The Rangers; or, The Tory's Daughter Part 4

"a.s.sisted to save you, I conclude you mean; for I heard Peters tell your father, that it was the settler who lived in the house near by, and Colonel Carpenter, who finally rescued you."

"Did he tell my father that story, without mentioning Woodburn?" asked Miss Haviland, with a look of mingled surprise and displeasure.

"Yes, as he came back to meet us with the news, while we were getting round with the sleigh to the spot."

"Well, my father shall know the truth of the case; and Mr. Woodburn, though he did not boast of his services, nor even stay to give me an opportunity to thank him for what he had done, shall also know that we are not insensible to his gallant conduct; for, whatever they may say, Jane, I am indebted to him for my life. As dreadful as was my situation among that crashing ma.s.s of ice, with which I was borne onward down the stream, I saw all that was done. He led the way from the first, contrived the plan, and with the a.s.sistance of the hesitating settler, carried it into execution, with a prompt.i.tude that alone could have saved me. It is true, that we both must have perished but for the timely arrival of Colonel Carpenter; but that detracts nothing from the merits of Mr. Woodburn, who, as we hung suspended over that frightful abyss, I knew and felt, was throwing his life to the winds to save mine. O, why could it not have been, as I have often said to myself during our cheerless ride this evening,--why could it not have been Peters, to perform all that I have this day seen in that poor, despised, and persecuted young man?"

"Why, Mr. Peters certainly appeared much alarmed, and anxious that something should be done to save you," replied Miss McRea, after a thoughtful pause, produced by the words and fervid manner of her companion.

"Then why did he leave it to another to save me?" responded the former, severely.

"That I do not know, certainly," replied the other; "but he at once bestirred himself, and I heard him offer five guineas, and I think he doubled the price the next moment, to any one who would go on to the ice and bring you off."

"Five guineas!" exclaimed Miss Haviland, starting to her feet, with a countenance eloquent with scorn and contempt--"five guineas, and at a pinch, ten! What a singular fountain must that be, from which such a thought, at such a time, could have flowed! Had it been one of those favorite horses, it would have sounded well enough, perhaps, though I think he would have offered more. It is well, however, that I now know the price at which I am estimated," she added, bitterly.

"It _does_ sound rather strangely, now you have named it," responded Miss McRea, abashed at the unexpected construction put on what she had communicated, and mortified and half vexed, that every attempt she had made to remove her friend's difficulties only made the matter worse: "it sounds oddly, to be sure, but I presume he did not mean any thing."

"O, no, I dare say; nor did he do any thing, as I can learn, through the whole affair, except attempt to deprive Woodburn of the credit he had gained. Jane," she continued, with softened tone, "what would you have thought, had you been in my situation, and your lover had acted such a part?"

"I should have thought--I don't know what I should have thought,"

replied the other, with a feeling which showed how quickly the appeal had taken effect. "But I should have had no occasion to have any thought about it; for I _know_ he would have been the one to save me, or die with me. O, I wish Mr. Jones had come on with us, for had he been there, so good and so brave as he is, I am sure even you need not have become so deeply indebted to this low young fellow."

"Low, Jane, low?" said the former, reprovingly. "Was it low to overlook so easily the injury and affront he had received from Peters, and then return good for evil? And was it low to rescue me from the raging flood, by exertions and risk of life, which would have done credit to the first hero in the land?"

"O, no, not that; I did not mean that; for his conduct has been generous and n.o.ble indeed; and from the first, when I heard Mr.

Jones's account of him, I was disposed to think highly of the man, for one in his situation of life. I only meant that he did not belong to our party, but was one of the lower cla.s.ses of society."

"It is true he may not belong to our party, Jane; but how much should that weigh in the argument? Perhaps at this very hour, two thirds of the American people would count it as weight to the other part of the balance. And even I, trained as I have been by and among the highest toned loyalists, wish I could help doubting that our party is the only one that has right and reason on its side. And as to the claim of belonging to what is called the first society, I can only say that I wish many, who are allowed that claim among us, were as worthy of the place as I think Woodburn is. I have always loved Justice for her beautiful self and hated her opposite; and I never could see how those who are guided by her and the kindred virtues, could be accounted low, or how, or why, those who lack these qualities could claim to be called high. Is it any wonder then, Jane, that I should feel troubled and distressed at discoveries which, in my mind, reverse the situation that my friends a.s.sign to the two individuals of whom we have been speaking?"

"O, you are too much of a philosopher for me in all that," replied Jane, "Come, be a woman now, Sabrey, and I will discuss the matter with you, claiming, perhaps, a little, a very little, of the right of the confessor. I can easily understand how painful it would be to have doubts of the character of one's lover, and I can also understand,"

she continued, looking a little archly, "how one, who did not love a suitor very hard, could feel grateful--yes, very grateful--to a good-looking young man who had behaved gallantly. And I have a good mind to half suspect--"

"Hark!" interrupted the other, hurriedly, while a slight tinge became visible on her cheek--"hark! did you hear the striking of the house clock below? It is telling the hour of midnight. Let us dismiss these embarra.s.sing thoughts, and retire to our repose. Your prospects, Jane," she continued, rising and speaking in a sad and gently expostulatory tone--"your prospects are bright with love and happiness; and it will be ungenerous and cruel in you to say aught which will deepen the shade that I fear is coming over mine."

"O, I will not, Sabrey," warmly returned the kind-hearted Jane. "I did not intend it. Forgive me, do; and we will dismiss the subject for something which will give us pleasanter dreams, and then, as you say, go to rest and enjoy them."

Leaving these fair friends to their slumbers, disquieted or sweetened by the various visions which the incidents of the day had been calculated to excite in the bosom of each, we will now repair to a lower apartment of the house, to note the doings of a select band of court dignitaries there a.s.sembled, for a purpose concerning which a spectator, at the first glance, might, from the appearances, be at a loss to decide whether it was one of revelry or secret consultation, so much did it partake of the character of both.

Around a long table, well furnished with wine and gla.s.ses, sat a select company of gentlemen, whose dress and deportment denoted them to be persons of the first consequence. And such, indeed, may be said to have been the fact, till the present time, for the party embraced the judges and officers of the court, and such of the most stanch and influential of their supporters as could be convened for a special consultation, which, it was considered, the portents of the times demanded. Here was the aristocratic and haughty Brush, the host, and leading spirit of the party, with his florid face, cracking his jokes and ridiculing "the boorish settlers," in which he was sure to find a ready response in the boisterous laugh of Peters and other young supporters of the court and loyal party. Here, too, sat the fiery and profane Gale, the clerk of the court, with his thin, angular features, and forbidding brow, occasionally exploding with his short, bitter, barking laugh, as, with many an oath, he dealt out antic.i.p.ated vengeance on all those who should dare cross the path of the established authorities. And here also was Chandler, the chief judge of the court, with his plausible manners, affectedly sincere look, and deferential smile, as he exchanged the whisper and meaning glance with his colleague, Judge Sabin, a stern, reserved, and bigoted loyalist, or as he nodded approbation to the remarks, whatever they might be, of those around him. These with Stearns, a tory lawyer of some note, Rogers, a tory land holder, Haviland, and a few others, all leading and trusty supporters of the court party, const.i.tuted the company, or rather the cabinet council, here convened, all of whom, as appeared by the entire freedom of their remarks, were fully in each other's confidence.

There was one person in the room, however, who had no thought or feeling in common with the rest of those present, but who did not appear to be deemed by them of sufficient consequence to be interrogated in relation to his opinions, or of sufficient capacity to comprehend what was said in his presence, at least not to any degree which might render it unsafe that he should hear the discussion so unreservedly going forward. This person, who was acting in the capacity of waiter to the company, being under a temporary engagement to the master of the house, to serve him in such work as might be wanted about the house and stables, was a youth, of perhaps eighteen, of quite an ordinary, and even singular appearance. His figure was low and slight, and he was made to appear the more diminutive, perhaps, by his dress, which consisted of short trousers, a long, coa.r.s.e jacket, and a flat woollen cap, drawn down to the eyebrows. His hair, hanging, in lank locks, to his shoulders, was light and sandy, and his face was deeply freckled; while a pair of long, falling eyelashes contributed to add still further to the peculiarity of his looks, and to give his countenance, with those who did not note the keen, bright orbs that occasionally peeped from their usually impenetrable coverts, a sleepy and listless appearance. He now sat on the top of a high wood-box, placed near one corner of the chimney, with his legs dangling over one end of the box, and his head drooping sluggishly towards the fire, apparently as unconscious of what was said and done in the room, as the little black dog that lay sleeping on the floor beneath his feet.

"Here, Bart," exclaimed Brush, as the company, having dropped the discussion of all weighty matters, were now briskly circulating the bottle, and beginning to give way to noisy merriment--"here, Bart, you sleepy devil, come and snuff these candles. Our chap here," he continued, winking archly to those around him--"our chap Bart, or Barty Burt, to give the whole of his euphonious name, gentlemen, may be considered an excellent specimen of the rebel party, who talk so wisely about self-government, sitting under one's own vine and fig-tree, and all that sort of thing; for; in the first place, he has a great deal of wisdom, handy to be got at, it all lying in his face.

And then he is so much for self-government that no one can govern him in anything. Then again, as to the idea of sitting under a fig-tree, I think it is one that Bart would most naturally entertain; for had he a tree to sit under, be it fig or ba.s.s-wood, and enough to eat, he would sit there till he was gray, before he would think of moving."

"Not badly drawn, that similitude," said Stearns, after the burst of laughter, by which these remarks were greeted, had a little subsided; "but methinks I see a flaw therein, friend Brush: you said our young republican's wisdom, alias ideas, all lay in his face; and then, in the matter of the fig-tree, you go on to intimate he _has one_ distinct idea in his head, thereby lessening the force and exactness of the comparison, as I think you will allow."

"I crave pardon, gentlemen," cried the secretary; "I should have qualified; for, really, I have several times seriously suspected Bart to have ideas, or, at least, one whole idea of his own; and if you think that is too much to allow the individuals of the party generally, with whom I have compared him, why, then I must knock under, that's all."

"You are down! you are down, then, Brush!" shouted several, with another uproarious burst of laughter.

Bart, the chief b.u.t.t of this ridicule, in the mean while, was moving quietly about the room in performance of his bidden tasks, without appearing to notice a word that was uttered; and but for a certain rapid twinkling that might have been seen in his eyes, which, as he deliberately returned to his seat in the corner, were opened to an unusual extent, one would have supposed him utterly insensible to all the taunts and jeering laughter of which he had thus publicly been made the victim.

"Ah! Patterson, here you are then, at last," exclaimed Gale, as the former, with a disturbed and angry countenance, now came pushing his way into the midst of the company. "We have done nothing but drink and joke since you went out, scarcely; at all events, we have concluded on nothing, except to wait and learn the result of your discoveries: so now for your report."

"Ay, ay, Mr. Sheriff," responded Brush. "But stay, take breath, and a gla.s.s of this glorious old Madeira, first. There! now tell us how the land lies abroad to-night."

"It lies but little to my liking," growled the Sheriff, with an oath.

The rascally dogs have altogether stolen the march of us. They have been swarming into town all the evening, as thick as bees, while not more than a dozen of our flint-and-steel men have yet got on the ground. It beats Beelzebub!--"

"Our witnesses," quickly interposed Judge Chandler, bowing with a significant smile and cautionary wink, while he threw a sidelong glance towards Bart, whom the wary eye of the judge had detected in slightly changing his position, so as to bring his ear more directly towards the speakers--"our witnesses and quarrelling suitors in court you mean, of course?"

"Why, yes--yes, your honor--if you think that necessary," replied Patterson, following the direction of the other's glance, and then looking inquiringly at Brush, as if to ask whether there was any danger to be apprehended from talking before the servant.

"Pooh--nonsense!" said Brush, readily understanding the mute appeal.

"Nonsense! You could not make him comprehend what we are talking about in six weeks, if you should do your prettiest. Why, the fellow has not two ideas above a jacka.s.s!--so talk out."

"Well, then," resumed the sheriff, in a lower tone, "I have satisfied myself that the rebels are plotting like so many Satans, and are in earnest about carrying their threat into execution. Now, the question is, what shall be done--yield the point and submit to be turned out of the Court House to-morrow, as if we were a pack of unruly boys, or what?"

"Yield!" fiercely exclaimed Gale--"not till my pistol bullets have drank the heart's blood of the d----d rascals, first."

"Ay, Gale," responded Brush, "that would be well enough, but for one small difficulty, which is, that these demi-savages understand quite as much of that kind of play as we do; and so long as they outnumber us so greatly, the fun of doing what you would propose might be less than talking about it. Let us have Chandler's opinion. What course is it best to take, judge?"

"Temporize!" replied the latter, in a low, emphatic tone, and with a look of peculiar significance--"temporize till----"

"Till we can help ourselves," said Patterson, taking up the sentence where the other left it, or rather finishing in words what had been expressed by looks.

"That's just my notion," remarked Stearns. "Let them see and be a.s.sured that we are for peace, and want nothing but what is right; all of which may be said truly. And in this manner, if the thing is well managed, their suspicions can be allayed, and we can get possession of the Court House as soon as our friends get on, which will be by to-morrow noon--will it not Patterson?"

"Yes, unless this cussed flood has carried away all the roads, as well as bridges," gruffly replied the sheriff. "Yes, and if these mobbing knaves can be kept quiet then, we shall be in a situation to ask no favors."

"And grant none," said Sabin, with cool bitterness.

"You don't learn," asked Chandler, with feigned indifference--"you don't learn that the people have brought any offensive implements with them, do you, Patterson? It might be done covertly, you know. Has this been seen to, by proper measures,--such as examining the straw in the bottoms of their sleighs, and the like?"

"Yes, thoroughly," returned the former; "they have brought no arms with them, at any rate. We are undoubtedly indebted to your honor's skilful management with them at Chester for that."

"Ay, ay," interposed Stearns, "n.o.body but the judge could have executed that piece of diplomacy with the fellows. And no one but he can carry out the business successfully now. His honor must be the one to undertake it."

"Certainly." "The very man." "He must do it." "They would listen to none of us." "The thing is settled, and he must go" unanimously responded the company.

"I really feel flattered, gentlemen," replied Chandler, bowing and waving his hand towards the company--"highly flattered by your opinion of my capacity to negotiate in this delicate affair. But you will understand, in case I accede to your wishes, gentlemen," he continued, with a look of peculiar meaning--"you will understand that I am to be considered, on all hands, as utterly opposed to coercive measures--to all--I am understood, I suppose, gentlemen?"

"Yes, yes, judge," returned the others, with knowing winks and laughter, "we will all understand that you are opposed to the whole move."

Having thus arranged business for the morrow to their satisfaction, these astute personages, who, like their party generally in America, at that period, seemed to have acted on an entirely false estimate of the intelligence and spirit of the common people, now rose and retired to their respective lodgings, inwardly chuckling at their sagacity, in being able to concoct what they believed would prove a successful scheme of overreaching and putting down their opponents, and, at the same time, of establishing their own tottering authority on a basis which might bid defiance to all future attempts to overturn it.