should fairly set in in order that they might have the coolness of the little hours for their journey weu mr said what do you think of our friend a breaking up lam he is gone the parson m my very a few after this the dropped asleep in chair leaving in an but unfortunately a listener frank had drawn the window and thrown his feet carelessly against the sill to give himself that half posture which is be most favorable to all calm and philosophic he had npon one of those voyages it was his wont to the world of thought as there were no lights in the room he continued to pour the ears of his friend his startling wisdom for half an hour before he became aware of his labor finding however that no answer came from quarter to which he addressed himself he suddenly stopped with the exclamation god bless me i mr have you m asleep all this time truly i have been my seed a rock sleep on don t let me disturb you asleep replied waking up at hearing himself by name as a man who in company is apt to do ot i i assure you i have heard every word you have said it was altogether just indeed i couldn t a word but i mr hedges it is time for us to be moving i laughed and remarked that mr hedges had left i room some time since with mr at all events said we will have our horses it i we	29
us that thou art said ned how did thy foolish find that out didn t i hear you last night when you were so that could hardly stand into s ear that you would neither take rest nor food until you restored her favorite te her fist did i say that exclaimed ned was l ridiculous i can t pretend to do justice to your on the occasion it would require higher poetical powers than i boast of to imitate even in a small degree the of your speech the common of the dictionary would make but poor for my use if i attempted it i you now said hazard is not this deplorable that i i knight e a man should hare a who hates a fool all worldly and yet be so by his evil genius that he may never appear any thing else to her i am not a miserable merry by nature and yet by wherever is i am ever the v y crown piece of folly and do you think said i that this little girl so instinct as she is with the animal impulses a laughing is such a in as to be noting down your nonsense in her for rebuke why sir that is the very point upon which you must hope to win her i am afraid i wasn t respectful said ned i assure you i replied that so far from not being respectful you were the most observant and ass considering that you were in your cups i ever saw was i so exclaimed ned then i am content for on that score is as great a fool as i am or any other now if i can only bring her back her bird he said and i have some that i shall get tidings of him i shall rise to the very top of her saying this ned forward to a gallop and flourished his whip in the air as he called to me to follow at the same speed mark watch every thing that flies he cried out you may see the harness about his legs and listen for the bells for the can t move without i live in my lady s grace remember the motto now by our lady i mean our lady said i for henceforth i will swear by none but her i am as keen upon this quest as yourself i vow not to sleep until i hear something of this ungrateful bird my reader would perhaps deem it a hopeless venture to at the recovery of a bird under the of this ease but it will occur to him if he be read in romance that it was not an to regain a stray hawk as he might at first imagine a bird will seldom wander far from his accustomed haunt and being alien to the wild habits of hi species will almost invariably resort to the dwellings of man having been known to direct his flight up the river we had good reason to hope that the inhabitants of this quarter might put our search upon a successful track for a good half mile therefore we rode at speed the highway leading to the the of our motion with the extravagant nature of the enterprise and the agreeable temperature of the morning and cool had raised our spirits to a high pitch in this mood we soon arrived at sandy s little inn upon the river all that we could learn here was that the hawk had been seen in the neighborhood the day before and had probably continued his flight further up the river with this intimation we proceeded rapidly upon our pursuit it was near noon when through many paths visiting every habitation that fell in our way we had gained a point about five miles distant from swallow barn some doubtful tidings of were obtained at one or two houses on the road for the last hour our journey had been without encouragement and we began to feel oppressed with the mid day of the season it was therefore somewhat that we halted to hold a consultation whether or not we should push our expedition farther not far distant from the road we could perceive the ridge pole of a log cabin showing itself above a patch of luxuriant indian corn this little dwelling stood upon the bank of the river and as a last essay we resolved to visit it and its inmates knight e in the of our enterprise it was with some we made our way through a breach in the high worm fence that bounded the road and after struggling along a path beset with and we at length found ourselves by the corn immediately around the hut at this moment wilful sprang from the path and ran eagerly towards the yard in the rear of the dwelling he did not halt until he arrived at an apple tree where hung a rude cage under this he continued to bark with quick and earnestness until ned called him back with a threat that brought him crouching beneath the feet of our horses where he remained restless and every now and then making a short bound in the direction of the tree and looking up wistfully in hazard s face in the mean time an old negro woman had come to the door and as ned engaged her in conversation wilful stole off unobserved a second time to the tree where he fell to jumping up against the trunk uttering at the same time a short half subdued howl is something in the branches above the cage i exclaimed as i followed the movements of the dog with my eye it is himself i see the silver rings upon his legs glittering through the leaves i for heaven s sake mark keep quiet	29
cried ned springing from his horse if it be in truth we may get him by persuasion but never by alarming him back sir i got down from my saddle and the horses were delivered into the charge of the old woman wilful crept back to the door of the hut ned and myself cautiously advanced to as soon as all was still to our infinite joy in proper ty descended from his leafy bower and perched upon knight tlie top of the some association of this abode of the bird his prison in the tree at the had possibly attracted and him to this spot and there he sat seemingly quiet and melancholy and struck with for the folly that had tempted him to desert his mistress and his i thought he recognised ui acquaintance in wilful for as the dog about s quick eye followed him from place to place and so far from showing at presence he his wing and stretched his neck as if pleased with the discovery assured by these ned addressed the bird in the words of to which he had been accustomed and slowly forward towards the tree however was and retreated to the boughs after much on the part of hazard and a great deal of on that of the hawk we had recourse to some of meat obtained from the hut these ned throw i on the earth and pinched by hunger and to resist upon them with an still as ned advanced upon him he retreated along the ground without flying a piece of the cord which had used as her some three or four feet in length was attached to his and served in some degree to his progress as it was dragged through the grass hazard endeavored to place his foot upon the end of this line but as yet had been baffled in every e fort wilful seemed to comprehend the purpose and with admirable sagacity stole a round the bird drawing nearer to him at every step and then with a sudden and skilful leap sprang upon him in such a manner as e to secure his captive scarcely a feather hazard rushed forward at the same instant and made good his prize by seizing his wing and ring him off to the hut knight the good fortune of this and the that attended it threw lift into ned shouted and and tossed up his hat in the air until the old negro woman began to look in his face to see if he were in his senses the hawk the unconscious cause of all this looked like a prisoner of war and soiled a image of a his and bells hanging about his legs had the a of shabby finery and bis whole aspect was that of a forlorn silly and wearing the of slavery instead of that of the wild and gallant of the ab so expressed in the character of his tribe ourselves on our good luck we began to prepare for our homeward journey the negro received an ample for the assistance afforded in the capture the were repaired and secured to s legs and the bird himself made fast to hazard s hand in a few moments we were and in the direction of swallow barn with a lightness of spirits in hazard that contrasted with his absolute half an hour before chapter a at utterance we had not far on our to swallow barn before we arrived at a hamlet that stands at the of a cross road this consists of a little store a s shop and one or two cottages with their the store was of that miscellaneous character which is adapted to the wants of a country neighborhood and displayed a tempting of rat traps tin hats shoes cheese sugar and the greater part of which was announced in staring on the window with the addition that they were all of the best quality and to be had on the most terms the rival establishment of the was an old shed sadly with the remainder colors of the paint brush and with some preposterous in of military men mounted on and near the door a new blue wagon and a crimson plough showed the activity of the trade as may readily be this of custom was not without its due proportion of that industrious and class of comers who devote their energies to loud swearing and a class which to the a at utterance glory of our land is in every country side some six or seven of these were on the rail of the which extended across the front of the store like so many strange fowls along a pole the length of our previous ride and the heat of the day made it necessary that we should stop here for a short time to get water for our horses we accordingly dismounted excited the curiosity of the inhabitants of the porch and ned who seemed to be well acquainted with the persons about him answered their many questions with his customary good humor during this brief intercourse one of the party approached with a step and be n to with rather an familiarity into the odd of the hawk his air was that of a shabby gentleman he had an immense pair of whiskers a dirty shirt and a coat that m t be said to be on its last legs but this however was at the waist with a certain and conceited effect as ned held the bird upon his hand this complacent gentleman brought himself into a rather troublesome contact and finally his arm across hazard s shoulder ned at first gently him but as the other still upon him and placed himself again in the same softly mr i he said slipping away from be the extended arm you will excuse me but i am averse to bearing	29
such a burden you are more nice than ned hazard replied the other stiffly his person i think i can remember a time when even you sir would not have found me that time may come again i am not in the habit rejoined ned of arguing the right to shake off whatever me aye aye said the other walking to the opposite end of a at u l the there are dogs enough to bark at the wounded lion that dare not look him in the face when he is in health it is easy enough to learn as the world goes what is likely to annoy a fair weather friend honesty is of the tailor s making these and many other expressions of the like import were muttered sullenly by the speaker with such glances towards hazard as indicated the deep offence he had taken at the rebuke just given this man had been originally educated in liberal studies and had commenced his career not without some character in the country but had fallen into disgrace through habits an unfortunate reputation for brilliant talents in early life had him into the belief that the care by which a good is won and is a useless virtue and that self control is a tax which only men of inferior parts pay for this de brought about the usual first disappointment then and after that in a natural the total wreck of worldly hopes a brief history which is often told of men and varied only in the subordinate incidents which color the common outline still retained as it generally happens to a vain man by the severe judgment of the world his original exaggerated opinion of the extent of his abilities but having lost the occasions for their display he became noted only by a temper a spirit a supreme hatred of those in better circumstances than himself and sometimes by excessive and ferocious his conduct on the present occasion passed ard had no disposition to himself with a man of this description and therefore made no reply to these muttered of his i have seen your bird before mr ned hazard said a plain a at utterance who sat a coat on the bench of the if i am not mistaken that hawk belonged to one of mr s daughters over here at the it did replied ned she has nursed it with her own hand well i have been studying said another ever since you came here to find out what all these things are stuck about its legs for it is the most thing to me i don t consider one of these here no more than what is it good for mr any how indeed i declare i can t exactly tell answered ned in the old time they kept pretty much as we keep hounds to hunt game with oh they are amazing swift and desperate wicked that s a fact said the first speaker did you never see how these little king birds take after and worry a crow they are a sort of too many s the time said another of the company that i have known how to follow a fox from looking at the him across a field and i have seen take after just in the same way but what is the use asked the second speaker again of these here silver rings and here are words on one of them too let me see i live in my lady s he continued straining his sight to make out the legend had now approached to the skirts of the group and stood leaning against the of the porch with an and vexed air as if disposed to take advantage of whatever might occur to vent his feelings my lady s grace said he my lady s grace i i suppose we shall hear of my lord s grace too before long there are some among us who if they do it would their a at utterance heads high enough for such a title if that old english tory of the as he calls miles interrupted hazard angrily look to yourself sir i am not disposed to put up with your moody humor do not give me cause to repent my forbearance in not your insolence at its first outbreak a better man than you ned hazard said the other proudly as you choose to bear yourself might have cause to repent his in making such a threat insolence do you call it sir i take care that i do not teach you better to know who i am i know you already replied ned for a bully a of the common peace a noisy a nuisance sir to the whole country round i know you said silence cried ned not another word from your lips or by my life unworthy as you are of the notice of a gentleman i will take the pains to you here upon this spot good gentlemen good gentlemen mercy on us stop them exclaimed our old acquaintance who until moment had been seated in the store and now came to the porch on having recognized hazard s voice for god s sake mr ned hazard don t put yourself in the way of miles take a fool s advice edward he continued coming r p to ned and holding him by the coat it isn t fit for such as you to concern yourself with miles the man s half in liquor and of no account if he wasn t several others of the company crowded round hazard to beg him not to be disturbed by his in the mean time had worked himself up to a pitch of fury and springing over the upon the ground he took a station in front of the house where in his	29
wrath a hundred a at utterance he hazard to come out of the crowd if he dared to face him i interposed to remind hazard that he should restrain his anger nor think of himself with such an enemy he listened calmly to my remonstrance and then laughing as if nothing had occurred to his temper though it was manifest that he was much he remarked in a tone oi assumed good humor you mistake if you imagine this me but still i think it would be doing a public service if i were to him a sound here on his own terms don t think of such a thing edward f said you are not used to such as miles he is close built and above fourteen stone tou are hardly a feather to him tou me replied ned smiling and i have a mind to show you that weight is not so great a matter as a good hand you are bold to speak amongst your said you can make a party if you can t fight but i shall take the first opportunity when i meet you alone to let you know that when i choose to speak my mind of such as old i will not be into silence by you at these words hazard turned quickly round to me and whispered in my ear with more agitation of manner than was usual to him i will indulge this so pray don t interrupt me you need not be anxious as to the result then speaking to the assemblage of persons who surrounded him he said now my good friends i want you to see fair play and on no account to interfere with me as long as i have it with this he left the porch and stepping out upon the ground where stood he told him that he would save him the a at utterance trouble of any future meeting bj giving him now what he stood especially in need of a hearty in a moment threw off his nod coolly his frock up to the chin good lord preserve us exclaimed again mr hazard s go ne crazy why miles ought to manage two of him i can tell you what said one of the on after surveying ned for a moment ned hazard s a pretty hard horse to ride too only look at his eye how natural it is by this time the two had taken their respective positions ned stood upon a practised guard closely his and waiting the first favorable moment to deal a blow with effect it was easy to perceive that amongst his various accomplishments he had not neglected to acquire the of s figure was muscular and active and to all appearance the odds were certainly very much in his favor not a word was spoken and an intense interest was manifested by the whole assembly as to the issue of this singular encounter during the first ned acted entirely on the and his opponent s blows with complete success in the next moment he changed the character of the war and pressed upon with such science and effect as very soon to that he had the entire command of the game from this p the contest assumed on the part of hazard a cheerful aspect he struck his blows with a countenance of so much that a spectator would have imagined he his adversary in mere sport were it not for the blood that streamed down s face and the do ed earnestness that sat upon the brow of the man wilful seemed to take a great interest in the and around the parties barking a at utterance sometimes violently and springing towards his master s opponent on such occasions ned called out to him with the utmost com and ordered him away but without the least interruption to his employment and wilful as if assured by his master s cool tone of voice yielded instant obedience to the and took his place amongst the by for the space of two or three minutes nothing was heard bat the sullen sound of blows planted with admirable on the breast and face of miles whose blows in return were blindly and awkwardly upon the air at last the furious bully worn down by of strength and perplexed by the vigorous of his enemy began to give ground and show signs of discomfiture ned as fresh as at first now pressed more severely upon him and with one decisive stroke him upon the earth at this incident a shout arose from the crowd and every one eagerly to ned to spare his adversary farther pain ned stepped a pace back as he looked upon his foe and said i will not strike him whilst he is down but if he wishes to renew the battle i will allow him to get upon his legs and he shall even have time to breathe slowly got up and without placing himself in an attitude of offence began to vent his displeasure in wild and several of the persons nearest took hold of him as if with a purpose to against his further of the fight but this restraint only made him the more frantic in the midst of this uproar ned again approached him saying miles it little becomes you as a man to be your malice in words we have come to blows and if you are not yet satisfied with the issue of this meeting i pledge you a ir field and as much of this game as you have a relish for let the crowd stand back a at utterance after a moment at hazard in profound silence s discretion seemed suddenly to sway his courage and dropping his arms by his side in token of defeat he muttered in a smothered and confused voice it s no use ned	29
hazard for me to strike at you you have had the advantage of training you should have counted the cost of your insolence replied ned before you indulged it the tongue of a is more apt than his hand he continued taking a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiping his brow and at the same time his coat and his dress you have disturbed the country with your long enough so take the lesson you have got to day and profit by it get me some water my hands are bloody at this instant the group of amused and gratified spectators mingled together and made the ring with cheers of triumph and exultation that i should have lived to see such a thing as this as he went to get the water didn t i always say ned hazard was the very best bottom in the country i i fight fair murmured miles as if struggling under the rebuke of the company and to make the best of his situation but i am not conquered another time by hell i another time and ned hazard shall this day that proud has practised the art and strikes the devil could not such blows what does he say asked ned miles you are beaten exclaimed half a dozen voices and you can t make any thing else out of it so be off saying this several individuals gathered round him to persuade him to l ave the ground it is said miles and taking up his coat from a at the ground he walked towards the neighboring dwellings in sad and confused plight i am a fool said hazard in ear to permit myself to be ruffled by this scoundrel but i am not sorry that i have taken of my anger to him what he has long deserved ned now began gradually to his and after a short space washed his hands and himself from the toil in which he had been engaged he took from one of the crowd to whom the charge of the bird had been committed and we mounted our horses amidst the congratulations of the whole hamlet for the discipline which ned had inflicted upon his in less than an hour we regained swallow bam returning like knights to a castle from a successful flushed with heat and victory covered with dust and glory oar enemies subdued and our lady s pledge chapter we were too much elated with having achieved the of the hawk to the communication of our good fortune to the family at the longer than our necessary refreshment required and accordingly about five o clock in the evening hav then finished a hearty dinner and regained our wasted strength we were on our way to the habitation of our neighbors whether it was that the rapid succession of scenes through which we had past during the of the day and the vivid we had experienced had now given place to a calmer and more satisfied state of feeling or whether it arose only from some remaining sense of fatigue from previous toil our present impulse was to be silent for more than a quarter of an hour we trotted along the road with nothing to interrupt our but the breeze as it through the wood the screams of the bird or the tramp of our at length ned waking up as from a reverie turned to me and said mark not a word about that fight to day truly you speak with a discreet gravity said i what would you have not the slightest hint that shall lead to suspect i have had a quarrel with miles i pity you ned said i out why thou this man ah replied ned that is the curse of the star i was bom under the most innocent actions of my life will bear a reading that may turn them in s judgment into abiding topics of reproof i dread the very thought that should hear of this quarrel she will she always says that i have descended from my proper elevation of character i wish i had a of to go by i it never once occurred to me when i was that that i was throwing aside the gentleman my convictions always come too late why what a is this said i to my thinking you strangely your mistress ned when yon fancy she could take offence at hearing that you had punished an insolent fellow for her father it is the manner of the thing mark replied ned the idea that i had gone into a vulgar ring of and soiled my hands in a rough and tumble struggle with a strolling bully now if i had encountered an unknown in the woods with sword and lance on horseback and had had my weapon shivered in my hand and then been upon a pole ten feet long i believe she would be thrown into that would be romance for her it would be a glorious feat of arms and i doubt not she would attend me in my illness like the king s daughter in the ballad the most of but to be black and blue with that instrument a fist she will turn up her nose at it with a magnificent disdain do you see any traces of the fight about me have i any or scratch do you think i may pass tou may thank your skill in this vulgar accomplishment i answered that you do not carry a black eye to the as it is you have nothing to fear on that score and i promise you i doubt your apprehension of that i will bay nothing that shall lead to your detection this is only of apiece with my other miseries said he it is another proof of the tyranny to which a man	29
it their business to speak rf tliey themselves have seen and known and to take at second hand the force of testimony such things as have come to them by for nothing is more common than for these grave to into books some of their and most of history by some such as this i heard people say or the renowned of j or william of or john of affirm or it reported and believed at the time or some such by which they let in the necessary matter let it be understood that as i profess to speak in mj own person of what happened at swallow barn so i rely mainly on my contemporary as authority for all such events as at the with this advertisement i proceed with my story i have describe in the last chapter the unnatural speed with which and had ridden to swallow bam too it seems was in some such strange mood after we were gone fo moved about the house singing dancing talking and many unaccountable i devoutly believe that both she and hazard were it might have been the hawk or some other little animal with wings on his shoulders but i leave this to the consideration of the and pass on to events of more importance we had not left the above half an hour when the of a was heard in the yard near the kitchen door the tune was that of a popular country dance and was executed in a very brisk and inspiring the last steel that bounds like fiddle said he has come here for his and be with his nonsense all mm if it be said well treated for the poor old man has a hard time hi this he is almost the only cousin tbat h left the of this iron tin o have called his a and truly i wish we had ci ore like for has a great many that i assure you compare very well with the songs of the and there you go cried with your age of chivalry i don t know much about your and but if there was amongst them as great a scoundrel as your age of chivalry was an cheat why this old fellow lives by petty he hasn t the dignity of a large thief he is a of caps and from a s basket a robber of hen a of tea now if there was any romance in him he would at least steal cows and take on the highway pray cousin exclaimed not utter such against my old friend t h i have taken the greatest trouble in the world to get me a i have encouraged to learn and he has even composed some himself at my bidding once i gave him a dress which you would have laughed to see it was made after the most approved fashion of first there was a long gown of green gathered at the neck with a narrow it had sleeves that hung as low as the knee from the shoulder to the hand and lined with white cotton a with sleeves of black upon these a pair of points of along the last the wrist with blue thread points with a w lt towards the hand made of a pair of red stockings a red with a knife in it and around his neck a red suitable to the now what do you think cousin of such a dress as that where did you get the idea of this cried it is faithfully taken said from the exact description of the s dress as detailed by in his account of the entertainment of queen elizabeth at castle and did put it on to be sure he did replied and about with it here a whole evening said after a loud laugh i like your nonsense it is so and refined and double that upon my soul i think it throws a shabby air over all other folly i ever saw i hawk and ned killing ned are altogether without a parallel or a copy in the whole world a precious train for a lady and has been learning too certainly returned i have taken the trouble to get him some very now what do you think of the golden of delights that is an old book i gave him to learn some songs from and the wretch lost it without learning one single reason why said he never could read i didn t know that when i gave it to him said but has an excellent memory hark he is beginning to sing now listen cousin and you will hear something to surprise you at this moment s voice was heard a the la t l with a tone m a monotonous but quick tune which accompanied words that were uttered with a very distinct let us have this in the porch said and he immediately led the way to the back door where being called took his seat and his song as follows november the fourth in the year one we had a sore engagement near to fort st was our commander which may remembered be for there we left nine hundred men in the western our was just as the day did break and soon were overpowered and forced to retreat they killed major and likewise with horrid of savages thorough the skies major butler was wounded the very second fire well that will do interrupted we don t like such a bloody song as this it is the very essence of tragedy it s as true as preaching said i was there in colonel s regiment no doubt replied but miss wants something more sentimental this of men does not suit the ladies so well as a touching sorrowful song ay ay said i understand you	29
i have just the sort of song to please miss it goes to the tune of william while i my story americans give ear of britain s glory you presently shall hear ru give a true relation attend to what i say concerning the of x america the la t there is a wealthy people who in that land their churches with most delicately stand their houses like the lily are painted red and gay they flourish like the in north america this is worse than the other do you call this sentimental why don t yon give ns something pitiful your is as badly trained as hawk said i fear you have not thought of me lately or you would have brought me something more to my liking than these songs bless your young heart mistress replied i can sing fifty things that you d like to hear in the love line there s the tragedy and the s and the golden bull and the prodigal daughter and and commonly called the tragedy showing how by the and of parents two faithful were destroyed and there s the tragedy that shows how a young was led astray by a ship s carpenter and carried into a wood and how her ghost haunted him at sea when he fell on his knees and the blood in his with horror did oh very well said stop there we don t wish to hear the music go get your supper the servants are waiting for you these are entirely too sentimental you run into extremes obeyed the order and as he towards the kitchen remarked to this is a fine of war and love that has favored us with the last of all the was he who sang of border chivalry the last truly these and patches of romance are wonderfully picturesque does honor to your zeal in behalf of the days of and you may laugh as much as you please but there is something pleasant in the idea of castles and gay knights and border and under one s window and lighted halls where ladies dance and trod measures as they called it and when added were not flown like with a string but came at a whistle and did as they were and were not dutch and when could win by hard blows and were not sent off because they were merry and like other people cousin interrupted you t one spark of genuine romance in your whole composition it is profane to listen to such a as you are well i will tell said it is not to be denied that shines as a however questionable may be his merits as a ballad so if cousin here and will dance we will bring him into the parlor and have a four handed we will call it a if you prefer the name and to give you a lighted hall i wilt have two more candles put on the mantle piece agreed said so tell to bring in his instrument appeared at the summons and an hour was merrily spent in dancing when the dance was over gave a glass of wine and slipped into his hand a piece of money many thanks to my young lady said the old man you deserve a good husband and soon you have travelled to very little purpose said the last if you are not able at your time of life to tell this s fortune oh bless you i replied i can do that very truly yoa are not afraid young mistress to show me the palm of your hand not she said open your hand let the venerable disclose to you the of fate take care said holding out her hand if you say one unlucky word i will for ever dismiss you from my service took from his pocket an old pair of spectacles and proceeded very to examine the open hand here is a line that has not more than six months is run that the line of marriage young mistress it is not so smooth a line neither as ought to be in such a palm for it breaks off in two or three places with some defend me cried what does that mean it means replied that the lady is hard to please and can scarcely find heart to make up her mind true p exclaimed go on i the lady does not sleep well o nights continued and here are cloudy dreams the hand is and yet her blood ought to flow smoothly too for it has a healthy color the palm is moist and shows a warm heart i fear the lady has fancies well well it is all nothing as there is a good ending to it hero is a person who has done her great service lately he will do her more and let me see he is a gentleman of good blood and more in love than i think it right to tell he travels on a line that runs to marriage my young mistress you would not be obstinate with such a gentleman but here is a stop and a cross line there is many a slip the cup mi the lip no no it is better than it looks the last excellent well cried again it is not excellent well cousin said withdrawing her hand you have to learn the of your you know nothing about couldn t you see with half an eye that the marriage line on my hand was a mile from the end i wonder at you not so fast not so fast miss cried a sly laugh you can t deceive me i saw the very man to day and a proper gentleman he is a b ve one as i said before why gentle bred as he is he can handle any man in the way	29
the principal or at least give him such a as should make him think he was going straight to the bottom happy would it have been for hazard if he had not forbidden me to say any thing to his mistress about his unfortunate quarrel with miles for then i could have given the matter such a as must have entirely satisfied any reasonable woman whatever but to have this incident by disgraced by his and by his zeal to contribute to ned s was one of those unlucky strokes of fortune to which the principal actors in romance have been subject from time this therefore gives me strong hopes that he is really destined to be a hero of some note before i am done with him it has thrown him for the present into a deep shade and yet mortal so little suspicious was he that had taken this turn that all the next day being sunday he was more like a man upon insanity than a rational christian his impulse was to go signs of a hero s over to the immediately after break st then he checked himself by the consideration that it was pushing matters too fiercely after this he thought of sending for to join us at dinner then he reflected that it wasn t he wished to see he then sat down with a book in his hand but soon discovered that he could not understand one sentence that he was reading he got up and walked as far as the gate looked at the tree that had not the smallest appearance of fruit upon it and very few leaves and then returned to the house whistling where and told him it was sunday and he must not whistle at as a last resort he went up to his chamber and dressed himself out with extraordinary in white as stiff with as if they were made of paper a white waistcoat his dark green frock a black stock boots and his hair cloth in this attire he appeared in the hall with a riding whip in his hand walking up and down in profound abstraction where are you going ned asked going he replied i am going to stay at home i beg your pardon i thought you were about to ride passed on ned continued his walk where are you going edward asked my cousin nowhere said ned edward where are you going inquired prudence i am not going out said ned uncle ned may i go with you shall i get cried running into the hall where asked ned with some surprise wherever you are going to ride answered good people exclaimed hazard what has got into the family where would you have me go what do you see what do you want signs of a hero ain t yon going to ride asked by no means my dear away went all this i saw from the porch so getting np from my seat i also him with the same question where are you going the lord knows mark i have just dressed myself and have been walking here for want of something better to do i wish it were to morrow t for i don t like to go over yonder to day i think a man ought not to visit more than three times a week i feel very this morning i have been every gaping about like an boy in his sunday clothes i have seen the horses in the stable the fowls in the yard the pigs the and in fact i know what in the to do with myself mark we will go over to the to morrow morning oh certainly i think our affairs require some attention in that quarter why not go this evening v i should like it very much said ned but it would alarm the family i feel at being seen there too often people are so fond of no no we will wait until tomorrow these particulars will show the state of hazard s mind the day following the recovery of the hawk a day that passed heavily enough ned pretended to all this to which he remarked was always the most difficult day in the week to get through on monday morning we were at the by ten o clock was busy with and looked uncommonly fresh and gay her manner was and too easy i thought considering the peculiar relation of her affairs at this moment towards hazard she addressed her conversation principally to me and once or twice refused ned s services in some little mat signs o a hero wherein it was natural he should offer them i observed moreover that she did not second his attempts at wit as freely as she wai to do thej made me smile but upon her they fell harmless and flat like arrows headed with tar all this seemed strange and ill hazard observed it for it made him awkward his cheek grew pale and his words stuck in his throat in a short time some household matters called away the wind has changed said ned in a half whisper to me as we walked to the parlor the is falling towards the point i wish this business was at the ned i exclaimed don t swear there is some mistake in this matter we ll talk to took a seat with us at the front door and there in a long confidential and grave conference he explained to us all that he knew of this affair ho said that he had been trying to bring to reason because he thought to use his own phrase it was all in her to be so with ned but that she was struck just between wind and water with s about ned s match and that it would require some time to get this out	29
of her fancy that there was no question she was deeply wounded by all she had heard but still he had hopes that he would be able to set matters right again ned said he my dear fellow let me warn you at least until you are married if you are ever to have that luck to care how you make a fool of yourself because it is sure immediately to turn into a greater one mark they are a miraculous pair of cried breaking out into a loud laugh and then out with a great flourish to the tune of a lar song the following and oh queen of fools i he said thus ran uie s b signs of a hero that i may prove the knight and wed the ned absolutely he thought he had the fairest occasion in the world to get into a passion and he accordingly fell to swearing against all in the most emphatic terms as soon as he had his heart in this way he dropped into another mood and began to his fate pretty much as he had done on some of those former occasions that i have described and last of all which he ought to have done at first he became very reasonable and in a calm manly defence of himself the whole affair showing in the most manner that he had been induced to accept miles s challenge only because he did not choose to hear that pour out his vile abuse upon one so venerable in his eyes as mr what could i do said he but such a scoundrel for the mention in such a circle of the excellent old gentleman and i humbly think that of all persons in the world is the last that has a right to complain of it this sets the matter in a new light said i told i was certain had lied her her makes a great figure in this business here hazard s mood changed again nothing is so brave as a lover who has found good ground to rail against mistress he may be as gentle as a pet or a lamb is fed by hand as long as he has no to encourage him in rebellion but no sooner does he receive a compassionate word from a by or a party than he becomes the most and fearful of animals s words stirred up ned s soul into a sublime and for some minutes he was more extravagant than ever he would let see that she had made a sad mistake when she imagined that he was going to surrender signs of a hero hid free agency his judgment his inclinations his sense of duty to her it became a man to take a stand in affairs of this na tore he scorned to put on a character to win a woman that he did not mean to support afterwards if he should be successful it would be rank what in the devil s name did she expect of him to stand by and acknowledge himself a man when she yes she herself for an attack upon her father was an attack upon her was and made the subject of profane jest and on the lips of an let consider it in this point of view and how could she possibly find fault with him yes let consider it in this point of view said in with a droll and affected gravity i ll go and put the subject to her in this light this very instant no said ned you need not be in a hurry but in earnest at another time i would like you to do it it is but justice i ll up replied with a deep tragic voice her inmost soul in order that you may have free scope said hazard it will be better for mark and me to set off home immediately sir we won t run said i laughing do you think there is danger ned shall we make a rapid retreat brush exclaimed the sooner you are off the better i will meet you anon and report to you at swallow bam without taking leave of the family we commenced our retreat and during the ride ned displayed the same of feeling that were manifested in our interview with these emotions resolved themselves at last into one abiding and permanent determination and that considering the character and temper of hazard was sufficiently comic namely that in signs of a o his future intercourse with he would invariably observe the most scrupulous regard to all the high flown and and of conduct which she so pretended to his humor was that of dogged submission to her most capricious never did seem so i know i shall make a fool of myself said he but that is her look out not mine i ll give her enough of her subtle dignity i will be the very essence of and the of decorum i will myself into an ass of the first water until i make her so sick of and sentiment that a good fellow shall go free with her au the rest of her life chapter xl a council of war as soon as we had left the sought an opportunity to communicate to all that he had learned from us in regard to the cause and circumstances of the quarrel between ned and presenting to her in the strongest point of view he was able the signal injustice she had done to so faithful and devoted a lover i should not have regarded the matter a rush said if it were not that ned as i have often told you is one of the most sensitive creatures alive and so much inclined to melancholy that there is no knowing what e such an incident may have upon	29
position ben reappeared and came directly up to the circle he reported that he had detected the object of our quest near at hand and had followed him through the weeds and of the adjoining field until he had seen him take a course which rendered it certain that he had been sufficiently alarmed by the to induce him to retire into the neighborhood of the it was therefore ben s advice that ned and myself should take as a guide and et as fast as we could to the neighborhood of the tree spoken of in order that we might be sure to see the capture and that he would remain behind where after a delay long enough to allow us to reach our destination he would put the dogs which were now locked up in the stable upon the trail and then come on as rapidly as they were able to follow the scent ben had the reputation of being an in matters of and his counsel was therefore adopted assured us that there was no mistake in him and that we might count upon arriving at the appointed place with the utmost precision under his we accordingly set forward for nearly a mile we had to travel through weeds and bushes and having safely accomplished this we penetrated into a piece of u that lay upon the bank of the river our way was perplexed and notwithstanding s of his thorough knowledge of the ground we did not reach the term of our march without some awkward mistakes such as taking for fallen trees and bushes for smooth ground although the stars did their best to afford us light the thickness of the wood into which we had advanced us at times in impenetrable gloom daring this progress we were once stopped by calling out from some twenty paces in the rear that it was quite indispensable to the success of the expedition so far as he was concerned that should correct a error into which he mr found himself very unexpectedly plunged i have this moment said he been seized by the throat by a most and in my sincere desire to get out of its way i find that another of the same tribe has me below the shoulders meantime my hat has been snatched from my head and in these circumstances gentlemen perhaps it is not proper for me to a foot notwithstanding these we at last reached the tree and halting in his shade if the tree could be said to be proprietor of any part of this universal patiently awaited the events that were upon the wind the heavy falling dew had shed a through the air that almost our limbs with cold it was necessary that we should re main silent and indeed the momentary expectation of hearing our followers advance upon our footsteps fixed us in a mute and earnest suspense this feeling absorbed all other emotions for a time when finding that they were not yet we began to look round upon the scene and note the novel impressions it made upon our senses the wood might be said to be with a thousand sounds for the beings of midnight that every spray and branch of the forest are voices of the discord the grove which in daylight is with melody is now converted into a sombre theatre of insects and of melancholy and grating cries the concert is not but incessant a nd the ear with notes it thoughts that make it unpleasant to be alone through the trees the sur ce of the river was by the flickering reflections of the stars with darkness brooding over the near perspective in the bosom of this heavy shadow a lonely shot its feeble ray from the cabin window of some craft at anchor and this was reflected in a long sharp line upon the water below it the beat of the waves was heard almost at our feet and the of a fish springing after his prey occasionally reached us with strange precision around us the frequent crash of ten boughs breaking under the stealthy footsteps of the of the wood that now for arrested our attention and deceived us with the thought that the special object of our search was approaching still however no actual sign was yet given us that our were on their way grew impatient and took our old guide to task for having mistaken his course but persisted that he was right and that this delay arose only from ben s wary caution to make sure of his game at length a deep toned and distant howl reached us from the direction of the house big s awake now said that s s voice and he never speaks without telling truth we were all attention and the of this dog was followed by the quick of four or five others ned directed to seat himself at the foot of the tree in order that he might prevent the from retreating into the hollow and then suggested that we should conceal ourselves under the neighboring bank by this time the cries of the dogs were and indicated the certainty of their having fallen upon the track of their prey took his seat with his back against the opening of the hollow and we retired to the bank under the shelter of some large and crooked roots of a that spread its bulk above the water whilst in this retreat the of ben and his encouraging the dogs became distinctly audible and gradually grew stronger upon our hearing every moment the animation of the scene increased the grew musical as it swelled upon the wind and we listened with a pleasure that one would scarce imagine could be felt under such circumstances instantly expecting the approach of our companions it was impossible longer to remain and with one impulse wc sprang from our hiding	29
place and hurried to the spot where we had left old stationed as a at the door of the devoted s home at this moment as if through the influence of a spell every dog was suddenly hushed into profound silence they have lost their way said ned or else the animal has taken to the brook and confounded the dogs is it not possible that he has been driven into a tree nearer home never mind replied that down here in some of these bushes watching us bless you if the dogs had him you would hear them almost crazy with howling these never stay to take a chase because they are the things in life to get along on level ground they sort of and that s the reason they always take off as soon as they see a body to their own homes you trust big ben he knows what he s about the chase in an instant opened afresh and it was manifest that were making rapidly for the spot on which we stood begged us to get back to our former concealment but the request was vain the excitement kept on foot and it was with difficulty we could be restrained from rushing forward to meet the advancing pack instead however of coming down to the tree the dogs suddenly took a turn and sped with urgent rapidity in a contrary direction the air with a that far exceeded any thing we had yet heard we have lost our chance cried here have we been shivering in the cold for an hour to no purpose what devil tempted us to leave ben shall we follow master exclaimed the old negro don t you know better than that it s only some the dogs have got up in the woods when you hear such a desperate barking and such hard running as that you may depend the dogs have hit upon a gray fox or something of that sort that can give them a run no there big ben isn t a going to let caesar him that fashion ben s voice was heard at this period calling back the dogs and them for going astray and having succeeded in a few minutes in bringing them upon their former scent the whole troop were heard breaking through the in a direction leading immediately to the tree didn t i tell you so young masters exclaimed there he is there he is shouted ned look out guard the hole he has passed well done old fellow i think we have him now this quick was occasioned by the actual apparition of the almost at the old man s feet the little animal had been lying close at hand and alarmed at the din of the approaching war had made an effort to secure his retreat he came creeping towards the tree but finding his passage had glided noiselessly by and in a moment the moving and misty object that we had discerned with an ward motion through the grass was lost to view a few seconds only elapsed and the dogs swept past us with the of the wind they did not run many paces before they halted at the root of a large chestnut that threw its aged and ponderous branches over an extensive surface and whose distant almost drooped back to the earth here they assembled an eager and pack bounding wildly from place to place and looking up and howling with that expressive gesture which may be seen in this race of animals when they are said to be the moon this troop of dogs presented a there were two conspicuous for their size and apparently leaders of the a mixture of and who poured out their long deep and like tones with a fulness that was echoed back from the farthest shore of the river and which rang through the forest with a strength that must have awakened the at the mansion we had left several other dogs of inferior proportions even down to the cross and of the kitchen with every variety of note sharp quick and piercing to the ear this collection was gathered from the negro families of the plantation and they were all familiar with the discipline of th wild and game in which they were engaged a distinguished actor in this scene was our old friend wilful who true to all his master s appeared in the crowd with self importance bounding violently above the rest barking with an unnecessary zeal and himself in all respects like a gentlemanly conceited and good natured this surrounded the tree and with vain efforts attempted to scale the trunk or started towards the outer and jumped upwards with an earnestness which showed that their sharp sight had detected their fugitive aloft in this scene of and spirited assault ben and our old groom were the very masters of the storm they were to be seen every where cheering and commanding their howling and filling up the din with their own no less and screams speak to him shouted in a prolonged and hoarse tone speak to him old fellow that s a beauty howl roared ben to another of the dogs let him have it sing out keep it up flower wilful you rascal cried ned keep quiet would you jump out of your skin old dog quiet until you can do some good a rustling noise was heard in some of the higher branches of the tree and we became advised that onr enemy was himself to the most probable place of safety the moon in her last quarter was seen at this moment just peering above the screen of forest that skirted the eastern horizon and a dim ray was beginning to relieve the darkness of the night this aid came for our purpose as	29
the peculiarities of the animal than to the sport hazard flung him upon the ground and directed us to observe his motions for a few moments he lay as quiet as if his last work had been done and then slowly and turning his head round as if to watch his he began to creep at a s pace in a direction of safety but no sooner was pursuit threatened or a cry raised than he fell back into the same and resemblance of a lifeless body he was at length taken up by ben who causing him to grasp a short stick with the end of his tail according to a common instinct of this animal threw him oyer his shoulders and prepared to return homeward it was now near three o clock and we speedily ourselves to the mansion fatigued with the exploits of the night after all said as he lit a candle in the hall preparatory to a retreat to bis chamber we have had a great deal of toil to very little purpose it is a savage pleasure to torture a little animal with such an array of terrors merely because he makes his by hunting god help us ned if we were to be punished for such i to tell the truth replied ned i have some such myself to night and that s the reason i determined to take our captive alive to morrow i shall have him set at liberty again and i think it probable he will profit by the lesson he has had to avoid the poultry yard chapter one act of a the next morning we fell into a consultation or rather resolved ourselves into a of the whole on the subject of ned s affairs and the result of our deliberation was that we should forthwith proceed to the and there renew our operations as circumstances might favor hazard it will be remembered had determined to assume a more bearing in his intercourse with and to her with a display of learning and sentiment i will come up mark said he as near as possible to that model of precision and grace the whom thinks one of the lights of the age ned accordingly withdrew to make his toilet and in due time reappeared out in a new suit of clothes adjusted with a certain air of fashion which he knew very well how to put on his especially was worthy of observation as it was composed with that elaborate and ingenious skill which more than the of any other part of the apparel a familiarity with the of the world of i fancy this will do said he his person and turning himself round so as to invite our inspection i think i have seized upon that secret grace which the imagination of female one act of a farce we agreed that nothing be better flatter myself he pleased with the that i shall her to day but remember you are not to laugh nor make any upon my conversation i mean to conduct this thing with a sort of every day ease you may trust us said if you are careful not to your own play don t be too preposterous here ended all that is necessary to be told of the to our visit and we now shift the scene to the moment when our arrived at the somewhere about eleven o clock we found the ladies preparing to take a morning ride their horses were at the door and was ready to escort them our coming was hailed with pleasure and we were immediately in their service i thought i could perceive some expression of wonder in s face when her eye fell upon hazard and indeed his appearance could scarcely escape remark from any one intimately acquainted with him his to his dress instead of the light careless manner in which he was wont to address the family at the there was an in his and a rather awkward gravity this to the coldness she had shown at their former interview and annoyed by the reflection that she had dealt with him she was now almost as awkward as himself in her in such wise as might convey her regret for what had passed without absolutely expressing it in language this desire on her part favored our design and we had therefore little difficulty when we came to mount our horses to despatch and hazard in the van of the party i immediately took under my and and brought up the rear one act of a farce for the first fifteen our was all common place and ned frequently looked round a droll expression of faint we had chosen a road that wound through the shade of a thick wood and our horses feet fell silently upon the sand in a short time we arrived at a piece of scenery of very peculiar features it was an immense forest of pine of which the trees towering to the height of perhaps a hundred feet or more grew in thick array shooting up their long and sturdy trunks to nearly their full elevation without a limb resembling huge columns of a hue and their clustered tops in a thick and dark no other vegetation the view even the soil below exhibited the naked sand or was covered with a damp moss which was seen through the formed by the fallen and withered foliage of the wood this forest extended in every direction as far as the eye could pierce its depths an image of desolate and the deep and quiet shade which hung over the landscape cast upon it a melancholy obscurity where the road penetrated this mass the trees had been cut away in regular lines so as to leave on either side a perpendicular wall of precision made up of vast pillars that furnished a resemblance to a lengthened	29
sat upon his brow in truth he was to screw courage up to a deed of startling import it was his fixed re s the fate of a when he crept to his bed at the dawn to bring matters that very day to some conclusion with his mistress and took such complete possession of his that he found it in tain to attempt repose his fortitude b an to as the hour of meeting drew nigh and every moment shook the of his he cast a glance at the reflection of his forlorn figure in the glass and his heart grew sick within him as if ashamed of the tremor that invaded his frame he swore a round oath to himself that come what would he would fulfil his purpose it was in this state of feeling that he appeared at breakfast every instant the enterprise grew more terrible to his imagination until it was at last arrayed before his thoughts as something it is a strange thing that so simple a matter should work such effects and stranger still that notwithstanding the painful sensations it there should at the bottom of the heart a certain remainder of pleasant emotion that is sufficient to flavor the whole ned experienced this and inwardly fortified his resolution by frequent appeals to his manhood in such a state of suspense it was not to be expected that he should be n at ease in conversation on the contrary he spoke like a frightened man and accompanied almost every thing he said with a muscular effort at which is one of the ordinary physical symptoms of fear his walk by the river side was designed to his scattered forces an undertaking that he found impossible in the face of the enemy they were a set of spirits that could not be brought to rally on the field of battle having argued himself into a temper he returned from his wanderings and stalked into the drawing room with an ill composure by a natural instinct he marched up behind s chair and for some moments seemed to be absorbed the of a hero with the after a brief which th color had flown from his cheek he crossed the room to the window and with his hands in his pockets gazed out upon the landscape uncertain and perplexed he returned again to the chair and cast a suspicious and glance around him observing how matters stood silently tripped out of the room executed a lively air and concluded it with a brisk upon the keys and then sprang up as if about to retreat play on said ned with a voice don t think of stopping yet i delight in these little you cannot imagine how music me i didn t know that you were in the room returned what shall i play for you you can hardly go amiss give me one those lively strains that make the heart dance said he with a accent but you have some exquisite too and i think you throw so much soul into them that they are irresistible i will have a ballad whilst he was wavering in his choice she struck up a ned during this performance sauntered to the farther end of the drawing and having planted himself opposite a picture that hung against the wall stood surveying it with his lips at the same time gathered up to an inarticulate and whistle the of the music recalled him to the piano with a start and he hastened to say to that there something pathetic in these simple and natural expressions of sentiment that it belonged to the ballad to strike more directly upon the heart than any other kind of song and that for his part he never listened to one of those expressive little without an emotion almost to melancholy the fate of a what is lie talking about ht she in astonishment and then asked him if he knew what ii was she had been playing the tune is familiar to me ed ned but i have a wretched memory for names yon haye heard it a thousand times said she it is the in the oh true exclaimed ned it is a pensive thing it has several touching turns in it most have something of that in them don t you think so most replied laughing have a great many turns in them but as to the of the music i never observed that indeed exclaimed ned confounded past all hope of relief it depends very much upon the frame of mind you are in there are moods and they come on me sometimes like shadows which the heart to extract plaintive thoughts from the strains if there be one cord in the strings of the soul that one will begin to with a single sympathetic note that may be hurried across it in the rush of the melody i mean that there is something in all that mournful emotions when the mind is pre to melancholy as a man who takes his seat in a surgeon s chair to have his teeth filed having made up his mind to the operation bears the first application of the tool with composure but feeling a sense of uneasiness creeping upon him with every new passage of the file across the bone is hurried on rapidly to higher degrees of pain with every succeeding jar until at last it seems to him as if his powers of could be wound up to no higher pitch and he therefore an abrupt leap from the hands of the so did ned find himself as he plunged the fate of a hero j from one stage to the other of the above piece of when he had finished his face to the phrase of a novel writer was bathed	29
in and had turned her chair half round so as to enable her to catch the expression of his countenance for she began to feel some as to the of his intellect of all the ordinary of life it is certainly the most distressing for a man of sense to catch himself talking like a fool upon any momentous occasion wherein he should especially desire to raise an opinion of his wisdom such as in the case of a member of making his first speech or of an old lawyer before a strange or worse than all of a trembling lover before a mistress the big drops of perspiration gathered on ned s brow he felt like t thief taken in the he was caught in the degree of dock and bloody hand known to the saxon forest laws with his folly on his back he could have jumped out of the window but as it was he only ordered a servant to bring him a glass of water and with a short dry cough and swallowed the cool element at a draught as to restore the of the nerves ned now paced up and down the apartment with stately and measured strides courage said he mentally i ll not be frightened so he made another motion of the such as i have seen a mischievous boy make when on his trial before the and marched up directly behind all this time she sat silent and taking the of fear from her lover began to like a terrified miss said ned after a long pause with a feeble tremulous utterance accompanied by a heavy the fate of a hero miss here ned put his hands upon the back of chair and leaned a little oyer her you you play very well would you favor me with another song if you please i t sung a song for you replied then you can do it if you would try if it would be impossible i am out of voice so am i returned ned with comic it is strange that we should both have lost our voices at the very time when we wanted them most i am sure i don t see said blushing any thing extraordinary in my not being able to sing well i think it very extraordinary said ned with a dry laugh and an affected air as he took a turn into the middle of the room that the fountains of speech should be sealed up when i had something of the greatest importance in the world to communicate to you what is that inquired that i am the most particularly wretched and miserable in the whole state of said he rising into a more courageous tone your speech serves to little purpose muttered if it be to utter nothing better than that i am a boy a fool continued ned very little like a man who had lost his power of i am vexed with myself and do not deserve to be permitted to approach you was covered with confusion and an awkward silence now during which she employed herself in turning over the leaves of a music book do you said ned in a soft and the fate of a hero accent have yon thought better of the proposition i made you a year ago do you think you could overcome your somewhat startled by these tender tones withdrew her eyes from the music book and slowly turned her head round to the direction of the voice there to her utter amazement was her preposterous lover on one knee gazing in her fa ee it is necessary that i should stop at this interesting moment to explain this singular phenomenon for doubtless my reader ned to be the of a lover that ever with the passion it is common to all men and indeed to all animals when sore perplexed with difficulties to resort for protection to the strongest instincts nature has given them now ned s instinct was to retreat behind a jest whenever he found that circumstances him for some moments past he had been brightening up so that he had almost got into a laugh not at all dreaming that such a state of feeling would be to his suit and when he arrived at the identical point of his above described he was sadly at a loss to know what step to take next his instinct came to his aid and produced the comic result i have recorded it seemed to strike him with that deep sense of the ridiculous that is apt to take possession of a man who seriously makes love and the therefore reckless of consequences dropped upon his knee part in jest and nine in earnest it was well nigh blowing him sky high is this another mr hazard v said am i to be for ever tortured with your mirth how how can you sport with my feelings in this way i here she burst into tears and putting her hand across her eyes the drops were seen through her fingers the fate of a hero ned suddenly turned as pale as ashes by all that is ho nest in man he exclaimed and then ran on with a list of and protesting in the most passionate terms according to the vulgar phrase by all that was black and blue that he was devoted to his body and soul never did there rush from an opened flood gate a more impetuous torrent than now flowed from his heart through the channel of his lips he was and told her amongst other things that she was the bright that gilded his happiest dreams i have not deserved this from you said whose emotions were too violent to permit her to hear one word of this vehement	29
declaration at such a moment as this you might have spared me an unnecessary and cruel jest she arose from her seat and was about to retire but ned springing upon his feet at the same time took her by the hand and detained her in the room for heaven s sake he ejaculated what have i done why do you speak of a jest never in my life have my feelings been uttered with more painful earnestness i cannot answer you now returned bell in a tone of leave me to myself said ned dropping her hand as he assumed a firm and calm voice you me now for ever you fling me back upon the world the most wretched that ever hid himself in its crowds i neither promise nor reject said beginning to tremble at ned s almost earnestness if i have mistaken your temper or your purpose you have yourself to blame it is not easy to overcome the impressions which a long intercourse has left upon my mind you have seemed to n e heretofore indifferent to the desire to please you have taught me to the fate of a hero think lightly of myself by the little you appeared to place upon my regards you have when you should have been serious and have been when i had a right to expect attention you have offended my prejudices on those points that i have been accustomed to consider indispensable to the man i should love you will not wonder therefore that i should your conduct i must have a better knowledge of you and of my own feelings before i can commit myself by a promise pray permit me to retire this was uttered with a and womanly composure that forbade a reply and left the room hazard was thrown by this scene into a new train of sensations for the first time in his life he was brought to comprehend the exact relation he held to his mistress he had no further purpose in remaining at the and he and i accordingly very soon afterwards set out for swallow barn we discussed the events of the morning as we rode along and upon the whole we considered this important to have passed through its crisis and to rest upon grounds this conclusion arose upon ned s mind in a thousand shapes i have got a mountain off my shoulders said he i am and feel like a man who has safely led a forlorn hope i would fight fifty rather than go through such a thing again i can sing and laugh once more a woman of fine sense she is not to be with faith i stand pretty fairly with her too it is certainly no refusal faint heart never won fair lady a lover to must come up boldly to the charge but after all i was considerably fluttered not to say most alarmed these and many more such fragments of a doubtful and self spirit burst from him in succession and the fate of a hero were now and then with lively on horseback which if a stranger could have seen they have persuaded him that the was either an unhappy mortal on his way to the or a lover on the way from his mistress chapter as some who having but lately learned to swim has gone upon a fair summer evening to the river hard by to himself in the cool and wave so did i first sit down to write this book and as that same all of his powers has never risked himself beyond the reach of some old not far from shore but now enchanted by the fragrance of the season by the golden and purple painted clouds and by the beauty of the wild flowers that cluster at the base of the shady on the farther side of a narrow and by the of his boyhood and by the easy eloquence of a heedless good natured he has to the pleasant which he has gained in safety faint hearted and out of breath so have i ventured on the tide of s courtship but having reached such a sheltered head land do in imitation of my here break up my voyage like him thinking it safest to get back by round the margin of the in other words i esteem myself lucky in having followed ned s love into a convenient resting place where i am willing at least for the present to leave it aad shall indeed be thankful if no future event during my at swallow bam shall impose upon me the duty of tracing out the of this and history for wisely has it been said that the current of true love never did run smooth to me it seems at its path is like that of the serpent over the rock and that shall have reason to count himself sadly whose lot it may be to follow the lead of a capricious maiden it shall please her to her charmed and lover little did i dream when i came to the old dominion and undertook to write down the simple scenes that are acted in gentleman s hall i should in scarce a month gone by find myself tangled up in a web of intricate love plots which should so my slender powers but i have borne me like a patient and historian through the of my story and now right gladly escape to other matters more german to my hand to say nothing then of the manner in which ned hazard bore his present doubtful fortune nor what he took in this emergency nor even dwelling upon his frequently repeated visits to the during which i rejoice to think nothing especially worthy of note occurred i pass over some days in order that i may introduce a new scene one night when we were about	29
to retire to rest suggested to ned and myself and the suggestion was made half in the tone of a request that he would be pleased if we adopted it that we might have an agreeable if we would consent to accompany him the next morning in his ride to the quarter now this quarter is the name by which is familiarly known that part of the plantation where the principal negro population is established you doubtless mr said he take some interest in agricultural concerns the process of our ly to be sure may be worthy of your bat i can add to year amusement by showing you my blooded which it is not to are of the finest in virginia and when i say that it is to telling you that there is nothing better in the world here paused for a moment with that thoughtful expression of countenance which the gathering up of one s ideas then changing the tone of his voice to a lower key he continued the improvement of the stock of horses notwithstanding this matter is in some portions of our country i regard as one of the concerns to which a landed proprietor can devote his attention the development of the animal of this noble by a judicious system of breeding requires both the science and the talent of an accomplished we gain by it strength of muscle of wind ease of action speed power of fatigue and fitness for the uses to which this admirable beast is what sir can be more worthy of some portion of the care af a patriotic citizen but look my dear sir at the relation which the horse holds to man we have no record in history of an age wherein he has not been intimately connected with the political and social prosperity of the most powerful and civilized nations he has always assisted to fight our battles to bear our to our and to furnish our he has given us bread by and meat by the chase he has even lodged in the same with his master man frequently under the same roof he has been accustomed to receive his food from our hands and to be by our kindness we nurse him in sickness and guard him in health he has been from one age to another the companion of the warrior at home his friend in travel and his sure and defence in battle what more beautiful than the sympathy between them when the of his master s heart rise up at the sound of distant war he at the voice of the trumpet and shakes his mane in his eagerness to share the glory of the combat frank had now got to backward and forward through the room and at this last flourish came up to the table where he stood erect then in that attitude went on and yet however martial his temper he will gently under the weight of the dame and yield obedience to her tender hand and silken rein i have horses in my stable now that in the field upon a chase will their bits and bound with an which requires my arm to check whilst the same animals at home here are as passive to s command as a lady s pony you say so interrupted my cousin but indeed mr do not like to ride these blooded horses continued without the interruption the horse has a family instinct and knows every member of the household he his master s children when they come to his stall and is pleased to be by them then see how faithfully he in the field and wears away his life in quiet and indispensable services i the steady of the robust broad massive wagon horse that toils without through the summer and winter i contemplate with a peculiar interest the labor of the stage horse as he his daily task with speed from one year s end to another and you may smile at it but i have a warm side of my heart for the thoughtful and back that our little creep along with to mill but above all where do you find such a picture of patience discretion long suffering amiable here frank began to smile as in the faithful that bears his master say a country doctor for example or a or one of your weather beaten old at each of these the orator laughed night wandering said mr who was sitting all the time at one of the windows right replied turning towards the parson and waving his hand night wandering i say where is there a finer type of resignation christian resignation than in the horse that bears such a master through all seasons no matter how fast without refusing and slow without impatience for hours together and then stands perhaps as i have often seen him with his rein fastened to a post or to a fence corner without food or drink and as likely as not for he is subject to all facing a drifting snow or a hail storm for the day or through the dreary watches of the night solitary silent without one note of discontent without one to his master and then at last when the time arrives when he is to measure his homeward way with what a modest and grateful he expresses his thanks the contemplation of these moral virtues in the horse is enough to win the esteem of any man for the whole species besides what is a nation without this excellent beast what machinery or labor saving inventions of man could ever him for the of this faithful ally r i do not know how long would have continued this for he was every moment growing more eloquent in manner and	29
matter and no doubt would very soon have struck out into some that would have carried him along like a vessel caught up in the trade winds had not my t cousin warned him that it was growing too late for so promising a discourse which the effect to bring him to a stop i availed myself of the opportunity to say that i should be highly gratified with the proposed ride so did ned then said he remember i ride at sunrise will give us a cup of coffee before we set out be up therefore at the of the cock chapter stable wisdom almost with the first appearance of light came and knocked at oar chamber doors so earnestly that the whole household must have been roused by the noise our horses could be heard the gravel at the front door impatient of delay the sun was scarcely above the horizon before we were all mounted and briskly pursuing our road followed by who seemed on the present occasion to be peculiarly charged with professional importance the season was now advanced into the first week of august a time when in this low country the morning air begins to grow sharp and to require something more than the ordinary summer clothing the had grown heavier and the produced that cold which almost indicated frost there was however no trace of this abroad but every blade of grass and every spray was thickly with the tall and beautiful which suggested one of the forms of the stately almost the first plant that puts forth in the spring and amongst the first to was now to be seen in groups over the with its erect and half dried spire hung round with that which the magic hand of night over the of earth the fantastic stable wisdom spider hang like fairy over every and with their every bank whilst their with watery beads and glittering in the level beams of the sun rendered them no longer for the insects for which they were spread our road through the woods was occasionally by an pine branch that upon the slightest touch shook its load of upon our shoulders as we stooped beneath it the of cows and the of sheep struck upon our ear from distant folds and all the glad birds of summer were over the and open plain the rabbit leaped timidly along the sandy road before us and upon his seat as if loth to wet his coat amongst the low and wild that covered the soil emerging from the forest a gate introduced us to a broad field across whose level surface at the distance of a mile we could discern the of several thin lines of smoke that formed a light cloud which almost rested on the earth and under this a cluster of huts was dimly visible near these an extensive farm yard surrounded a barn together with some houses and of grain upon which were busily employed a number of who we could were building up the pile from a loaded wagon that stood close by as we advanced a range of meadows opened to our view and stretched into the dim perspective until the eye could no longer distinguish their boundary over this district detached herds of horses were their long tails as they upon the pasture or over the spaces that separated them from each other there said up at the sight of this plain there is the reward i promised you for your ride i have nothing better to show you at swallow barn you see on yonder meadow some of the most nobility of i t i v ii f i v u i r i jl la t id i i ik h r l v ir i o k r lave f it li v i i i f i ki s l l l i v i if r i v ii li j i l i i i v li i v f n j jl i v it a i k i stable wisdom virginia not a stays on that pasture that is not warmed by as pure blood as belongs to any in the world rode up to us at this speech to observe as i suppose the effect which his master s communication might have upon me for he put on a delighted grin and said somewhat i call them my children master truly then you have a large family said l they are almost all on em sir replied straight down from old that old master had out from england across the water more than twenty years ago sir master was a son of old and i can t tell you how many of his i ve got but sir you may depend upon it he was a great horse and was master you ve on him i ve got a heap of of s bless your heart he was another of old s is a true herald said nearly all that you see have sprung from the stock it is upwards of forty years since won the in england he was brought to this country in his old age and is as famous amongst us almost as for he may be said to have founded a new empire here besides that stock i have some of the breed one of the best of them is the i ride tou may know them wherever you see them by their carriage and spirit i know nothing about it	29
to suppose that the negro will be an exception to this law at present i have said he is he grows upward only as the vine to which nature has supplied the sturdy tree as a support he is the older here have with some of comic mixture in it that formal grave and style of manners which belonged to the gentlemen of former days they are of bows and compliments and very aristocratic in their way the younger ones are equally to be remarked for the style of the present time and especially for such of in dress as come within their reach their fondness for music and dancing is a passion i never meet a negro man unless he is quite old that he is not whistling and the women sing from morning till night and as to dancing the hardest day s work does not restrain their desire to indulge in such during the harvest when their toil is pushed to its utmost the time being one of recognized privileges they dance almost the whole night they are great too they angle and haul the and hunt and tend their traps with a zest that never grows weary their of heart is constitutional and and when they are together they are as and noisy as so many in short i think them the most good natured careless light hearted and happily constructed human beings i have ever the seen having but few and simple wants they seem to me to be provided with every comfort which falls within the ordinary compass of their wishes and i might say that they find even more enjoyment as that word may be applied to express positive pleasures scattered through the course of daily occupation than any other laboring people i am acquainted with i took occasion to express these opinions to and to tell him how much i was struck by the mild and kindly aspect of this society at the quarter this as expected brought him into a discourse the worlds said he has begun very y to dis the evils of slavery and the debate has sometimes unfortunately been to the comprehension of our and pains have even been taken that it should reach them i believe there are but few men who may not be persuaded that they suffer some wrong in the organization of society for society has many wrongs both accidental and contrived in its structure extreme poverty is perhaps always a wrong done to the individual upon whom it is cast society can have no honest excuse for starving a human being i dare say you can follow out that train of thought and find numerous evils to complain of ingenious men some of them not very honest have found in these topics for agitation and popular appeal in all ages how likely are they to find in this question of slavery a theme for the highest excitement and especially how easy is it to the passions of these and people our black population with this subject i for slavery as an original question is wholly without justification or defence it is and morally wrong and and one sided will call its continuance even for a day a wrong under any of it but surely if these people are consigned to our care by the accident or what is worse the policy which has put them upon our com the quarter the great duty that is left to us is to shape our conduct in reference to them bj a wise and beneficent consideration of the case as it exists and to administer wholesome laws for their government making their as tolerable to them as we can with our own safety and their ultimate good we should not be justified in taking the hazard of internal to get rid of them nor have we a right in the desire to free ourselves to them in greater evils than their present bondage a violent removal of them or a general would assuredly produce one or the other of these has any sensible man who takes a different view of this subject ever reflected upon the consequences of committing two or three millions of persons born and bred in a state so completely dependent as that of slavery so so so utterly helpless i may say to all the cares and labors of a state of freedom must he not acknowledge that the utmost we could give them would be but a freedom in doing which we should be guilty of a cruel desertion of our trust inevitably leading them to ment oppression and finally to i would not argue with that man whose to a sentiment was so blind and so fatal as to insist on this expedient when the time comes as i apprehend it will come and all th sooner if it be not delayed by these efforts to arouse something like a feeling between the on both sides in which the roots of slavery will begin to lose their hold in our soil and when we have the means for providing these people a proper asylum i shall be glad to see the state devote her thoughts to that enterprise and if i am alive will cheerfully and gratefully assist in it in the mean time we owe it to justice and humanity to treat these people with the most considerate kindness as to what are ordinarily imagined to be the evils or sufferings of their condition i do not be thb in them the evil is generally felt on the side of the master less work is of them than voluntary choose to perform they have as many privileges as are with the nature of their occupations they are in general as comfortably nay in their estimation of comforts more comfortably than ihe rural population	29
which i have not fully as yet you will think mr that i am a man of schemes if i go on much longer but there is something in this notion which may be improved to advantage and i should like myself to begin the experiment here shall be my first my tenant in my old villain i suspect said i considers that his dignity is not to be by any of privilege as long as he is allowed to walk about in his military hat as king of the quarter perhaps not replied laughing then i shall be forced to make my commencement upon interrupted hazard would think it small promotion to be allowed to hold under you faith i i shall be without a to begin with said but come with me i have a visit to make to the cabin of old chapter a negro mother s cottage was from the rest of the and seemed to sleep in the shade of a wood upon the skirts of which it was situated in full view from it was a narrow creek or from the river which was seen glittering in the sunshine through the screen of and that grew upon its banks a garden occupied the little space in front of the habitation and here with some evidence of a taste for which i had not seen elsewhere in this negro hamlet flowers were planted in order along the line of the and shot up with a gay a draw well was placed in the middle of this garden and some few fruit trees were clustered about it these improvements had their origin in past years and owed their present preservation to the care of the daughter of the aged a decent and orderly woman who had been among the family servants at swallow barn and now resided in the cabin the sole attendant upon her mother when we arrived at this little dwelling was alone her daughter having a little while before left her to make a visit to the family mansion the old woman s form showed the double of age and disease she was bent forward and sat near her hearth with her elbows resting on her knees and her hands a negro in which she grasped a faded and tattered handkerchief supported her chin she was smoking a short and pipe and in the weak and childish musing of age was beating one foot upon the floor with a regular and rapid stroke such as is common to nurses when a child to sleep her gray hairs were covered with a cap and her attire generally exhibited an attention to cleanliness which showed the concern of her daughter for her personal comfort the lowly furniture of the room with the appearance of its it was tidy and convenient and there were even some of the ambitious vanity of a female in the fragments of looking glass and the small framed prints that hung against the walls a pensive partner in the quiet comfort of this little apartment was a large cat that sat perched upon the sill of the open window and looked out upon the garden as if the and of that erected their tall like figures so near that they almost thrust their heads into the room for the first few moments after our arrival the old woman seemed to be unconscious of our presence spoke to her without receiving an answer and at last after repeating his salutation two or three times she raised her feeble eyes towards him and made only a slight recognition by a bow whether it was that his voice became familiar to her ear or that her memory was suddenly after her master had addressed some questions to her she all at once brightened up into a lively conviction of the person of her visitor and as a smile played across her features she exclaimed god bless the young master i i didn t know him he has come to see poor old and how is the old woman asked stooping to peak almost in her ear li a negro mother she hasn t got far to go replied they are a coming for her they tell me every night that they are a coming to take her away who are coming inquired frank they that told the old woman she returned looking up wildly and speaking in a louder voice that they buried his body in the sands of the sea saying these words she began to open out the ragged handkerchief which until now she had held in her clenched hand they brought me this in the night she continued and then i knew it was true in the pause that followed the old negro remained in profound silence during which the tears ran down her cheeks after some minutes she seemed suddenly to check her feelings and said with energy i told them it was a lie and so it was i the old woman knew better than them all master frank didn t know it and miss didn t know it but if she is old knew it well five years last february how many years honey do you think a ship may keep going steady on without stopping it is a right long time isn t it honey this exhibition of e was attended with many other expressions that i have not thought it worth while to notice and i would not have troubled my reader with these seemingly of a mind in the last stages of if they had not some reference to the circumstances i am about to relate the scene grew painful to us as we prolonged our visit and therefore after some kind words to the old woman we took our departure as we returned to	29
swallow barn frank gave me the particulars of old s pathetic history which i have woven with as much fidelity as my memory into the following simple and somewhat n holy narrative during the latter years of the war of the revolution my uncle walter hazard as i haye before informed my reader commanded a troop of cavalry consisting principally of the in the neighborhood of swallow barn and at the time of the southern invasion by lord this little band was brought into active service and shared as freely as any other corps of the army the perils of that warfare which was upon the borders of north and virginia the gentlemen of the country at that time their neighbors into companies and seldom acting in line were encouraged to the wherever opportunity offered the credit as well as the responsibility of these operations fell to the individual leaders who had themselves by their zeal in the cause this kind of irregular army gave great occasion for the display of personal and there were many gentlemen whose bold adventures during the period alluded to furnished the subject of popular anecdotes of highly attractive interest such exploits of course were attended with their usual and there was scarcely any leader of note who could not some passages in his adventures where he was indebted for his safety to the attachment and bravery of his followers often to that of his personal servants captain hazard was a good deal distinguished in this war and took great pleasure in acknowledging his on one occasion for his escape from imminent peril to the address and gallantry of an humble a faithful negro by the name of whom he had selected from the number of his slaves to attend him as a body servant through the adventures of the war it the best answer that can be made to all the exaggerated opinions of the misery of the domestic slavery of this that in the period of the history of the states and when the whole force of the country was engrossed in the conduct of a fearful conflict the slaves of virginia were not only passive to the pressure of a yoke which the philosophy of this age affects to consider as the most intolerable of but they also in a multitude of instances were found in the ranks by the side of their masters sharing with them the most formidable dangers and their attachment by heroic gallantry after the close of the war captain hazard was not of his servant had grown into a familiar but respectful intimacy with his master and occupied a station about his person of the most confidential nature my uncle scarcely ever rode out without him and was in the habit of consulting him upon many lesser matters relating to the estate with a seriousness that showed the value he set upon s judgment he offered his freedom but the domestic desired no greater liberty than he then enjoyed and would not entertain the idea of any possible separation from the family instead therefore of an formal grant of my uncle gave a few acres of ground in the neighborhood of the quarter and provided him a comfortable cabin before the war had terminated had married a slave who had been reared in the family as a lady s maid and occasionally as a nurse to the children at swallow bam things went on very smoothly with them for many years but at length old and began to grow and by degrees retired from his customary duties which were rendered lighter as his increased from the and eyed waiting woman was fast changing into a short fat and old dame her locks accumulated the frost of each successive winter and she too fell back upon the reserve of comfort laid nm i s associates this disposition was coupled with singular of intellect and an for almost every species of he had been trained to the work of a blacksmith and was when he chose to be so a useful at the but a habit of with the most belonging to the extensive community of swallow barn and the estates had his character and at the time of life which he had now reached had rendered him to the plantation walter hazard could never bear the idea of of any of his and when came to the estate he was even more strongly with the same was therefore for a long time permitted to take his own way the attachment of the family for his mother for him an for many as is usual in almost all such cases entertained an affection for this outcast surpassing that which she felt for all the rest of her offspring there was never a more domestic than the mother n r was she without a painful sense of the of her son but this only her pride without her fondness a common effect of strong animal impulses merely in ignorant minds had always lived in her cabin and the instinct of long association over her weak reason so that although she was continually tormented with his and did not fail to him even with habitual still her heart secretly towards him time fled by this attachment and in the same degree into the most of he the peace of the neighborhood by continual was frequently detected in acts of upon the adjoining farms and had once brought himself into extreme by joining a band of out lying who had secured themselves for some weeks in the fast of the low country from whence they annoyed the vicinity by of the m st lawless character nothing but the interference of at the earnest of saved on this occasion from public justice was obliged in consequence to be removed altogether from the estate and consigned to another sphere of action this matter with great deliberation and	29
at length determined to put his in the charge of one of the of the to whom it was supposed he might become a valuable acquisition his active intelligent and character being well suited to the perilous nature of that service the arrangements for this purpose were speedily made and the day of his removal drew nigh it was a curious speculation on the part of the family and an unpleasant one to see how would bear this separation the like all other are marked by an spirit of they generally agree to whatever is proposed to their minds by their with an acquiescence that has the show of conviction but it is very hard to convince the mind of a mother the justice of the sentence that her of her child especially a poor negro mother heard all the arguments to justify the necessity of sending abroad assented to all bowed her head as if entirely convinced and thought it very hard she was told that it was the only expedient to save him from prison she admitted it but still said that it was a very cruel thing to mother and son it was a source of unutterable anguish to her which no kindness on the part of the family could forgetting s growth to manhood his the he had incessantly inflicted upon her peace and of the ous children that with their descendants were still around her she seemed to be engrossed by her affection for this worthless r k wc of her stock showing how entirely the instincts of the animal sway the human mind in its condition all the considerations that proved s a necessary and even for himself a judicious measure seemed only to afford additional to the of the mother from the time f the discovery of the which brought down upon the sentence that was to remove him from swallow barn until the completion of the preliminary arrangements for his departure he was left in a state of anxious uncertainty as to his fate he was afraid to be seen at large as some risk was hinted to him of by the public authorities and he therefore confined himself with a sullen and dejected silence in s cabin seldom venturing beyond the threshold and when he did so it was with the stealthy and suspicious motion which is in that class of animals that pursue their prey by night when induced to stir abroad in it is a trait in the dispositions of the on the old to cling with more than a s interest to the spot of their they have a strong attachment to the places connected with their earlier associations what in is called and the pride of remaining in one family of masters and of being to its posterity with all their own generations is one of the most remarkable features in these negro being a people of simple and limited faculty for pleasures they are a contented race not much disturbed by the desire of novelty was not yet informed whether he was to be sold to a distant owner given over to public punishment or condemned to some domestic disgrace apparently he did not care which his natural had made him dogged it was painful during this period to see his mother in all unlike himself she suffered intensely and though with sixty hovered about him with that busy which is one of the simplest forms in which anxiety and grief are apt to show themselves she abandoned her usual and passed almost all her time within her cabin in a to his wants and what might seem to be with this strong emotion of attachment in fact it waa one of the evidences of its existence her tone of addressing him was that of seldom by the language of pity or tenderness i mention this because it one point of the negro character she provided for him as for a sickly child what little her afforded and with a industry plied her needle through the night in making up from the scanty materials at her command such articles of dress as might be found or fancied to be useful to him in the uncertain changes that awaited him in these preparations there was even seen a curious attention to matters that might serve only to gratify his vanity some and personal ornaments were to be found amongst the stock of necessaries which her foresight was thus providing i hope i shall not be thought tedious in thus remarking the trifles that were in the conduct of the old domestic on this occasion my purpose is to bring to the view of my reader an exhibition of the natural forms in which the passions are displayed in those lowest and of the of human society and to represent truly a class of people to whom justice has seldom been done and who possess many points of character well calculated to win them a kind and amiable judgment from the world they are a neglected race who seem to have been excluded from the pale of human sympathy from mistaken opinions of their quality no less than from the of their position to me they have always appeared as a people of agreeable peculiarities and not without much of the picturesque in the development of their habits and feelings when it was at last announced that was to be disposed of in the manner i have mentioned the tidings were received by the mother and son according to their respective knew no difference between a separation by a hundred or a thousand miles she counted none of the of future intercourse and the belief in the danger of the seas with their unknown monsters and all the frightful stories of disaster rose upon her imagination with a of ill to her boy on	29
the other hand received the intelligence with the most he was not of a frame to at peril or fear misfortune and his behavior rather indicated resentment at the authority that was exercised over him than anxiety for the issue for a time he mused over this feeling in silence but as the expected change of his condition became the subject of constant allusion among hi associates and as the little community in which he had always lived gathered around him with some signs of unusual interest to talk over the nature of his a great deal reached his ears from the older that opened upon hia mind a train of highly congenial to the latent properties of his character his imagination was awakened by the attractions of this field of adventure by the free of the sailor and by the tumultuous and spirit stirring roar of the ocean as they were pictured to him in story his person grew erect his limbs expanded to their natural motion and he once more walked with the light step and feelings of his young and nature the time of departure arrived a that had been lying at anchor in the creek opposite to s cabin was just ing to sail the sail was slowly opening its folds as it rose along the mast a boat with two had put off for the beach and the landed with a summons to informing him that he was all they now staid for was seated on his in front of the dwelling and sat on a stool beside him with both of his hands clasped in hers not a word passed between them and the of the old woman s bosom might have been heard by the by a of stood around them the young ones in ignorant and wondering silence and the elders conversing with each other in smothered tones with an occasional cheering word addressed to as they called her old uncle was conspicuous in this scene he stood in the group with his pipe puffing the smoke from his lips with lengthened the two pressed into the crowd to speak to but were arrested by the solemn who thrusting out his broad hand and planting it upon the breast of the foremost whispered in a half audible voice the old woman s taking on wait a she ll speak presently with these words the whole company fell into silence and continued to gaze at the mother looked up from the place ne sat through his at the little circle with an awkwardly smile playing through the tears that filled his eyes it a most goes to kill her whispered one of the won en to ner neighbor i ve seen women said this here way afore in my time they can bear a monstrous sight but when they can once speak then it s done you see was now approached by two or three of the old women who began to urge some feeble topics of consolation in her ear in that simple phrase which nature supplies and which had more of in its tones than in the words bat the only response extracted was a mute shake of the head and a sorrowful of the eye accompanied by a closer grasp of the hands of it s no use said as he poured a volume of smoke from his mouth and spoke in a deep in the dialect of his people it s no use till nature takes its own way when the tide over yonder pointing to the comes up speeches t going to send it back when an old woman s heart is full it s just like the tide the wind is taking hold of the sail said one of the who until now had not interfered in the scene and the captain has no time to stay looked up and directed her eye to the whose can was alternately filling and shaking in the wind as the boat in her position the last moment had come the mother arose from her seat at the same instant with her son and flung herself upon his neck where she wept aloud didn t i tell you so whispered to some old when it can get out of the bosom by the eyes it carries a monstrous load with it to be sure exclaimed the which is a form of amongst the to express both assent and wonder this burst of feeling had its expected effect upon she seemed to be suddenly relieved and was able to address a few short words of parting to then taking from the of her bosom a small leather purse containing a scant stock of silver the of past years she put it into the hand of the boy looked at the faded bag for a moment and gathering up something like a smile upon his face he forced the money back upon his mother himself it in the bosom of her dress you don t think i am going to take your money with me said he i never cared about the best silver my master ever had no nor for freedom neither i thought i was always going to stay here on the plantation i would rather have the handkerchief you wear around your neck than all the silver you ever owned took the handkerchief from her shoulders and put it in his hand drew it into a loose knot about his throat then turned briskly round shook hands with the by and his chest moved with the at a rapid pace towards the beach in a few moments afterwards he was seen standing up in the boat as it shot out from beneath the bank and waving his hand to the dusky group he had just left he then took his seat and was watched by his melancholy tribe until the falling away before	29
the wind disappeared behind the remotest with a heavy heart retired within her cabin and threw herself upon a bed and the comforting who had collected before the door after lingering about her for a little while gradually withdrew leaving her to the of her children some years elapsed during which interval frequent reports had reached swallow barn relating to the conduct and condition of and he himself had once or twice the family great changes had been wrought upon him he had grown into a sturdy manhood by the hardy discipline of his calling the fearless qualities of his mind no less than the activity and strength of his body had been greatly developed to the advantage of his character and what does not happen the peculiar of his new pursuits to the temper and cast of his constitution had upon his morals his had been gratified and the between the idleness of the calm and the and exciting bustle of the storm were pleasing to his unsteady and fitful nature he had found in other habits a vent for inclinations which when constrained bj his former monotonous had so often broken out into mischievous adventures in short was looked upon by his as a valuable seaman and the report of this estimation of had worked wonders in his at swallow barn from the period of his departure up to this time poor old nursed the same extravagant feelings towards him and these were even kindled into a warmer flame by his good her passion it may be called was a subject of constant notice in the family it would have been deemed remarkable in an individual of the most delicate but in the aged and faithful domestic it was a subject of on account of its influence upon her happiness and had almost induced to recall to his former occupation although he was sensible that by doing so he might expose him to the risk of into his earlier errors but besides this had become so well content with his present station that it was extremely likely he would of his own accord haye sought to return to it the and life of a has a spell in it that works upon the heedless and temperament of a negro was therefore still permitted like a to dance upon the and to his various destiny between the lowest of the sea and the highest white cap of the at the time to which my story has now advanced an event took place that excited great interest within the little circle of swallow barn it was about the breaking up of the winter towards the latter end of february some four years ago that in the afternoon of a cheerless day news arrived at that an inward bound had struck upon the of the middle ground a shallow bar that stretches beyond the mouth of the between the two and from the threatening aspect of the weather the crew were supposed to be in great danger it was a cold day such as winter sometimes puts on when he is about to retreat as a vexed with watching a enemy finding itself obliged at last to raise the is apt to break ground with an unusual show of the wind blew in from the a heavy rack of and chilly clouds was driven before the blast and put some rare of snow these moving masses were forming a huge black volume upon the eastern horizon towards the ocean as if there the resistance of an adverse gale from the west the sun occasionally shot forth a lurid ray that for the instant flung upon this dark pile a sombre purple hue and lighted up the foam that gathered at the top of the waves far thus opening short glimpses of that dreary ocean over which darkness was brooding the sea birds against the vault above them and now and then caught upon their white wings the passing beam that gave them almost a golden radiance whilst at the same time they screamed their harsh and frequent cries of fear or joy the surface of the was lashed up into a sea and the waves were repressed by the weight of the wind pursuing with an angry and rapid flight and barking with the of the wo across the wide expanse of might have been seen some few bay craft apparently not much larger than the wild fowl that sailed above them beating with a fearful anxiety against the gale for such as were nearest at hand or before it under close sails with speed towards the to every moment the wind increased in violence the clouds swept nearer to the waters the gloom the birds sought safety on the land the little were quickly vanishing from view and before the hour of sunset earth air and sea were blended into one mass in which the eye might vainly endeavor to define the boundaries of each whilst the fierce howling of the wind and the uproar of the ocean gave a desolation to the scene that made those who looked upon it from the shore devoutly thankful that no ill luck had tempted them upon the flood it was at this time that a pilot boat was seen to a post at the end of a wooden wharf that formed the principal landing place at the little of the waves were with hollow between the of the wharf and the boat was rocking with a violence that showed the extreme agitation of the element upon which it floated three or four sailors all clad in rough with blue and red caps were standing upon the wharf or upon the deck of the boat apparently making some arrangements for venturing out of the harbor the principal personage among them whose commands were given with a bold and earnest voice and promptly obeyed was our stout friend	29
enterprise and it was with some emotion of secret pleasure that he learned that several of established reputation had declined to undertake the venture the pride of his nature was aroused and he hastened to say that whatever terrors this voyage had for others it had none for him in order therefore that he might the sincerity of his assertion by acts he went immediately to those who had interested themselves in the measure of relief and his services for the proposed as may be supposed they were eagerly accepted s conditions were that he should have the choice of his boat and the selection of his crew these terms were readily granted and he set off with a busy alacrity to make his preparations the flying fish was the pilot boat in which had often sailed and was considered one of the best of her class in the this little bark was accordingly demanded for the service and as promptly put at s command she was at that time lying at the pier at as i have already described her the crew from some such motive of pride as first induced to in this cause was selected entirely from the number of negro then in they amounted to four or five of the most daring and robust of s associates who by the hope of reward as well as impelled by that spirit of that belongs to even the lowest classes of human beings and which is particularly in the breasts of men who are trained to dangerous achieve ments readily in the expedition and placed themselves the orders of their gallant and captain this tender of service and its acceptance produced an almost universal of its from the sea men of the port and while all acknowledged that the enterprise could not have been committed to a more able or skilful than yet it was declared to be the endeavor of a fool hardy madman who was rushing on his fate the expression of such distrust only as an additional to s resolution and served to hurry him the more forward to the execution of his purpose he therefore with such as the nature of his preparations allowed his crew in the harbor of and repaired with them to the opposite shore of the james to the little sea port where my reader has already seen him upon his voyage amidst the of wise and of the sea i might stop to compare this act of an humble and unknown negro upon the with the many similar passages in the lives of heroes whose names have been preserved fresh in the of history and who have won their immortality upon less noble than but history ia a step mother and gives the fame to her own children with such as she lists overlooking many a goodly portion of the family of her husband time still it was a gallant thing and worthy of a better than i to see this leader and his little band the children of a despised stock swayed by a noble to relieve the distressed and what the fashion of the world will deem a higher glory impelled by that love of daring which the call chivalry throwing themselves upon the waves of winter and flying on the wing of the storm into the profound dark abyss of ocean when all his terrors were gathering in their most hideous forms when the spirit of ill shrieked in the blast and thick night dreary with unusual horrors was falling close around them when old grew pale with the thought of the danger and the wisest the against the certain doom that hung upon their path i say it was a gallant sight to see such heroism shining out in an humble of the old dominion n thej say the night that followed was a night of the wildest horrors not a star in the black heavens the winds rushed forth like some pent up flood suddenly its and swept through the air with palpable men who chanced to wander at that time found it difficult to keep their footing on the land the of groaned with the unwonted pressure chimneys were blown from their seats houses were and the howling elements terrified those who were gathered around their own and made them silent with fear the pious fell upon their knees nurses could not hush their children to sleep bold hearted were dismayed and broke up their meetings the crash of trees fences mingled with the of the tempest the were swept from the and from every till they fell in the streets like hail ships were at the or were lifted by an unnatural tide into the streets the ocean roared with more terrific bass than the mighty wind and threw its spray into the near heaven with which it seemed in contact and as anxious looked out at intervals during the night towards the atlantic the light house that usually shot its ray over the deep was invisible to their gaze or seemed only by glimpses like a little star remote through foam and darkness what became of our the next morning told the tale one seaman alone of the survived to the fate of his companions in the darkest hour of the night their vessel went to pieces and every soul on board perished except this man he had bound himself to a and by that miraculous fortune which the frequent history of he was thrown upon the beach near cape bruised and almost dead he was discovered in the morning and carried to a house where care and nursing restored him to his strength all that this could tell was that e in the night perhaps about eight o clock and before the storm had risen to its height although at that hour it raged with fearful vehemence a light was seen gliding with	29
the swiftness of a past the wreck a cry was heard as from a trumpet but the wind smothered its tones and rendered them inarticulate and in the next moment the of a sail for no one of the believed it real flitted by them as with a rush of wings so close that some affirmed they could have touched it with their hands that about an hour afterwards the same hideous phantom the same awful salutation was and heard by many on board a second time that the crew terrified by this warning made all preparations to meet their fate and when at last in the highest of the storm the same apparition made its third visit the of the parted at every joint and all except the himself were supposed to have been in the wave and given to instant death such was the sum of this man s story what was subsequently known proved its most horrible conjecture to be true various speculation was indulged during the first week after this disaster as to the destiny of and his companions no tidings having arrived some affirmed that nothing more would ever be heard of them others said that they might have up close in the wind and ridden out the night as the flying fish was and true others again held that there was even a they had before the gale and having od sea room had escaped into the middle of the atlantic no appeared upon the coast for several days and the hope of receiving news of was not abandoned the next week came and went there were but no word of the flying fish anxiety began to give way to the conviction that all were lost but when the third week passed over and commerce grew frequent as the spring advanced all doubts were abandoned a d the loss of the flying fish and her crew ceased any longer to furnish topics of discussion my reader must now get back to swallow barn the story of s adventure had reached the plantation greatly exaggerated in all the details none of which were concealed from on the contrary the wonder loving women of the quarter daily reported to her additional particulars filled with extravagant in which so far from a desire to soothe the feelings of the mother and reconcile her to the doom of all manner of appalling circumstances were added as if for the pleasure of giving a higher gust to the tale it may appear unaccountable but it was the fact that instead of giving herself up to such grief as might have been expected from her attachment to her son received the intelligence even with composure she shed no tears and scarcely deserted her customary occupations she was remarked only to have become more solitary in her habits and to an urgent and eager solicitude to hear whatever came from or from the scarcely a stranger visited swallow barn for some months after the event i have that the old woman did not take an occasion to hold some conversation with him in which all her inquiries tended to the tidings which might have existed of the missing as time rolled on s anxiety seemed rather to increase and it wrought upon her health she was observed to be falling fast into the weakness and of age her temper grew and her pursuits still more frequently she herself up in her cabin for a week or a fortnight during which periods she refused to be seen by any one and now tears began to her withered cheeks made frequent efforts to reason her out of this painful melancholy her reply to all his arguments was uniformly the same it was simple and affecting i cannot him up master frank in this way a year elapsed but with its passage came no confirmation to s mind of the fate of her son and so far was time from bringing an of her that it only cast a more permanent over her mind she spoke continually upon the subject of s return whenever she conversed with any one and her fancy was filled with notions of which she had received in dreams and in her solitary with herself the females of the family at swallow barn exercised the most tender towards the old servant and directed all their to impress upon her the positive certainty of the loss of they endeavored to lift up her perception to the of religion but the difficulty which they found in the way of all attempts to comfort her was the impossibility of convincing her that the case was even yet hopeless that dreadful suspense of the mind when it in the balance between a mother s instinctive love for her on the one side and the thought of its on the other was more than the philosophy or resignation of an ignorant old negro woman could overcome it was to her the of the heart that belongs to hope deferred and the more because the subject of it was incapable of even that moderate and common share of reason that would have weighed the facts of the case months were now added to the year of regrets that had been spent no one ever heard wherefore but all knew that she still reckoned s return amongst expected events it was now in the vain thought that the old woman s mind would yield to the certainty implied by the lapse of time and the absence of tidings that my cousin prepared a suit of mourning for her and sent it with an that she would wear it in of the death of her son laid some stress upon this device for he grief was a selfish emotion and had some strange alliance with vanity it was a conceit of his which was founded in deep observation and he looked to	29
see it illustrated in the effect of the mourning present upon she took the dress it was of some fine gazed at it with a curious and melancholy eye and then shook her head and said it was a mistake i will never put on that dress she observed because it would be bad luck to what would say if he was to catch wearing black clothes for him they left the dress with her and she was seen to put it carefully away some say that she was observed in her cabin one morning soon after this through the window dressed out in this suit but she was never known to wear it at any other time about this period she began to give manifest indications of a decay of reason this was first exhibited in unusual wanderings by night into the neighboring wood and then by a growing habit of speaking and singing to herself with the loss of her mind her frame still wasted away and she gradually began to lose her erect position amongst the eccentric and painful of her increasing of mind was one which presented the illusion that beset her in an unusually vivid point of view one dark and night of winter the third of that on which had sailed upon his desperate voyage for had noted the date although others not near midnight the inhabitants of the quarter were roused from their respective by loud in succession at their doors and when each was opened there stood the figure of old who was thus making a circuit to invite her neighbors as she said to her house he has come back i said to each one as they their he has come back i always told you he would come back upon this very night t come and see him and see him is waiting to see his friends to night either awed by the superstitious feeling that a in the breasts of the ignorant or by curiosity most of the old followed to her cabin as they approached it the windows gleamed with a broad light and it was with some strange sensations of terror that they assembled at her threshold where she stood upon the step with her hand upon the latch before she opened the door to admit her wondering guests she applied her mouth to the and said in an audible whisper the people are all ready to see you honey don t be frightened there s nobody will do you harm then turning towards her companions she said bowing her head come in good folks there s plenty for you all come in and see how he is grown she now threw open the door and followed by the rest entered the room there was a small table set out covered with a sheet and upon it three or four candles were placed in bottles for all the chairs she had were ranged around this table and a bright fire blazed in the hearth speak to them said the old woman with a broad this is uncle and here is and here is ben and in this manner she ran over the names of all present then continued sit down you have you no manners sit down and eat as much as you choose there is plenty in the house knew was coming and see what a fine feast she has made for him she now seated herself and addressing an empty chair beside her as if some one occupied it upon the imaginary a thousand expressions of solicitude and kindness at length she said the poor boy is tired for he has not slept these many long nights you must leave him now he will go to bed get you gone get you gone you have all eaten enough dismayed and wrought upon by the unnatural aspect of the scene the party of visitors quitted the cabin almost immediately upon the command and the old was left alone to indulge her sad communion with the vision of her fancy from that time until the period at which i saw her she continued occasionally to exhibit the same evidences of insanity there were intervals however in which she appeared almost restored to her reason during one of these some of the hoping to remove the illusion that was still alive brought her a handkerchief resembling that which she had given to him on his first departure and in delivering it to her reported a tale that it had been taken from around the neck of by a sailor who had seen the body washed up by the tide upon the beach of the sea and had sent this to as a token of her son s death she seemed at last to believe the tale and took the handkerchief and put it away in her bosom this event only gave a more sober tone to her madness she now keeps more closely over her hearth where she generally passes the day in the posture in which we found her sometimes she is heard muttering to herself they buried his body in the sands of the sea which she will repeat a hundred times at others she falls into a sad but speculation the drift of which is implied in the question that she put to whilst we remained in her cottage how many years may a ship sail at sea without stopping chapter clouds the time had now arrived when it was necessary for me to return to new york it was almost two months since i had left home and i wa by mj northern friends not to remain in the low country of virginia longer than until the middle of august hazard endeavored to persuade me that the season had all the indications of being unusually healthy and that i might	29
therefore remain without risk he had views of his own to be improved by my delay which rendered him rather an interested adviser and in truth we had own so intimate by our late associations that i felt it somewhat difficult to bring myself to the necessary resolution of taking leave but go i must or inflict upon my good mother and sisters that feminine torture which visits the of this sex when once their apprehensions are excited on any question of health i therefore announced my fixed determination on the subject to the family and met all the arguments which were directed to my resolve with that hardy denial of assent which is the only refuge of a man in such a case my preparations were made and the day of my departure was named for my plan the elements made war against it the very day before my allotted time there came on a soft clouds rain which began soon after breakfast and when we met at dinner hazard came to me rubbing his hands and smiling with a look of triumph to tell me that however obstinate i might be in my purpose here was a flat upon it we generally have said he what we call a long spell in august the rain has begun and you may consider yourself fortunate if you get away in a week i took it as a jest but the next morning when i went to my chamber window i found that ned s exultation was not without some reason it had rained all night not in hard showers but in that gentle noise less of the heavens which showed that they meant to take their own time to themselves of their far as my eye could reach the was clad in one broad heavy gray robe the light was equally over this mass so as entirely to conceal the position of the sun and somewhat nearer to earth small of clouds floated across the sky in swift as if hastening to find their place in the ranks of the sombre army near the horizon i came down to breakfast where the family were assembled at a much later hour than usual a small fire was burning in the hearth the ladies were in and something of the complexion of the sky seemed to have settled upon the countenances of all around me quiet sober that was not so frequently disturbed as before with of merriment my cousin poured out our coffee with a more and careful attention prudence looked as if she had herself hung longer over the newspaper than common and permitted us to take our seats at table some time before he gave up reading the news the little girls had a world of care upon their shoulders and parson his meal with unwonted expedition and then his hands into his pockets went into the ball and walked to and fro thoughtfully clouds hazard was the only one of the party who appeared untouched by the change of the weather and he kept his spirits up by frequent of directed to me on the prospect i had before me after breakfast we went to the door the rain from the down upon the rose bushes the walk was by little rivers that also ran along its borders and the grass plots were filled with lakes the old willow with rain wept tears down every upon the ground the ducks were gathered at the foot of this venerable monument and rested in profound quiet with their heads under their wings beyond the gate an old spent his holiday from labor in undisturbed idleness his head downcast his tail close to his and his position motion less as some thing only giving signs of life by an occasional slow lifting up of his head as if to observe the weather and a short horse like the rain poured on and now and then some one affirmed that it grew brighter and that perhaps at mid day it would clear up but mid day came and the same continual dripping fell from leaf and roof and fence there was neither light nor shade all the picturesque had vanished from the landscape the was full of falling drops and the perspective was mist the dogs crept beneath the porch or with their shaggy and coats into the hall leaving their footsteps marked upon the floor wherever they walked the negro women ran across the yard with their thrown over their heads the working men moved leisurely along like water gods dripping from every point their hats softened into cloth like and their faces beneath them long sober and during the day made frequent excursions out of doors and returned into the house with shoes covered with mud much to the annoyance of clouds mrs who kept up a quick and fire of reproof upon the young as for hazard and myself we ourselves to the library whither had gone before us and there through the thousand by paths of miscellaneous literature changing our topics of study every moment and continually interrupting each other by reading aloud whatever passages occurred to provoke a laugh this grew tedious in turn and then we repaired to the drawing room we found the ladies in a similar mood making the like experiments upon the piano we were all nervous thus came and went the day the next was no better when i again looked out in the morning there stood the weeping willow the same vegetable as before and there the meditative ducks there the same horse or another like him looking into the inscrutable recesses of a fence comer and there the dogs and the muddy footed to vary the scene we took and walked holding our way over the wet towards the bridge the like ourselves tired of keeping the house had ranged themselves	29
upon the top of the stable or on the before the doors of their own dripping images of a stray flock of sometimes ventured across the and the cows in defiance of the damp earth had lain down in the mud the only living thing who seemed to feel no inconvenience from the season was the who pursued his in despite of the elements the rain poured on and the soaked field and f re t had no pleasure in our eyes so we returned to the house and again took refuge in the library despairing of the sun i at length sat down to serious and soon found myself occupied in a pursuit that engrossed all my attention i have said before that had a good collection of clouds books these had been brought together without order in the selection and they presented a mass of curious literature in almost department of knowledge hy love of the led me amongst the that the lower shelves of the library where i pitched upon a thin tall which contained the following title page some account of the renowned john smith with his travel and adventures in the quarters of showing his in divers both by sea and land his the and his in also what in his towards the planting of the of virginia and in his marvellous and incredible escapes amongst the together with other moving accidents in his london for edward this title was set out in many varieties of type and occupied but a portion of the page being by a broad margin which was richly illuminated with a series of ts amongst which was conspicuous the shield with three heads and the motto est there were also representations pf savages and trees all colored according to nature and as the legend at the foot imported by john the of ihe work had been partially three of the year being only but from these it was apparent that this was published somewhere about the end of the first quarter of the perhaps about or not later than the exploits of smith had a wonderful charm for that period of my life when the american supplied the whole amount of my reading but i have never since that boy clouds day taken the trouble to inquire whether i was indebted for the of the story to the it recorded or to my own pleasant that natural stomach for the which in early youth will and steel this little chronicle therefore came most in my way and i myself up to the perusal of it with an eager appetite i was now on the spot where smith had some of his most gallant wonders the was no longer the mere fable that delighted my childhood but here i had it in its most form with the identical print paper and binding in which the story was first to the world by its for aught that i knew the captain himself perhaps the captain s good friend old sam who had such a thirst for the wonderful this was published too when thousands were to the author if he in any point and here on a conspicuous page was an exact of smith admiral of all new england taken to the life with his brow that imported absolute on the face of it and his piercing eye fine head with a beard of the ancient cut arrayed in his proper with and one arm a the other resting on his sword below the picture were some ir lines that he was brass without and gold within throughout the were sundry cuts showing the captain in his most imminent of a flattering fancy but in total disregard of all and here in of the window was the broad james upon which he and his faithful otherwise called by the more name of two hundred years gone by had sailed in defiance of twenty kings whose yery names i am afraid to write history is so charming as under the spell of associations the by present monuments and facts clouds dim by distance for the imagination to make what it pleases out of it without the of the story i have sometimes why our countrymen and especially those of virginia have not taken more pains to the memory of smith with the exception of the little summary of the schools that i have before noticed and which is unfortunately falling into some general to his exploits as they are connected with the history of our states and an almost forgotten by we have nothing to record the early adventures and virtues of the good soldier unless it be some such and quaint chronicle as this of swallow bam which no one sees he deserves to be known for his high public spirit and to have his life illustrated in some well told tale that should travel with and the at least through the old dominion and in the council chamber at or in the hall of the champion should be exhibited on canvas in some of his most picturesque and then he should be to that highest of all the truest of renown the smith s character was in the richest fashion of ancient chivalry and without losing any thing of romance was in his years to the useful purposes of life it was marked by great devotion to his purpose a generous estimate of the public good and an utter contempt of danger in the age in which he lived of birth was an essential condition to fame this unfortunately for the renown of smith he did not possess otherwise he would have been as distinguished in history as de sir walter or any other of the of whose exploits have found a historian smith however was poor and was obliged to his way to fame without the aid of and	29
there is consequently clouds a great resting upon the meagre details which now exist of his wonderful adventures these rude records show a ignorance of geography which all attempts at however of still exist to confirm the most remarkable of his story the patent of conferred upon him by in is of this character it some of the leading events of his life and was admitted to record by the king at arms of great britain twenty two years afterwards when smith s services in the establishment of the american colonies attracted a share of the public attention he possessed many of the points of a true knight he was ambitious of honor yet humble in his own praise his with modesty and the reckless gallantry of the with manners a simple testimony to this effect but a sincere one is given by an old soldier who had followed him through many dangers and who shared with him the of the defeat at it is by the author of it to smith s account of new england his name was and he had served as smith s in the wars of these lines addressed to the honest are somewhat but they tell pleasantly thy words by deeds so long hast approved of thousands know thee not thou art beloved and great plot will make thee ten times more and beloved than e er thou before i never knew a warrior yet but from wine tobacco debts oaths so free he signs himself your true friend sometime your tho clouds the of the verse with the station of the writer and gives a greater relish to the compliment it may be pleasing to the fair portion of my readers to learn of his devotion to and lady love of which we have good proof he was so courteous and gentle that he mi t be taken for a knight sworn to the sex s service he was a bachelor too by r lady and an honor to his calling mingling the refinement of sir walter his with the noble daring of and hear with what and zeal he his gratitude to the sex in his various fortunes to the illustrious and most noble the lady francis of and and with what winning phrase like a modest he his history of virginia to her protection i confess my hand though able to a weapon among the barbarous yet well may tremble in a pen among so many judicious especially when i am so bold as to so piercing and so glorious an eye as your grace to view these ragged lines yet my comfort is that heretofore ble and ladies and but amongst themselves hare offered me rescue and in my greatest dangers even in parts i hare felt relief from that sex the lady tn when i was a slave to the did all she could to secure me when i overcame the of i in the charitable lady my necessities in the utmost of many that blessed ihe great s daughter of oft saved my hfe when i escaped tho of and most furious a long time alone in a small at sea and driven ashore in france the good lady madam assisted me and so verily these adventures have tasted the same influence from your hand which hath given birth to the publication of this and thereupon he that his which had no but the shrine of her glorious name to be sheltered from condemnation might be taken imder her protection and that she would some glimpse of her honorable aspect to accept his labours that they might be pre clouds to the king s most admired prince charles and the of he tells her that her sweet would make it their good countenances and by assuring her that this page should record to that his service should be to pray to god that she might still continue the renowned of her the most honored of men and the highly blessed of god what a fine tone is there in this of the graces of his mistress and what a world of adventure does it suggest after a whole of pleasant study i closed the chronicle and restored it to its shelf with a renewed admiration of the sturdy and courteous who is so pre eminently entitled to be the true knight of the old dominion the character of smith like the extraordinary incidents of his life strikes me as approaching nearer to the invention of a fiction than that of any other real personage of history there is in it so much plain sense mingled with such glory of manhood so much homely wisdom and bravery combined so much adventure set off with so much honesty so much humility and yet so much to boast if his nature were these qualities are all so well balanced in his composition that they have an and seem more like an imagination than a reality it puts one in mind of s knight whose description though often quoted will bear a repetition here for its singular application to the history of the founder of virginia a knight there was and that a worthy man that fro the time that he began to out he and honour and clouds at mortal he ben and for faith at in and ay slain his fa like worthy knight ben with the lord of another in and he a and though that he was worthy he was wise and of his port as as is a he never yet no ne in his li unto no he was a knight chapter pleasant another morning came the rain had and nature after her three days of appeared once more in her gay and gallant apparel of sunshine and flowers the air had grown cooler the of the fields was revived the birds sang with unwonted vivacity as if in compensation	29
now in the possession of the vigor of early manhood with apparently some eight and twenty years upon his head his frame was well light and active his face though distinguished by a smooth and almost cheek still presented an outline of decided manly beauty the sun and wind had his complexion except where a rich volume of black hair upon his brow had preserved the original of a st e shoe robinson high broad forehead a eye sparkled under the shade of a dark lash and indicated by its alternate and decision an adventurous as well as a cheerful spirit his whole bearing and figure seemed to speak of one familiar with enterprise and fond of danger they gentle breeding over a life of toil and notwithstanding his profession which was seen in his erect and carriage his dress at this time was with some slight exceptions merely civil and here touching this matter of dress i have a word to say to ray reader although custom or the fashion of the story telling craft may require that i should satisfy the in this important circumstance of apparel of the days gone by yet on the present occasion i shall be somewhat of my lore in that behalf seeing that any man who is curious on the score of the costume of the revolution time may be fully satisfied by studying those most of sundry historical passages of that day wherewith colonel has furnished this age for the of posterity in the great of the of the united states and i confess too i have another reason for my present reluctance as i feel some faint lest my principal actor might run the risk of making a sorry figure with the living generation were i to introduce him upon the stage in a coat whose description after the manner of a might be in the following summary long wide skirted narrow broad backed big and large and then to add to this what would be equally yellow small clothes and dark boots attached by a leather to the buttons at the knee without which said boots no gentleman in c ventured to mount on horseback but when i say that captain butler travelled on his present journey in the civil costume of a gentleman of the time i do not mean to a round hat pretty much of the fashion of the present day though then but little used except amongst military men with a white to show his party nor do i wish to be considered as from that peaceful character when i add that his saddle bow was fortified by a brace of s pistols away in large covered with bear shoe v i j skin for in those days when hostile were um aa l men each other upon the these pistols part of the countenance to use an excellent old phrase of a gentleman robinson was a man of altogether mould nature had carved out in his person an whom the might have studied to improve the every of his body indicated strength his stature was rather above six feet his chest broad his limbs and remarkable for their there seemed to be no useless flesh upon his frame to soften the prominent surface of his muscles and his ample as he sat upon horseback showed the working of its texture at each step as if part of the animal on which he rode his was one of those iron forms that might be imagined almost bullet proof with all these advantages of person there was a radiant broad good nature u m n his face and the glance of a large clear blue eye told of arch thoughts and of shrewd homely wisdom a ruddy complexion accorded well with his but massive features of which the prevailing expression was such as silently invited friendship and trust if to these traits be added an abundant shock of yellow curly hair in a luxuriant confined by a narrow strand of leather cord my reader will have a tolerably correct idea of the person i wish to describe robinson had been a blacksmith at the breaking out of the revolution and in truth could hardly be said to have yet abandoned the craft although ol late he had been engaged in a course of life which had but to do with the except in that sense of out and the rough iron independence of his country he was the owner of a little farm in the settlement on the and having pitched his habitation upon a around whose base the creek swept with a regular but narrow circuit this locality taken in with his calling gave rise to a common to his name throughout the neighborhood and he was therefore almost exclusively distinguished by the of horse shoe robinson this familiar had followed him into the army the age of horse shoe was some seven or eight years in advance of that of butler a circumstance which the worthy senior horse shoe robinson did not fail to use with borne authority in their personal intercourse holding himself on that account to be like an elder if not a better soldier on the present occasion his dress was of the and most rustic description a crowned hat with a broad brim a coarse grey of mixed cotton and wool dark closely to his leg nailed shoes and a red cotton handkerchief tied carelessly round his neck with a knot upon his bosom this costume and a long rifle thrown into the angle of the right arm with the resting on his and a of deer skin with a powder horn attached to it suspended on his right side might have a spectator in taking robinson for a or hunter from the neighboring mountains such were the two personages who now came o	29
er the hill the period at which i have presented them to my reader was perhaps the most anxious one of the whole struggle for independence without falling into a long narrative of events which are familiar at least to every american i may recall the fact that gates had just passed southward to take command of the army destined to act against it was now within a few weeks of that decisive battle which sent the hero of home and weather beaten back to over the of fortune and in the quiet shades of virginia to strike the balance of fame between northern glory and southern discomfiture it may be imagined then that our travellers were not without some share of that intense interest for the events upon the gale which everywhere pervaded the nation still as i have before hinted arthur butler did not journey through this beautiful region without a lively perception of the charms which nature had spread around him the soil of this district is remarkable for its blood red hue the side of every bank glowed in the sun with this bright tint and the new made wherever the early had the soil turned up to view the color the contrast of this with the luxuriant grass and the yellow with the grey and rock and with the deep green shade of the surrounding forest perpetually the notice of the lover of landscape and from every height the eye rested with pleasure upon the rich meadows of the bottom horse shoe robinson land upon the varied spread oyer the hills upon the adjacent mountains with their bald peeping through the screen of forest and especially upon the broad lines of naked earth that here and there lighted up and relieved as a painter would with its warm the heavy masses of shade the day was hot and it was with a grateful sense of refreshment that our no less than their horses found themselves as they approached the gradually penetrating the deep and tangled thicket and the high wood that hung over and darkened the of the small stream which through the valley their road lay along this stream and frequently crossed it at narrow where the water fell from rock to rock in small presenting natural of the flood in laurel and and that music which is one of the most welcome sounds to the ear of a wearied and traveller butler said but little to his companion except now and then to express a passing emotion of admiration for the natural of the region until at length the road brought them to a huge mass of rock from whose base a fountain issued forth over a bed of gravel and soon lost itself in the brook hard by a small strip of bark that some friend of the traveller had placed there caught the pure water as it was from the rock and threw it off in a some few inches above the surface of the ground the earth trodden around this spot showed it to be a customary halting place for those who on the road here butler checked his horse and announced to his comrade his intention to for a while the toil of travel there is one thing said he as he dismounted wherein all philosophers agree man must eat when he is hungry and rest when he is weary we have now been some six hours on horseback and as this fountain seems to have been put here for our use it would be the of providence not to do it the honor of a halt get down man your and let us see what you have there robinson was soon upon his feet and taking the horses a little distance off he fastened their to the impending branches of ft tree then opening his saddle bags he produced a with which he approached the fountain where butler had thrown him horse h k robinson self at full length upon the grass here as he disclosed his stores he announced his bill of fare with suitable deliberation between each item in the following terms i don t march without provisions you see captain or major i suppose i must call you now here s the rear division of a roast pig and along with it by way of two spread holding up two fowls and here are four from the best end of a ham besides these i can throw in two apple a half dozen of rolls and your is as as a s bag it is a perfect how did you come by all this it isn t so major when you come to consider said robinson the old landlady at is none of your heap up shake down and running over and when i signified to her that we want a upon the road she as much as gave me to understand that there wa n t nothing to be had but i took care to make fair weather with her daughter as i always do amongst the creatures and she let me into the where i made bold to away these few trifling articles under the of if you are fond of indian corn bread i can give you a pretty good of that you forget you are not in an enemy s country i directed you to pay for everything you got upon the road i hope you have not omitted it to day lord sir what do these women do for the cause of liberty but cook and wash and mend exclaimed the i told the old to charge it all to the continental out upon it man would you bring us into best friends by your habits of free quarters i i am not the only man major that has been spoiled in his religion by these wars i had both politeness and decency till we got	29
consider neither fish flesh nor good salt u you had good spirits though if you mean rum or brandy major we hadn t much of that but if you mean jokes and laughs it must be hard times that will stop them in camp i ll tell you one of them that made a great on both sides where we got the better of a scotch regiment that was us from outside the town they thought they would make themselves merry with our starvation so they a shell into our lines that as it came along through the air we saw had some in it from the streak it made in daylight and sure enough when we come to look at it on the ground we found it filled with rice and just to show that these were laughing at us for having nothing to eat well what do we do but fill another shell with and and just drop it handsomely amongst the lads from the land o cakes sir it soon got to the hearing of the english regiment and such a shouting as they up from their lines against the that s what i call giving as good as they major ha ha ha it wasn t a bad said butler joining in the laugh but go on with your siege we got taken at last proceeded horse shoe and surrendered on the th of may do you know that they condescended to let us go through the motions of marching outside the lines still it was a sorry day to see our colors tied as fast to their sticks as if a had been drawn over them after that we were marched the and put into close confinement n h r k robinson yes i have heard that and with heavy hearts and a dreary prospect before yon i shouldn t have minded it much major butler it was the fortune of war but they insulted us as soon as they got our arms from us it was a cowardly trick in them to endeavor to us from our cause which they tried every day it was i may say first they told us that colonel and some other officers had gone over but that was too on probable a piece of we didn t believe one word on t so one morning colonel that we be up in a line in front of the and there he made us a speech we were as silent as so many men on a surprise party the colonel said yes sir and right in their very teeth that it was an audacious that whenever he the cause of liberty he hoped they would take him as they had done some roman officer or other i think one as i understood the colonel you ve of him may be and tie his limbs to wild horses and set them adrift at full speed taking all his joints apart so that not one limb should be left to keep company with another it was a mighty severe punishment whoever he a been the british officers began to frown and i saw one chap put his hand upon his sword it would have done you good to witness the look the colonel gave him as he put his own hand to his to feel if his sword was there he so naturally forgot he was a prisoner they made him stop speaking because they gave out that it was language and so they dismissed but we let them have three cheers to show that we were in it was like said butler i ll warrant him a true man i ll that warrant replied and afterwards make it nine i wish you could have him i always thought a horn the best music in the world till that day but that day colonel charles s voice was sweeter than and trumpets as the preacher says and to boot i have beam people tell of speeches working like a fiddle on a man s nerves major but for my part i think they sometimes work like battery of field pieces or a whole band on a parade day h k i shoe k was going on to tell yon colonel put a stop to all this with our poor fellows and knowing major that you was likely to be this way he me if i thought i could give the guard the slip and make off with a letter to meet you well i studied over the thing for a while and then told him a neck was but a neck any how and that i could try and so when mb letter was ready he gave it to me telling me to hide it so that if i was it couldn t be found on my person do you see that foot added horse shoe smiling it isn t so small but that i could put a letter between the inside sole and the out or even for the matter of that and that without o much as turning down a corner correspondent and accordingly i it in the colonel then told me to watch my chance and make off to you in the as fast as i could he told me besides that i was to stay with you because you was likely to have business for me to do u that s true good there came on a evening and a little before roll call at sun set i borrowed an old cloak from green you have remembered him and out i went towards the lines and sauntered along the edge of the town till i came to one of your pipe smoking gin drinking keeping near the road that leads out towards a fellow that had no more watch in him	29
bless your soul as these hav n t than a duck on a rainy day so said i coming up boldly to him es says he laughing for he me that was al the dutch i could speak except i wa able to say it was going to rain so i told him es will which he as well as i did for it was all the time i had a little more with and at last he got up on hi feet and set to walking up and down by this time the beat for evening quarters and i bid good night but instead of going away i behind the s box and presently the rain came down by the bucket full it got very dark and was snug under cover the grand rounds was coming i could hear the tramp of feet and as no time was tc he lost i made a long step and a short story of it by just slipping oyer the lines and setting out to seek my fortune shoe robinson well done you were ever good at these but that wasn t all continued robinson as the prime file leader of mischief would have it outside of the lines i meets a cart with a man to drive it and two soldiers on foot by way of guard the first i was aware of it was a and then a to my breast i didn t ask for for i didn t mean to trade in words that night but just seizing hold of the of the piece i twisted it out of the fellow s hand and made him a present of the butt end across his i didn t want to hurt him you see for it his fault that he stopped me a back brought down the other and the third man drove off his cart as if he had some suspicion that his comrades were on their backs in the mud i didn t mean to trouble a man with my compliments but on the contrary as the preacher says i went on my way rejoicing you were very considerate i entirely approve of your moderation as you are a brave man and have a natural liking for danger this was a night that doubtless afforded you great satisfaction when danger you in the face replied horse shoe the best way is not to see it it is only in not seeing of it that a brave man from a coward that s my opinion well after that i had a hard time of it i was afraid to keep up the neck road upon account of the that was upon it so i determined to cross the and make for the district when i came to the i was a little about taking one of the that was hauled up for fear of making a noise so i slipped off my shoe that had your letter and put it my teeth and the river i must have made some in the water although i tried to my oars too for first i heard a challenge from the house and then the crack of a but it was so dark you couldn t see an egg on your own nose there was a little of lights on the shore and a of the guard may be but i suppose they thought it was a or some such beast and so made no more of it and i got safe to the other bank faithfully and bravely for the first three or four days the chances were all against me the whole country was full of and it wasn t safe to meet a man on the road you couldn t tell whether he was friend or enemy horse i t show my face in day time at all but lay close in the and when it began to grow dark i stole out like a and travelled across the fields and along the you had a good stomach to bear it a good stomach enough but not much in it til tell you another observation i made when a man travels all night long on an empty stomach he ought either to fill it next morning or make it smaller and how is that to be managed friend horse shoe indian fashion replied the your belt a little every two or three hours a man may his up to the size of a pipe stem but i found a better way to get along than by taking in my belt now for another i commonly about dark crept as near to a farm house as i venture to go and putting on a poor mouth told the folks i bad a touch of the small and was dying for a little food they were christians enough to give me a dish of bread and milk or something of that sort and enough to keep so much out of the way as not to get a chance to look me in the face they laid provisions on the ground and then walked away while i came up to get them though i didn t think much of the fashion i was waited on and had sometimes to quarrel with a bull dog for my supper i don t believe i ever ate with a better appetite in my life the first bread of freedom no matter how coarse a man eats after his escape from prison is the sweetest morsel in nature and i do think it is a little pleasanter when he eats it at the risk of his life butler nodded his head well after this continued horse shoe i had like to have lost all by another my course was for the upper country because the nearer i got to my own home the better i was	29
man than robinson besides horse shoe he added putting his hand gently upon the s shoulder old acquaintance has bred an affection between us i am a man that can eat my allowance major said je with an awkward at hearing the just passed upon him and that s a matter that doesn t turn to much profit in an empty country but i think i may make bold to promise that you are not like to suffer if a word or a blow from me would do you any good your belt may be serviceable in two ways in this expedition horse shoe it may be closer in scant times and will carry a sword in dangerous ones may i ask major inquired horse shoe u since you have got to talking of our business what has brought us so high up the country along here it seems to me that the lower road would have been nearer suppose i say replied butler with animation that there is a bird in these woods i was fond of hearing sing would it be think you to make a harder ride and a larger circuit for that gratification oh i understand major said horse shoe laughing whether it be peace or whether it be war these women keep the upper hand of us men for my part i think it s more natural to think of them in war than in peace for you see the creatures are so helpless that if a man don t take care of them who would and then when a woman s frightened as she must be in these times she so naturally to a man it stands to reason you will keep my counsel interrupted butler u i have a reason which perhaps you may know by and by you should not speak el any thing you may see or hear and now horse h robinson as we have spent a good hour in refreshment make our horses ready we ll take the road again robinson promised caution in all matters that might be committed to his charge and now set himself about the horses for the journey whilst he was engaged in this occupation butler was startled to hear the abruptly cry out you devil captain peter what are you about and looking hastily around saw no one but the squire himself who was now intent upon thrusting the bit into his horse s mouth a liberty which the animal seemed to resent by sundry of u to whom are you talking only to this here contrary beast major what name did you call him by inquired butler ha ha ha was it that you was listening too said horse shoe i have him captain peter sometimes captain peter tell you why i am a little malicious touching the name of my horse after the surrender of our was put in the charge of a by the name of captain and his first name was peter he was a rough ugly haired fellow with no better than a barrel of he gave us all sorts of ill usage knowing that we wa n t allowed to give him the kind of payment that such an fellow get if ever i had met him again major as lieutenant used to say which is i take it for a fair field i would a his for him to the satisfaction of all good fellows well when i got home i gave his name to my beast just for the pleasure of thinking of that thief every time i had occasion to give the a dig in the ribs or lay a blow across his and yet he is a most an excellent horse major and a hundred times more of a gentleman than his though he is a little hard headed too but that he from me it really seems to me that the dumb beast thinks his name a disgrace as he has good right but has got used to it and besides i hear that the cross growling dog of a captain has been killed in a since i left so now i consider my horse a sort of with the ugly sinner s name on it and as i it every day you see that s another horse robinson well there are few men enjoy their revenge more good ly than you so come your again and make the bones beneath it in good glee our travellers now themselves once more to the road j chapter iii ax incident that of roman ce by the time the had fallen to the level of the of the blue ridge butler and robinson had so far in their journey as to find themselves in the vicinity of the river a rapid mountain stream that the southern confine of and which at that period separated this county from their path had led them by a short circuit out of the of creek along upon the of the neighboring hills and they were now descending from this elevation into the valley of the near to the point where the creek forms its with this river the hill was covered with a stately forest and a broad winding road had been cut down the in such a manner as to present a high bank on one hand and an abrupt sheer descent on the other from this road might be seen at intervals glimmering through the screen of the waters of the small river below whilst at the same time the course of the descending track left but few paces of its length visible from any one point except where now and then it came boldly forth to the verge of some wild from which glimpses were to be obtained of its frequent towards the deep and romantic that received the mingled tribute of the two streams here	29
as our travellers downward their attention was awakened by the cry of hounds in pursuit of game these sounds came from the wood on the crest of the hill above them and the earnestness with which they assailed the ear and roused the far echo of the showed the object of chase to have suddenly surprised and hotly followed the was heard fa some moments pursuing a direction towards the river when horse shoe suddenly from the midst of the forest the sharp of a rifle shot showed that some hunter was on the watch to profit by the discovery of the dogs robinson as soon as he heard the report urged his horse forward with speed to the first turn of the road below dismounted and throwing his rifle into the palm of his left hand stood ready to give his fire wherever he might find occasion butler followed and up close beside his companion there is game said and if that shot has not done its business it may be my turn to try a hand these words were hardly spoken when a wounded buck rushed to the brink of the bank some twelve or fifteen feet above the heads of the travellers and regardless of the presence of enemies made one frantic bound forward into the air and fell dead almost at robinson s feet so effectually had the work of death been done upon the poor animal that he seemed to have expired in the of this last leap before he reached the ground his were driven into the clay his eyes were fixed and not a struggle followed it was a home shot that brought this poor fugitive to the earth said butler as he stood gazing at the piteous spectacle before him and sped by a practised hand i don t count him a good man major said with professional indifference who would his meat by firing now this buck was taken sideways as he leaped above the tops of the bushes which is the of all the ways of shooting a deer the man that plucked this fellow i ll warrant can plant his ball just where he likes right under the arm is the place for certainty and the thing couldn t have been prettier done if the man had had a rest and a standing shot during this short interval the hounds had arrived on the spot where the buck lay bleeding and these after a few minutes were followed by two hunters of very appearance who came on foot slowly leading their horses up the hill the first was a tall gaunt of a sallow complexion jet black eyes and round head of smooth black hair his dress was simply a coarse linen shirt and the heat of the day being such as to allow him to dispense with coat and waistcoat he carried in one hand a battered straw hat and in the other robinson a long rifle his feet were covered with a pair of of brown leather and the ordinary hunting suspended about his person the second was a youth apparently about sixteen dressed in a writ of green summer cloth neatly and adapted to his figure which was graceful and boyish the jacket was short and gathered into a small skirt behind and both this and the were with a profusion of black cord and small black buttons a highly polished leather belt was around his waist a cap of green cloth rested somewhat amongst the rich locks of a head of light curly hair that fell with girlish beauty over a fair brow and gave softness to a countenance of pure white and red and a neat foot showed to advantage in a boot the whole appearance of the youth was of one of an amiable and bearing and the small rifle or which he bore in his hand as well as the dainty that belonged to it amongst which was a looked more like the toys of a boy than any apparatus of service no sooner had these two approached near enough to butler and his attendant for recognition than the youth the hold of his horse sprang forward with a joyous alacrity and seized butler by the hand captain butler he cried with great animation how glad i am you have come and how fortunate it is that i should meet you get down from your horse i have something to tell you here foster take this gentleman s horse a you are a fine fellow harry said butler that smiling face of yours is full of pleasant news it me that all are well at the dove then having given his horse in charge to robinson and walked a few paces apart with his young friend he ra a low and anxious tone my dear henry what of your sister has she received my letter does she expect me f is your father a now captain interrupted the other but don t the newspapers say you are i am a pretty fellow to forget that well then major butler let me answer one question at a time in the first place sister is as well as any girl can be that has a whole of crosses to keep her out of spirits poor horse sh ok robin k thing she so about you and my father in the second place she received your letter a week ago and has had me this ridge every day since just to keep a look out for you and for the sake of company i have had foster hunting here all the time more for an excuse than anything else because on this side of the river the drives are not the best for deer a man might be here a fortnight and not get a shot sister wanted me if i should see you first just to whisper to you that	29
it is impossible to do anything with my father especially at this time for he has one of these english officers staying at the dove now who i am afraid and so is sister has come to do some mischief says i must make some appointment with you to see her privately i thought of mrs s but this englishman has a servant staying over there and may be it wouldn t do so major you will have to ride down to the big chestnut on the bank of the river just under the rock that we call the s tower you know where that is it isn t more than two miles from here i know it well henry i will wait there patiently replied butler as he now returned to his horse haven t we been in luck said henry to get so fine a buck at last this fellow has eight branches it is s rifle tha has done it the during this conversation had taken possession of his spoil and was now busily engaged with his knife in cutting open and preparing the animal for according to the of whilst robinson stood by admiring the dexterity with which this office was performed when the buck was at last thrown by across his horse henry gave him orders to ride forward you will carry our game to your own house and don t forget to morrow to let us have the saddle at the dove and you need not say that we hare found any acquaintances upon the road you understand the man bowed his head in token of obedience and getting upon his long backed behind the buck was soon lost to view in the of the hill sister is sometimes downright melancholy said the young hunter after he had and now rode beside butler horse robinson she is troubled about you and is always telling me of some unpleasant dream i almost think she is over fanciful and then she reads everything about the army and talks almost like a man about do you know she is making a soldier of me i am constantly reading military books and and laying out just as if i was going into camp my father doesn t know a word of it his time is taken up with these english officers writing to them and every now and then there are some of them at our house knows them a famous spy she would make isn t she an excellent girl major butler a you and i should guard her henry with more care than we guard our lives replied butler with a serious emphasis i hope returned henry she will be in better spirits after she sees you i would to heaven said butler that we all had more reason to be of good cheer than we are likely to have it is as cloudy a day henry as you may ever behold again should you live as i pray you may to the old age henry looked up towards the west there are clouds upon the sky he said and the sun has dropped below them but there is a streak of yellow light near to the line of the mountain that our wise people say is a sign that the sun will rise in beauty to morrow there is a light beyond the mountain replied butler half speaking to himself and it is the best the only sign i see of a dear to morrow i wish henry it were a brighter beam don t you know gates has passed south said henry an has some pretty fellows with him they say and ar n t we all here every man most ask foster what i am and what will he tell me why that i am his in the mounted is the lieutenant oh i your favor brother officer good master henry and does your father allow you to ride in the ranks of the friends of liberty sister persuaded him that as i am a mere lad as she says look at me major a pretty well grown lad i take it there horse shoe is no harm in my playing soldier so i ride always with foster and got me this light rifle now major i fancy i am pretty nearly as good a as rides in the corps who is this with you asked henry looking back at robinson who some distance in the rear purposely to avoid what might be deemed an intrusion upon the private conference of the two friends that is a famous soldier henry he was at the siege of and last year at he has had some hard blows and can tell you more of war than you have ever read in all your studies he wears a curious uniform said henry for a soldier what is his name robinson or horse shoe robinson to give him his most popular distinction but it would be well to keep his name secret i have heard of horse shoe said henry with an expression of great interest so this is the man himself from all reports he is as brave as as who asked butler smiling at the tone of wonder which henry spoke as who i make no doubt major was about the man in the books butler laughed and applauded the young for his the road from the foot of the hill pursued the left or northern bank of the which shot along with a rapid flood over the rocks that lay scattered in its bed and the of whose flight fell upon the ear like the loud tones of the wind from either margin it was shaded by huge whose tops at this twilight hour were marked in broad lines upon the sky and whose wide spreading boughs met from side to side over the middle	29
of the stream throwing a deeper night upon the clear and transparent waters the valley was closely bound by high hills whose steep and narrow passes seemed to echo and the of the stream that was now mingled with the occasional of cattle the shriek of the owl and the frequent hoarse scream of the whip poor will shoe when par party had advanced about a mile along this road henry took his and blew a blast which seemed to dance in its from one side of the river to the other knows my signal said he that is the s warning cavalry approaches dress your line prepare to receive a general officer henry pray drop your military phrase and tell me what this means v said butler ride on till you arrive beneath the s tower wait for me there i will give you a signal when i approach and trust me for a faithful messenger the river is deep at the rock but you will find a boat fastened to this bank when you hear my signal come across mr s is only another mile and i ll warrant the old lady will make you comfortable love they say major added henry is meat and drink and a blanket to boot but for all that mrs s will not be amiss especially for horse shoe who i take it will have the time of the party if love is a blanket mr robinson henry continued addressing himself to that worthy it doesn t cover two you know to my thinking young sir replied horse shoe with a laugh it wouldn t fold so cleverly in a u now that i have given my orders said henry and done my duty i must leave you for my road lies across the ford here where are my hounds bell you where are you here henry blew another note which was immediately responded to by the hounds and plunging into the rapid and narrow stream followed by the dogs who swam close behind him he was seen the next moment through the twilight galloping up the opposite hill as he called out his good night to his friends as soon as henry had disappeared the other two pricked their forward at a faster pace the rapid flow of the river as they advanced along its bank began to change into a more quiet current as if some below had up the water rendering it deep and still upon this tranquil mirror the pale of the moon and the faintly peeping stars were reflected and the flight of the fire fly was traced by his own light and its image upon the same surface e shoe robinson the high cliff of the s tower that forth like a above the road soon arrested the attention of butler and at its base the great chestnut flung abroad his vast magnificence of leaves almost in of the we hav reached our appointed ground said butler i shall want my cloak the begin to chill my limbs they dismounted and butler threw his cloak around his shoulders then in a thoughtful musing state of mind he strolled slowly along the bank of the river til he was temporarily lost to view in the thick shades and sombre scenery around him robinson having secured the horses sat himself down at the foot of the chestnut unwilling to interrupt by conversation the anxious state of feeling which he had the to perceive in butler s mind chapter iv a meeting of lovers some insight into the future the twilight had subsided and given place to a beautiful night the moon had risen above the tree tops and now threw her level rays upon the broad face of the massive pile of rocks forming the s tower and lit up with a silvery splendor the foliage that clothed the steep cliff and the almost perpendicular hill in its neighborhood on the opposite side of the river a line of and trees that grew almost at the water s edge threw a dark shadow upon the bank through these at intervals the bright moonlight fell upon the earth and upon the quiet and deep stream the woods were with the whispering noises that give discord to the nights of summer yet was there a stillness in the scene which invited grave thoughts and recalled to butler s mind some painful emotions that belonged to his present condition how complicated and severe are those trials such was the current of his meditations which mingle private grief with public misfortune that double current of ill which runs on one side to the overthrow of a nation s happiness and on the other to the of the individual who labors in the cause what a struggle have i to encounter between my duty to my country and my regard for those tender relations that still more my affections nor less earnestly appeal to my manhood for defence upon the common quarrel i have already my life and fortune and find myself up in its most perilous obligations that cause has enough in it to employ and the strongest mind and to the full devotion of a head and heart that are from all other solicitude yet am i embarrassed with personal cares that are woven into the very web of my existence that have planted themselves beside the fountain of my affections and which if they horse shoe robinson be rudely torn from me would leave behind but a miserable and hopeless wreck my own to what sad trials have i brought your affection and how nobly hast thou met them man lives in the crowd he struggles for the palm that thousands may and far renown may the air with the loud of praise his is the strife of the theatre where the world are spectators and multitudes shall his success or lament his fall or cheer	29
him in the pangs of death but woman gentle silent thy triumphs are only for the heart that loves thee thy deepest have no but the secret communion of thine own pillow whilst butler who had now returned beneath the cliff of the s tower was absorbed in this silent musing his comrade was no less occupied with his own cares the had acquired much of that in regard to small comforts which becomes in some degree an instinct in those whose profession them to the of wind and weather tobacco in his reckoning was one of the most indispensable of war and he was accordingly seldom without a good stock of this a corn at any time furnished him the means of carving the bowl of a pipe whilst in his pocket he carried a slender of reed which being united to the bowl formed a smoking apparatus still familiar to the people of this country and which to use the s own phrase couldn t be touched for sweetness by the best pipe the very queen of the dutch herself ever smoked and that he was in the habit of adding must be as i take it about the tenderest thing for a that the how to make a flint and steel part also of his gear now served to his tobacco and he had been for some time past the length and breadth of his own fancies which were doubtless rendered the more sublime by the which a rich volume of smoke had shed across his vision and into the atmosphere around his brain twelve shillings and nine pence were the first words which became audible to butler in the depth of his that major said the who had been his pocket and count ing over a handful of coin is exactly the amount i have spent since this time last night i paid it to the old lady of the swan h b i shoe robinson at taking a sixpence for mending your bridle rein since you must make me for our march i am obliged to square accounts every night my wont bold two days reckoning it gets and with so many that i lose the count clean out u it is of little consequence replied butler seeking to avoid his companion s interruption up and off and bringing out this and that shilling straight to a penny don t come natural to me continued robinson too intent upon his reckoning to observe the of butler to a money matters are not in my line i take to them as as ben did to the company s books when they made him orderly on the for in the first place couldn t write and in the next place if he could a done that he never to read so you may suppose what a beautiful he had of it to keep the guard straight look if yonder boat is loose i shall want it presently said butler still giving no ear to his comrade s gossip it is tied by an easy knot to the root of the tree said robinson as he returned from the examination u thank you added butler with more than usual something major seems to press upon your spirits to night said the in the kindest tones of inquiry if i could lend a hand to put any thing that happen to have got crooked into its right place again you ow major butler i wouldn t be slow to do it when you say the word i would trust my life to you sooner than to any man living replied the other with an affectionate emphasis but you mistake me i am not heavy at heart though a little anxious at what has brought me here comrade he added as he approached the upon whose broad shoulder he familiarly laid his hand with a smile you will keep a fellow soldier s counsel as i keep my heart in my body interrupted i am sure of it even as you keep your faith to your country my true and worthy brother added butler with animation and that id with no less honesty than a good man serves his god shoe robinson then bear it in mind i have here for the sake of a short meeting with one that i love as you would have a good soldier love the lady of his soul you will hereafter speak of nothing that may fall within your notice it concerns me deeply that this meeting should be secret major i will have neither eyes nor ears if it you to keep any thing that chance to come to my knowledge private it is not for myself i this caution i have nothing to conceal from you but there is a lady who is much interested in our i have given you a long and solitary ride on her account and may hereafter ask other service from you you shall not find it more irksome to stand by a comrade in love than you have ever found it in war and that i know you think not much u the war comes naturally enough to my hand replied but as for the love part major excepting so far as carrying a message or in case of a keeping off a gang of or watching for a night or so under a tree or any thing indeed in the riding and running or watching or line i say excepting these my t turn to much account i can t even play a fiddle at a wedding and not the best tongue for making amongst the women major you may set me down for a on the first forlorn hope you may have occasion for a mr lives on the hill across the river there are reasons why i cannot go to his house and his	29
daughter is an especial friend to us and to our cause i begin to see into it interrupted the laughing you have a notion of showing the old gentleman the same trick you played off upon lord s when you was lieutenant at valley touching your stealing away his prisoner captain that was a night affair too well the best wife a man can have major is the woman that takes to him through fire and water there was colonel that stole his wife just in that way against all opposition of both father and mother and a better woman never up a to my knowledge arid b horse shoe robinson i have no thought of such an enterprise said butler our purpose for the present must be confined to a short visit we are and have little to offer to sweetheart or wife that might please a woman s fancy tt when a woman loves a man especially a replied the she sets as little store by house and home as the best of us still it is a wise thing to give the creatures the chance of peace before you get to them with families hark i hear something like footsteps on t other side of the river henry must be on his march after an interval a low whistle issued from the opposite bank and in a moment butler was in the pushing his way through the sparkling waters as the small boat in which he stood upright shot from the bright moonlight into the shade of the opposite side he could discern leaning on her brother s arm as they both stood under the thick foliage of a large and scarcely liad the bow struck upon the margin before he bounded from it up the bank and was in the next instant locked in the embrace of one whose affection he valued above all earthly possessions when that short interval had passed away in which neither nor arthur could utter speech during which the lady her head upon her lover s bosom in that fond familiarity which faith is allowed to justify in the most modest maiden sobbing the while in the intensity of her emotions she then at last as she slowly regained her self possession said in a soft and melancholy voice in which there was nevertheless a tone of i am a foolish girl arthur i can boast like a coward when there is nothing to fear and yet i weep like a true woman at the first trial of my courage ah my dear you are a brave girl replied butler as he held both of her hands and looked fondly into her face and a true and a tried girl you have come kindly to me and ever like a blessed and gentle spirit of good are prompt to attend me through every it is a long and weary time love since last we met u it is very very long arthur horse shoe robinson and we are still as far from our wishes as at first we were even so said sorrowfully a year of pain heavily by and brings no hope oh arthur what have i suffered in the thought that your life is so beset with dangers i muse upon them with a childish fear that was not so before our last meeting they rise to disturb my daily fancies and night finds them my pillow i was so thankful that you escaped that dreary siege of i u many a poor and gallant fellow soldier there bit his lip with a and temper said butler but the day will come when we may yet carry a head to the field of our country s honor and your share interrupted will ever be to march in the front rank in spite of all your perils past your hard service which has known no holiday your that i have sometimes feared would break down your health and in spite too of the claims arthur that your poor has upon you you are even now again bound upon some bold adventure that must separate us ah perhaps for ever our fate has malice in it ever beginning some fresh you would not have your soldier bear himself otherwise than as a true knight who would win and wear his lady love by good set blows when there was need for them if i were the genius that up this war i would give my own true knight a breathing space he should pipe and dance between replied he that puts his into this field amongst the said butler with a thoughtful earnestness should not look back from his work no no though ray heart break while i say it for in truth i am very melancholy notwithstanding i force a beggar s smile upon my cheek no i would not have you stay or stand arthur until you have seen this wretched quarrel at an end i praised your first resolve loved you for it applauded and cheered you i will not now for the sake of my weak apprehension say one word to withhold your arm and you are still said butler that same resolute b sh t that i found in the young and eloquent beauty who my worthless heart when the war first drew the wild spirits of the country together under our free banner the same foolish conceited arthur that first took a silly liking to your and made a hero to her imagination out of a the same in all my follies and in all my faults only altered in one quality u and pray what is that one quality i will not tell you said carelessly u make you than you are u it is not well to hide a kind thought from me indeed it is not arthur and so will muster courage to speak it said the	29
confiding girl with vivacity after a short pause daring which she hung fondly upon her lover s arm and then suddenly changing her mood she proceeded in a tone of deep and serious enthusiasm it is that since that short and most solemn meeting i have loved you arthur with feelings that i did not know until then were mine my busy fancy has followed you in all your wanderings painted with stronger hues than nature gives to any real scene the difficulties and that might cross your path noted the seasons with a nervous of remark from very faint at the thought that they might your health or bring you some discomfort i have over the accounts of battles the march of armies the tales of prisoners relating the secrets of their studied the plans of and as the newspapers or common brought them to my knowledge with an interest that has made those around me say i was sadly changed it was all because i had grown cowardly and feared even my own shadow oh arthur i am not indeed what i was the solemnity force and feeling with which gave utterance to these words strangely contrasted with the light and gay tone in which she had commenced but her thoughts had now men into a current that bore her forward into one of those bursts of excited emotion which were characteristic of her temper and which threw a peculiar energy and eloquence into her manner butler struck by the rising warmth of her and swayed in part by the painful reflections to which her h b k shoe robinson gave rise replied in a state of feeling scarcely less solemn than her own ah and as he spoke he parted her hair upon her pale forehead and kissed it dearest girl the unknown time to come no cup of suffering for me that i would not hold a cheap purchase for one moment like this even a year of painful absence past and a still more one to come may be gallantly and cheerfully borne when blessed with the fleeting interval of this night to hear your faith which though i never dwelt upon it but with a confidence that i have held it most profane to doubt still to hear it from your own lips now again and again repeating what you have often breathed before and in letter after letter written down it falls upon my heart like some good gift from heaven specially sent to revive and my resolution in all the toils and labors that yet await me there must be good in store for such a heart as thine and trusting to this faith i will look to the future with a temper the future said as she lifted her eyes to the pale moon that now with its light her whole figure as she and her lover strayed beyond the shade of the i almost shudder when i hear that word we live but in the present that arthur is at least our own poor as we are in almost all beside that future is a perplexed and tangled riddle a dreadful uncertainty in the contemplation of which i grow superstitious such ill are about us my father s inexorable will so so unconscious of the pain it gives me his rooted yes his fatal aversion to you my here where like a poor bird checked by a cord i myself by fluttering on the verge of my prison bounds and then the awful perils that continually over your head all these are more than weak they are the realities of my daily life and give me what i am almost ashamed to confess a sad and spirit nay nay dearest away with all these unreasonable replied butler with a manner that too plainly betrayed the of mirth seclusion has dealt with you it has almost turned thee into a downright sentimental woman i will have none of this stepping to the verge of melancholy you were accustomed to cheer me with sunny and warm horse shoe robinson counsel and you must not forget it was yourself who taught me to strike aside the waves of fortune with a glad temper the can have no spite against one so good as thou art time may hear us along like a rough trotting horse and our journey may have its dark night its and its jack o but there will come a ruddy morning at last a road and an easier gait and thou my girl shalt again instruct me how to win a triumph over the ills of life and we will be happy arthur because all around us will be added catching the current of butler s thoughts with that ready which eminently showed the earnestness and devotion of her feelings ah may heaven grant this boon and bring these dreams to life i think arthur i should be happier now if i could but be near you in your wanderings gladly would i follow you through all the dangers of the war that were indeed love a trial past your faculty to endure no no she who would be a soldier s wife should learn the soldier s philosophy to look with a resigned submission on the present events and trust to heaven for the future your share in this struggle is to with your own heart in solitude and teach it patience right nobly have you thus far borne that grievous burden the sacrifice that you have made its ever present and weight silently and its slow pains upon your free and generous spirit that is the chief and most of my cares this weary war this weary war breathed in a pensive under key when will it be done the longest troubles have their end replied butler and men at last spent with the of their own mischief	29
fly by a selfish instinct into the bosom of peace god will prosper our enterprise and bring our battered ship into a fortunate haven how little like it seems it now returned the general sorrow alone might well weigh down the heart that cause which you have made mine arthur to which you have bestowed your life and which for your sake she added proudly should have this feeble arm of mine could it avail is it not even now trembling on the verge of ruin have not your letters one after another told me of the sad train in which misfortunes have shoe upon the whole people of defeat both north and south and at this very time of disgraceful of whole under the very eye of washington that washington who loves his country and her soldiers as a husband loves his bride and a father his children have not those to whom we all looked for turned into mere in the war for freedom oh arthur do you not remember that these are the thoughts the very words which were by your own hand for my especial meditation how can i but that the good end is still far off how can i but feel some weight upon my heart u you have grown in these i am to blame for this that in my humor vexed with the crosses of the day i should have written on such topics to one so sensitive as yourself still it is true arthur all report it these things do not become your entertainment leave the public care to us there are bold hearts love and strong arms yet to spare for this quarrel we have not yet so exhausted our mines of strength but that much rough ore still lies to the sun and many an uncouth lump of metal remains to be fashioned for serviceable use history tells of many a from despondency so sudden and that the wisest men could see in it no other spring than the decree of god he will fight the battle of the weak and set the right upon a sure foundation the country rings said again taking the more cheerful hue of her lover s hopes and following out with an affectionate sympathy his tone of thought with anticipation of victory from gates s southern march that may turn out to be a broken reed interrupted butler as if thinking aloud and struck by s reference to a subject that had already engrossed his thoughts they may be deceived washington would have put a different man upon that service i would have a leader in such a war wary watchful humble as well as brave i fear gates is not so then i trust arthur exclaimed with anxious alacrity that your present expedition does not connect you with his fortunes p i neither follow his colors nor partake of his counsels replied horse shoe on butler still my motions may not be from the influence of his failure or success the enemy you are aware has possessed himself of every post of value in south and i go to advise with discreet and prudent men upon the means to shake off this odious so far only and too i am a fellow with gates there are gallant spirits now to strip these masters of their power my office is to aid their enterprise if you needs must go arthur i have no word to say you will leave behind you an aching heart that morning noon and night heaven with its prayers for your safety alas i have no other aid to give how soon how soon she said with a voice that faltered with the question does your duty compel you to leave me to morrow s sunrise love must find me forth upon my way to morrow arthur so quickly to part i dare not linger not even for the rich blessing of thy presence u and length of your journey indeed i know not at present my farthest aim is ninety six and it much depends upon the pleasure of our proud and wilful masters stood for some moments looking upon the ground in profound silence her bosom heaved with a sad emotion it is a dangerous duty said she at last i cannot speak my apprehension at the thought of your risks amongst the fierce and treacherous men that the country to which you travel u these perils are exaggerated by distance returned butler a thousand of protection and defence occur when present which the absent cannot fancy it is a light service and may more securely be performed with a gay heart than with a sad one i pray you do not suffer that active imagination of yours to invest the every day adventures of your poor soldier with a romantic interest of which they are not worthy i neither giants nor ladies nor yoke captive together no no i shall some over fed and some simple and perhaps soil my boots in a great and then hasten back love to boast of my to the ear of my own sweet girl who i warrant will think me a most preposterous hero s robinson how can you laugh arthur and jet i would not have yon catch my foolish sadness either i have with me besides a friend good at need one robinson a practised and soldier who sits on yonder bank he is to be the companion of my journey he is shrewd and cautious an moreover of the district to which i am bound his wisdom can do much for my success then i travel too in peaceful guise my business is more concerned with than with battle it is a path arthur said in the same voice with which she had spoken before never take it so heavily my love exclaimed butler familiarly seizing her hand whose trembling now betrayed her	29
agitation it is the mere sport of the war to be upon a running service where a light or so will a set of dull i scarcely deem it a venture to through a forest where every man flies from his neighbor out of mutual distrust these fellows have brought themselves upon such bad terms with their own that they start like thieves at the waving of a they would be the more cruel replied if some ill luck should throw you into their power if that should happen she added and for a while she hesitated to speak as a tear fell upon butler s hand if that should happen i cannot bear the thought they dare offer me no wrong the chances of battle are sufficiently various to compel even the to pursue the policy of humanity to prisoners the conqueror of to day may himself be a captive to morrow and a bloody would await his again let me remind you these are not fit topics for your meditation they are topics for my heart arthur and will not be driven from it if your lot should put you in the power of the enemy the name of and the relation you bear her whispered in their ears may perhaps their my father has many friends in those ranks and it may be that i am not unknown to some of them oh remember that you have little need to teach me to think or speak of said butler eagerly i cannot forget that name but i may well doubt its charm upon the savage who are now horse shoe robinson our citizens in those who are the fountains of contentment at every fire side it is not a name to evil spirits with major butler said henry who during this long interval had been strolling backward and forward like a at some distance from his sister and her lover and who with the military of a soldier on duty even to listen to what he could not have helped if it had not been for humming a tune major i don t like to make or with things that don t belong to me but you and have been talking long enough to settle the x of a whole campaign and as my father thinks he can t be too careful of and doesn t like her walking about after night fail i shouldn t be surprised if a messenger were despatched for us only i think that man is some plot with him to night and may keep him longer in talk than usual who is p inquired butler one that i wish had been in his grave before he had ever seen my father answered with a bitter vehemence he is a wicked of the royal party sent here to my dear father into their toils such as it has ever been his fate to be cursed with from the beginning of the war but this the most hateful of them all alas alas your poor father what deep sorrow do i feel that he and i should be so i could love him counsel with him honor him with a devotion that should your wish his generous nature has been played upon cheated abused and i in whom fortune and inclination should have raised him a friend have been made the victim of his passion true true exclaimed bursting into tears and resting her head against her lover s breast i can find courage to bear all but this i am most unhappy and for some moments she sobbed audibly the thought has sometimes crossed me said butler that i would go to your father and tell him all it my self respect to be obliged to practise concealment towards one who should have a right to know all that concerns a daughter so dear to him even now if i may persuade you to it i will go hand in hand with you and with humble reverence place myself before him and all that has passed between us no no arthur no ejaculated with the most earnest determination it will not come to good you do not understand my father s feelings the very sight of you would rouse him into frenzy there is no name which might fall upon his ear with deeper offence than yours not yet arthur the time has not yet come i have been patient said butler patient for your sake to try him now continued whose feelings still ran with a upon this newly awakened and topic now in the very depth of his bitterest aversion to what he terms an rebellion and whilst his heart is yet moved with an almost hate against all who the cause and to you especially above whose head there in his belief some horrid impending curse that shall bring desolation upon him and all who claim an interest in his blood no no it must not be another year of pent up vexation self reproach and anxious concealment must then glide by and perhaps another said butler well i must be content to bear it though in the mean time my heart for you it is a painful trial for good or for evil our vow is now in heaven replied and we must abide the end i would not have it other than it is dearest girl except this stern resolve of your father not for the world s wealth said butler warmly but you spoke of this what manner of man is he how might i know him to know him would answer no good end arthur his soul is absorbed in and my dear father is its prey i too am tormented by him but it is no matter i need not vex your ear with the tale of his annoyance indeed exclaimed butler with a sudden	29
expression of resentment all that concerns my father concerns me said w it is my evil destiny arthur to be compelled to endure the associations of men whose principles habits purposes are all at war with my own alas such are now my father s constant companions i h r s rob m k man whose very name is a cheat put on i doubt not to conceal him from observation goes farther than the rest in the boldness of his practice i have some that he is better acquainted with the interest you take in me than we might suspect possible to a stranger i fear him and then arthur it is my peculiar misery that he has lately set up a disgusting to my regard oh i could give him if my sex had strength to strike the dagger sooner than upon him one kind word yet am i obliged by circumstance to observe a strained courtesy towards him which as it is makes me an unwilling to my own heart ejaculated butler i have heard no such name abroad i then muttering a deep curse as he bit his lip with passion he added oh that i could face this man or penetrate his foul purpose how is it likely i might meet him you shall have no temptation to a quarrel said your quick resentment would but give activity to his for the sake of my peace arthur and of your own inquire no further time may disclose more than rash pursuit leave that to sister and myself major said henry ho listened with great interest to this conversation i have my ye upon him let that satisfy you and when sister puts up the game depend upon it i will bring him down thanks thanks dear henry i can trust you for a ready friend and will even follow your good advice a more favorable season for this concern may soon arrive meantime i will bear this hint in mind again henry made an appeal to the lovers to bring their conference to an end it was a sorrowful moment the events of which were brief earnest and impassioned and such as a dull like myself might easily mar in the telling yet they were such as zealous and eager natures who have loved with an intense and absorbing love and who have parted in times of awful danger and uncertainty may perchance be able to picture to themselves when they recall the most impressive incident of their lives to memory i will only say that in that dark shade where the tree spread his of leaves over the cool bank and marked his shadow s on the green that grassy on which the horse shoe robinson constant moon lit up the lamps hung by the spider on blade and leaf and in that silent time when the distant water fall came far sounding on the ear when sleepless insects in the thicket and dogs at some remote howled like to the moon and in that chill hour when drew her close around her dew shoulders whilst arthur fondly and affectionately half enveloped her in the folds of a military cloak as he whispered words of tender parting in her ear and a kiss upon her cheek and when moreover henry s teeth like a frozen s then it was and there that this enthusiastic girl again pledged her devotion to the man of her waking thoughts and nightly dreams come come woe whatever might and the soldier paid back the pledge with new and in the strong language that came from the heart meaning all that he said and with a feeling beyond the reach of words and after a locked and fond embrace full and and in phrase oft repeated the two bade farewell and god s blessing each upon the other and then not without looking back and breathing a fresh prayer of blessings they separated on their dreary way retiring as she had come on the arm of her brother and butler springing hurriedly into the and directing its swift passage to the middle of the stream where after a pause to enable him to discern the last footsteps of his mistress as her form glided into the obscure distance he sighed a low u god bless her then resumed his oar and drove his boat against the opponent bank chapter v l comfortable inn and a good landlady the misfortunes of heroes do not always destroy the appetite as soon as butler landed from the he threw his cloak into the hands of the then with a disturbed haste sprang upon his horse and commanding to follow galloped along the road down the river as fast as the nature of the ground and the obscurity of the hour would allow a brief space brought them to the spot where the road crossed the stream immediately in the vicinity of the widow s little inn which might here be discerned beneath the cover of the opposite hill the low wooden building quietly stationed some thirty paces off the road was so in the shelter of a huge willow that the at such an hour as this might perchance pass the spot unconsciously by were it not for an and somewhat haggard sign post that like a hospitable of strangers stood hard by the road side and there displayed a shattered emblem in the guise of a large blue ball a little decayed by wind and weather which said blue ball without or device was universally interpreted to mean entertainment for man and horse by the widow the moonlight fell with a broad lustre upon the sign post and its globe and our travellers besides could through the of the willow a window of some rear building of the inn richly illuminated by what from the of the light might be to be a bundle	29
on the left take care sir it is a fall to in the dark in a strange house the house is not so strange to me as you suppose unless you have moved your furniture i can find the green beyond the cupboard said butler familiarly across the room and throwing himself into the old he had named the landlady without this evidence f the of her visitor with the of the little parlor had hastily retreated and in a moment afterwards returned with a light which as she held it above her head while she peered through a pair of spectacles threw its full upon the face of her guest dear me good lack she exclaimed after a moment s gazing arthur butler o my conscience and is it you mr butler v then putting the candle upon the table she seized both of his hands and gave them a long and hearty shake that shouldn t know your voice of all others where have you been and where are you going mercy on me what makes you so late and why didn t you let me know you were coming i could have made you so much more comfortable you are chilled with the night air and hungry no doubt and you look pale poor fellow you surely couldn t have been at the dove which last was expressed with a look of earnest and anxious inquiry u no not there replied butler almost in a alas my kind dame not there he added with a melancholy smile as he held the hand of the hostess and shook his head my fortune has in no improved since i left you almost a year ago i broke from you hastily then to resume my share in the war and i have had horse robinson nothing but hard blows ever since the tide mistress sadly against us never let your heart fail you exclaimed the landlady it isn t in the nature of things for the luck to be for ever on the shady side besides take the good and bad together you have not been so hardly dealt by captain butler major butler madam of the second continental interrupted robinson who had stood by all this time unnoticed major butler the captain has been promoted by occasion of the wiping out of a few friends from the upper side of the s roll in the of fort he is what we call in common this was made by the with due solemnity accompanied by an attempt at a bow which was abundantly stiff and my friend robinson said butler i commend him mistress to your especial favor both for a comrade and a most satisfactory and sufficient man you are welcome and free to the best that s in the house said the landlady and i wish for your sake it was as good as your appetite which ought to be of the best mr arthur butler s word is all in all under this roof and whether he be captain or major i promise you makes no difference with me bless me when i first saw you major you was only an then and away and back you come a pretty lieutenant about my house and then a captain and now on the track of that a major it is up up up the ladder till you will come one of these days to be a general and too proud i to look at such a little old woman as me a pinch of snuff mr arthur and here the good dame prolonged her laugh for some moments as she presented a box of scotch snuff to her guest but i ll engage promotion never yet made the appetite of a travelling man smaller than before so gentlemen you will excuse me while i look after your supper fi the sooner the better ma am said robinson your night air is a sort of a to the stomach but first ma am i would be to you if you would let me see the hut tut and have i been here all this time robinson exclaimed the dame without once spending a thought upon y cattle to ny i say almost shrieked the hostess as she retreated along the passage towards the region of the kitchen and then back again to the front door are you asleep look to the gentlemen s horses lead them to the stable and don t spare to rub them down and give them as much as they can eat where are you old man what s the use of all this fuss t i here on the spot with the s in my hand grumbled out an old negro who answered to the of t i getting the baggage off as fast as i can the i don t want nobody to tell me when i ought to step out if a could talk he ain t got nothing new to say to me get out you he shouted with a sudden vivacity of utterance at three or four dogs that were barking around him you what you making such a about you all throat when you see coming to the house better wait tell you see a thief bound you silent enough then with your tail your legs blossom keep quiet i tell you in the course of this din and the old negro succeeded in the horses of their furniture and was about to lead them to the stable when robinson came to give him some direction mind what you are after with them there cattle give them not a for a good hour and plenty of about their feet i ll look at them myself before you shut up throw a handful of salt into the and above all things don t let me catch you water over their backs none of that do you hear chuckled think	29
i don t know how to take care of a mass been too use to ever sense so high bless the one of the best things on when you re feared your is too much is to put a of salt in a bucket o water and just stir a indian meal in with it it sort of the up like and is good in hot weather when you ain t got no time to feed but cold water across the lines oh oh i too in for that look at the top of my head gray as a fox u then or i ll open upon you like a pack of hounds said x shoe rob on robinson as lie turned on his to re enter the house til look in after supper never mind me replied as he led the horses i have tended captain butler s afore this and he wan t never with me these cares being disposed o horse shoe returned to the parlor the tidy display of some plain furniture and the scrupulous attention to cleanliness in every part of the room afforded an intelligent upon the exact orderly and decent character of the widow the dame herself was a pattern of useful her short figure as she now to and fro through the apart ment was arrayed in that respectable costume which her years and which was proper to the period of my story when the luxury of dress was more expensive than at present and when a correspondent degree of care was used to preserve it in repair evidences of this economy were seen in the neatness with which a was or a weak point fortified by a nicely adjusted patch presenting in some respect a token both of the pride of the and of the of the national means since the of war for five years had not only reduced the wealth of individuals and rendered indispensable but had also literally deprived the country of its necessary supply of thus putting the and the to a certain extent upon the same footing on the present occasion our good landlady was arrayed in a gown of sober colored gathered into in the skirt whilst the body fitted closely over a pair of long stays having tight sleeves that reached to the elbow the stature of the dame was increased a full inch by a pair of colored shoes remarkable for their sharp toes and a muslin cap with that reached under the chin sufficiently high to contribute also something considerable to the elevation of the little figure of its in such guise did mistress appear as she busied herself in preparing needful refreshment for the travellers and for some time the house exhibited all that stir which belongs to this important care when despatched in a retired country inn by degrees the table began to show the of the kitchen a dish of bacon the of which had been for a horse quarter of an hour gently the appetite of the guests now made its appearance in company with a pair of and these were followed by a of brown the peculiar favorite of the province an abundance of rich milk eggs butter and other rural such as no hungry man ever with indifference these were deposited upon a table cloth whose whiteness the new snow with an accuracy of that by its delay produced the most visible effects upon the who during the spreading of the board sat silently by watching with an eager and earnestness the slow process ever and anon uttering a short hem and turning about on his chair i may pause here after the fashion of our worthy friend horse shoe to make an observation there is nothing that works so kindly upon the imagination of a traveller if he be in any doubt as to his appetite as the display of such a table my of detail on the present occasion will therefore be excused by my reader when j inform him that butler had arrived at the inn in that depressed tone of spirits which seemed to defy refreshment and that notwithstanding this he played no insignificant part afterwards at supper a circumstance mainly to that gentle but irresistible which the actual sight and fragrance of the board addressed to his physical i might indeed have the supper altogether were there not a philosophical truth at the bottom of the matter worthy of the notice of the and curious reader namely that where a man s heart is a little with love and his temper fretted by and his body by travel especially when he has been wandering through the night air with in his ears and a thin of melancholy has been flung like across his spirits then it is my doctrine that a clean table a good landlady and an steaming up of good things in a snug cheerful little parlor are certain to in him a complete change of mood and to give him instead a happy train of thoughts and a hearty relish for his food such was precisely butler s condition he and the now sat down at the table and each drew the attention of the other by the unexpected vigor of their upon the before them robinson surprised to find the major horse shoe so suddenly revived and butler no less unprepared to see a man who had achieved such wonders at dinner now what might be deemed a stout allowance for a well fed lion it almost seems to go against the credit of my house said the hostess to set down at my table without a cup of tea but so it is we must get used to be stripped of all the old fashioned comforts it is almost treason for an honest woman to have such an article in her house now even if it could be fairly come by still engage i	29
might deceive one at first sight here in the house to night v inquired butler u speak low major the man is now walking the porch before our windows what does say of this asked butler has she been here lately the good lady never from home whilst is at the dove for fear i believe that he will follow her for they do whisper about in the neighborhood though i don t say it to alarm you mr arthur that this man is of the high quality a nobleman some say and that he has come here a only think of the assurance of the man but if he was a prince and every hair of his head strung with diamonds and miss was as free as the day you first saw her i can say with safety he would find but cold comfort in that game for she him major both for himself and for his tory principles she does hate him with a good will no no her heart and soul are both where they ought to be for all shoe her father poor man and this rich gentleman oh it is a cruel thing that you and our pretty lady cannot live quietly together hut mr is past talking to about it i declare i think his mind is touched i positively believe it would kill him if he knew all that has passed in this house but he is in main a good man and a kind father and is very much to be pitied i see you are sad and sorrowful mr arthur i didn t mean to distress you with my you tell me you think you may travel as far as even so far good dame if some accident should not my career these are doubtful times and my path is as uncertain as the chances of war it may be long before i return i grieve night and day and my heart for miss for she is so good so constant so brave too for a woman said the widow with unaffected emotion well a day what woes these wars have brought upon us you told her your plans mr arthur our interview was short and painful replied butler i scarcely know what i said to her but one thing i entreat of you my letters will be directed to your charge you will contrive to have them promptly and secretly delivered oblige me still in that good mother henry will often visit you and a brave and considerate young man he is major i ll be for his making of an honorable and a real gentleman do you join the army in perhaps not my route lies into the mountains our troops struggle for a footing in the low country if i may make bold major butler to drop a word of advice into your ear which seeing that i m an older man than you interrupted the in an whisper i think i have got good right to do why i would just say that there may be no great in talking before friends but sometimes silence brings more profit than words so i vote that we leave off telling the course of our march till such time as it is done and all is safe there will be enough in our way without taking the trouble to sow them by the roadside the man that stands a little aside from that window out on the porch throws his shadow across the sill oftener than is honest according to my reckoning you said ma am continued horse shoe addressing the widow that the fellow in the porch yon is mr s man horse robinson he walks later than usual to night replied mrs for though he can t be called a man of regular hours yet unless he can find an to keep him company he is accustomed to be in his bed before this he is after no good depend upon that said horse shoe i have twice seen the light upon his face behind the so true man or spy it s my not to speak above the of a cat you are right said butler we have many reasons to distrust him and it is at least safest to keep our affairs private if i thought he was continued which i do and believe i would take the freedom to give him the benefit of a on good manners ha major as i have a hand he is us now at this identical time didn t you see him pass up and down before the door and look in as as if our were picture books for him to read i will have a word with him and wise or simple i will get his before i am done with him never let on major stay where you are i promised to look after our horses the hostess and her guest now continued their communion in which we leave them whilst we follow horse shoe towards the stable chapter vl there re two at about it sir i may say at dagger s drawing but that i cannot say because they have none mayor of when horse shoe left the apartment he discovered the person whose had excited his suspicion leaning against a post of the porch in front of the house the moonlight as it partially fell upon this man s figure disclosed a frame of sufficient mould to raise a that in whatever form of communication the might him he was not likely to find a very subject to his hand robinson however without troubling himself with the contemplation of such a determined to delay his visit to the stable long enough to allow himself the expression of a word of warning or rebuke to indicate to the stranger the necessity for his curiosity in regard to the guests of the inn with	29
this view he halted upon the porch while he the person before him and directed an earnest gaze into his face the stranger slightly by this eager scrutiny turned his back upon his visitor and with an air of idle musing threw his eyes towards the heavens in which position he remained until summoned by the familiar of horse shoe well and what do you make of the moon as sharp an eye as you have in your head neighbor i m thinking it will do you no great there you re good at your trade but you will get nothing out of her she keeps her secrets startled by this abrupt greeting which was made in a tone between jest and earnest the stranger quickly confronted his and bestowed upon him a keen and inquiring inspection then breaking into a laugh he replied with a free and impudent horse shoe u you are mistaken master jack what says the proverb wit s in the when the moon s at full now our mistress has let me into a secret she tells me that you will not lose your wits when she comes to her growth the reason why first because she never troubles herself with so small a stock as yours and second because your thick skull is moon proof so you re safe friend a word in your ear said horse shoe you are not safe friend if you are again peeping through the of the window or upon the dark side of the doorway to pick up a of talk from people that are not your company keep that in your memory it s a base lie mr if you mean to that i did either oh quiet and easy good man no here i am civil and take my advice and your in silence and go to bed at a reasonable hour without what folks have to say who come to the widow s it only run in my head to give you a polite sort of a warning so good night i have got business at the stable before the other could reply robinson strode away to look after the of the horses the devil take this impertinent ox driver muttered the man to himself after the had left him i have half a mind to take his in hand just to give it the benefit of a good wholesome a queer fellow too a a civil man the rogue well see him out and laugh or fight he shan t want a man to stand up to him i having by this train of reflection brought himself into a mood which might be said to upon the between anger and mirth ready to fall to either side as the provocation might serve the stranger sauntered slowly towards the stable with a hundred odd fancies as to the character of the man he sought running through his mind upon his arrival there he found that horse shoe was occupied in the interior of the building and being still in a state of uncertainty as to the manner in which it was proper he should greet our friend he took a seat on a small bench at the door resolved to wait for that worthy s this shoe robinson delay had a soothing effect upon his temper for as he the subject over in his mind certain considerations of policy seemed to indicate to him the necessity of making himself better acquainted with the business and quality of the individual whom he came to meet after a few moments horse shoe was seen with old at the stable door where notwithstanding the unexpected presence of the man to whom he had so lately offered his unwelcome advice and upon whom he now conferred not the slightest notice he continued and with deliberate composure to give his orders upon what at that moment doubtless he deemed matter of much graver importance than any concern he might have in the visit of his new acquaintance do what i tell you get a piece of linen rub it well over with and bring it here along with a cup of the beast s back is cut with the saddle and you must wash the sore first with the and then lay on the patch go old fellow and mrs may be can give you a strip of cloth to as a with these instructions the negro retired towards the house i see you understand your business said the stranger you look to your horse s back at the end of a day s journey and you know how to manage a sore spot is the thing you have had a long ride how do you know that inquired horse shoe know it any man might guess as much by the way you down your supper i happened by chance to pass your window and seeing you at it faith for the soul of me i couldn t help taking a few turns more just to watch the end of it ha ha ha give me the fellow that does honor to his stomach and your head must be taking offence at my looking at you i why man your appetite was a most beautiful i wouldn t have lost the sport of it for the pleasure of the best supper i ever ate myself indeed said robinson u upon the exclaimed the other with the air of a pot companion that s the true music for good fellows of your but it isn t every where that you will find such quarters as you get here at the blue ball in that cursed southern horse robinson l a man like you would breed a famine if you even do not find one ready made to your hand when you get there where you be from asked the with great gravity without to the merriment of his	29
visitor and purposely from the answer which he saw it was the other s drift to obtain relative to the course of his travel it was natural enough that you should have mistaken my object continued the stranger heedless of horse shoe s abrupt question and have suspected me for wanting to hear some of your but there you did me wrong i forgive you for that and to tell you the truth i hate your that s not ta the purpose said horse shoe i you a civil question and maybe that s more than you have a right to tou can answer it or let it alone i want to know where you be from since you are bent upon it then replied the other suddenly changing his tone and speaking with a emphasis i ll answer your question when you tell me what be your right to know it s the custom of our country rejoined horse shoe i don t know what it may be in to a little about the business of every man we meet but we do it by fair out and out question and answer all above board and we hold in despise all sorts of either by laying of tongue traps or listening under of houses well most wise and shrewd master what do you call my country ha ha i would be sworn you think you have found some mare s nest if it were not that your is somewhat by over feeding i would hold your speech to be impertinent my country i d have your sagacity to understand tut man it t worth the trouble of talking about it i never saw one of your people that i didn t know him by the first word that came out of his lips you are an englishman and a red coat into the bargain as we call them in these parts you have been a now never at that man there s no great harm in belonging to that craft they you as likely as not when you was with liquor and you took your pay horse robinson there was a bargain and it was your business to stand to it but i have got a piece of wisdom to whisper to you as you are not in the most part of the world to men of your colors it would be best to be a little more shy against giving offence you said some things to me just now but i don t grudge your talking because you see i am an hard sort of person to be by verily you are a most piece of said the other in a spirit of in what school did you learn your philosophy friend tou have been brought up to the wholesome tail of the plough i should say an ancient and occupation when i just now replied robinson somewhat sternly that i couldn t be i meant to be comprehended as laying down a kind of general doctrine that i was a man not given to quarrels but still if i a which i am not far from at this present speaking if it but come up to the of only the tenth part of the wink of an eye in a project to play me off fore god i confess myself to be as weak in the flesh as e er a fellow you meet on the road friend said the other i do not understand thy it has a most it is neither grammar english nor sense then you are a damned rascal said horse shoe and that s grammar english and sense all three ha you are at that now my i understand you returned the other springing to his feet do you know to whom you are speaking better than you think for replied the placing himself in an erect position to receive what he had a right to expect the threatened assault of his adversary i know you and guess your here you do returned the other sharply you have been with me sir you are not the i took you for it has j suited your purpose to play the eh well sir and pray tl what do you guess nothing good of you considering how things go here suppose i was to say you was at this self same identical time a of the king s i have you there horse the stranger turned on his heel and retreated a few paces evidently perplexed at the new view in which the suddenly rose to his apprehension his curiosity and his interest were both excited to gain a more distinct insight into a man whom he had mistaken for a mere but whose hints showed him to be with the personal concerns of one whom apparently he had seen to night for the first time in his life with this anxiety upon his mind he again approached the as he replied to the last question well and if i were it is a character of which i should have do reason to be ashamed that s well said exclaimed horse shoe up and speak out and never be above the truth that s the best sign that can be of a man although it be somewhat dangerous just to confess yourself a of king george let me tell you that being against you i am not the person to you on that head by spreading the news abroad or setting a few dozen of upon your scent which is a thing easily done if your business here is and lawful and you don t let your tongue against quiet and orderly people you are free to come and go for me thank you sir but look you it isn t my way to answer questions about my own business and i scorn to ask any man s leave to come	29
and go where and when my occasions call me if it isn t your way to answer questions about your own business replied horse shoe it t to be your way to ax them about other people s but that don t disturb me it is the rule of the war to question all comers and that we happen to fall in with specially now when there s a set of your devils and raging about in hardly a summer day s ride off this province burning houses and killing cattle and turning everything with a pack of to back them in such times all sorts of tricks are played such as putting on coats that don t belong to a man and deceiving honest people by lies and what not you are a stranger to me said the other but let me tell you without or i am a free born subject of the king and i see no reason why because some of his people have turned a true man who travels his highway should be obliged m h r e robinson to give an account of himself to every inquisitive fellow who chooses to challenge it suppose i tell you that you with matters that don t concern you then you chance to get your head in your hand that s all and hark you if it wan t that i am rather good natured i happen to handle you a little rough for that of the friends of liberty by calling them it doesn t suit such six pence a day fellows as you who march right or left at the bidding of your master to rob a church or root up an honest man s peaceful hearth without so much as daring to have a thought about the of the matter it doesn t suit such to be them that fight for church and fireside both with your names well you are a fine bold fellow who speaks his thoughts that s not to be denied said the stranger again suddenly changing his mood and to his free and easy address you suit these times devilish well i can t find it in my heart to quarrel with you we have both been somewhat rough in speech and so the account is square but now tell me after all are you sure you have guessed me right how do you know i am not one of these very myself for two good and point blank reasons first you n t deny that you have the king s money and worn his coat that s one and second you are now here under the orders of one of his officers no no good friend said the man with a voice of less boldness than heretofore you are mistaken for once in your life so far what you say i don t deny i am in the service of a gentleman who for some private affairs of his own has come on a visit to this part of the province and i admit i have been in the old country i am not mistaken good friend out robinson affect you come from the south i can tell men s fortunes without looking into the palms of their hands you are wrong again said the other as he grew angry at being thus by his opponent i come from the north that s true and it s false both returned robinson from the north i grant you to the south with sir henry and from the south up here you will find i can a little friend i h b k h k robinson a the devil take your exclaimed the other as he bit his lip and strode backward and forward which perplexity being observed by the he did not fail to it by breaking into a hoarse laugh as he said it worth your while to try to deceive me i you by manifold and signs him that sets about after other people s secrets ought to be wary enough to to keep his own but don t take it so to heart neighbor there s no occasion for i have no mind to harm you master bully said the stranger planting himself immediately in front of the in england where i was bred we play at and sometimes give broken heads and some of us are gifted with heavy fists wherewith we occasionally contrive to box a rude fellow who too much into our affairs in our country replied horse shoe we generally like to get a share of whatever new is stirring and though we don t practise much with yet to a turn we do now and then break a head or so and that fist work you happened to touch upon we have no scruples against a fair rap or two over the knowledge box and the up of a chap s heels in the way of a sort of a rough and tumble which may be you understand you have been long enough here to find that out then it is likely it would please you to have a chance at such a game i count myself a pretty tolerable hand at the play said the stranger with a composure corresponding to that exhibited by horse shoe ho ho i don t want to hurt you man replied the you will get yourself into trouble you are hot than is good for your health as the game was mentioned i thought you might have a fancy to play it to be sure i would said horse shoe rather than disappoint you in any reasonable longing for the sake of quiet being a man i will take the trouble to oblige you where do you think would be the spot to have it we may readily find a piece of ground at	29
hand replied the other it is a good moonlight play and we may not be interrupted shoe robinson if we get a little distance off before the negro comes back toe to toe and face to face suits me best with both friend and foe a mule to drive and a fool to hold back are two of the things i know said robinson and so seeing that you are in about it let us go at it without more upon the first good bit of grass we can pop upon along the river in this temper the two left the vicinity of the stable and walked some hundred paces down along the bank of the stream the man with whom horse shoe was about to hold this strange encounter and who now walked quietly by his side had the erect and port of a he was square shouldered compact and muscular and the firmness of his gait his long and easy stride and the free swing of his arm as he moved onward in the moonlight showed robinson that he was to engage with an adversary of no common capacity there was perhaps on the other side some in this man s self confidence when the same light disclosed to his deliberate inspection the proportions of the which in the of the topics about in the late dialogue he had not so accurately regarded when they had walked the distance i have mentioned they had little difficulty to select a space of level ground with a sufficient mould for the purpose of the proposed trial of strength here s as pretty a spot as we find on the river said robinson and so get ready friend before we begin i have a word to say this here bout is not a thing of my seeking and i take it to be close akin to downright tom for grown up men to set about and each other upon account of a of who s best man or such like when the whole is full of for and stands in need of able fellows to the of right and wrong that can t be settled by or books or lawyers i look upon this here coming out to fight no better than a bit of nonsense but as you will have it it s no of mine to stop you you are welcome to do your worst replied the other u and the less preaching you make with it the more saving of time my worst interrupted horse shoe u is almost more than i have the conscience to do to any man who isn t a downright enemy and once more i would advise you to think before you horse robinson draw me into a you are and upon a quarrel and you conjecture that by drawing me out from behind my by which is signified my good nature and forcing me to into line and open field you ll get the advantage of an old over me but there mr you are mistaken in close garrison or open field in siege or sally crossing a or on a broad road i am not apt to lose my temper or strike without seeing where my blow is to hit now that is all i have to say so come on you are not what you seem said the in a state of wonder at the strain of the s composed and deliberate speech and at the familiarity which this manifested with the details of military life in the devil s name who are you but don t fancy i pause to begin our fight for any other reason than that i may know who i contend with on the honor of a soldier i promise you i will hold you to your game man or of hell i care not again who in the devil are you you have hit it replied horse shoe my name is i am first cousin to you have served i have and belong to the army yet true again and i am as tough a and may be i say as old a as yourself your hand fellow soldier i you from the beginning you that s the word are stout fellows and have a good at the trick of war though you wear rough coats and are savagely in polite learning no matter colors a man fights under long usage makes a good comrade f him and by my faith i am not amongst the last to do him even though we stand in opposite ranks as you say most we are not much better than a pair of fools for his conspiracy to knock about each other s here at midnight but vou have my pledge to it and so we will go at it if it be only to win a relish for our beds i will teach you to night some skill n the art of you shall measure two full upon this sod there s my hand said horse shoe now if i am i horse robinson promise you i won t be angry if i you in the same fashion you must to bear it with all my heart so here i stand upon my guard begin let me feel your weight said robinson laughing as he put one hand upon his adversary s shoulder and the other against his side hark you master i feel something hard here about your ribs you have pistols under your coat friend for the sake of fair play and keeping rid of foul blood you had best lay them aside before we strike anger comes up i never part from my weapons replied the other stepping back and himself from robinson s grasp we are strangers i must know the company i am in before i dismiss such old as these they have got me	29
out of a scrape before this we took hands just now said robinson angrily when i give my hand it is to a book oath that i mean fair round dealing with the man who takes it i told you besides i was a that ought to have contented you and j r ou my breast inside and out you d seen in it nothing but honest there s something of a after that in talking about hid under the of the coat it s altogether and what s more you are a deceit and an astonishment and a hissing all three james and no better to my comprehension than a coward i know you of old although you me i have said by more than one that you was a double faced savage hearted beast that his teeth where he t bite and them that hadn t the heart to fight i have that of you and as i live i believe it now look out for your bull head for i will you in spite of your pistols with these words horse shoe gave his adversary some half dozen overpowering blows in such quick succession as utterly defied and broke down the others guard and then seizing him by the breast he threw the tall and form of at full length upon the ground there s your two for you there s the art of you disgrace to the tail of a drum exclaimed horse shoe with wrath as the man strove to himself from the lion grasp that held him in this strife several horse shoe robinson times made au effort to get his hand upon his pistol in which he was constantly by the superior vigor of the no no continued the latter as he became aware of this attempt james you shall never lay hold upon your whilst i have the handling of you give them up you twisting give them up you of powder and lead and lain this from a rebel that i don t blow out your brains only because i wouldn t accommodate the devil by flinging such a lump of into his there man he added as he threw the pistols far from him into the river his at the same time to a lower temperature get upon your feet and now you may go hunt for your in yonder running stream you may count it a that i haven t tossed you after them to wash the cowardly blood off your face now that you are upon your legs i tell you here in the moonlight man to man with nobody by to hold back your hand that you are a lying that loves the dark side of a wall better than the light and the secrets of honest folks and hasn t the heart to stand up fairly to the man that tells you of it swallow that james and see how it will lay upon your stomach i will seek a time exclaimed to right myself with your heart s blood man replied horse shoe don t talk about heart s blood the next time w t e come into a field together ax for robinson commonly called horse shoe robinson find me out that s all we may take a together then and i give you my allowance to wear your pistols in your belt we may find a field yet horse shoe robinson returned and i ll not fail of my appointment our game will be played with if it should so turn out james that you and me are to work through a campaign in the same quarter of the world as we have done afore james i expect til take the chance of some holiday to pay my respects to you i wont trouble you to ride far to find me and then it may be or pistol rifle or i m not which only promise i shall see you when i send for you u it s a bargain robinson strong as you think your horse shoe robinson self in your cursed rough and tumble i am soldier enough for you any day i only ask that the time may come quickly you have no objection to give us a hand to that bargain james asked horse shoe there s my take it man i scorn to bear malice after the hot blood i take it with more pleasure now said hastily seizing the hand than i gave mine to you before to night because it is a pledge that suits my humor a good seat in a saddle four strong legs below me and a sharp blade i hold myself a match for the best man that ever picked a flint in your lines now friend exclaimed the good night go look for your pop guns in the river and if you find them hold them as a to remember horse shoe robinson good night robinson left his adversary and returned to the inn as he walked over the strange incident in which he had just been engaged for a while his thoughts wore a grave complexion but as his careless good humor gradually broke forth through the thin mist that enveloped it he was found before he reached the porch laughing with a quiet chuckle at the conceit which rose upon his mind as he said half audibly odd sport for a summer night every one to his liking as the old woman said but to my thinking he have done better if he had gone to sleep at a proper hour like a and sober christian when he entered the parlor he found butler and the landlady waiting for him it is late said the major u you have forgotten the hour and i began to fear you had more to say to your friend there than suited the time of night all is right by your	29
smiling added the landlady and that s more than i expected at the time you walked out of the room i couldn t go to my bed till i was sure you and my had no disagreeable words for to tell you the truth i am greatly afraid of his hot and hasty temper there is nothing hot or hasty about him ma am replied robinson he is about as a man as you expect to meet in such times as these i only told him a little scrap of shoe robinson news and you would have thought he would have me for it ha ha ha we are to in the same room said butler and our good hostess will show us the way to it the dame upon this hint took a candle and conducted her guests to a chamber in the upper story where after wishing them a good night she respectfully and left them to their repose tell me what you made out of that fellow said butler as he himself i see that you have had some passage with him and from your so long i began to be a little apprehensive of rough work between you what passed and what have you learned enough major to make us more against and and when i was a prisoner at there was an amazing well built fellow a that had been out with but when i saw him he was a sort of account keeper and letter for that young the earl of him that was to sir henry well this fellow had a tolerable bad name as being a chap that the devil had in spite of all the good that had been into him at school for as i have he was come of gentle people had a first rate and i reckon now major he talks as well as a book whereupon i have an observation keep that until to morrow interrupted butler and go on with what you had to tell me you must be a little sleepy major however this fellow they say was with cards one day when he was playing a game of five shilling loo with the king or the queen or some of die or in the guards for he wa n t above any thing so it was about as you may suppose when a man goes to one of them big and the king gave him his choice to or go to the and he being no fool as a matter of course in that way he got over here and as i tell you was a sort of to that young earl he sometimes came about our quarters to list prisoners and make of em for his own people kept him to do all that sort of dirty work upon account of the of his tongue he was a remarkable fellow horse shoe robinson and got nothing but ill will from the prisoners though i make no doubt the man is a tolerable on now after telling you all this major you must know that the identical same particular man that we saw looking through the porch window at us tonight is the man you have been describing is it possible are you sure of it i him the minute i clapped eyes on him his name is james but as i didn t stay long at and hadn t any thing to do with him in particular it seems he didn t remember me you conversed with him most i did i wanted to gather a little of his visit up here but the fellow s been so battered about in the wars that he knows how to hold his tongue i had some mischief in me and did want to make him just angry enough to set his speech loose and besides i felt a little against him upon account of his with our people in and so i said some rough things to him and as my discourse ar n t none of the in pint of grammar and as lieutenant used to say why he set me down for a piece of an idiot and began to and me i put that matter straight for him very soon by just letting him say so much and no more and then as i was a man major he seemed to see that i didn t want to have no quarrel with him which made him push it at me rather too hard and all my civility ended in my giving him what he wanted at first a tolerable regular the continued to relate to butler the details of this adventure which he did with more than the weariness of his listener was able to endure for the major having in the progress of the narrative got into bed and having in the increasing of his faculties exhausted every expression of assent by which one who to a tale is accustomed to his attention he at length dropped into a profound sleep leaving the to conclude at his leisure when robinson perceived this he had nothing left but to himself with all expedition to his own rest whereupon he threw off his coat and taking the of the bed appropriated to his use horse shoe spread them upon the floor as he pronounced an against sleeping on feathers for it must be observed that our good hostess at that early day was liable to the same censure of an unnatural attachment to feather beds in summer which may at the present time be made against almost every country inn in the united states and then the candle he stretched himself upon the as he remarked to his unconscious companion that he was brought up on a hard floor and after one or two rolls he fell into that deep oblivion of cares by which nature	29
re summons and supplies the strength which toil watching and anxiety wear down the speed of horse shoe s journey through this pleasant valley of sleep might be measured somewhat in the same manner that the route of a mail stage may sometimes be traced through a mountain by the notes of the coachman s horn it was defined by the succession of varying through which he ascended the beginning with a low but audible breathing and rising through the several stages of an a short quick bark and up to a that constituted the greatest of the ascent occasionally a half escaped him and words that showed in what current his dreams were sailing no pistols look in the water james ha ha these were accompanied with of body that more than once the but at last the huge bulk of horse shoe grew motionless in a deep and strong sleep the next morning at early dawn our travellers resumed their journey which i will leave them to whilst i conduct my reader to the affairs and interests that dwell about the dove this true in the date of the first edition of these volumes i am happy to notice lost much of its point in the lapse of sixteen years horse shoe robinson chapter account of philip sensibility and retirement apt to a philosophy the thread which i have now to take up and into this history requires that my narrative should go back for some years it briefly concerns the earlier fortunes of philip his father from england and was established in virginia about the year as a secretary to the governor of the province he was a gentleman of good name and fortune philip was born within a year after this as america was then comparatively a wilderness and afforded but few for the education of youth the son of the secretary was sent at an early age to england where he remained with the exception of an occasional visit to his parents under the of a near relative until he had completed not only his college course but also his studies in the temple an almost indispensable of that day for young gentlemen of condition his studies in the temple had been productive of one result which lord if i remember considers in the younger of the law he had fallen in love with an the natural consequence was a tedious year after his return home spent at the seat of the provincial government and a most energetic and of letters with the lady whom my authority allows me to name this was followed by another voyage across the atlantic and finally as might be predicted by a wedding with all proper and parental sanction then returned a happier and more tranquil man to virginia where he fulfilled the duties of more than one public station of dignity and trust in due course of time he fell heir to his father s wealth which h k s shoe robinson with the estate of his wife made him one of the most and considerable gentlemen of the old dominion he had but two children and with four years difference between their ages these were with all the care and indulgent natural to parents whose affections are concentrated upon so small a family circle s character was grave and thoughtful and inclined him to avoid the of ambition and collision with the world a delicate taste a nice judgment and a fondness for inquiry made him a student and an ardent lover of books the of his mind was towards he into the of the old schools of philosophy and found amusement if not instruction in those frivolous but ingenious speculations which have even the best wisdom of the with the hues of a solemn and absurd he dreamed in the of and pursued them through the of the he delighted in the visions of and in the intellectual of he found attraction in the mysteries and still more in the of his library furnished a curious index to this appetite for the marvellous and the the writings of and martin and others of less in this circle of were found associated with truer and more approved and teachers these studies although pursued with an acknowledgment of their false and dangerous tendency nevertheless had their influence upon s imagination there are few men in whom the mastery of reason is so absolute as to be able totally to subdue the occasional of that element of superstition which is found more or less vigorous in every mind a nervous temperament which is almost characteristic of minds of an imaginative cast is often liable to this influence in spite of the strongest of the will and the most earnest convictions of the judgment if those who possess this temperament would confess they might to many extraordinary anxieties ana troubles of spirit which it would pain them to have the world believe s pursuits had impressed his understanding with some sentiment of respect for that old belief in the supernatural and h r k shoe b bi k had perhaps even warmed up his faith to a secret in these awful of the spiritual world or at least to an doubt as to their existence many men of sober brow and renown for wisdom are unwilling to acknowledge the extent of their own on the same topic his relations to the government his education pursuits and temper as might be expected had deeply with the politics of the tory party and taught him to regard with distrust and even with the principles which were getting in in this sentiment he visited with a dislike that did not correspond with the more usual development of his character all those who were in any degree suspected of or the prevailing political of the times about two years after the birth of he had purchased a tract of land in	29
the then new and frontier country lying upon the river many families of note in the low country had possessed themselves of estates at the foot of the blue ridge in this neighborhood and were already making there mr attracted by the romantic character of the scenery the freshness of the soil and the of the climate following the example of others had laid off the grounds of his new estate with great taste and had soon built upon a beautiful site a neat and comfortable rustic dwelling with such accommodation as might render it a convenient and pleasant retreat during the hot months of the summer the occupation which this new establishment afforded his family the scope which its improvement gave to their taste and the charms that belonged to it by degrees communicated to his household an absorbing interest in its his wife cherished this enterprise with a peculiar the plans of improvement were hers garden the the groves the walks all the little which an taste might invent or a comfort seeking fancy might imagine necessary were taken under her charge and one beauty quickly following upon another from day to day evinced the dominion which a refined art may exercise with advantage over nature it was a quiet calm and happy spot where many were together and where for a portion of every succeeding year this little horse shoe robinson family as it were in the enjoyment of ease from this idea and especially as it was allied with some of the tenderest associations connected with the infancy of it was called by the fanciful and kindly name of the dove the education of and henry became a delightful household care were supplied and the parents gave themselves up to the task of with a fond industry they now removed earlier to the dove with every returning spring and remained there later in the autumn the neighborhood furnished an intelligent and hospitable society and the great western wilderness smiled with the contentment of a refined and polished civilization which no after day in the history of this empire has yet surpassed perhaps not equalled it is not to be wondered at that a mind so framed as s and a family so devoted should find an exquisite enjoyment in such a spot whilst this epoch of happiness was in the political heaven began to be darkened with clouds the troubles came on with harsh war in the distance and at length broke out in thunder had in the meantime grown up to the verge of womanhood a fair ruddy light haired beauty of exceeding graceful proportions and full of the most interesting impulses henry trod closely upon her heels and was now shooting through the rapid stages of boyhood both had themselves around their parents affections like that conveyed to them their chief nourishment and the children were linked to each other even if that were possible by a stronger band the war threw into a perilous his estates were large and his principles exposed him to the which was rigidly enforced against the party to avoid this blow or at least to its severity he conveyed the estate of the dove to as his reason for doing so that as it was purchased with belonging to his wife he consulted and executed her wish in the absolute of it to his daughter the rest of his property was converted into money and invested in funds in great britain as soon as this arrangement was made about the second year of the war the dove became the permanent residence of the family preferring to remain here rather than to retire to england hoping to escape the keen h r b shoe robin n notice of the dominant party and to find in this classic and privacy an oblivion of the rude cares that beset the pillow of every man who mingled in the strife of the day he was destined to a grievous disappointment his wife to whom he was attached was snatched from him by death just at this interesting period this blow for a time almost his reason the natural calm of such a mind as s is not apt to show in grief its sorrow was too still and deep for show the flight of years however brought healing on their wings and and henry gradually their father s countenance with flashes of cheerful thought that daily grew broader and more abiding till at last sense and duty completed their triumph and once more gave to his family of his grief or if not conversing with it only in the secret hours of self communion his hopes of ease and retirement were disappointed in another way the of the dove was not sufficient to shut out the noise nor the of the war his reputation as a man of education of wealth of good sense and especially as a man of aristocratic pretensions irresistibly drew him into the agitated of politics his house was open to the visits of the tory leaders no less than to those of the other side and although this intercourse could not be openly maintained without risk yet were not wanting occasionally to bring the officers and gentlemen in the british interest to the dove they came stealthily and in disguise and they did not fail to involve him in the schemes and base by which a wary foe generally to the way of invasion the temporary importance which these connections conferred and the appeal which it was the policy of the enemy to make to his loyalty wrought upon the vanity of the scholar and brought him by degrees from the mere of an intercourse that he at first sincerely sought to avoid into a of the plans of those who his fellowship still however this was given as much from the of his character as from a secret consciousness at bottom that	29
it was contrary to the purpose that had induced him to seek the shelter of the woods unless therefore the spur v u frequently applied to the side of his reluctant resolution his zeal horse shoe was apt to weary in its pace or to change my figure for one equally appropriate to melt away in the sunny of his temper i have said that during the years of the children and up to the period of the loss of their mother they had received the most attention from their parents the of his wife the deep gloom that followed this event and the now character of the war had in some degree relaxed s vigilance over their although it had in no wise his affection for them on the contrary perhaps this was more concentrated than ever had grown up to the blossom time of life in the possession of every personal attraction from the fanciful ideas of education adopted by her father or rather from the care with which he upon her capacity and devoted himself to the task of directing and waiting upon the of her intellect she had made much beyond her years and altogether of a character unusual to her sex an ardent and temper had imparted a singular enthusiasm to her pursuits and her air though not devoid of might be said to be habitually abstracted and self as the war advanced her temper and situation both her as a in the questions which it brought into discussion and whilst her father s opinions were to this struggle for independence she on the other hand unknown to him was casting hei thoughts feelings affections and hopes upon the broad waters of rebellion and if not expecting them to return to her after many days with increase of good certainly believing that she was mingling them with those of who were to the brightest of glory a father is not apt to reason with a daughter the passions and prejudices of a parent are generally received as principles by the child and most fathers counting upon this instinct deem it enough to make known the bent merely of their own opinions without caring to argue them this mistake will serve to explain the wide difference which is sometimes seen between the most tenderly attached parent and child in those deeper sentiments that do not belong to the every day concerns of life whilst therefore mr took no heed how the seed of doctrine and grew in the soil where he desired to plant it it in truth fell upon ground shoe robinson and either was blown away by the wind or perished for want of appropriate nourishment as the crisis became more momentous and the discussion of national rights more s ran stronger on the republican side and at the opening of my story she was a sincere and enthusiastic friend of american independence a character however it may be by my female readers of the present day nursed as they are in a lady like to all concerns of government and little aware in the lazy lap of peace how vividly their own quick be by the strife of men neither rare nor amongst the and maidens of the year seventy six some of whom now more than fifty years gone by are in the richest and of our country s memory it is however due to truth to say that s eager attachment to this cause was not altogether the free motion of patriotism how often does some little under current of passion some slight and amiable modest and unobserved rise to the surface of our feelings and there give its direction to the stream upon which all our philosophy what is destiny but these under currents that come they list at first and irresistible ever afterwards my reader must be told that before the war broke out this enthusiastic girl had flitted across the path of arthur butler then a youth of rare faculty and promise who combined with a gentle and modest an earnest devotion to his country sustained by a tone of honor that had in it all the fanciful of boyhood it will not therefore appear wonderful that amongst the golden opinions the young man was up in all quarters some fragments of this grace should have made a in the heart of butler was a native of one of the lower districts of south and was already the possessor by inheritance of what was then called a handsome fortune he first met under the of her parents at in at that time the seat of and fashion there the wise and the gay the beautiful and the rarely gifted united in a splendid little in which wealth threw its sun beam glitter over the wings of love and shoe robinson learning and eloquence were warmed by the smiles of fair women there gallant men gave the of wit to a circle in the new world or the old for its proportion of the graces that and the that life id this circle there was no beauty of softer charm than the young nor was there amongst the gay and bright that thronged the little academy of the governor of the province a youth of more favorable omen than arthur butler the war was at the very threshold and angry men thought of turning the into the sword amongst these was butler an of the policy of britain and an in the ranks of her it was at this time that he met i need hardly add that under these circumstances they began to love every interview afterwards and they frequently saw each other at and only developed more completely the tale of love that nature was telling in the heart of each butler received from an s commission in the continental army and was employed for a few months in the service at this position	29
favored his views and enabled him to visit at the dove his intercourse with up to this period had been allowed by to pass without comment it was regarded but as the customary and common place civility of polite society s parents had no sympathy in her lover s sentiments and consequently no especial admiration of his character and they had not yet doubted their daughter s loyalty to be made of less stern materials than their own her mother was tho first to perceive that the modest maiden awaited the coming of the young soldier with a more anxious than an heart how painfully did this perception break upon her it opened upon her view a foresight of that unhappy of events that the secret struggle between parental authority and filial inclination when the absorbing interests of true love are concerned a struggle that so frequently the fate of the noblest natures and whose history supplies the charm of so many a melancholy and thrilling page mrs had an invincible objection to the contemplated alliance and immediately awakened the attention of her husband to the subject from this moment robinson butler s reception at the dove was cold and formal and mr did not delay to express to his daughter a marked aversion to her intimacy with a man so to his own taste i need not dwell upon the succession of incidents that followed are they not written in every book that tells of young hearts loving in despite of authority let it suffice to say that butler many a time and oft stealthily and with a lover s haste to the dove where under the shade of melancholy boughs or sometimes of good mistress s roof means to meet and exchange vows of constancy with the lady of his love thus passed the first year of the war the death of mrs to which i have before now occurred the year of mourning was doubly to her father s grief hung as heavily upon her as her own and to this was added a total separation from butler he had joined his regiment and was sharing the perils of the northern and subsequently of those which ended in the of and during all this period he was enabled to keep up an uncertain and irregular correspondence with and he had once met her in secret for a few hours only at mistress s during the autumn immediately preceding the date of the opening of my story mrs upon her death bed had spoken to her husband in the most emphatic terms of against s possible alliance with butler and him to prevent it by whatever means might be in his power besides this she made a will directing the distribution of a large estate in england between her two children with the a condition of if married without her father s approbation i have now to relate an incident in the life of philip which throws a sombre over most of the future fortunes of and arthur as they are hereafter to be developed in my story the lapse of years supposed would we ir out the first favorable impressions made by arthur butler upon his daughter years had now passed he knew nothing of the secret correspondence between the parties and he had hoped that all was forgotten he could not help however perceiving that had reserved and that her seemed to be controlled by some e secret care that sat upon her heart she was anxious and more inclined than became her youth to be alone her household affections took a softer tone like one in grief these things did not escape her father s eye it was on a night in june a little more than a year before the visit of butter and robinson which i have in a former chapter that the father and daughter had a free communion together in which it was his purpose to penetrate into the causes of her disturbed spirit the conference was managed with an affectionate and skilful address on the part of the father and sadly borne by it is sufficient to say that it revealed to him a truth of which he was previously but little aware namely that neither the family nor the flight of two years had rooted out the fond of for arthur butler when this interview ended retired weeping to her chamber and sat in his study absorbed in meditation the object in life nearest to his heart was the happiness of his daughter and for the accomplishment of this what sacrifice would he not make he recalled to memory all the passages of her past life what error of education had he committed that she thus at womanhood was found wandering along a path to which he had never led her which indeed he had ever taught her to avoid what accident of fortune had brought her into this as he must consider it unhappy relation how careful have i been he said to shut out all the that might give a complexion to her tastes and principles different from my own how have i waited upon her footsteps from infancy onward to shield her from the influences that might her mind and yet in this the most act of her life that which is to give the hue to the whole of her coming fortune the only truly momentous event in her history how strangely has it befallen i in such a strain his thoughts pursue this subject the window of his study was open and he sat near it looking out upon the night the scene around him was of a nature to awaken his imagination and lead his towards the and invisible world it was past midnight and the bright moon was sinking down the western slope of the heavens through the fantastic and gorgeous clouds that as they horse shoe caught her beam	29
stood like upon a ocean their rich tipped with silver the long black shadows of the trees slept in enchanted stillness upon the earth the night wind breathed through the foliage and brought the distant of the river upon his ear there was a harmony and music in the landscape that with the solitary hour and up thoughts of the world of shadows s mind began to run upon the of his favorite studies the array of familiar spirits rose upon his mental vision the many recorded instances of what was devoutly believed the interference of the dead in the concerns of the living came fresh at this moment to his memory and made him shudder at his struggling with this conception it struck him with an awe that he was unable to master some invisible he muttered u some mysterious intelligence now holds my daughter in and his spell upon her existence the powers that mingle unseen in the affairs of mortals that guide to good or lead astray have this helpless bark into the current that sweeps onward by man i cannot contend with destiny she is thy child he exclaimed the spirit of his departed wife she is thine and thou wilt near her and protect her from those who contrive against her peace thou wilt the ill and shield thy daughter excited almost to terrified and exhausted in physical energy threw his head upon his hand and rested it against the window sill a moment elapsed of almost inspired madness and when he raised his head and looked outward upon the lawn he beheld the pale image of the being he had gliding through the at the farthest verge of the level ground the ghastly was bent upon him the hand steadily pointed towards him and as the figure slowly passed away the last gaze was directed to him great god he ejaculated that form that form and fell senseless into his chair during the night was awakened by a moan which led her to visit her father s chamber he was not there in great alarm she herself to his study where she found him extended upon a sofa so and bewildered by this recent incident that he was scarcely conscious of her presence horse shoe robinson a few weeks restored to his usual health but it was long before he regained the of his mind he had seen enough to confirm his faith in the speculations of that philosophy which is up in the studies of which i have before given the outline and he was henceforth melancholy moody and reserved in spite of all the of duty and in defiance of a temper naturally placid and kind let us pass from this unpleasant incident to a theme of more cheerful import the loves of and arthur i have said these two had secret meetings they were not entirely without a witness there was a in all their intercourse no other than henry who united to the reckless of youth an almost love of his sister his thoughts and actions were ever akin to hers henry was therefore a safe of the precious secret and as he could not but think arthur butler a good and gallant comrade he determined that his father was altogether on the wrong side in respect to the love affair and by a natural wrong also in his politics henry had several additional reasons for this last opinion the whole was kindled into a martial flame and there was nothing to be heard but drums and trumpets there were rifle corps raising and they were all dressed in hunting shirts and were blowing and horses were how could a gallant of sixteen resist it besides foster the right under the brow of the dove was a lieutenant of mounted and had for some time past been training henry in the mystery of his weapon and had given him divers lessons on the horn to sound the and had him to ride in a on parade whereof he had henry or all this worked well for arthur and mr was not ignorant of henry s popularity in the neighborhood nor how much he was by the he did not object to this as it served to quiet suspicion of his own dislike to the cause and diverted the observation of the of what he called the rebel government from his own motions whilst at the same time he deemed it no than a that played upon the boyish fancy of henry without reaching his principles on the contrary did not so regard it she had inspired horse henry with her own sentiments and now carefully trained him up to feel warmly the interests of the war and to prepare himself by discipline for the hard life of a soldier she early awakened in him a wish to render service in the field and a resolution to accomplish it as soon as the occasion might arrive amongst other things too she taught him to love arthur butler and keep his counsel chapter the mansion of a gentleman and a scholar the site of the dove was eminently picturesque it was an area of level ground containing perhaps two acres on the summit of a hill that on one side the river and on the other rose by a gentle sweep from the country below this summit might have been as much as two hundred feet above the bed of the stream and was faced on that side by a bold rocky not absolutely perpendicular but broken into stages or where grassy mould had accumulated and where the sweet and the laurel and clusters of the shot up in the of the had also collected their handful of soil and gave nourishment to struggling vines and everywhere the ash or pine and not the took possession of such spots upon the rocky wall as these adventurous and cliff loving trees had	29
seen of large expense here the books were ranged from the floor to the ceiling with scarcely an interval except where a few choice paintings had found space or the bust of some ancient worthy one or two ponderous lounging chairs stood in the apartment and the footstep of the visitor was into silence by the soft nap of what in that day was a rare and costly luxury a turkey carpet this was in all respects an apartment of ease and it was provided with every to a student into silent and luxurious communion with the spirit of the around him whose thoughts and whose most fancies had been caught up fixed and turned into substance more than by the magic of letters i have on the patience of my reader to give him a somewhat minute description of the dove principally because i hope thereby to open his mind to a more adequate conception of the character of philip by looking at a man in his own dwelling and observing his domestic habits i will venture to affirm it shall scarcely in any instance fail to be true that if there be seen a arrangement of matters necessary to his comfort if his household be well ordered and his walks clean and well rolled and his neat and if there be no to but against waste and plenty for all and if to these be added habits of early rising and comely attire and above all r if there be books many books well turned and carefully tended that man is one to warm up at the coming of a gentleman to open his doors to him to take him to his heart and to do him the of life he is a man to hate what is base and to stand apart from the mass as one who will not have his virtue he is a man moreover whose worldly craft may be so smothered and suppressed in the of the household affections that the skilful and alas may ever practise with success their plans against him chapter ix an i must now introduce my reader to the library described m the last chapter where beside a table covered with papers and lighted by two tall candles philip with a perplexed and thoughtful brow opposite to him in an easy chair his guest mr a man whose appearance might him to claim something like thirty five years and whose shrewd and intellectual expression of countenance to which an air of decision was given by what might be called an intense eye a person with the business of life whilst an v and address no less distinctly announced him one to the most polished society the time of this meeting with that of the interview of arthur and beneath th e s tower it is necessary only to that these two had frequently conferred together within the last two or three days upon the subject with which they were now engaged sir henry does me too much honor by this confidence said u he my influence amongst the gentlemen of the province truly mr i am well persuaded that neither my nor my example would weigh a feather in the scale against the course of this rebellion we are seldom competent to judge of the weight of our own influence said i might scarce expect you to speak otherwise than you do but i who have the opportunity to know take upon myself to say that many gentlemen of note in this province who are at present constrained by the fear of the new government look with anxiety to you they repose faith in your discretion and would follow your lead if an excuse be necessary you might afford horse shoe robinson them some pretext of to visit the dove here yon might concert your plan to co operate with our friends in the south tis a rash thought replied this little nook of quiet has never yet been disturbed with the of men who meditated the of blood god forbid that these peaceful walls should hereafter echo back the words that speak of such a purpose it is to spare the shedding of blood mr and to bring speedy peace to a distracted country that we you and ot her friends to counsel a single battle may decide the question of mastery over the province we are well assured that the moment lord reaches the has yet to win the ground he stands upon interrupted there may be many a deadly blow struck before he his thirst in the waters of that river many a proud head may be low before that day think you sir said rising as he spoke that this patched and ragged this stricken army that is now creeping through the pines of north under the command of that gates are the men to dispute with his majesty s forces their right to any inch of soil they choose to occupy it will be a merry day when we meet them mr we have hitherto delayed our campaign until the harvest was gathered that is now done and we shall speedily bring this hero of to his reckoning then following at the heels of the his you may be prepared to hear within two months from this day will be within friendly hail of the dove you speak like a soldier mr it is not unlikely that his may foil gates and turn him back such i learn to be the apprehension of the more sagacious amongst the continental officers themselves but whether that is to favor your into this province may be worth a study than i doubt you have given the question the path of invasion is ever a difficult road when it leads against a united people you mistake both the disposition and the means of these they have bold in the field and	29
his crop parliament out of doors we may perhaps find a on this continent and sir henry will most probably save the at philadelphia from the intrusion of an u it would be too bold in us to count on that mr i am the enemy of these men and their purpose but i cannot deem otherwise of them than as subjects of the king by the imagination of they are men of good and honest hearts by passion i would that we could give their time to cool i would even now preach moderation and compromise to his majesty s ministers the die is long since cast said and all that remains now is to take the hazard of the throw at this moment whilst we debate friend and foe are their swords for a deadly encounter on the fields of it is too late to talk of other assuredly my good friend our destiny us to this province arid the time has come when you must decide what course you will take it has been our earnest wish sir henry s letters upon it to have i r bin bt you up and active in the cause why will you disappoint so fair a hope alas mr it is a path you would have me tread think you i am the man to win my way through these i that live in the shelter of these woods by merely an to speak whom these of liberty have for the sake of past acquaintance and present peaceful habits am i not round about with the hot of independence look amongst these hills there is not a cabin not a s hut no nor stately dwelling whose roof one friend to the royal cause but my own my lips are sealed my very thoughts are guarded lest i give room to think i mean to fly from my these papers that lie upon that table might cost me my life your presence here were your purpose known might me to or exile one random word spoken might give me over to the of the power that holds its in the province what aid may be expected from one so guarded watched and powerless v and can you patiently exclaimed bow to this oppression you a native of the province a nursed in the sunny light of liberty shall your freedom of speech be your footsteps be followed by and your very inmost thoughts be read and brought up to the censure of the judgment seat shall these things be and the blood still continue to run coolly and through your veins there are ills mr which even your calm philosophy may not master but perhaps i have mistaken your temper these evidences at least shall not put you in peril he said as he took up the letters from the table and held them over the candle and then threw the flaming mass upon the hearth that fear i hope is removed and as for my presence here one word briefly spoken and it shall not longer your safety looked at his companion as he destroyed the papers and then said with a stern emphasis your duty sir is in the field you have been bred to a profession that teaches you blind obedience to orders it is not your part to weigh the right of the cause nor to in the execution of any horse shoe robinson f o e of blood so that it come under the name of honorable warfare therefore i excuse this warmth but do not presume upon the nature of your calling and fancy that it more fidelity to the king than the of his more peaceful subjects it is a thought unworthy of you that fear of disaster to myself be it more imminent than it has yet been should an est my step in that path where my country s honor or my sovereigns command bids me advance worthy and excellent friend said taking s hand i have done you wrong i am rash and headlong in my temper and my tongue often speaks what my heart i am little better than a boy mr and a foolish one i humbly your pardon speak on said then briefly this your situation is all that you have described it sir henry is aware of the trial he upon you he would have you act with the caution which your wisdom and if it should become necessary to speak that word which is to bring the wrath of the upon your head remember there is and defence under the broad banner of england who so welcome there as philip f even at this moment our should be tempered by your presence and it becomes almost a patriotic duty to pluck you from the seclusion of the dove and give you a share in the stirring events of the day sir the country has a claim upon your services scarce with the idle contemplation of this momentous trial of strength had advanced to the window where he remained looking over the moon lit scene his companion stood close beside him and after a short interval took his arm when they stepped forth upon the porch and sauntered backward and forward as continued the government would not be of the benefits you might confer there are offices of trust and dignity to be filled in this province when it shall be restored to its the highest post would not be bestowed if it should be assigned to you sir henry bids me speak of that as of a subject that has already occupied his thoughts it would give grace and dignity to our resumed authority to have it illustrated by the accomplished scholar and discreet who has before this discharged horse shoe robinson important and difficult with a fidelity that has won all men s esteem	29
and then my dear sir he added after a pause u who may say that it shall not be sir philip or even something yet higher a would not be an honor even to the of virginia his majesty is not slow to discern worth nor backward to raise it to its proper station these are toys and to you mr but they are still worth the seeking you have a son to follow you ah there mr you touch me more nearly than you imagine you remind me by this language that i have also a daughter as to henry he has a temper and a capacity to make his own way through the world i fear not for him nor would seek for honors to add to his name but my you know not what emotions the thought of her in these troubles costs me who shall guard and defend her whilst i pursue this way laid road of ambition what would she find under a war encircled banner should misfortune me and separate us alas alas that is the spell that like a net cast over my limbs makes me feeble and i have not been without my solicitude mr on that subject said you yesterday did the honor to say that my proposal in regard to miss was not distasteful to you my ardent wish but be accomplished she should be placed in safety assured of ample and kind protection i her thoughts should incline to a favorable reception of my offer which i would fain persuade myself her reverence for you may render not altogether improbable when she knows that you deem well of my suit we might remove her to where secure amidst friends she would pass the brief interval of alarm and leave you free to act on this theatre as your honor and duty may you will not leave me said my dear daughter would suffer a thousand deaths in the anxiety of such a separation then why not accompany her to i asked your presence there would be equally efficient as at head quarters perhaps more so there are other obstacles mr you talk of as if her heart were to be disposed of at my bidding you do not know her i have long struggled to subdue an attachment that has bound her to our worst enemy i fear with little success i have trusted to time to wear out what i deemed a mere girlish liking but it seems to me the traces fade but slowly from her heart know of whom you speak said that butler it is a and transient passion and cannot but fall into forgetfulness miss has from circumstances been but little with the world and like an inexperienced girl has in solitude a romantic affection that alone should be a motive to remove her into a scene besides this butler will be himself forced to give over his hopeless aim if he has not done so before this measures are already taken and i do not scruple to tell you at my instance to his lands in to his majesty s use the close of this war will find him and not unlikely my dear sir i myself may be the possessor of his inheritance i have some pledge of the pre of these lands at a small fee it will win you no favor with said to tell her that you succeed by such a title to this man s wealth she is a girl and is not used to crosses her devotion to her purpose as it sometimes my admiration gives me in the present case cause of profound alarm you have spoken to her on this subject have not replied and almost fear to it i can therefore give you no encouragement some little time hence perhaps to morrow i may sound her feelings but remember as her father i claim no right beyond that of advice i shall think myself fortunate if by giving a new direction to the current of her affections i can divert her mind from the thoughts of an alliance to me the most hateful to her full of future misery a maiden s fancies am scarcely intelligible even to a father these subjects require meditation said i will not press them further upon your thoughts to night heaven guide us in the way of safety and happiness said almost in a whisper good night my friend when was left alone he strolled forward to the terrace and passing round to that end which the cliff near the door that opened from the library he leaned his breast upon the and looked upon the wild and beautiful scenery of the valley the night was calm and full of splendor the tops of the trees that grew in the almost beneath his eye here and there caught the bright moon beam where it glowed like silver and the shades rendered deeper by the contrast seemed to brood over a black and impenetrable abyss occasional glimpses were seen of the river below as it sparkled along such portions of its channel as were not hidden in darkness the coolness of the hour and the solitude of the spot were not ungrateful to the mood of mind whilst the monotonous music of the river fell pleasantly upon his ear he was not of these charms in the scene though his thoughts were busily employed with a subject foreign to their contemplation have i advanced was the tenor of his present self communion the purpose i have so much at heart by this night s conference could i but engage in the issues of this war so him in its purposes and its as to render his further residence at the dove then would i already have half my point where could he remove but to and there amidst	29
the of friends and the of gay society i might make sure of there cut off from all means of hearing of this butler and swayed as she must necessarily be by the current of loyal feelings she would learn to his foul rebellion and soon lose her favor for the rebel then too the of his lands but i am not so sure of that she is rich and would make a merit of sharing her fortune with a man whose brave resistance of oppression for so doubtless butler her it is has cost him his wealth the should not seem at least to be my doing well well let her be brought to any change were better than to remain here where anxiety and suspense and solitude nurse and soften her woman s affections and teach her to fancy her lover whatsoever her imagination delights to think on then may not the chances of war assist me this butler all men say is brave and adventurous he should be whatever ill may befall him cannot but work good to me yet has such a sickly caution such scruple against himself in the scheme i could almost find it in my heart to have it told amongst his neighbors that he is in correspondence with the enemy ha that would be a bright device inform against myself no no i will not abuse his generous nature let shoe ill him come fairly the fold and i will guard his gentle like a very shepherd then if we make him governor of the province that will work well will thank me for my zeal in that good purpose at least and i will marry her and possess her estate if it be only to enable her to be grateful to me be a brave reward and bravely shall it be won as over these topics in the strain indicated by this sketch the noise of footsteps ascending the rugged of the cliff the opening of the iron but a short distance from where ne leaned over the roused his attention and pat an end w this and selfish communion with his own heart the cause a this interruption was soon apparent henry and entered through the gate and hurried along the path to that part of the terrace where stood the shade of the house concealed him from their view until they were within a few paces ha miss you are a late he said in a tone of gallantry the of the valley at this hour is not altogether safe the is a sore enemy to beware of it i am not afraid of the night replied as she increased the rapidity of her gait then turning immediately upon the porch she almost ran leaving henry and in pursuit until she reached the farthest window which was heard descending the moment she passed through it into the parlor when and henry entered the same apartment she had disappeared u my sister is not well this evening said henry we strolled too late upon the river bank it was still an over hasty retreat muttered to himself u it not well for me i will henry he said raising his voice that i can guess what you and your sister have been talking about u let me hear said henry first replied she repeated some verses about the moonlight sleeping on the bank this is for poetry and then you both fell to talking sentiment and then i ll he bound you had a ghost story and by that time you found you had got too far from the house and were a little frightened and so came hack as fast as you could robinson you are wrong said henry i have been telling sister how to bob for did you know that an will never pass a streak of moonlight for fear of being found out by the indeed i did not well sister is wiser than you are and as i have taught you that i will go to bed was again left to resume his meditations and to his lots for the peace of the dove on his pillow to that sleepless pillow he now himself chapter x the next morning rose with the sun hj had passed a restless night and now sought refreshment in the early breeze with this purpose he descended to the river and strayed along the pathway which crept through the on the right bank in the direction of the s tower he had not wandered far before he perceived a moving along the road upon the opposite de u james which way what news have you v i seek you sir i was on my way to the dove replied the who at the same time turned his horse s head to the river and the animal forward plunged into the stream which was here still and deep enough to reach above his saddle after some the horse and rider gained the margin where awaited them the vigor of the animal as well as the practised hand that held the rein was shown in the boldness of the attempt to climb the steep bank and break through the and bushes that here guarded it as soon as reached the level ground he dismounted in god s name man what is the matter with your face asked it is of that amongst other things that i came to speak to you was the reply i have news for you speak without tell me major butler slept last night at mrs and is there still no sir he started at early dawn this morning to join gates a i think not he talked of going to ninety six perhaps to horse shoe robinson so ho the hawk over that field does he travel alone he has a giant in	29
his company a great by the name of horse shoe robinson a rascal he would needs pick a quarrel with me last night and in the i got this face did i not command you to bear yourself fool will you risk our lives with your infernal now i would you told the fellow your name u little need of that sir he told it to me said he knew me before the fellow for all his rough coat is a regular trained soldier in the rebel service and has met me somewhere heaven knows i don t remember him yet he isn t a man to see once and forget again and me did he speak of v he knew that i was in the employ of an english gentleman who was here at the dove i have nothing especial to complain of in the man he speaks enough he said he would take no advantage of me for being here as long as our visit was and you believed him and you must fight with him like a when will you get an of wit into that fool s head what time of day was it when this butler arrived long after night fall did you understand any thing of the purpose of his visit u he talked much with mistress and i think their conversation related to the lady at the dove i could hear but a few scattered words away here throwing his purse to the pay up your score at the inn and at your greatest haste attend me on the river bank immediately below mr s house ask mrs to have a breakfast prepared for me away i will expect you in half an hour his horse and choosing a more convenient ford than that which he had passed for the rocks on this side prevented his reaching mrs s without the river to the road he soon regained the track and was seen almost at high speed sweeping around the base of the s tower horse shoe robinson returned hastily to the dove and seeking his gave orders to have his packed his horse and to be in waiting for him at the foot of the hill these commands were speedily obeyed and everything was in readiness for his journey before any of the family had made their appearance in the breakfast room whilst meditated writing a line to explain to his present sudden movement and had drawn near a table for that purpose he was saluted by the voice of henry who had entered the apartment and stolen unobserved almost immediately behind his chair and mr said henry you are for a ride will you take a piece there are over upon the hills oh ho master henry you are up i am glad of it i was just writing a word to say that business calls me away this morning is your father yet he is sound asleep said henry i will wake him u no my lad you must not do that say i have received news this morning that has called me suddenly to my friends i will return before long is your sister stirring w u she was in the garden but a moment since replied henry and the young man left the room to which he returned after a short space sister is engaged in her chamber and you will excuse her said he as he again entered the door henry i didn t tell you to interrupt your sister make her my most respectful adieu don t forget it i have all my way to win he said to himself and a rough road to travel i fear now left the house and descended to the river accompanied by henry who sought in vain to know why he departed in haste as not to stay for breakfast james waited below and when henry saw his father s guest mount in his saddle and cross the ford attended by his two servants he turned about and up the hill again half singing and half saying to him self i m glad he s gone i m glad he s gone accompanied with a chorus expressive of the satisfaction of his feelings at the moment he d a got a in his ear if he had stay d i should like to know what major butler would say to mr if he was horse shoe robinson to meet him may be butler will see him this very ing at mrs s now i wonder shall i whisper that tc sister she would be glad for one i ll be bound may be they might have a fight and if they do let mr look out he never had his bread so in his life as it would be then in such a strain of and conjecture henry reached the parlor where he found the melancholy that hung upon her spirits the evening before seemed to have been by the repose of the night and was doubtless relieved in part by the intelligence that had quitted the dove come sister said henry throwing his arm round her waist and almost dancing as he forced her through the open window come it will be a good while before father is ready for his breakfast let us look at your flowers i have something to tell you you are quite an important personage this morning replied moving off towards the lawn with her brother your face looks as wise as a book of it was some time before the brother and sister returned to the parlour and when they did so their father had not yet appeared the delay was unusual for generally rose at an early hour and frequently walked abroad before his morning meal when he at last entered the room there was an expression of care upon his brow and thought that made	29
you would now be flattering these by persuading them they were all born for heroes we may thank the gods that they have given you the instead of the soldier s cloak and placed you at the head of a breakfast table instead of a regiment i do not think replied smiling that i should altogether disgrace the cloak now woman as i am if the occasion required me to put it on u pray drop this subject my dear child you know it makes me sad my family i fear are to some strange from these civil attend me presently in the library i have matters to communicate that concern you henry my boy continued as he rose from his breakfast pay foster the full value of the as a you have a right perhaps to your share of the game but a gentleman shows his courtesy by such claims he should suffer no friend to be his even in opinion may not expect to be paid no matter it concerns your own character to be liberal u i have promised a new rifle replied henry since they have elected him lieutenant of the he wants something better than his old deer gun i positively forbid it interrupted hastily returning towards the middle of the room from the door through which he was about to depart what would you purchase weapons for these to enable them to shoot down his majesty s subjects to make war upon their king against his laws and throne to threaten your life your sister s and mine unless we bowed to this idol of which have set this washington v v my dear dear father interposed as she came up to horse shoe robinson him and flung her about his neck consider henry is a thoughtless boy and does not look to consequences heaven bless you both my children i beg your i am over henry pay for the and give him something better than a rifle i will see you presently when had left the parlor her brother in the most earnest terms to be more guarded against giving expression to any sentiment which might bring their father s thoughts to the existing war her own observation had informed her of the nature of the struggle that agitated his mind and her effort was continually directed to calm and soothe his feelings by the most affection and thus to foster his resolution against taking any part in those schemes in which she guessed it was the purpose of the of the royal party to involve him her attachment to arthur butler she feared to mention to her father whilst her self respect and her conviction of her duty to a parent who loved her with unbounded devotion would not allow her altogether to conceal it upon this subject had sufficiently read her heart to know much more about it than she chose to confess and it did not fail to up in his mind a feverish excitement that occasionally broke forth in even a reproof and to furnish the only occasion that had ever arisen of serious displeasure against his daughter the unhappy association between this incident in the life of and the current of a feeling which had its foundation in a weak piece of superstition to which r have alluded in a former chapter gave to the idea of s marriage with butler a fatal complexion in s thoughts for what purpose he asked himself but to this ill event could i have had such an extraordinary warning it had occurred to him that the method of protecting his family against this misfortune would be to throw into other associations and encourage the growth of other such as might be expected to grow up in her heart out of the kindness of new he had even meditated removing her to england but that plan became so repulsive to him when he found the mention of it distasteful to his children and it suited so horse robinson his own fondness for tbe retirement he had already cultivated that he had abandoned it almost as soon as it to him his next alternative was to favor though he did so with no great zeal the proposal lately made by he little knew the character of the woman he had to deal with never was more devotion in a woman s heart than in s never was more fixed and steady purpose to encounter all and hold cheap all dangers more deeply rooted in man s or woman s resolution than was s to cherish the love and follow the fortunes of arthur butler this conflict between love and filial duty sadly perplexed the daughter s peace and not less disturbing was the strife between parental affection and the supposed of fate in the breast of the father henry protested his sorrow for his recent and promised more caution for the future and then to what more immediately concerned his sister s interest he said u i do much wonder what s man had to say this morning it took our good gentleman away so suddenly can t help thinking it has something to do with butler and horse shoe they must have heen seen by at mrs s and old knows the major very well and has told his name besides do you know sister i think is a spy else why should he be left at mrs s always there was room enough here for both of mr servants i have a thought that i will i will ride oyer to the blue ball and see what i can learn do my good brother replied and in the meantime i must go to my father who has something disagreeable to tell me so i fear concerning that busy who has just left us my spirits grow heavy at the thought of it ah henry if i could	29
but speak out and my heart what a load would i throw off how does it grieve me to have a secret that i dare not tell my dear father thank heaven brother your heart and mine have not yet had a secret that they could not whisper to each other give care the whip sister said henry like a young gallant it belongs to the bat family and should not fly in day time robinson farewell for the next two hours and saying these words the youth kissed hand and with an alert step left the room now retired to prepare for the chapter xi a scene between a father and daughter when entered the library was already there he stood before one of the of book shelves and held a volume in his hand which for a moment after his daughter s entrance seemed to his attention was sufficiently to perceive that by this device he struggled to compose his mind for an interview of which she more than guessed the import she was of a constitution not easily to be driven from her self possession but the consciousness of her father s embarrassment and some perplexity in her own feelings at this moment produced by a sense of the difficult part she had to perform slightly her there was something like alarm in her step and also in the expression of her features as she almost stealthily seated herself in one of the large lounging chairs for a moment she unconsciously employed herself in a little flower that she held in her hand of its leaves and looked silently upon the floor at length in a low accent she said u father i am here at your bidding turned quickly round and throwing down the volume he had been approached his daughter with a smile that seemed rather to play over his grave and almost melancholy countenance and it was with a forced attempt at he said as he took her hand now i dare say you think you have done something very wrong and that i have brought you here to give you a lecture u i hope father i have done nothing wrong was s grave and almost tremulous reply thou art a good child said drawing a close beside hers and then in a more serious tone he continued you are entirely sure my daughter that i love you and devoutly your happiness us robinson dear father you frighten me by this solemn air why ask me such a question pardon me my girl but my feelings are full with subjects of serious import and i would have you believe that what i have now to say springs from an earnest solicitude for your welfare you have always shown it father i come to speak to you without reserve of resumed and you will not respond to my confidence unless vou answer me in the very truth of your heart this gentleman mr has twice to me of late an earnest attachment to you and has sought my leave to his suit such things are not apt to escape a woman s notice and you have doubtless had hint of his before he disclosed it to me all the woman s disappeared with this announcement grew erect in her seat and as the native pride of her beamed forth from every feature of her face she he has never father vouchsafed to give me such a proof of his good opinion mr is content to make his bargain with you he is well aware that whatever hope he may be idle enough to must depend more on your command than on my regard he has never spoken to you asked without making any comment on the indignant reception his daughter had given to disclosure never a word you my daughter of all that has lately passed between you a maiden is apt to attentions can you remember nothing beyond the mere of custom i can think of nothing in the conduct of mr but his devotion to the purpose of my dear father in his miserable politics i can remember nothing of him but his low voice and noiseless step his mysterious his midnight his flattery of your services in the royal cause the base means by which he has robbed you of your rest and taken the color from your cheek i thought him too busy in your peace to cast a thought upon me but to speak to me father of attachment she said rising and taking a station so near s chair as to be able to lean her arm upon his shoulder to breathe one word of a wish to win my esteem that he dared not you speak under the impulse of some horse shoe robinson feeling daughter you apply terms and motives that sound too harsh from your lips when the subject of them is a brave and faithful gentleman mr deserves nothing at our hands but kindness alas my dear father alas that you should think so what have you discovered or heard that yon should deem so of this man who has up this unreasonable aversion in your mind against him i am indebted to no sources of information but my own senses replied i want no to tell me that he is not to be trusted he is nut what he true he is not what he seems but better appears here but as a simple gentleman wearing tor obvious reasons an assumed name the letters he has me him to be a man of rank and family high in the confidence of the officers of the king and holding a commission in the army a man of note worthy to be trusted with grave distinguished for sagacity bravery and honor of moral virtues which would any station and as you cannot but acknowledge from your own observation filled with the courtesy and	29
grace of a gentleman daughter it is sinful to from the character of an honorable man wearing an assumed name father and acting a part here at the dove is it necessary for his purpose that under this roof he should appear in may i know whether he treats with you for my hand in his real or assumed character does he permit me to know who he is all in good time content you girl that he has sufficiently himself to me these are perilous times and is obliged to practise much address to find his way along our roads you are aware it would not be discreet to have him known even to our servants but the time will come when vou shall know him as himself and then if i mistake not your generous nature will be ashamed to have wronged him by unworthy suspicions believe me father exclaimed rising to a tone of animation that awakened the natural eloquence of her feelings and gave them vent in language which more resembled the display of a practised orator than the of a girl believe me he im horse shoe t on you his purposes are intensely selfish if he has obtained an authority to treat with you or others under an assumed name it has only been to further his personal ends already has he succeeded in plunging you against your will into the depth of this quarrel your time my dear father which once glided as softly and as happily as yon sparkling waters through our valley is now consumed in that wear out your spirits your books are abandoned for the study of secret schemes of politics you are perplexed and anxious at every account that reaches us of victory or defeat it was not so until you saw your nights that once knew a long and sleep are now divided by short and you complain of unpleasant dreams and you some constantly coming disaster indeed dearest father you are not what you were you wrong yourself by these cares and you do not know how anxiously my brother henry and myself watch in secret this unhappy change in your nature how can i think with patience of this when i see these things the times leave me no choice when a nation struggles to throw off the rule of lawful authority the friends of peace and order should remember that the passions of the people are not to be subdued without personal sacrifices you promised yourself father here at the dove to live beyond the sphere of these and as i well remember you often as the war raged threw yourself upon your knees and taught us your children to kneel by your side and we put up our joint expressions of gratitude to god that at least this little asylum was undisturbed by the angry passions of man we did we did my dearest child but i should think it sinful to pray for the same quiet when my services might be useful to restore harmony to a distracted and country do you now think asked that your efforts are or can be of any avail to produce peace the blessing of heaven has descended upon the arms of our sovereign replied the southern provinces are subdued and are fast returning to their the hopes of england and a speedy close of this unnatural rebellion is at hand there are many valleys father amongst these mountains and horse n the wide forests shade a solitude where large and nations may be hid almost from human search they who possess the valleys and the wilderness i have heard it said by wise men will for ever choose their own rulers you are a dutiful daughter and are not wont to oppose your father s wishes i could desire to see you with that shrewd apprehension of yours that quick insight and that thoughtful mind thoughtful beyond the quality of your sex less bent towards the enterprise of these rebel subjects i do utterly them and their cause and could wish that child of mine in no one of my aversion to them heaven father and your good have made me what i am returned calmly i am but a woman and speak with a weak judgment and little knowledge to my mind it seems that the government of every nation should be what the people wish it there are good men here father amongst your friends men who i am sure have all kindness in their hearts who say that this country has suffered grievous wrongs from the insolence of the king s representatives they proclaimed this in a paper which i have heard even you say was temperate and thoughtful and you know nearly the whole land has roused itself to say that paper was good can so many men be wrong you are a girl replied and a one you are with the common but what else might i expect there are few men who can think out of fashion when the multitude is supposed to speak that is warrant enough for the opinions of the majority but it is no matter this is not a woman s theme and is foreign to our present conference i came to talk with you about upon that subject i will use no express no wish not in the slightest point essay to influence your choice when he disclosed his purpose to me i told him it was a question solely at your disposal thus much it is my duty to say that should his suit be favored from the bottom of my heart father interrupted eagerly and with increasing earnestness i the thought be assured that if age poverty and were upon me at once if friends abandoned me if my reason were and i was doomed to wander amongst thorns and horse shoe r bin on i would	29
not exchange that lot to be his wife amidst honors and wealth i never can listen to his hateful proposal there is that in my condition which would make it wicked pray dearest father as you love your daughter do not speak of it to me again resume your calmness child your earnestness on this subject me it has a fearful omen in it it tells of a heart devoted to one whom of all men i have greatest reason to hate this unhappy lingering passion for the sworn enemy of his king and country little becomes my daughter or her regard for me it may rouse me to some unkind wish against thee oh i could curse myself that i ever threw you in the way of this rebel butler nay you need not conceal your tears well do they deserve to flow for this against the peace of your father s house it requires but little skill to read the whole history of your heart now walked to and fro across the apartment under the influence of emotions which he was afraid to trust himself to utter at length his in a somewhat moderate tone he continued will no lapse of time wear away this image from your memory are you madly bent on bringing down misery op your head i do not speak of my own suffering will you for ever nurse a hopeless attachment for a man whom it must be apparent to yourself you can never meet again whom if the perils of the field the bullet of some loyal subject do not bring him punishment the may reward or in his most fortunate destiny disgrace poverty and shame pursue are you for ever to love that man i stood before her father as he brought this appeal to a close her eyes filled with tears her breast heaving as if it would burst and up all her courage for her reply when this last question was asked she looked with an expression of almost angry defiance in his face as she answered for ever for ever and hastily left the room the firm tone in which spoke these last words her proud and almost haughty bearing so unlike anything had ever seen before and her departure from his presence gave a shoe robinson check to the current of his thoughts that raised the most emotions for an instant a blush of resentment rose into his cheeks and he felt tempted to call his daughter back that he might express this sentiment it was but of a moment s duration however and grief at what he felt was the first he had ever had with his child succeeded and stifled all other emotions he flung himself into the chair and dropping his forehead upon his hand gave way to the full tide of his feelings his spirits gradually became more composed and he was able to survey with a somewhat temperate judgment the scene that had just passed his manner he thought might have been too perhaps it was harsh and had offended his daughter s pride he should have been more in his speech the old he said are not fit to the young we forget the warmth of their passions and would reason when they only feel how small a share has prudence in the concerns of the heart but then this unexpected of devotion to butler that alarmed him and he bit his lip as he felt his anger rising with the thought her to her prompt of his suit her indignant contempt for the man even that i could bear with patience he exclaimed i seek not to her will by any authority of mine but this butler oh there is the beginning of the curse upon my house there is the fate against which i have been so solemnly warned that man who had been the author of this and whose alliance with my name has been by the awful of the dead that should cherish his regard is misery it cannot and shall not be these and many such reflections passed through s mind and had roused his feelings to a tone of against arthur butler far surpassing any displeasure he had ever before indulged against this individual in the height of this self communion he was interrupted by the return of to the apartment almost as abruptly as she had quitted it she approached his chair knelt laid her head upon his lap and wept aloud why my dear father she said at length looking up in his face while the tears rolled down her cheeks why do you address language to me that makes me forget the duty i owe you if you knew my heart you would spare and pity my feelings pardon g s robinson me dear father if my conduct has offended you i knew not what i spoke i ain wretched and cannot answer for my words do not think i would wound your affection by but indeed indeed i cannot hear you speak of without agony rise daughter said almost lifting her up i do not you for your to you mistake me if you think i would dictate to your affections my grief has a deeper source this arthur butler that name father interrupted retiring to a near the window and covering her face with her hands curse him i exclaimed may all the that torment the human bosom fall upon him mark me daughter i trust i am not an unreasonable father i know i am not an unkind one there are few that could make which i would not freely grant but to hear with patience tin name of that man on your lips to think of him as allied to you by any sympathy as sharing any portion of your esteem him a rebel traitor who has raised his hand against his king	29
who has sold his name to who has contributed to fill these peaceful provinces with discord and to the happiness of this land which heaven had appointed to be an asylum where man disgusted with the and murder of his fellow might himself as a child to the bosom of his parent i cannot endure the thought of him never again i charge you never allude to him again if i could but tell you all interrupted sobbing if i could but patiently have your hearing never a word of him as you desire to preserve my affection i will not hear get to your chamber said almost sternly get to your chamber this perverse and resolute temper of thine needs the restraint of solitude rose from her chair and moved towards the door and as she was about to depart she turned her weeping countenance towards her father come hither he said thou art a foolish girl and would bring down wretchedness and woe upon thee god forgive you i from the bottom of my heart i forgive you this thing is not of your own imagining some malignant spirit has spread his h wing above our go child forget ha been said and that thus harshly with fate for your own welfare kiss me and may heaven shield you against this impending ill dear father hear me said as a kiss upon her forehead away away interrupted i would be temperate nor again forget myself in all love away left the room and to restore the of his temper which had been so much by this interview wandered forth into the valley whence it was some hours before he returned it was not long after the termination of this conference before henry rode up to the door the clatter of his horse s hoofs brought from her chamber into the parlor u what sister your eyes red with tears said henry who has distressed you ah brother i have had a weary time in your absence our poor father is sadly displeased with me have you told him all asked henry with an expression of anxiety he bade me replied never mention arthur s name again lie would not hear me speak of arthur have i not reason dear brother to be miserable f i love you said henry kissing his sister and what s more i love arthur butler and will stand up for him against the world and i have a good mind to go to my father and tell him i am man enough to think for myself and more than that that i for one believe these as he calls them have the right of it why shouldn t i can t i shoot a rifle as well as the best of them and stand by a friend in a quarrel and make good my words as well as many a man who writes twenty years to his age i am tired of this boy play shooting with arrows and riding with my father s hand ever on the neck of my horse as if i could not hold the reins give me sharp steel and throw me on the world and i ll be bound i make my way as well as another we are surrounded with difficulties brother said and have a hard part to perform we must soothe our dear h b x ok father s feelings for he loves us henry and if he could but think as we do how happy should we be i but there is something fearful in his passions and it makes me tremble to see them roused this all comes replied henry from that devil s oh i could find it in my heart to that fellow sister but you hav n t asked me about my i ll tell you s man talked a great deal to old and mrs both about our friends who went there last night and found out their names and all about them and there was some between horse shoe and in which i ll warrant you horse shoe gave him a so told me well butler and horse shoe set out this morning at daylight and went over there to breakfast and you may suppose he was lucky in not meeting the major for i am sure there would have been a spot of work if he had i found out that followed on the same road after butler so they may meet yet you know i pray not said why pray not sister i pray they may meet let have all the good of it there now i believe i have given you all the news sister exactly as i picked it up but here is a trifle i forgot said henry producing a letter addressed to ah ha you up now this was left by the major with mrs to be forwarded to you with care and speed tore open the letter and eagerly its contents they consisted of a few lines hastily by butler at early dawn as he was about mounting his horse for the of his journey their purpose was to her of the discovery robinson had made of the true character of and also to express his fears that this latter person might disclose to the fact of his butler s visit he her to observe the conduct of and to communicate with him at gates s head quarters where he expected to be delayed a few days on his journey her letter he said might be forwarded by some of the parties who at that time were continually passing southward henry might look to this and he concluded by assuring her that he would write as often as he might find means of conveying a packet to the care i b rob i its ox of good mistress who was sufficiently in the interest of the	29
all having no present friend to whisper a word of defence or in his behalf to his but bravely giving his naked head to the storm because he knows himself to be virtuous in his purpose that man shall come forth from this fierce ordeal like tried gold philosophy shall his name in her richest history shall give him a place on her brightest page and old yea far off posterity shall remember him as of yesterday there were heroes of this mould in south who entered with the best spirit of chivalry into the national quarrel and brought to it hearts as bold minds as vigorous and arms as strong as ever in a ny worked out a nation s these men refused submission to their and endured exile chains and rather than the yoke some few still by the of the times retreated into secret places gathered their few neighbors together and contrived to keep in awe the soldier government that now professed to sway the land they lived on the scant furnished in the woods slept in the tangled and secret places of the from the of the crown and by rapid movements of their cavalry and brave blows accomplished more than thrice their numbers would have achieved in ordinary warfare the in the upper country and here maintained some strong the difficulties that surrounded the republican leaders may well be supposed to have been appalling in this region where regular posts had been established to furnish the secure points of union and the certainty of prompt assistance whenever required yet notwithstanding the inferiority of the friends of independence their guarded and condition their want of support and their almost absolute of all the necessaries of military life the nation horse ob f was often rejoiced to hear of brilliant passages of arms where however unimportant the consequences the display of and bravery was of the highest order in such or they might almost be called from the of the numbers concerned and the hand to hand mode of lighting which they exhibited and many others had won a fame that in a nation of poetical or associations would have been through a thousand channels of immortal but alas we have no and many men who as well deserve to be remembered as or as adam bell or of the have sunk down without even upon the rude stone that in some and grave yard still marks the lap of earth whereon their heads were laid one feature that belonged to this unhappy state of things in was the division of families kindred were arrayed against each other in deadly and not brother took up arms against brother and sons against their a prevailing spirit of treachery and distrust marked the times strangers did not know how far they might trust to the rites of hospitality and many a man laid his head upon his pillow uncertain whether his fellow or he with whom he had broken bread at his last meal might not him in the secret watches of the night and murder him in his all went armed and many slept with pistols or under their pillows there are tales told of men being summoned to their doors or windows at midnight by the blaze of their farm yards to which the torch had been applied and shot down in the light of the by a concealed hand families were obliged to themselves to the shelter of the and when their own were dangerous places the enemy wore no colors and was not to be distinguished from friends either by outward guise or speech nothing could be more than to see the of peace thus the confident into the toils of war nor is it possible to imagine a state of society by a more frightful such was the condition of the country to which my tale now makes it necessary to introduce my reader butler s instructions k shoe r bin o n required that he should report himself to general gates and unless detained for more pressing duty to proceed with all the which the enterprise might require to colonel who it was known was at that time in the country of south raising troops to act against and other british posts he accordingly arrived at head quarters on the borders of the two in about a week after leaving the dove the army of the brave and unfortunate de which had been originally destined for the relief of had been increased by of from virginia and the adjoining states to double the strength of the british forces and gates on taking command of it was filled with the most lofty of victory and he is said to have pushed forward with an haste and to have thrown himself into difficulties which a wiser man would have avoided he professed himself to stand in no need of to his army and butler therefore after the delay of a few days was left at liberty to pursue his original scheme the of the region through which our were about to pass the necessity of the utmost vigilance to avoid from the numerous parties that were then abroad hastening to the seat of war under the almost entire guidance of robinson who was familiar with every path in this neighborhood butler s plan was to with whatever difficulties might beset his way and to rely upon his own and his comrade s address for escape the s first object was to conduct his superior to his own dwelling which was situated on the a short distance above the this was safely accomplished on the second day after they had left gates a short delay at this place enabled butler to exchange the dress he had hitherto worn for one of a more homely and rustic character a measure deemed necessary to his quiet passage through the country with these precautions he and the resumed their	29
purpose major for you to hear us through the window i up and told says i i am a man but i ll be d d if any minister of the gospel shall be insulted whilst i have the care of him and says i i didn t come here to interrupt no man but if you or any one of your crew says one word to the parson they ll run the risk of being flung on this here floor and that s as good as if i had sworn to it and as for you i ll hold you for the good conduct of your whole but major you are about the hardest man to take a wink i ever there was i a of you and to get your horse and be off at least ten minutes before you took the hint i was near all for from your familiarity with these fellows i at first thought them friends u they were mighty you may depend and it was as much as i could do to keep them from breaking in on you it was strange and so it was to see a parson riding e with pistols but i told you was obliged to travel so much after night that it was as much as you could do to keep clear of and wolves and in feet major i had to tell them a monstrous sight of lies just to keep them in talk whilst you was getting away it was like a rare guard by on a retreat to get the advance off i was monstrous major you wouldn t saddle my horse i understood you at last and made everything ready for a retreat and then moved away with a very sober air leaving you to bring up the rear like a good soldier and you know i didn t go so far but that i was at hand to give you support if you had stood in need of it i now that they let you off so easily they didn t want to have no uproar with me major butler they me that although i wa n t a man they would a got some of their necks twisted if i had seen occasion in particular i would have taken some of mad s crazy fits out of him by my hand i would major but i ll tell you i made one observation that this here sort of carrying false colors goes against a man s conscience it doesn t seem natural for a man that s accustomed and willing to stand by his words to be one lie upon top of another as fast as he can speak them it really major butler does go against my grain that point of conscience said butler laughing has been duly considered and i believe we are safe in setting it down as entirely lawful to use any deceit of speech to escape from an enemy in time of war we have a dangerous trade and the indulge us more than they do others and as i am a minister you know you need not be afraid to trust your conscience to my keeping they allow that all s fair in war i believe but it don t signify a man is a good while before he gets used to this flat lying for i can t call it by any other name if we should be on this road before we reach s said butler it is your opinion that we should say we are going to the mountains to buy cattle that s about the best answer i can think of though you horse robinson must be a little careful about that if you see me put my hand up to my mouth and give a sort of a hem major then leave the answer to me a gang of raw lads might be easily imposed upon but it wouldn t do if there s an old amongst them he ax some hard questions i know but little of this craft to bear an examination i fear i should fare badly if one of these should take it into his head to cross question me if a man takes on too much with you replied robinson u it is well to be a little to him if he thinks you are for a quarrel the chances are he won t you but if any of these should only take it into their heads without our telling them right down in so many words for i would rather a lie if it is to come out should take a way that we are sent up here by or or or any of their people to do an they will be as civil sir as your grandmother s cat for major they are a set of the best of them and will take anything that has g r marked on it with thanks even if it was a cat o nine tails which they every day at the sorry devils i am completely at my wits end i have not done much justice to your appointment of me as a parson and when i come to play the it will be still worse even in this disguise of a plain i make a poor i fear i shall disgrace the boards if the worst comes to the worst major the rule is run or fight we can manage that at any rate for we have had a good deal of both in the last three or four years god knows we have had practice enough to make us perfect in that trick let us make our way through this treacherous ground as quickly and as quietly as we can get me to by the shortest route and keep as much among friends as you know as to that major	29
butler it is all a matter of chance for to you the plain truth i don t know who to depend upon a quick eye a foot and a ready hand will be our friends then with the pistols at your saddle besides a pair in your pocket a for close quarters and my rifle here for a long shot horse shoe robinson major i am not much doubtful but what we shall bold our own how far are we from s asked butler not more than a mile replied horse shoe you may see the just ahead lives upon the top of the first hill on the other side is that fellow to be trusted better with the help of gold major than without it was never over honest but it is worth our while to make a friend of him if we can our travellers had now reached the river which was here a smooth and deep stream though by no means so broad as to it to the distinction by which in its lower portion it has earned its name it here flowed along jn deep and melancholy shade butler and his companion were destined to encounter a difficulty at this spot which less hardy travellers would have deemed a serious embarrassment the boat was not to be seen on either side of the river having been carried off a few hours before according to the information given by the inmates of a negro cabin the family of the by a party of soldiers robinson regarded this obstacle with the resignation of a practised philosopher he nodded his head significantly to his companion upon receiving the intelligence as he said there is some mischief in the wind these are always about in and when they collect the boats on the river it is either to help them forward on some house burning and business or to secure their retreat when they expect to have honest men at their heels it would be good news to hear that was near their which by the by is not neither you would be told of some pretty sport then major s means replied butler i fear are equal to his will there are heavy odds against him and it isn t often that he can venture from his hiding place but what are we to do now ha ha do as we have often done before this our legged ships and take a wet jacket coolly and as that devil lieutenant used to tell us when he waa horse shoe robinson going to make a charge of the we no time to lose major and if we had i don t think the river would run dry so here goes with these words robinson plunged into the stream and with his rifle resting across his shoulder he plied his voyage towards the opposite bank with the same as if he had on dry land as soon as he was fairly afloat he looked back to give a few to butler head up stream major lean a little forward so as to sink your horse s nose nearer to the water he all the better for it your reins and give him play you have it now it isn t in a day s ride to get a cool seat once in a while here we are safe and sound he continued as they reached the further margin and nothing the worse for the excepting it be a trifle of about the breeches the two companions now galloped towards the higher grounds of the adjacent country by the time that they had gained the summit of a long hill that rose immediately from the plain of the river robinson butler that they were now in the vicinity of s dwelling the sun had sunk below the horizon and the varied lustre of early twilight tinged the surrounding scenery with its own beautiful colors the road as it wound upwards gradually emerged from the forest upon a tract of open country given signs of one of those original which at that day were sprinkled through the great wilderness the space that had been snatched from the of nature for the purpose of comprehended some three or four fields of cultivated land these were yet spotted over with of trees that seemed to leave but little freedom to the course of the and a and a piece of half cleared ground occupying the side of one of the adjacent hills presented to the eye of our travellers a yet more uncouth spectacle this spot was still clothed with the native trees of the forest all of which had been death stricken by the axe and now heaved up their withered and branches towards the heavens without leaf or spray in the phrase of the they had been some years before and were destined to await the slow n shoe robinson decay of time in their upright attitude it was a grove of huge that had already been into an hue by the sun and whose stiff and dry members rattled in the breeze with a amongst the most of these victims of the axe the of winter had done their work and thrown them to the earth where the shattered and boughs lay as they bad fallen and were slowly into their original dust others whose appointed time had not yet been fulfilled gave evidence of their struggle with the frequent storm by their from the perpendicular line some had been caught in falling by the boughs of a neighbor and still leaned their huge upon these awakening the mind of the spectator to the fancy that they had sunk in some deadly into charitable and friendly arms and thus locked together their but doom it was a field of the dead and the more striking in its from the contrast which it furnished to the rich and lively forest that with all	29
giving to the room that air of life which the habitation of a hunter and which so distinctly the dwellings of our frontier population amongst other articles of household use was a large that was placed near the door and beside it stood the dame who had first the visitors she was a woman who could scarcely be said to have reached the middle period of life although her wan and somewhat haggard features and a surly discontented expression of face might well induce an observer to attribute more years to her worldly account than she had actually seen the presence of a rough and cradle and some five or six children the majority of whom might be below three feet in stature served in some degree to explain the care worn and countenance of the hostess when butler and his companion were ushered by into her presence she gave them no other welcome than a slight nod of the head and continued to her task at the wheel with in another corner of the room sat a smart looking young girl who at this moment was employed in wool she was a horse shoe robinson just upon womanhood with a round active and graceful figure which was adorned with that zealous attention to neatness and becoming ornament which in every station of life to a certain extent those of the sex who are gifted with beauty her cheek had the rich bloom of high health a full round blue eye seemed habitually to laugh with pleasure and the same trick of a happy temperament had stamped its mark upon the lines of her mouth her was altogether different from that of the mistress of the house she from her work immediately upon the entrance of the strangers with a modest and silent reserve and then proceeded to gather up the rolls of wool at her feet and to dispose of them in a chest near at hand having done this she left the apartment not without casting sundry glances towards the guests another member of the family was an aged female she had perhaps seen her winter her frame seemed to be hovering on the verge of dissolution a hollow cheek a sunken moist eye and a tremulous motion of the head the melancholy period of and it was apparent at a glance that this unfortunate being had far both her capacity for enjoyment and the sympathy of her kindred she now sat in a low elbow chair with her head almost in contact with her knees upon the stone hearth bending over a small fire of which had been kindled as well for the purpose of preparing the evening meal as for the comfort of the ancient dame herself the of nightfall rendering this additional warmth by no means unpleasant the silently smoked a short pipe unmoved by anything that occurred in the apartment and apparently engrossed with the trivial care of directing the smoke as she puffed it from her lips into a current that should take it up the chimney michael who acted as landlord in the casual absence of had no other with the family than that of being joint owner with the lord of this wild domain of a small saw mill in the vicinity the particular of which was his especial province he was therefore at particular seasons of the year an in at the and sufficiently in authority to assume a partial direction in the affairs of the house horse shoe robinson p this man now replaced his rifle upon the appropriate u r receive it and then offered butler and robinson chairs as he saw to the mistress of the family ft here s horse shoe robinson mrs and this other man i think they call mr butler they ve come for a night s lodging i believe will be right glad to see them you are not often visited with travellers in this part of the country said butler addressing the matron as he drew his chair near to the fire to dry his clothes we have of them such as they are replied the woman and it s a dangerous thing when there s so many helpless women at home to be opening the door to all sorts of persons you at least run no risk in offering shelter to us this evening returned butler we are strangers to the quarrel that in your district people puts on so many said the woman that there s no knowing them you have a fine troop of boys and girls continued butler patting the head of one of the boys who had summoned courage to approach him after various shy of his person your settlement will require before long there is more children than is needful replied the hostess they are troublesome but poor people generally have the luck that way does your husband ever serve with the army madam asked butler the woman stopped spinning for a moment and turning her face towards butler with a muttered how does that matter concern you pardon me replied butler i was recommended to mr as a friend and supposed i might approach his house without suspicion is a fool said the wife who is never content but when he has other people thrusting their into his mess s a wiser man than his wife interrupted robinson and takes good care that no man his spoon into horse shoe his mess without paying for it you know and me knows each other of old mrs and devil a ha penny did ever lose by good manners yet and who are you to talk horse shoe robinson exclaimed the ill favored dame who are you to talk of if he knows you he knows no good of you i m sure i warrant you have come here on honest business now you and your friend what do you do	29
up here in the woods when there is work enough for hearty men below no good i will undertake it is such as you horse shoe robinson and your drinking that has given us all our troubles here you know a little consideration good woman not so fast you run yourself out of breath said robinson mildly interrupting this flood of why you are as as a hen with a fresh brood remember and me are old friends has been at my house both before the war and since and i have been here all in friendship you know and many s the buck i have helped to fetch down what s the use of if we had been thieves mrs you couldn t have us worse why it s in you to fly in a man s face so u i ll for horse shoe robinson mrs said you t to think harm of him and you know it isn t long since we heard talk of him and say he would like to see him once more well it s my way replied the hostess soothed down into a placid mood by this joint we have had cause to be suspicious and i own i am suspicious but horse shoe robinson i can t say i have anything against you you and your friend may be welcome for me exclaimed the old from the chimney corner who is talking about horse shoe robinson is this horse shoe come here good man she said with her finger to the come close and let me look at you robinson as i am a sinner all the way from the who d a thought to find you here amongst the i such a as you horse shoe robinson said robinson almost in a whisper don t call names we are all here said the old woman heedless of the s caution u ever since last thursday when the handsome english officer was here to see and to count out his gold like stones grandmother you talk nonsense said the wife old mistress interposed robinson is as knowing as she ever was it s a mark of sense to be able to tell the day of the week when a man changes his coat but you t to talk of s seeing an english officer in his house golden guineas honey continued the old woman all good gold and a proud they make in s pocket a s old leather bag robinson doesn t often scrape acquaintance with the image of the king s head ha ha ha it makes me laugh to think of it ha ha ha s nose cocked up so high too who but he the proud like quality well well pride will have a fall some day that s the lord s truth both pockets full she continued muttering broken sentences and laughing so violently that the tears ran down her cheeks if you call your friend interrupted the wife sullenly and addressing robinson you will show your sense by keeping away from this foolish old woman she is continually with some nonsense that she dreams of nights you ought to see that she is only half it s sinful to encourage her talking grandmother you had better go to your bed come this way said the addressing an infant that across the floor near to her seat at the same time extending her arm to receive it come to the old body pretty darling no the child with an angry scream and instantly made its way towards the door then do you come to me she said looking up at her the mistress of the family who was still busy with her wheel wipe my old eye with your handkerchief don t you see i have laughed my eyes dim at and his gold and fill my pipe again horse shoe robinson instead of obeying this command the mother left her spinning and ran with some towards the door to catch up the child who had staggered to the veiy verge of the sill where it paused in imminent peril of falling headlong down the step and having rescued it from its danger she returned with the infant in her arms to a chair where without scruple at the presence of her visitors she uncovered her bosom and administered to her offspring that rich and simple which nature has so provided for the of our first and tenderest days of helplessness well a day i see how it is muttered the grandmother in an accent of reproof that s the way of the world love is like a running river it goes downwards but doesn t come back to the spring the poor old in the chimney corner is a withered tree up the stream and the youngest born is a pretty flower on the bank below love leaves the old tree and goes to the flower it went from me to s mother and so downwards and downwards but it never will come back again the old s room is more wanted than her company she ought to be nailed up in her coffin and put to sleep down down in the cold ground well well but s a proud wretch that s for certain in this strain the aged dame continued to pour forth a stream of exhibiting a mixture of the silly of with a curious remainder of the scraps and of former experience a strange compound of futile and shrewd and quick sagacity during the period of the foregoing dialogue preparations were making for supper these were conducted principally under the of our who my reader will recollect some time since escaped from the room and who as butler learned in the course of the evening was a niece of s wife and bore the kindly name of mary the part which she took in the concerns of	29
the family was in accordance with the simple manners of the time and such as might be expected from her relationship she was now seen arranging a broad table and directing the in the disposition of sundry dishes of bacon and corn bread with such other of fare as belonged to the and forest bound region in which resided horse shoe mary was frequently caught directing her regards towards butler whose face was handsome enough to have rendered such a thing quite natural from a young girl but she seemed to be moved by more than ordinary interest as the of her scrutiny almost implied a suspicion in her mind of his disguise in truth there was some between his manners and the peasant dress he wore which an eye like mary s might have detected notwithstanding the of which butler studied to assume we have nothing but corn bread in the house said mary in a low tone to her perhaps the gentlemen here she directed her eye for the time to butler expected to get wheat had i not better pull some ears from th e garden and prepare them they will not be amiss with our milk and butter bless you my dear said butler thrown completely off his guard and showing more gallantry than belonged to the station he affected give yourself no trouble on my account we can eat anything i delight in corn cakes and will do ample justice to this pray do not concern yourself for us it is easy as running to the garden said mary in a sweet and almost laughing tone that s further my dear replied butler than i choose you should run at this time of night it is dark my pretty girl u gracious returned mary with natural emotion do you think i am afraid to go as far as the garden in the dark f we have no or in our hills to hurt us and if we had i know how to keep them away and how might that be by saying my prayers sir my father taught me before my head was as high as the back of this chair a good many prayers and he told me they would protect me from all sorts of harm if i only said them in right earnest and i hear many old people who ought to know say the same thing your father taught you well and wisely replied butler u prayer will guard us against many ills and chiefly against ourselves but against the harm that others may do us we should not forget that prudence is also a good it is always well to avoid a dangerous path shoe but far all that said the maiden smiling i am not afraid to go as far as the garden if a mean to get the corn interrupted mistress in no very kindly tone you had as well go without all this talk i warrant if you listen to every man who thinks it worth while to in your ear you will find harm enough without going far to seek it i thought it was only civil to speak when i was spoken to replied mary with an air of mortification but i will be gone this moment and with these words the girl went forth upon her errand a moment only elapsed when the door was abruptly thrown open and the tall and figure of strode into the room the glare of the blazing of pine which had been thrown on the fire to light up the apartment fell over his person and flung a black and uncouth shadow across the floor and upon the opposite wall thus his proportions and a picturesque character to his outward man a thin dark weather beaten countenance animated by a bright and restless eye expressed cunning rather than and seemed habitually to alternate between the of vivacity and distrust the person of this individual might be said from its want of and from a certain and stoop in the head and shoulders to have been protracted rather than tall it better deserved the description of than muscular and communicated the idea of in a greater degree than strength his arms and legs were long and the habit of keeping the knee bent as he walked suggested a remote resemblance in his gait to that of a and other animals of the same species it seemed to be adapted to a sudden leap or spring his dress was a coarse and short hunting shirt of dingy green trimmed with a profusion of fringe and sufficiently open at the collar to disclose his long and gaunt neck a black leather belt supported a hunting knife and whilst a pair of rude and a cap from the skin of some wild animal and now deprived of its hair by long use supplied the indispensable gear to either extremity of his person robinson s first care was to bestow in their proper places his rifle and powder horn then to himself of a number of which were strung carelessly over his person and finally to throw himself into a chair that occupied one side of the fireplace the light for a moment blinded him and it was not until he shaded his brow with his hand and looked across the hearth that he became aware of the presence of the strangers his first gaze was directed to butler to whom he addressed the common travelling in these parts sir and before time was afforded for a reply to this his eye recognised the upon which starting from his seat he made up to our sturdy friend and him familiarly on the back uttered a laugh as he exclaimed why is it you man to be sure it is what wind has blown you up here have you been running from red coats or are you hunting of or are you looking for	29
a horse robinson pretty good rule horse shoe all the world through but come here is supper draw up mr butler mary having completed the arrangement of the board whilst this conversation was in progress the family now sat down to their it was during the meal that mary was very attentive in the discharge of the offices of the table and especially when they were required by butler there was a modest and natural courtesy in her that attracted the notice of our soldier and the kindly impression which the girl had made upon him and it was accordingly with a feeling composed in one degree of curiosity to learn more of her character and in another of that sort of tenderness which an open hearted man is apt to entertain towards an and pretty female that he took occasion after supper when mary had seated herself on the threshold of the porch to fall into conversation with her you do not live here i think i have gathered but are only on a visit was the remark addressed to the maiden no sir it is thirty good long miles by the shortest road from this to my father s house mistress is my mother s sister and that makes her my aunt you know sir and your father s name he has a mill sir on the you are the miller s daughter then well that s a pretty title i suppose they call you so the men sometimes call me replied mary rising to her feet and leaning carelessly against one of the upright that supported the porch the miller s pretty daughter but the women call me plain mary faith my dear the men come nearer to the truth than the women they say not replied the maiden i have heard and sometimes i have read in good at least they called them good books that you mustn t believe the men and why should you not i don t well know why not returned the girl but i am young and maybe i shall find it out by and by god forbid said butler that you should ever gain that ex horse shoe robinson but there are many toils spread for the feet of innocence in this world and it is well to have a discreet eye and good friends i am seventeen sir replied mary come next month and though i have travelled backwards and forwards from here to and once to which you know sir is a good deal of this world to see i never knew anybody that thought harm of me but i don t dispute there are men to be afraid of and some that nobody could like and yet i think a good man can be told by his face are you sure of that yes my father is a good man and every one says you may see it in his looks i should like to know your father said butler i am sure he would be glad to know you sir now my pretty miller s daughter why do you think so because you are a gentleman replied the girl for all your clothes ha pray how have you found that out you talk differently from our people sir your words or your voice i can t rightly tell which are softer than i have been used to hear and you don t look and walk and behave as if had been all you ever wore and is that all you stop to consider as if you were studying what would please other people and you do not step so heavy sir and you do not swear and you do not seem to like to give trouble i can t think sir that you have been always used to such as are and then there s another reason sir added the maiden almost in a whisper what is that asked butler smiling why sir when you stooped down to pick up your fork that fell from the table i saw a blue ribbon round your neck and a beautiful gold picture hanging to it none but gentlemen of quality carry such things about them and as there is so much and bloody doings going on about here i was sure you wasn t what you seemed w for heaven s sake my dear exclaimed butler startled by horse shoe h the disclosure of the maiden s suspicion which was so naturally accounted for keep this to yourself and the time may come when i shall be able to reward your fidelity if you have any good will towards me as i hope you have tell nobody what you have seen never fear me sir returned the maid i wouldn t let on to any one in the house for the world i am for general washington and the which is more than i think the people here are indeed muttered butler thoughtfully and scarce above his breath what side does your father take mary my father is an old man sir and he reads his bible and every night before we go to bed he aloud before us all i mean all that belong to his house for quiet once more and peace his petition is that there may be an end of strife and that the sword and spear may be turned into the hook and you know the words sir perhaps for they are in the good book and so he doesn t take any side but then the english officers are not far oft and take his house and use it as they please so that he has no mind of his own and almost all the people round us are and we are afraid of our lives if we do not say whatever they say alas that s the misfortune of many more than your father s household but how comes	29
it s for the want of my not knowing how to tell a he now i don t like to spoil sport but may be you have never thought whether it would be worth while just to take t other side and tell horse shoe the whole business couldn t we don t you think get as much money and just as honestly by colors with major butler but i have thought of that and it won t do for two reasons first these are on the down hill and money is as scarce with them as honesty with the red coats and second the have got so much the upper hand in the whole country that i should have my house burnt down and my children thrown into the blaze of it in less than three days if i was to let these fellows slip through my fingers well i never knew said any piece of that hadn t some good reasons to stand by it and that s what makes it agreeable to my conscience to take a hand why you off replied it is enough to make old scratch laugh to hear you talk about conscience there ain t no such a thing going in these days so be off i ll look for you at daylight ride as if the devil was on my so good bye the of the voices the distant tramp of when he had left the cabin and the cautious retreat of to his chamber told to mary that the affair was settled and the plan of treachery in full career towards its the dialogue that had just passed in the hearing of the maiden disclosed a plot that deeply agitated and distressed her what did it become her to do was the first question that presented itself to her reflection as soon as she was sufficiently self possessed to turn her thoughts upon herself was it in her power to the impending disaster which threatened the lives perhaps of those who had sought the hospitality of her perplexed dismayed and uncertain how to act she had recourse to an expedient natural to her education and such as would appear most obvious to a feeble and female it vas to the simple and expedient of prayer and now in but sincere language having first risen up in her bed and bent her body across her pillow in the attitude of she fervently implored the support of heaven in her present strait and wisdom and strength to conceive and to do that which was needful for the security of the individuals whose peace was threatened by this conspiracy i will arise she said as she finished her short and earnest prayer with the first light of the dawn and wait the coming of the strangers from their chamber and i will then be the first to tell them of the that is prepared for them with this resolve she endeavored to compose herself to rest but sleep fled her eyelids and her anxious thoughts dwelt upon and even the threatened perils it might be too late she reflected to wait for the dawn of day might be before her at the door of the guests and his constant presence might take from her all hope of being able to communicate the important secret to them it was undoubtedly her course to take advantage of the stillness of the night whilst the household were in sleep and the strangers of their danger but then how was she to make her way to their apartment and arouse them at this hour from their to what suspicions might the attempt expose her even from arthur butler himself and more particularly what would john think of it if the story should be afterwards told tc her disadvantage f this last was an which mary was n found putting to herself in winding up a self communion on the present occasion this appeal to the opinion of john had the opposite effect from that which might have been expected from it it suggested new lights to her mind and turned her thoughts into another current and brought that resolution to her aid which her prayer was intended to what would john think he the friend of liberty and of washington the of butler and robinson now toiling with them in the same cause what would he think if she his own mary and the maiden rested a moment on this phrase did not do everything in her power to save these soldiers of independence from the blow which treachery was now at them john would have good right to be angry with me she breathed out in a voice that even startled herself if i did not give them full warning of what i have heard this i am sure he will believe my story whatever others may say innocence and purity of mind are both sword and shield in this world and no less inspire confidence to defy the malice and of enemies than they strengthen the arm to do what is right mary therefore resolved to forego all scruples and bravely to perform ber duty come what might and having settled upon this conclusion she impatiently awaited the moment when she might venture forth upon her office of humanity in this situation it was not long before she heard the distant of a horse s gallop along the road indicating to her the departure of michael upon his m the time seemed to be so mary arose and dressed herself then stealthily to the door that opened upon the porch she the bolt a loud and prolonged from the wooden hinges caused her to shake from head to foot she listened for a moment and finding that no one stirred stepped forth with the timid and faltering step which would no less have marked the intent of the than as now it did the	29
frightened motion of a guardian spirit bent upon an errand of good along the porch she had to pass the window of s apartment first the low growl and then the sudden bark of the watch dog saluted her ear and made her blood run cold the maiden s hand however soothed him into silence but the noise had attracted the horse shoe robinson notice of who grumbled out a short curse from within which was distinctly audible to mary she hastily fled to the further end of tne porch and there stood close against the wall almost as mute and motionless as a statue scarce daring to breathe and poised as in the act to run with her weight resting on one foot the other raised from the floor in this position she remained during a long interval of fear until at length convinced that all was quiet she again ventured forward the window of the travellers chamber looked out from the end of the dwelling and she was now immediately before it one of the beds of the room she knew was placed beside this window and was occupied by either butler or robinson and she gave a feeble tap with her hand against the there was no answer the sleep within was the sleep of tired men and was not to be broken by the light play of a maiden s fingers she now picked up a from the ground and with it again to wake the this too was unsuccessful in utter of her purpose by other means she ventured upon raising the and having done so she thrust her head partially into the room as she held up the window frame with one hand crying out with an almost choked voice mr butler mr butler for mercy awake there was no other response but the deep of the sleep subdued inmates oh what shall i do she exclaimed as her heart beat with a violent motion i might as well call to the dead mr robinson ah me i cannot rouse them without alarming the whole house major butler she continued laying a particular stress upon this of his rank ob good sir awake i what do you want muttered butler in a smothered and sleep stifled voice as he turned himself heavily on his pillow like one moved by a dream oh heaven sir make no noise i am ashamed to tell you who i am said the terrified girl but i come for your good i have something to tell you away away cried butler speaking in his sleep i will not he disturbed i do not fear you i shoe r bin k u oh sir hear me entreated the maiden the people in this house know you and they are evil against you it makes no difference muttered the only half awakened soldier i will ride where it suits me if the were as thick as the leaves of the trees there are people gathering to do you harm to morrow continued mary not suspecting the of the person to she addressed herself and i only come with a word of warning to you do not ride by the spring to morrow nor take the right hand road at the first forks there are wicked men upon that road have your eye she whispered upon my uncle walter ride fast and far before you stop and pray sir as you think fairly of me mary sir the daughter of the oh do not tell my name if you knew john sir i am certain you would believe me the watch dog had growled once or twice during the period while mary spoke and at this moment the door of the principal room of the cabin was heard to move slightly and the voice of in a whisper reached the girl s ear michael in the devil s name what brought you back t why do you when time is so precious a long heavy and inarticulate exclamation such as belongs to disturbed sleep escaped from butler father of heaven i shall let the window fall with fright inwardly ejaculated mary as she still occupied her uneasy station u hush it is the voice of my uncle there was a painful pause a heavy rush of wind agitated the trees and sweeping along the porch caused some horse gear that was suspended against the wall to with a rustling the sound pierced mary s ear like the accents of a ghost and her strength had well nigh failed her from faint i thought it was michael said speaking to some one within but it is only the rattling of harness and the dreaming of these dogs have a trick of and growling in their sleep according to a way of their own they say a dog sometimes sees a spirit at night but man or devil it s all one to old horse shoe robinson sleep quiet you superfluous and hare done with your with these words the door was again closed and mary for the moment was released from suffering remember she uttered in the most fear stricken tone as she lowered the be sure to take the left hand road at the first fork p in god s name what is it where are you was the exclamation heard by mary as the window was closing she did not halt for further or explanation but now hastily stole back like a frightened bird towards its thicket panting and breathless she regained her chamber and with the utmost expedition herself again to bed where gratified by the consciousness of having done a good action and fully trusting that her caution would not be disregarded she gradually dismissed her anxiety and before the hour of dawning had fallen into a gentle though not altogether slumber chapter xv shoe and butler resume their journey which is by a savage incident	29
morning broke and with the first day streak robinson turned out of his bed leaving butler so thoroughly bound in the spell of sleep that he was not even moved by the loud and heavy tramp of the as that personage his clothes horse shoe s first habit in the morning was to look after captain peter and he accordingly directed his steps towards the rude shed which served as a stable at the foot of the hill here to his surprise he discovered that the fence rails which the night before had been set up as a barrier across the vacant doorway had been let down and that no horses were to be seen about the premises what has been here said he to himself as he gazed upon the deserted stable have these and been out in the night or is it only one of captain peter s old tricks letting down bars and leading the young into mischief that beast can the scent of a corn field or a pasture ground as far as a crow smells he d and any innocent stable of horses in in doubt to which of these causes to this disappearance of their cavalry the ascended the hill hard by and directed his eye over the neighboring fields hoping to discover the in some of the adjacent pastures but he could get no sight of them he then returned to the stable and fell to examining the ground about the door in order to learn something of the departure of the animals by their tracks these were sufficiently distinct to convince him that captain peter whose shoes had a peculiar mark well known to the had during the night in company with the major s and two others these being all horse shoe robinson as horse shoe had observed that were in the stable at the time he had retired to bed he forthwith followed the foot prints which led him into the high road and thence along it westward for about two hundred paces where a set of field bars now thrown down afforded entrance into the at this point the traced the of three of the horses into the field whilst the fourth it was evident had continued upon the road the conclusion which drew from this phenomenon was expressed by a wise shake of the head and a profound fit of abstraction he took his seat upon a projecting rail at the angle of the fence and began to sum up conjectures in the following phrase the horse that travelled along that road never travelled of his own free will that s as clear as preaching well he rode by nor by or else they are men than i take them to be but still i ll take a book oath that went with a bridle across his head and a pair o legs his back and whoever held that bridle in his hand did it for no good here and there and woods in the night too when the country is as full of as a beggar s coat with it s a bad sign take it which way you will them three horses had the majority and it is the nature of these beasts always to follow the majority that s an observation i have made and in particular if there s a or or a piece of fresh pasture to be got into every individual horse is unanimous on the subject whilst the was engrossed with these reflections he was ware as the old have it of a man past him along the road this was no other than who was forward with a long and rapid step and with all the appearance of one intent upon some pressing business who goes there where away so fast was robinson s challenge horse shoe exclaimed in a key that surprise and even alarm ha ha ha by the old woman s pipe you frightened me i ll swear robinson i heard you as i passed by your window three minutes ago swear that s not the truest word you ever spoke in your life horse shoe robinson though true enough for you do you see how cleverly yon light has broke across the whole sky when i first turned out this morning it was a little ribbon of day the burning of a block house at night ten miles off would have made a broader streak it was your own you heard you have only forgot under whose window it was what old witch has been you horse shoe that you are up so early asked get back to the house man i will be with you presently i have my farm to look after i ll see you presently you seem to me to be in a very hurry considering that you have the day before you but softly i ll walk with you if you have no to it no no i m busy i m going to look after my traps i d rather you d go back to the house and hurry breakfast go i you would only get scratched with if you followed me ha ha ha did you say look here man do you see them there legs do they look as if they couldn t laugh at in any sort of i had a mind to set them tut go with you just to you the march u then i ll not a foot after the traps you are what s the matter with you u is major butler up yet asked the thoughtfully who do you say major butler major cried with affected surprise yes you called him major butler i had some dream i think about him or didn t you call yourself horse shoe most i did not replied robinson seriously then i it horse shoe these dreams sometimes get the head like things	29
we have been told but tell me the plain up and down truth what brings you and mr butler into these parts what are you after in it does seem strange to find men that are wanted below straggling here in our woods at such a time as this there are two sorts of men in this world said the with a smile them that questions and them that t answer questions now which do you think i belong to horse robinson why to the last you where are our horses tell me that who let them out of the stable perhaps they let themselves out replied they were not you are either or fool come here there are the tracks of the beast that carried the man up this road who loose all the horses that were in that stable perhaps said with an assumed expression of ignorance tt where can that fellow have been so early oh i remember he told me last night that he was going this morning to the blacksmith s he ought to be back by this time and you are here to the news from him said th with a suspicious scrutiny you have just hit it horse shoe returned laughing i did want to know if there were any more of about this district for these cursed fellows whip in upon a man and cut him up and ear without so much as thanks for their and so i told to inquire of the blacksmith for he is more like to know than anybody else whether there was any more of these abroad and your traps that was only a he i confess it i was to make you uneasy by telling you what i was after but still it wasn t a broad daylight lie neither it was only a civil for i was going after my wolf trap before i got my breakfast but here comes at this juncture was seen emerging from the wood mounted on a pony which he was urging forward under repeated blows with his stick the little animal was covered with foam and from his travel worn plight gave evidence of having been to the utmost of his strength in a severe journey at some hundred paces distant the rider detected the presence of and his companion and came to a sudden halt he appeared to deliberate as if with a purpose to escape their notice but finding that he was already observed by them he put his horse again in motion advancing only at a slow walk hastily quitted and walking forward until he met tamed about and accompanied him along the road conversing horse robinson during this interval in a key too low to be heard by the here s horse shoe thrusting his head into our affairs con a lie quickly about your being at the blacksmith s i told him you were there to hear the news aye aye i understand you saw yes the gang will be at their post hush be merry laugh and have a joke horse shoe is very suspicious you have ridden the crop ear like a stolen horse continued as soon as he found himself within the s hearing see what a you have put the dumb beast in if it had been your own i warrant you would have been more tedious with him the crop ear is not worth the devil s he is as lazy as a land and too obstinate for any good tempered man s patience look at that stick i have split it into a on the beast you look more like a man at the end of the day than at the beginning of it said robinson how far had you to ride michael only over here to the shop of in the s nest replied u which isn t above three miles at the farthest my saw wanted setting so j thought i d make an early job of it but this beast is so cursed dull i have been good three quarters of an hour since i left the smith s what n do you bring inquired oh none worth telling again that cross contrary rough and tumble bear old hide and seek went down yesterday with the last of s new draughts wild tom said you him horse shoe a superfluous of satan continued the laying a particular accent on the of this favorite which he was accustomed to use as expressive of strong so he is cleared out at last well i m glad on t for he was the only fellow in these hills i was would give you trouble shoe n superfluous or not replied the the word in the same manner as the and equally ignorant of its meaning it will be a bad day for tom the rank tory when he meets me i have reason to think that he tried to clap some of s on my back over here at the s growing for that grace at this time you heard of no red coats about the tiger asked not one replied the nearest post is s in ninety six then your way mr robinson is tolerable for to day added but war is war and there is always some risk to be run when men are with their in their hands but see it is hard upon sunrise let us go and give some directions about breakfast i will send out some of the boys to hunt up the horses they will be ready by the time we have had something to eat without further delay strode rapidly up the hill to the dwelling house the and following as soon as the latter had put his beast in the stable by the time these we assembled in e po h the family began i show signs of life and it was a little	29
after sunrise when butler came forth ready for the of his journey a few words were exchanged in private between and the and after much idle talk and contrived delay two lazy and negro boys were sent off in quest of the travellers horses not long after this the animals were seen from one part of the distant field to another all attempts to get them into a corner or to compel them to pass through the place that had been opened in order to drive them towards the stable there was an air of concern and silent bewilderment visible upon butler s features and an occasional expression of impatience escaped his lips as he watched from the porch the ineffectual efforts of the to force the the house all in good time said answering the thoughts and looks of butler rather than his words all in good time they must have their play out it is a good sign sir to see a traveller s horse so of a morning wife make haste with your preparations shoe and his friend here mustn t be kept from their day s journey stir yourself mary will the gentlemen stay for breakfast inquired mary with a doubtful look at butler will they to be sure they will i would you turn off friends from the door with empty you and especially with a whole day s starvation ahead of them exclaimed the i thought they had far to ride replied the girl and would choose rather than wait to take some cold provision to eat upon the road go about your business niece the horses are not caught yet and you may have your bacon before they are at the door it shall be ready then in a moment returned mary and she herself diligently to her task of preparation during the interval that followed the maiden several times attempted to gain a moment s speech with butler but the presence of or as frequently forbade even a whisper and the morning meal was at length set smoking on the table without the arrival of the desired opportunity the was speedily finished and the horses having surrendered to the who had been despatched to bring them in were now in waiting for their masters horse shoe put into the s hand a small sum of money in for the entertainment afforded to his comrade and himself and having arranged their baggage upon the announced that they were ready to set forward on their journey whilst the travellers were passing the customary on such occasions mary whose manner during the whole morning gave many indications of a painful secret concern now threw herself in butler s way and as she modestly offered him her hand at parting and heard the little of gallantry and compliment with which it was natural for a well bred man and a soldier to speak at such a moment she took the opportunity to whisper the left hand read at the fork remember and instantly glided away to another part of the house butler paused but lor an instant and then hurried forward with the to their horses you promised to put us on the track to ford laid horse shoe as be rose into his seat j am ready to go part of the way with you replied the i will see you to the fork and after that you must make oat lor yourselves michael fetch me my rifle it was not more than half past six when the party set forth on their journey our two travellers rode along at an easy gait and throwing his rifle carelessly across his shoulder stepped out with a long swinging step that kept him without difficulty abreast of the as they pursued their way over hill and they had not half a mile before they reached a point in the woods at which called a halt my trap is but a little off the road he said and i must beg you to stop until i see what luck i have this morning it s a short business and soon done this way horse shoe it is likely i may give you sport this morning our time is pressing said butler pray give us your directions as to the road and we will leave you you would never find it in these woods replied there are two or three paths leading through here and the road is a blind one till you come to the fork the trap is not a hundred yards out of your way than stop to talk about it said the we will follow you so go on the now turned into the and opening his way through the bushes in a few moments conducted the two soldiers to the foot of a large tree by all the i have got my lady exclaimed with a that made the woods ring the i have her horse shoe robinson i there s a picture worth looking at who cried butler of whom are you speaking look for yourself sir replied the there s the mischievous devil an old she wolf that i have been hunting these two years oh ho madam your servant upon looking near the earth our travellers the object of this triumphant burst of joy in a large wolf that was now struggling bob b to release herself from the of her position the trap was contrived it consisted of a long opening into the hollow trunk of the tree beginning about four feet from the ground and cut out with an axe down to the root an had been made at the upper end of the about a foot wide and the wood had been away downwards in such a manner as to render the gradually as it approached the lower extremity until near the earth it was not more than four inches in width thus forming a	29
shaped into the hollow body of the tree a part of the of a sheep had been placed on the bottom inside the scent of which had attracted the wolf and in her eagerness to possess herself of this treasure she had risen on her hind legs high enough to find the opening sufficiently wide to allow her head to be thrust in whence slipping downwards the became so narrow as to prevent her from withdrawing her jaws the only mode of from this trap was to rear her body to the same height at which she found admission an expedient which it seems required more cunning than this cunning animal was gifted with she now stood captive pretty much in the same manner that oxen are commonly secured in their for a few moments after the prisoner was first perceived and during the extravagant yelling of at the success of his she made several desperate but ineffectual efforts to withdraw her head but as soon as butler and robinson had dismounted and together with their guide had assembled around her she from her struggles and seemed patiently to resign herself to the will of her she stood perfectly still with that passive and even cowardly submission for which in such circumstances this animal is remarkable her hind legs drooped and her tail was thrust between them whilst not a nor an expression of anger or grief escaped her her characteristic sagacity had been completely baffled by the superior cunning of her laughed aloud with a coarse and almost laugh as he cried out i have the old thief at last in spite of her cunning with a warning to boot here is a mark i upon her h shoe robin sow last winter he added as lie raised her fore leg which was deprived of the foot but she would be the superfluous devil it is in the nature of these here blood to keep a going at their trade no matter how much they are watched but i i d have her one of these days these have always got to pay one day or another for their she an old fool horse shoe to walk into this here for a piece of dead mutton ha ha ha if she had had only the sense to rear up she might have had the laugh on us but she hadn t ha ha ha well said robinson you had a mischievous head when you contrived that trap feel her ribs mr butler cried not the i know who packed that flesh on her there isn t a lamb in my flock to day that wouldn t grin if he was to hear the news well what are you going to do with her inquired butler remember you are losing time here do with her ejaculated the that s soon told i will skin the devil alive i hope not exclaimed butler it would be an unnecessary cruelty despatch her on the spot with your rifle i wouldn t waste powder and ball on the replied no no the knife the knife then cut her throat and be done with it you are not used to these thieves sir said the there is nothing that isn t too good for them by the old sinner skin her alive that s the sentence u once more i pray not said butler it is past praying for returned as he drew forth his knife and began to it on a stone she shall die by inches and be damned to her he added as his eye sparkled with savage delight now look and see a wolf punished according to her evil doings the stood over his captive and laughed heartily as he pointed out to his companions the and subdued gestures of his victim indulging in coarse and vulgar whilst he described the plan of torture he was about to execute when lie had done with his he slowly drew the point of his knife down the back bone of the animal from the neck to the tail the skin along the whole length that s the way to her jacket he said laughing louder than ever for god s sake ejaculated butler for my sake save the poor animal from this pain i will pay you thrice the value of the skin money will not buy her said looking up for an instant besides the skin is spoiled by that here is a guinea if you will cut her throat said butler and destroy her at once that would be murder outright replied i never take money to do murder it goes my conscience no no i will the old lady and let her have the benefit of the cool air in this hot weather and if she should take cold you know and fall sick and die of that why then mr butler you can give me the guinea that will save my conscience he added with a grin that expressed a struggle between his and cruelty come i will not stay to witness the of this savage mount your horse and let us take our chance alone through the woods fellow i don t wish your further service look there now said where were you born that you are so mighty nice upon account of a wolf man it s impossible to find your way through this country and you might by taking a wrong road fall in with them that would nothing of serving you as i serve this beast curse your heart interposed the her at once it s no use mr butler he said finding that did not heed him we can t help ourselves it s wolf i you couldn t horse shoe cried with another laugh so you may as well stay to see it out butler had now walked to his horse mounted and retired some distance into the wood to avoid	29
further converse with the of the beast and to withdraw himself from a sight so to his feelings in the meantime with operation with an alacrity that showed the innate i horse shoe cruelty of his temper he made a cross through the skin from the point of one shoulder to the other the devoted subject of his torture remaining all the time motionless and silent having thus severed the skin to suit his purpose the now with an affectation of the most dainty precision flourished his knife over the animal s back and then burst into a loud laugh i can t help laughing he exclaimed to think what a fine holiday coat i am going to make of it i shall strip her as low as the ribs and then the will hang handsomely she will be considered a beauty in the sheep folds and then she may borrow a coat you see from some lamb a wolf in sheep s clothing is no uncommon sight in this world h said horse shoe angrily i ve a mind to take the wolf s part and give you a you are the wolf in sheep s clothing yourself that it was ever my luck to see you think so horse shoe cried you might chance to miss your way to day so don t make a fool of yourself hi will would only take away from you a finger post and it isn t every road through this district that goes free of the tory your own day will come yet replied horse shoe afraid to provoke the too far on account of the dependence of himself and his companion upon s information in regard to the route of their journey we have to give and take quarter in this world you see horse shoe said beginning to u i don t like these no how that s the reason why they are cruel themselves and i like to be cruel to them it b a downright pleasure to see them for bless your soul they don t mind common throat cutting no more than a calf now here s the way to touch their feelings at this moment he applied the point of his knife to separating the hide from the flesh on either side of the and then in his eagerness to accomplish this object he placed his knife between his and began to at the skin with his hands accompanying the effort with muttered expressions of delight at the involuntary and but ill suppressed agonies of the brute the pain at length became too acute for the wolf with all her characteristic habits of horse shoe robinson submission to bear and in a desperate struggle that ensued between her and her she succeeded by a leap in herself from her place of the energy of her effort of rescued her from the s hand and turning short upon her she fixed her deep into the part of his where as the foam fell from her lips she held on firmly as if determined to sell her life dearly for the pain she suffered uttered a groan from the and in the hurry of the instant dropped his knife upon the ground he was thus compelled to bear the torment of the grip until he dragged the still beast a few paces forward where grasping up his knife he planted it by one deeply driven blow through and through her heart she silently fell at his feet without or bark her hold only in the of death curse her i cried the hard hearted bloody minded devil that s the nature of the beast cruel and wicked to the last damn her he continued with pain as he stamped his heel upon her head damn her in the wolf s hell to which she has gone robinson stood by and not displeased to see the summary vengeance thus inflicted by the victim upon the this calmness provoked the who with that which belongs to life seemed determined to take away all pretext for the s exultation by affecting to make light of the injury he had received i don t mind the scratch of the cursed creature he said assuming a badly expression of mirth but i don t like to be cheated out of the pleasure of such mischievous it s well for her that she put me in a passion or she should have carried a that the might have fed upon before she died but come where is mr butler f i want that guinea ho sir he continued to butler as he tied up his wound with a of taken from his my guinea i ve killed the devil to please you seeing you would have it butler now rode up to the spot and in answer to this appeal gave it an angry and indignant refusal horse shoe robinson f u lead us on our way sir he added u we hare lost too much time already with your brutal delay lead on sir you will get soon enough to your journey s end replied with a smile and then sullenly took up his rifle and led the way through the forest a full half hour or more was lost by the incident at the trap and butler s impatience and displeasure continued to be manifested by the manner with which he urged the forward upon their journey after the road and a piece of intricate and tangled by a bridle path into which their guide had conducted them they soon reached a broader and more beaten highway along which they rode scarce a mile before they arrived at the fork i have seen you safe as far as i promised said the must now shift for yourselves you take the right hand road about ten miles further you will come to another there strike to the and if	29
guard with your infernal roar like the other fools of the pack be still the upon this rebuke ceased and the bull dog crouched again at his master s feet isn t it time that we were at the ford t our friends to be near at hand inquired black jack will give us notice replied de upon him i have thought of everything like a man that knows his business i have sent that rascal up the road with orders to feel the enemy and i ll undertake he ll it back when he once lays eyes on them as fast as four legs will carry him but it is always well to be beforehand learn that from me i never in my any harm done by being too early so master orderly call the roll u ready sir always ready when you command answered shall i call the by their or will you have them handled like christians on secret service said it is always best to use them to their as when they go horse stealing or house burning or interrupted order sir no do you hear go on with your roll if you have got it by heart be musical dog faith will i most captain it is just to my hand i ll sing you like a i have learnt the handsomely and can go through it as if it were a song begin then the time is coming when we must move i think i hear black jack s horse breaking through the bushes now attention you devil s babies the whole of you shouted horse and gun every mother s of you in a moment the sprang to their weapons and mounted their horses answer to your names said the orderly and see that you do it horse shoe robinson u here answered one of the crew with a laugh silence in the ranks cried u or by the blood of your bodies i ll make my acquainted with your hearts long u here if you mean me said another good on said the captain red at the book answered the man in the ranks and here rose another laugh u red do you mind me said in a threatening tone as his eye fiercely towards the person addressed i ll stand out against the said the person intended to be whilst the whole began to give symptoms of a of merriment i ll be d d if i will have it and that s as good as if i swore to it i am not going to be at by the whole company silence blood and butter you roared the captain don t you see that you re in line how often have i told you that it s against discipline to above a whisper when you are drawn out take care that i hav n t to remind you of that again i you will keep the i have set upon you is a good soldier like name and you shall die in it if i bid you go on orderly proceed bone here u fire nose fire nose yourself replied another member sullenly from the ranks well let him pass that s a cross devil said the captain aside to i ll bring chap into order yet the d d back pass him owl here that s a decent good natured owl said u bow legs both here shoe they are all here most comfortable captain all good fellows and true and as ready to follow you into the belly of an earthquake as go to supper it is all the same to them let them follow where i lead that is all i ask said significantly you have forgot one name on your roll orderly said he who had been written down by the name of fire nose whose was that you forgot captain captain of the shouted with a voice choked by anger until it resembled the growl of a whilst at the same time he drew his sword half out of the it is very well he said his wrath and permitting the blade to drop back into its another time sir i have marked you you limb of a traitor may all the devils ride over me if i don t drive a bullet through your brain if you ever ray discipline again yes you foul mouthed half i have had my suspicions of you before to day so look to yourself a fine state of things when like you can be setting up a in the service take care of yourself sir you know me now my lads to business remember the orders i issued at the spring this morning this officer must be taken dead or alive and don t be chicken hearted about it give him the lead give him the lead as to the fellow that rides with him big horse shoe have a care of him that s a dog that without barking but be on the watch that they don t escape you again since we missed them at the spring they have cost us a hard ride to head them here so let them pay for it see that they are well the ford before you show yourselves wait for orders from and if i fall by the fortune of war take your orders from if by chance we should miss them at the river push s has taken care that they shall make for that to night if any of you by mistake you understand me take them prisoners bring them back to this spot now you have heard my orders that s enough keep silent and ready mind your discipline black jack is long coming orderly these fellows must travel slow i hear him now replied horse shoe robinson la the next moment the referred to galloped into the	29
circle his report was hastily made it announced that the travellers were moving leisurely towards the ford and that not many minutes could before their arrival upon this intelligence immediately marched his troop to the road and posted them in the cover of the that skirted the river at the crossing place here they remained like wild beasts aware of the approach of their prey and waiting the moment to spring upon them when it might be done with the least chance of successful resistance meantime butler and robinson advanced at a wearied pace the twilight had so far faded as to be only on the western sky the stars were twinkling through the leaves of the forest and the light of the the wilderness the road might be in the most open parts of the wood for some fifty paces ahead but where the was more dense it was lost in utter darkness our travellers like most towards the end of the day silently along seldom exchanging a word and anxiously the distance which they had yet to before they reached their appointed place of repose a sense of danger and the necessity for vigilance on the present occasion made them the more silent i thought i heard a wild sort of yell just now people laughing a great way oft sa d robinson but there s such a of and of that i have been mistaken halt major let me listen there it is again it is the crying of a more than a mile from us by my ear a it is like the scream of drunken men replied the and there too i thought i heard the clatter of a the travellers again up and listened it is more like a deer through the bushes no exclaimed the that s the gallop of a horse making down the road ahead of us as sure as you are alive i the shoe strike a stone you must have it too wouldn t be sure answered butler look to your pistols major and prime afresh u we seem to have ridden a great way said butler as he con horse shoe robinson the inspection of his pistols and now held one of them ready in his hand can we have lost ourselves should we not have reached the before this i have seen no road that could take us astray replied robinson and by what we were told just before i should guess that we couldn t be far off the ford we hav n t then quite three miles to s well courage major supper and bed were never spoiled by the trouble of getting to them i think directed us to s said butler he did and i had a mind to propose to yon since we caught him in a trick this morning to make for some other house if such a thing was possible or else to spend the night in the woods u perhaps it would be wise and if you think so still i will be ruled by you if we once got by the river side where our horses have water i almost think i should advise a halt there although i have made one observation major butler that running water is lean fare for a hungry man it won t hurt us and ii you say the word we will stop there then i do say the word isn t that the glimmering of a light yonder in the bushes v inquired horse shoe as he turned his gaze in the direction of th or is it these here lightning that keep so busy shooting about i thought i saw the light you speak o but it has disappeared it is there again major and i hear the rushing of the river we are near the ford perhaps this light comes from some cabin on the bank god send that it should turn out so for i am very weary there is some going on in these woods major i saw a figure pass in front of the light through the bushes i would be willing to swear it was a man on horseback perhaps we have by chance fallen on some tory muster or what s not so likely they may be friends i think i will ride forward and challenge better pass unobserved if you can interrupted r horse shoe robinson butler it will not do for us to run the risk of being separated here we are at the river let us cross and ride some distance then if any one follow us we shall be more certain of his design they now cautiously advanced into the river which though rapid was shallow and having reached the middle of the stream they halted to allow their horses water u captain peter is as thirsty as a man in a fever said horse shoe he drinks as if he was laying in for a week now major since we are here in the river look up the stream don t you see from the image in the water that there s a fire on the bank and there by my soul there are men on horseback look towards the light spur and out on the other side quick quick they are upon us at the same instant that horse shoe spoke a bullet whistled close by his ear and in the next six or eight men galloped into the river from different points this was succeeded by a sharp report of from both parties and the vigorous charge of robinson followed by butler through the array of the they gained the opposite bank and now directed all their efforts to their but in the very crisis of their escape butler s horse bounding under the of the spur staggered a few paces from the river and fell dead a bullet had lodged	29

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