Joscelyn Cheshire Part 28

"The spy of yesterday has not been taken."

"So these gentlemen were telling me," smiling over at Barry.

"But it is most important to the safety of our command and the good of our cause that he be found--dead or alive."

She merely nodded, never taking her steady gaze from his face.

"That he could have gotten out of the town is impossible. My men ran him in from the west side, over the bridge of the Eno. The sentinels were at their posts upon the north, east, and south sides of the village; he could not have pa.s.sed them without detection."

Again he paused; and finding that something was expected of her she said, in a most matter-of-fact way, "I see."

"Then the only conclusion to come to is, that he is still in the town.

Well, now, every house in this vicinity, where he was last seen, has been thoroughly searched save yours. I have talked with Lord Cornwallis--"

She stood up suddenly, with a dignity of movement that well-nigh disconcerted him. "I pray you, Colonel Tarleton, cut your explanation short."

"Then in short, madam, I have here an order from his lordship to examine your house and premises."

She stretched out her hand for the paper silently, imperiously.

Barry had risen and come to her side.

"You will see," Tarleton made haste to add, "that your own loyalty is not impugned. The paper states explicitly that it is not believed you have any knowledge of the man's whereabouts; but it is thought possible he may have concealed himself secretly in your house. I have spoken to his lordship, and--"

"It were unnecessary to say so--I know full well, without the telling, who has so poisoned his lordship's mind against me. Every man, woman, and child in this community knows that I have never wavered in my allegiance to the king. I have been a target for Whig criticism, almost of persecution, because of that allegiance--and this is my reward!" she struck the paper sharply with her other hand. "Well, sir, I recognize the source!" she turned her eyes scornfully upon the man on the rug.

Tarleton ground his teeth, but his private orders were to use the lady with all gentleness, and he knew how to obey--under provocation. He began some sullen disclaimer, but she broke in imperiously:--

"Enough, sir; such paltry excuses weary me. Let us to business."

"You interpose no objection?"

"None, sir. In this house the mandates of his majesty's representatives are obeyed. Let me see; is it your wish to begin upstairs? Very well.

Perhaps these gentlemen will be kind enough to watch the stair; the flight below the landing comes down just at this door."

"May I not come with you?" pleaded Barry, who was loath to have her out of his sight with the brusque colonel, lest some rude word be spoken to her,--a discourtesy he would have been hot to revenge even upon his superior officer.

Tarleton nodded a.s.sent, but Joscelyn laughingly interposed, "Nay, good captain, your boots show the effects of the weather; it would grieve my mother's housewifely heart to know they were leaving their impress upon her carpets. Wait here and guard the stair--are we three not enough to capture one?" She pointed as she spoke from herself and Tarleton to his orderly who had been standing at attention just inside the door. "I take it, Colonel Tarleton, that we shall be sufficient?" He bowed; and thrusting her knitting into her pocket, she moved out of the room, followed by the officer and his orderly. "Mother, look you to the comfort of these other guests; I shall return presently."

There was a threat in Barry's eyes as they met Tarleton's in a fleeting glance; but he merely saluted in silence as that officer pa.s.sed out. One day Tarleton should pay for this needless offence to a girl so unprotected and so beautiful. It was most evident from her bearing to see that she had nothing to fear from an investigation. Yes, one day he should pay for it.

In the hall Joscelyn stopped to pick up the key-basket and the one candle in its tall bra.s.s candlestick. Thus did she leave the lower hall unlighted save from the open parlour door, for she wanted no radiance thrown upward to the story above. She talked unceasingly as they mounted the steps, raising her voice presumably to over-top the noise of the heavy boots, but really as a warning to the man hiding above. Not for a moment did she allow herself to consider the probably fatal outcome of this search. She needed every faculty of mind and body to meet the moments as they came. In the narrow upper entry she paused and lifted her candle; a few chairs, a spinning-wheel, and a table formed its only furniture. A cat could scarcely have hidden there.

"Proceed, I pray you," said Tarleton, after one glance around.

Three doors opened on this pa.s.sage; the nearest of these, which was the one toward the front, she threw open. The white bed, the frilled curtains, the dainty toilet articles upon the dresser, were heralds enough to proclaim the occupant. Even Tarleton hesitated.

"To search here were useless."

"Nay, sir; I insist that you carry out your instructions."

She placed the candle on the table and waited haughtily while the inspection was made, nodding toward the wardrobe, "Open the doors and see if Betty Clevering knew whereof she spoke."

"There is no one here," said Tarleton, following her instructions, his big hand looking awkward enough among the pretty feminine garments. She picked up the light and opened the connecting door to her mother's room.

Tarleton went with her first, however, nodding to the orderly to return by way of the pa.s.sage, that none might creep by that means from the rear.

"An excellent precaution; I had not thought of it," said Joscelyn, detecting the unspoken order.

There was a bright fire on her mother's hearth, and she stood as though warming herself while the two men made their investigation. Her manner was so perfectly frank and unconcerned that Tarleton began to curse himself for a fool. At headquarters the other officers had opposed his plan, laughing at the evidence his guards had gathered--a little mud on a trellis in rainy weather, a locked door when a woman was left alone in her house in such troublous times! Truly, the short colonel was over-credulous to attach any significance to such trifles. Only by the most masterly persuasion had he wrung that order from Cornwallis. He did not relish the laugh he knew his failure would provoke, so he lingered somewhat in this room, examining the closet, and making the orderly climb up and look to see that no one was hidden on top of the tall tester. Finally, he announced himself satisfied.

Joscelyn's hands were like ice as she took up the light and led the way into the hall, and there stopped in front of the attic door.

"This is the only other apartment on this floor. It is the attic over the pantry and kitchen, and extends to the right the length of this hall and of mother's room, which you have just quitted. There is no other entrance but this door in the corner, as you will see."

"Take the light, orderly," said Tarleton, as she turned over the keys in the basket. This was not what she wanted, but she yielded it without a demurrer.

The key turned easily, and opening the door she stepped in, still keeping her hand upon the k.n.o.b, which action brought her within a foot and a half of the wall behind. Still holding the door and facing about she pointed down the long, narrow apartment.

"Will you make yourselves at home, gentlemen?"

Tarleton's spirits rose; the shadows and heaped-up odds and ends in the far side of the room seemed a covert for n.o.ble game. There was no furniture at this end against which the door opened, only bags of seed and dried peppers and herbs hanging along the wall in rear of the girlish figure. His quick glance took this in; then motioning his orderly to follow, he went down the length of the apartment, the light glinting on the pistols in each man's hand. On the shelves were carefully folded piles of bedclothes, and behind the chest a smooth roll of carpet powdered with dust. The hair trunks and the broken bureau gave up no guest, nor did the deep shelves reveal anything suspicious.

All this while a hand had been plucking at Joscelyn's skirt, but Tarleton had kept his side face to her so that any action was impossible. Now, however, he called sharply to his aide to place the candle on the floor and help him search the big chest, remarking in a low tone that "Caskets like that sometimes held living jewels."

Joscelyn laughed. "Then will it be in the shape of mice, of which capture I wish you joy. A rat hunt is n.o.ble sport for one of his Majesty's gallant officers!"

As she intended it should, this speech but spurred Tarleton on to greater exertions. They would soon be coming back to the door, and she dared not risk the closing of it with what she knew was behind. But there was not much time left for action; for, obeying orders, the aide placed the candle on the floor, and opening the lid of the chest began overhauling the contents; his chief's back was also toward the door.

Now, if at all, was the moment for action. Joscelyn's hand had been on the yarn ball in her pocket; quick as a flash it was out and the thread snapped apart. The floor slanted straight from her to the candle. With a deft cast she sent the noiseless ball down the room; it struck the narrow-bottomed candlestick, which careened and rocked over--and the next moment the room was in total darkness.

A cry broke from her and Tarleton simultaneously; his was an oath upon the orderly, hers a nervous relaxation of the strain that had been upon her.

"Colonel Tarleton, come quickly and guard the door whilst I find another light!" she cried, suppressing the dry sob in her throat; for in the momentary darkness she had felt a warm body crush past her on its way to the hall.

But at that instant the orderly found his tinder-box.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'I HAVE SEEN NO HUMAN BEING SAVE OUR PARTY OF THREE.'"]

CHAPTER XXIV.

THWARTED.

"They laugh who win."

--SHAKESPEARE.

As the candle kindled under the orderly's hand Tarleton, who had sprung toward the door, found himself within a foot of Joscelyn, whom the light revealed standing in the open doorway with a hand lifted to either lintel.