Peggy Owen and Liberty Part 40

"We are going to ride as far as we can to-day, my cousin," he said as the horses were brought round. "There may be word from Harriet, or from your general to-morrow. Perhaps something will occur that will prevent us from riding."

"Where shall we go, Clifford?" asked Peggy falling at once into his mood. "Our longest ride is to the five k.n.o.b tree on the Short Hills road."

"That will do admirably," he answered. "And the glen beyond. Let us go through it once more. It hath much of beauty and romance in its scenery."

The day was quite warm, but it was pleasant riding. Clifford was unusually silent, and for the greater part of the distance seemed absorbed in thought. He turned toward her at length smiling:

"I am not very talkative this morning, Peggy. I have been thinking of your father. He thought that he might return, you remember."

"Yes, Clifford. And I," she added tremulously, "have been thinking of Harriet. We have had no word."

"She hath failed, my cousin. Had it not been so she would have been here. Harriet likes not to confess failure. I was certain that she would not succeed, and consented for her sake alone that she should make the effort."

"Still, by that means thee had an extra lease of life, Clifford,"

Peggy reminded him.

"I wonder if that hath been altogether for the best, Peggy," he said seriously. "Sometimes, when after all one must undergo such a penalty as lies before me, the kindest thing that can happen is to have it over with without delay."

"Don't, Clifford," she cried shuddering. "I think that none of us could have stood it. It would have broken our hearts. With the delay we cannot but hope and believe that something will prevent this awful measure from being carried out."

They had reached the five k.n.o.b tree by this time, and beyond it lay the glen of which Clifford had spoken. It was as he had said romantic in its wildness. Various cascades leaped in foamy beauty across the path of the road which ran through the deep vale. Firs lay thickly strewn about, and the horses had to pick their way carefully through them. Copper mines, whose furnaces had been half destroyed by the English, were now overgrown with vines and half hidden by fallen trees, showed the combined ravages of war and nature. A few yards in advance of them the glen widened into a sylvan amphitheater, waving with firs and pines, and rendered almost impa.s.sable by underbrush. A short turning in the road suddenly brought them in front of a romantic waterfall. The cousins drew rein, watching the fall of the water in silence, for the sound of the cascade precluded them from conversation. The sun shone through the tree tops giving a varied hue to the rich greenness of the foliage, and tinging with prismatic hues the sparkling water. So intent were they upon the downpour of the waterfall that they did not notice the dark forms which stole out from the underbrush, and stealthily formed a cordon about them. By the heads of the horses two forms arose suddenly like gnomes from the earth, and a scream escaped Peggy's lips as a hoa.r.s.e voice shouted:

"You are our prisoners! Dismount instantly."

CHAPTER XXVII

THE SAFEGUARD OF HIS HONOR

"Say, what is honor! 'Tis the finest sense Of justice which the human mind can frame, Intent each lurking frailty to disclaim, And guard the way of life from all offense Suffered or done."

--_Wordsworth._

At these words Peggy was much frightened, for she thought at once that they had fallen into the hands of the pine robbers. For the briefest second Clifford sat pa.s.sive, then he let his riding whip fall in a stinging blow on the face of the fellow who held his bridle. With a howl of rage the man fell back, but sprang forward again as the youth, seizing the rein of Peggy's little mare, attempted to make a dash for liberty. Had he been alone the effort might have succeeded, but hampered with a second horse the attempt was futile. The cousins were again surrounded, and Clifford was dragged unceremoniously from his saddle. He struggled fiercely with his a.s.sailants, managing to shake them off so as to reach Peggy's side just as one ruffian was about to lift her from Star's back.

"Away, sirrah!" he cried haughtily. "I will a.s.sist my cousin."

"As you will, captain," answered the man, falling back respectfully.

"Captain!" The cousins exchanged glances of surprise as the t.i.tle fell from the man's lips. What could it mean? Both of them were puzzled, but neither made any comment. Resistance to such a superior force was useless. Their captors were heavily armed, and Clifford, of course, had no weapons. Now as the leader issued a command to march the youth spoke:

"What is the meaning of this outrage? What do you want with us?"

"Young man," returned the leader in a strong determined voice, "there is no personal harm designed either to you, or to the lady. If you remain silent and quiet you may reckon on good treatment; but if you resist----" He did not complete the sentence, but touched his pistol significantly.

"I see no help for it, Peggy," said Clifford grimly. "We shall have to go with them; though for what purpose I know not. Aside from our horses we have naught of value----"

"Peace," cried the leader harshly. "We can't stand here all day.

Forward, march!"

And with this the party started on a brisk walk. Two men walked in front of the cousins; two on each side, and the others brought up the rear, two of them leading the horses. The glen at this point became fuller of trees, and the road overgrown by a tangle of underbrush.

Presently it dwindled until it became a narrow foot-path, disappearing in the distance in a ma.s.s of brushwood. It would have been impossible to pa.s.s over the path mounted, and the reason for leaving the saddle was now apparent. There were still short stretches which gave evidence that the road had been a well used thoroughfare at some former time, but now abandoned. This was, in truth, what had occurred, as it had been the road to the copper mines.

Notwithstanding the fact that they were afoot and were using precautions their persons more than once came into contact, rudely enough, with the projecting stumps and branches which overhung the pathway. At length the party emerged from the glen, and turned off into a road which seemed narrower, and more overgrown with underbrush than the one just left. After a distance of perhaps a half mile they came into a cleared s.p.a.ce of considerable extent. In the center of this s.p.a.ce stood a large frame building whose courtyard, stables, and other appurtenances proclaimed it an inn. It might have been a prosperous and well patronized hostelry at one time, but at present it bore every appearance of neglect and decay.

Neither Peggy nor Clifford had been beyond the glen, and neither had heard of this tavern, so they looked at it now with much curiosity, for it seemed to be the objective point of their captors. As they entered the courtyard a boy came forward, and took charge of the two horses without speaking. It was as though he had been watching for their coming. On the piazza an elderly woman, evidently the hostess, bustled at once to Peggy's side with the obvious intention of taking her in charge. Clifford drew Peggy's arm within his own in a determined manner.

"My cousin stays with me," he said. "She goes not out of my sight."

"What nonsense!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the leader angrily. "Did I not say that no harm was intended either of you? The girl will be all right."

"I think so too, my cousin," said Peggy after a glance at the landlady's face. She was not ill looking, and the maiden was no longer afraid.

"It may be," answered Clifford. "To be sure I shall keep you where I shall be certain of the fact."

"Very well," said the leader shrugging his shoulders. "'Tis not my affair. Step in here, captain."

Again the cousins wondered, but without a word they entered the room indicated. There was no one within, and for the moment they were alone. Peggy turned toward him quickly.

"What does thee think of it all, Clifford?" she cried.

"I have a strong suspicion as to who is responsible," he answered with darkening brow, "but we shall see."

Just at this moment the door opened precipitately to admit one at whom Peggy stared, then rubbed her eyes to look again; for it was Harriet Owen.

"At last, my brother," she cried advancing toward him and throwing her arms about his neck. "We have you at last. Oh, won't the rebels howl when they find their victim gone?"

"Harriet!" Clifford unclasped her arms, and held her so that he might look at her. "I feared this. What is the meaning of this?"

"It means life, liberty, freedom, my brother," she cried exultingly.

"I planned it all, though I did of a truth have a.s.sistance. I had spies who found that you were permitted to ride about the country. I kept a watch for several days that I might have you brought here."

"For what purpose?" he asked coldly. "You could have seen me by coming to Chatham."

"Chatham?" she answered impatiently. "Clifford, don't you understand?

I could not come to Chatham, because I failed. Sir Guy will not give up that Captain Lippencott to the rebel general. Sir Guy! Poof! I weary of him!" She gave her foot an impatient stamp. "Why should he shield a refugee when an English officer's life is at stake? And I have helped to further his plans too, my brother. I carried goods into Lancaster for him, contraband they were. 'Tis the plan now to subdue the Americans by their love of indulgences, and by so pampering them draw out the money from the country. When all is gone they must surrender. War cannot be carried on without money. I helped him in his plan, I say, and now he will not do this for me."

"And that wagon with the false bottom was where those goods were?" he said. "Harriet, how could you do it? With Cousin David who hath been so kind to you in charge of that work of detection."

"I did not know that he was there, Clifford. As for the false bottom in the wagon, I knew naught of that, as I said. I was not told of that. It was a----"

"A cask in a barrel of vinegar," put in Peggy quietly. "John found it, Harriet, but he did not speak of it to father, or Robert, or thy brother here."

"John Drayton found it?" she cried, amazed. "Why, how did he come to look in the vinegar?"

"I think 'twas something that thee said which caused him to be suspicious, Harriet. So thee sees that that part of thy general's plan hath failed."