CHAPTER VIII
All was pleasant at the house of Sir William Johnson, from which thestateliness of his manner did not at all detract, for when blendedwith perfect courtesy, as an Irishman can perhaps better than any manblend it, stateliness does not imply restraint. The conference withthe Indians had not ended until too late an hour for Mr. Prevost andhis companions to return to his dwelling on the day when it tookplace, and as Walter was not expected with the answers to Lord H----'sdispatches for at least two days more, the party were not unwilling toprolong their stay till the following morning. Several of the guests,indeed, who were proceeding to Albany direct, set out at once fortheir destination, certain of reaching the well inhabited parts of thecountry before nightfall; and it was at one time proposed to send aletter by them to young Walter Prevost, directing him to join hisfather at the Hall. The inconveniences which so frequently ensue fromderanging plans already fixed, caused this scheme to be rejected, andwhile her father, Lord H----, and their host wandered forth for anhour or two along the banks of the beautiful Mohawk, Edith remained atthe Hall, not without hope of seeing Otaitsa present herself, withsome intelligence. The beautiful Indian girl, however, did not appear,and gloomy thoughts thronged fast upon poor Edith. She strove tobanish them; she schooled herself in regard to anticipating eventsonly possible; but who ever mastered completely those internalwarnings of approaching peril or woe, which as often come to cloud ourbrightest days, as to darken the gloom of an already tempestuous sky?Her chief companion was an old lady nearly related to Sir William, butvery deaf and very silent, and she had but small relief inconversation.
In the meantime the three gentlemen and a young aide-de-camp pursuedtheir way amongst the neat farmhouses and mechanics' shops which hadgathered round the Hall; Mr. Prevost gave way to thoughts apparentlyas gloomy as those which haunted his daughter, but in reality not so,for his was a mind of a discursive character, which was easily led byany collateral idea far away from any course which it was at firstpursuing; and though he had awakened that morning full of theconsiderations which had engaged him during the preceding day, he wasnow busily calculating the results of the meeting which had just beenheld, and arriving at the conclusions, more just than were reached bymany of the great statesmen and politicians of the day.
Lord H----, on his part, paid no little attention to the demeanor andall the proceedings of their host. The character of his mind was theexact reverse of that of Mr. Prevost, attaching itself keenly to anobject, and turned from its contemplation with difficulty. Histhoughts still dwelt upon the consequences which were likely to ensuefrom the death of the Oneida by the hands of Captain Brooks, withoutanything like alarm, indeed, but with careful forethought for thosewho in a few short days had won for themselves a greater share of thewarmer affections which lay hidden in his heart than he often bestowedupon anyone. As they quitted the door of the house a mere triflecalled his attention to something peculiar in the conduct of SirWilliam Johnson, and led him to believe that the mind of that officerwas not altogether at ease, notwithstanding the favorable result ofthe meeting with the Indians. After they had taken a step or two upontheir way, Sir William Johnson paused suddenly, turned back, andordered a servant to run up to the top of the hill and there watchuntil he returned. "Mark well which paths they take," he said, withoutspecifying the persons of whom he spoke, "and let me hear if you seeanything peculiar."
The man seemed to understand him perfectly, and the parties, as I havesaid, walked on, Lord H---- watching everything with the utmostattention. In the course of their ramble not less than some nine orten persons came up at different times, and spoke a word or two to SirWilliam Johnson. First it was a negro, then a soldier, then an Irishservant, then another white man, but with features of a stronglymarked Indian character. Each seemed to give some information in a fewwords uttered in a low tone, and each departed as soon as they werespoken, some with a brief answer, some with none.
The evening which succeeded their walk passed somewhat differentlyfrom the preceding one. There were fewer persons present, theconversation was more general and intimate, and Sir William Johnson,seating Edith at the old-fashioned instrument which in those dayssupplied the lack of pianofortes, asked for a song which it seems hehad heard her sing before. She complied without any hesitation, with asufficient skill and management of her voice to show that she had beenwell taught, but with tones so rich, so pure, and so melodious, thatevery sound in the room was instantly hushed, and Lord H----approached nearer and nearer to listen.
Lord H---- was full not only of the love but of the sense of music,and he drew closer and closer to Edith as she sang, and at length hungover her with his face turned away from the other guests in the room,and bearing written on it feelings which he hardly yet knew were inhis heart. Sir William Johnson was standing on the other side of thebeautiful girl's chair, and as she concluded the stanza before thelast he raised his eyes suddenly to the face of Lord H---- with a lookof great satisfaction. What he saw there made him start and thensmile, for the characters written on the young nobleman's countenancewere too plain to be mistaken; and Sir William Johnson, who was notwithout his share of worldly wisdom, at once divined that EdithPrevost was likely to be a peeress of England.
"What a fine musician she is," said the older general to the youngnobleman, after he had conducted Edith to her former seat, but beforethe enthusiasm had subsided. "One would hardly expect to find suchmusic in the wild woods of America."
"She is all music," said Lord H----, in an absent tone, and thenadded, rousing himself, "but you must not attribute such powers andsuch perfections altogether to your own land of America, Sir William,for I find that Miss Prevost was educated in Europe."
"Only till she was fourteen," replied the other; "but they arealtogether a most remarkable family. If ever girl was perfect, it isherself. Her father, though somewhat too much given to dream, is a manof singular powers of mind; and her brother, Walter, whom I look uponalmost as a son, is full of high and noble qualities and energieswhich, if he lives, will certainly lead him on to greatness."
"I think so," said Lord H----, and there the conversation dropped forthe time. The rest of the evening passed on without any incident ofnote, and by daybreak on the following morning the whole householdwere on foot. An early breakfast was ready for the travelers, andnothing betrayed much anxiety on the part of their host till the verymoment of their departure. As they were about to set forth, however,and just when Edith appeared in her riding habit (or Amazon, as it wasthen called), and the hat, with large, floating ostrich plumes usuallyworn at that time by ladies when on horseback, looking lovely enough,it is true, to justify any compliment, Sir William took her by thehand, saying, with a gay and courteous air: "I am going to give you acommission, my fair Hypolita, which is neither more nor less than thecommand of half a dozen dragoons, whom I wish to go with you for aportion of the way, partly to exercise their horses on a road which ismarvellously cleared of stumps and stones for this part of thecountry, partly to examine what is going on a little to the northeast,and partly to bring me the pleasant intelligence that you have gone atleast half way to your home in safety."
Lord H---- looked in his face in silence, and Edith turned a littlepale, but said nothing. Mr. Prevost, however, went directly to thepoint, saying: "You know of some danger, my good friend. You hadbetter inform us of all the particulars, that we may be upon ourguard."
"None whatever, Prevost," answered Sir William, "except the generalperils of inhabiting an advanced spot on the frontiers of a savagepeople, especially when anything has occurred to offend them. You knowwhat we talked about yesterday morning. The Oneidas do not easilyforgive, and in this case they will not forgive. But I have everyreason to believe that they have taken their way homeward for thepresent. My people traced them a good way to the west, and it is onlyfrom some chance stragglers that there is any danger."
Mr. Prevost mused, without moving to the door, which was open for themto depart, and then said, in a meditating
kind of tone: "I do notthink they will attack any large party, Sir William, even whensatisfied that they cannot get hold of the man who has incensed them.These Indians are a very cunning people, and they often satisfy eventheir notions of honor by an artifice, especially when two duties, asthey consider them, are in opposition to one another. Depend upon it,after what passed yesterday, they will commit no act of nationalhostility against England. They are pledged to us, and will not breaktheir pledge. They will attack no large party, nor slay any Englishmanin open strife, though they may kidnap some solitary individual, and,according to their curious notions of atonement, make him a formalsacrifice in expiation of the blood shed by another."
"You know the Indians well, Prevost," said Sir William, gravely,"marvellously well, considering the short time you have been amongstthem."
"I have had little else to do than to study them," said the other,"and the subject is one of great interest. But do you think I am wrongin the view I take, my good friend?"
"Quite on the contrary," replied Sir William, "and that is the reasonI send the soldiers with you. A party of eight or ten will beperfectly secure; and I would certainly advise that for the next twoor three months, or till this unlucky dog Brooks, or Woodchuck, as heis called, has been captured, no one should go any distance from hishome singly. Such a party as yours might be large enough--I am notsure that my lord's red coat, which I am happy to see he has got onto-day, might not be sufficient protection, for they will not riskanything which they themselves deem an act of hostility against theBritish government. But still the soldiers will make the matter moresecure till you have passed the spot where there is any danger oftheir being found. I repeat, I know of no peril, but I would fainguard against all where a fair lady is concerned," and he bowedgracefully to Edith.
Little more was said, and, taking leave of their host, Mr. Prevost'sparty mounted their horses and set out, followed by a corporal's guardof dragoons, a small body of which corps was then stationed in theprovince of New York, although, from the nature of the country inwhich hostilities had hitherto been carried on, small opportunity hadas yet been afforded them of showing their powers against an enemy.Nor would there have been any very favorable opportunity for doing soin the present instance had Mr. Prevost and his companions beenattacked, for though the road they had to travel was broad and open,compared to an ordinary Indian trail, yet, except at one or twopoints, it was hemmed in with impervious forests, where the action ofcavalry would be quite impossible, and under the screen of which askillful marksman might bring down his man himself unperceived. ButSir William Johnson was sincere in saying that he believed the verysight of the English soldiers would be quite sufficient protection.The Indians, he knew right well, would avoid anything like a struggleor a contest, and would more especially take care not to come intocollision of any kind with the troops of their British allies. It waslikely that they would depend upon cunning entirely to obtain a victimwherewith to appease their vengeance, but on this probability he didnot choose altogether to rely. He saw them depart, however, withperfect confidence, as the soldiers were with them; and they proceededwithout seeing a single human being after they quitted his settlement,till they reached the shores of the small lake near which they hadhalted on their previous journey, and where they again dismounted totake refreshment.
It was a very pleasant spot, and well fitted for a resting place; norwas repose altogether needless, though the distance already traveledwas not great either for man or horse. But the day was exceedinglyoppressive, like one of those which come in what is called the Indiansummer, when the weather, after many a frosty day, becomes suddenlysultry, as if in the middle of June, and the air, loaded with thinyellow vapor, well deserves the term of "smoky," usually given to iton the western side of the Atlantic. Yet there was no want of air; thewind blew from the southeast, but there was no freshness on thebreeze. It was like the sirocco, taking away strength and freshnessfrom all it breathed upon; and the horses, after being freed from theburdens they bore, stood for several minutes with bent heads andheaving sides, without attempting to crop the forest grass beneath thetrees.
Thus, repose was sweet, and the look of the little lake was cool andrefreshing. The travelers lingered there somewhat after the hour atwhich they proposed to depart, and it was the negro, who took care ofthe baggage, who first warned them of the waning of the day.
"Massa forget," he said, "sun go early to bed in October. Twelve mileto go yet, and road wuss nor dis."
"True, true," replied Mr. Prevost, rising. "We had better go on, mylord, for it is now past two, and we shall barely reach home bydaylight. I really think, Corporal," he continued, turning to thenon-commissioned officer who had been seated with his men hard by,enjoying some of the good things of life, "that we need not troubleyou to go farther. There is no trace of any Indians, nor, indeed, anyhuman beings in the forest but ourselves. Had there been so, my goodfriend Chaudo, here, would have discovered it, for he knows theirtracks as well as any of their own people."
"Dat I do," replied the negro to whom he pointed. "No Ingin pass disroad since yesterday, I swear."
"My orders were to go to the big blazed basswood tree, four milesfarther," replied the soldier, in a firm but respectful tone, "and Imust obey orders."
"You are right," said Lord H----, pleased with the man's demeanor."What is your name, Corporal?"
"Clitherto, my lord," replied the man, with a military salute;"Corporal Clitherto."
Lord H---- bowed his head, and the party, remounting, pursued theirway. The road, however, as the negro had said, was more difficult inadvance than it had been nearer to Sir William Johnson's settlement,and it took the whole party an hour to reach the great basswood treewhich had been mentioned, and which was marked out from the rest ofthe forest by three large marks upon the bark, hewn by some surveyor'saxe when the road had been laid out. There the party stopped for amoment or two, and with a few words of thanks Mr. Prevost and hiscompanions parted from their escort.
"How dim the air along the path is," said Lord H----, looking on, "andyet the sun, getting to the west, is shining right down it through thevalley. One could almost imagine it was filled with smoke."
"This is what we call a smoky day in America," replied Mr. Prevost,"but I never knew the Indian summer come on us with such a wind."
No more was said on that matter at the time, and as the road grewnarrower, Mr. Prevost and the negro, as best acquainted with the way,rode first, while Lord H---- followed by Edith's side, conversing withher in quiet and easy tones, but with words which sometimes caused thecolor to vary a little in her cheek.
Thus they went on for some four miles farther, and the evening wasevidently closing round them rapidly, though no ray had yet passedfrom the sky. Suddenly Mr. Prevost drew in his rein, saying in a lowbut distinct voice to the negro: "What is that crossing the road?"
"No Ingin!" cried the negro, whose eyes had been constantly bentforward.
"Surely there is smoke drifting across the path," said Mr. Prevost,"and I think I smell it, also."
"I have thought so for some time," said Lord H----, who was now closeto them with Edith. "Are fires common in these woods?"
"Not very," answered Mr. Prevost, "but the season has been unusuallydry. Good heaven, I hope my fears are not prophetic! I have beenthinking all day of what would become of The Lodge if the forest wereto take fire."
"We had better ride on as fast as possible," said the young nobleman,"for then if the worst happens we may be able to save some of yourproperty, Mr. Prevost."
"We must be cautious, we must be cautious," said the other, in athoughtful tone. "Fire is a capricious element, and often runs in adirection the least expected. I have heard of people getting soentangled in a burning wood as not to be able to escape."
"Oh, yes," cried the negro, "when I were little boy, I remember quitewell Massa John Bostock and five other men wid him git in pine woodbehind Albany, and it catch fire. He run here and dere, but it git allround him and roast
him up black as I be. I saw dem bring in what deyfancied was he, but it no better dan a great pine stump."
"If I remember," said Lord H----, "we passed a high hill somewherenear this spot, where we had a fine, clear view over the whole of thewoody region round. We had better make for that at once. The firecannot yet have reached it, if my remembrance of the distance iscorrect; for though the wind sets toward us the smoke is, as yet,anything but dense."
"Pray God it be so," said Mr. Prevost, spurring forward, "but I fearit is nearer."
The rest followed as quickly as the stumps and the fallen trees wouldlet them, and at the distance of half a mile began the ascent of thehill to which Lord H---- had alluded. As far as that spot the smokehad been becoming denser and denser every moment, apparently pouringalong the valley formed by that hill and another on the left, throughwhich valley, let it be remarked, the small river in which Walter hadbeen seen fishing by Sir William Johnson, but now a broad and veryshallow stream, took its course onward toward the Mohawk. As theybegan to ascend, however, the smoke decreased, and Edith exclaimedjoyfully: "I hope, dear father, the fire is farther to the north."
"We shall see, we shall see," said Mr. Prevost, still pushing hishorse forward. "The sun is going down fast, and a little haste will bebetter on all accounts."
In about five minutes more the summit of the hill was reached, at aspot where, in laying out two roads which crossed each other there,the surveyors had cleared away a considerable portion of the wood,leaving, as Lord H---- had said, a clear view over the greater part ofthe undulating forest country lying in the angle formed by the upperHudson and the Mohawk. The only sign of man's habitation which couldbe discovered at any time was the roof and chimneys of Mr. Prevost'shouse, which in general could be perceived rising above the trees,upon an eminence a good deal lower than the summit which the travelershad now reached. Now, however, the house could not be seen.
The sight which the country presented was a fine but a terrible one.On the one side the sun, with his lower limb just dipped beneath theforest, was casting up floods of many-colored light, orange andpurple, gold, and even green, upon the light, fantastic cloudsscattered over the western sky; while above, some fleecy vapors,fleeting quickly along, were all rosy with the touch of his beams.Onward to the east and north, filling up the whole valley between thehill on which they stood and the eminence crowned by Mr. Prevost'shouse, and forming an almost semi-circular line of some three or fourmiles in extent, was a dense, reddish-brown cloud of smoke, markingwhere the fire raged, and softening off at each extreme to a bluishgray. No general flame could be perceived through this heavy cloud,but ever and anon a sudden flash would break across it, not bright andvivid, but dull and half obscured, when the fierce elements got holdof some of the drier and more combustible materials of the forest.Once or twice, too, suddenly at one point of the line or another, asingle tree, taller perhaps than the rest, or more inflammable, orgarmented in a thick matting of dry vine, would catch the flame andburst forth from the root to the topmost branch, like a tall column offire; and here and there, too, from what cause I know not--perhapsfrom an accumulation of dry grass and withered leaves, seized upon bythe fire and wind together--a volley of sparks would mingle with thecloud of smoke and float along, for a moment, bright and sparkling, tothe westward.
It was a grand but an awful spectacle, and as Mr. Prevost gazed uponit thoughts and feelings crowded into his bosom which even Edithherself could not estimate.
"Look, look, Prevost!" cried Lord H----, after they had gazed duringone or two minutes in silence. "The wind is drifting away the smoke! Ican see the top of your house--it is safe, as yet--and will be safe,"he added, "for the wind sets somewhat away from it."
"Not enough," said Mr. Prevost, in a dull, gloomy tone. "The slightestchange, and it is gone. The house I care not for; the barns, thecrops, are nothing! They can be replaced, or I could do without them;but there are things within that house, my lord, I cannot do without."
"Do you not think we can reach it?" asked Lord H----. "If we were topush our horses into the stream there, we might follow its courseup--it seems broad and shallow--and the trees recede from thebanks--are there any deep spots in its course?"
"None, massa," replied the negro.
"Let us try, at all events," exclaimed Lord H----, turning his horse'shead. "We can come back again if we find the heat and smoke too muchfor us."
"My daughter!" said Mr. Prevost, in a tone of deep, strong feeling,"my daughter! Lord H----."
The young nobleman was silent. The stories he had heard that day, andmany he had heard before, of persons getting entangled in burningforests, and never being able to escape--which, while in the firstenthusiasm of the moment he thought only of himself and of Mr.Prevost, had seemed to him but visions, wild chimeras--assumed aterrible reality as soon as the name of Edith was mentioned, and hewould have shuddered to see the proposal adopted which he had madeonly the moment before. He was silent then, and Mr. Prevost was thefirst who spoke.
"I must go," he said, with gloomy earnestness, after some briefconsideration. "I must go, let what will betide."
He remained for two or three minutes profoundly silent. Then, turningsuddenly to Lord H----, he said: "My lord, I am going to entrust toyou the dearest thing I have on earth, my daughter--to place her underthe safeguard of your honor--to rely for her protection and defenceupon your chivalry. As an English nobleman of high name and fame, I dotrust you without a doubt. I must make my way through that fire bysome means--I must save some papers--two pictures which I value morethan my own life. I will take my good friend Chaudo here with me. Imust leave you to conduct Edith to a place of safety."
"Oh, my father!" cried Edith, but he went on, without heeding her:
"If you follow that road," he continued, "you will come at thedistance of some seven miles, to a good-sized farmhouse on the left ofthe road. The men are most likely out watching the progress of thefire, but you will find the women within, and good and friendly theyare, though homely and uneducated. I have no time to stop for furtherdirections. Edith, my child, God bless you! Do not cloud our partingwith a doubt of heaven's protection. Should anything occur--and be itas He wills--you and Walter will find with the lawyers at Albany allpapers referring to this small farm, and to the little we have inEngland. God bless you, my child! God bless you!" and thus saying, heturned and rode fast down the hill, beckoning to the negro to followhim.
"Oh, my father! my father!" cried Edith, dropping her rein andclasping her hands together, longing to follow, yet unwilling todisobey. "He will be lost--I fear he will be lost!"
"I trust not," said Lord H----, in a firm, calm tone, well fitted toinspire confidence. "He knows the country well, and can take advantageof every turning to avoid the flame. Besides, if you look along what Iimagine to be the course of the stream, you will see a deepundulation, as it were, in that sea of smoke, and when the wind blowsstrongly it is almost clear. He said, too, that the banks continuedfree from trees."
"As far as the bridge and the rapids near our house," replied Edith;"but after that they are thickly wooded."
"But the fire has evidently not reached that spot," said the youngnobleman. "All the ground within half a mile of the house is free atpresent. I saw it quite distinctly a moment ago, and the wind issetting this way."
"Then can we not follow him?" asked his fair companion, imploringly.
"To what purpose?" asked Lord H----; "and besides," he added, "now letme call to your mind the answer of the good soldier, CorporalClitherto, just now. He said he must obey orders, and he was right. Asoldier to his commander, a child to a parent, a Christian to his God:have, I think, but one duty--to obey. Come, Edith, let us follow thedirections we have received. The sun is already beneath the forestedge; we can do no good gazing here; and although I do not think thereis any danger, and believe you will be safe under my protection, yet,for many reasons, I could wish to place you beneath the shelter of aroof, and in the society of other women as soon as may b
e."
"Thank you much," she answered, gazing up into his face, on which thelingering light in the west cast a warm glow. "You remind me of myduty, and strengthen me to follow it. I have no fear of any dangerwith you to protect me, my lord. It was for my father only I feared.But it was wrong to do so, even for him. God will protect, I do hopeand believe. We must take this way, my lord," and with a deep sigh sheturned her horse's head upon the path which her father had pointedout.
No general subject of conversation could, of course, be acceptableat that moment; but one topic they had to discuss. And yet LordH---- made more of that than some men would have made of a thousand.He comforted, he consoled, he raised up hope and expectation. Hiswords were full of promise; and from everything he wrung someillustration to support and cheer.
A few moments after they left the summit of the hill and began themore gentle descent which stretched away to the southeast, the lastrays of the sun were withdrawn and night succeeded; but it was thebright and sparkling night of the American sky. There was no moon,indeed, but the stars burst forth in multitudes over the firmament,larger, more brilliant than they are ever beheld even in the clearestEuropean atmosphere, and they gave light enough to enable the twotravelers to see their path. The wind still blew strongly, and carriedthe smoke away, and the road was wide enough to show the starry canopyoverhanging the trees. Obliged to go very slowly, but little progresshad been made in an hour, and by that time a strong odor of theburning wood and a pungent feeling in the eyes, showed that someportion of the smoke was reaching them.
"I fear the wind has changed," said Edith. "The smoke seems comingthis way."
"The better for your father's house, dear lady," answered LordH----. "It was a change to the westward he had to fear; the more fullyeast the better."
They fell into silence again, but in a minute or two after, looking tothe left of the road, where the trees were very closely set, thoughthere was an immense mass of brushwood underneath, Lord H---- beheld asmall, solitary spot of light, like a lamp burning. It was seen andhidden, seen and hidden again by the trees as they rode on, and musthave been at some three or four hundred yards distance. It seemed tochange its place, too, to shift, to quiver; and then, in a long,winding line, it crept slowly round and round the boll of a tree likea fiery serpent; and a moment after, with flash and crackling flame,and fitful blaze, it spread flickering over the dry branches of apitch pine.
"The fire is coming nearer, dear Miss Prevost," said Lord H----, "andit is necessary we should use some forethought. How far, think you,this farmhouse is now?"
"Nearly four miles," answered Edith.
"Does it lie due south?" asked her companion.
"Very nearly," she replied.
"Is there any road to the westward?" demanded the young nobleman, withhis eyes still fixed upon the distant flame.
"Yes." she answered; "about half a mile on there is a tolerable pathmade along the side of the hill on the west, to avoid the swamp duringwet weather; but it rejoins this road a mile or so farther on."
"Let us make haste," said Lord H----, abruptly; "the road seems fairenough just here, and I fear there is no time to lose."
He put his hand upon Edith's rein as he spoke, to guide the horse on,and rode forward perhaps somewhat less than a quarter of a mile,watching with an eager eye the increasing light to the east, where itwas now seen glimmering through the trees in every direction, looking,through the fretted trellis-work of branches, trunks, and leaves, likea multitude of red lamps hung up in the forest. Suddenly, at a spotwhere there was an open space or streak, as it was called, runningthrough some two or three hundred yards of the wood, covered denselywith brush, but destitute of tall trees, the whole mass of the fireappeared to view, and the travelers seemed gazing into the mouth of afurnace. Just then the wind shifted a little more and blew down thestreak; the cloud of smoke rolled forward; flash after flash burstforth along the line as the flame caught the withered leaves on thetop of the branches; then the bushes themselves were seized upon bythe fire, and sent flaming tongues far up into the air. Onward itrushed, with a roar, and a crackle, and a hiss, caught the tallertrees on either side, and poured across the road right in front.Edith's horse, unaccustomed to such a sight, started, and pulledvehemently back; but Lord H----, snatching her riding whip from herhand, struck him sharply on the flank, and forced him forward by therein. But again the beast resisted; not a moment was to be lost; timewasted in the struggle must have been fatal; and, casting the bridlefree, he threw his right arm round her light form, lifted her from thesaddle, and seated her safely before him. Then, striking his spursinto the sides of his well-trained charger, he dashed at full speedthrough the burning bushes, and in two minutes had gained the groundbeyond the fire.
"You are saved, dear Edith!" he said. "You are saved!"
He could not call her Miss Prevost then; and though she heard the namehe gave her, at that moment of gratitude and thanksgiving it soundedonly sweetly on her ear.
"Thank God! thank God!" said Edith; "and oh, my lord, how can I evershow my gratitude to you?"
Lord H---- was silent for a moment, and then said in a low tone--forit would be spoken: "Dear Edith, I have no claim to gratitude; but ifyou can give me love instead, the gratitude shall be yours for life.But I am wrong, very wrong, for speaking to you thus at this moment,and in these circumstances. Yet there are emotions which forcethemselves into words whether we will or not. Forget those I havespoken, and do not tremble so, for they shall be no more repeated tillI find a fitter occasion--then they shall immediately. Now, dearEdith, I will ride slowly on with you to this farmhouse, will leaveyou there with the good people, and, if possible, get somebody toguide me round another way to join your father, and assure him of yoursafety. That he is safe I feel certain, for this very change of windmust have driven the fire away from him. Would you rather walk? For Iam afraid you have an uneasy seat, and we are quite safe now; theflames will go another way."
From many motives Edith preferred to go on foot, and LordH---- suffered her to slip gently to the ground. Then dismountinghimself, he drew her arm within his own, and leading his horse by thebridle, proceeded along the road over the shoulder of the hill,leaving the lower road, which the flame still menaced, on theirleft Edith needed support, and their progress was slow, but LordH---- touched no more upon any subject that could agitate her, and atthe end of about an hour and a half they reached the farmhouse, andknocked for admission.
There was no answer, however. No dogs barked, no sounds were heard,and all was dark within. Lord H---- knocked again. Still all wassilent; and putting his hand upon the latch, he opened the door.
"The house seems deserted," he said; and then, raising his voice, hecalled loudly, to wake any slumbering inhabitant who might be within.Still no answer was returned, and he felt puzzled and more agitatedthan he would have been in the presence of any real danger. There wasno other place of shelter near; he could not leave Edith there, as hehad proposed; and yet the thought of passing a long night with her inthat deserted house produced a feeling of indecision, checkered bymany emotions which were not usual to him.
"This is most unlucky," he said. "What is to be done now?"
"I know not," said Edith, in a low and distressed tone. "I fear,indeed, the good people are gone. If the moon would but rise, we mightsee what is really in the house."
"I can get a light," replied Lord H----. "There is wood enoughscattered about to light a fire. Stay here in the doorway while Ifasten my horse and gather some sticks together. I will not go out ofsight." The sticks were soon gathered and carried to the largekitchen, into which the door opened directly. Lord H----'s pistol,which he took from the holsters, afforded the means of lighting acheerful fire on the hearth, and as soon as it blazed up a number ofobjects were seen in the room which showed that the house had beeninhabited lately, and abandoned suddenly. Little of the furnitureseemed to have been carried away, indeed; and amongst the first thingsthat were perceived, much to Edith's comfort, were
candles and a tinlamp of Dutch manufacture, ready trimmed. These were soon lighted, andLord H----, taking his fair companion's hand in his, and gazing fondlyon her pale and weary face, begged her to seek some repose. "I cannot,of course," he said, "leave you here and seek your father, as Iproposed just now; but if you will go upstairs, and seek some roomwhere you can lock yourself in, in case of danger, I will keep guardhere below. Most likely all the people of the house have gone forth towatch the progress of the fire, and may return speedily."
Edith mused, and shook her head, saying: "I think something else musthave frightened them away."
"Would you have courage to fire a pistol in case of need?" asked LordH----, in a low tone. Edith gently inclined her head, and he thenadded: "Stay! I will charge this for you again."
He then reloaded the pistol, the charge of which he had drawn to lightthe fire, and was placing it in Edith's hand, when a tall, dark figureglided into the room with a step perfectly noiseless. Lord H---- drewher suddenly back and placed himself before her, but a second glanceshowed him the dignified form and fine features of Otaitsa's father.
"Peace," said the old chief. "Peace to you, my brother," and he heldout his hand to Lord H----, who took it frankly. Black Eagle thenunfastened the blue blanket from his shoulders and threw it aroundEdith, saying: "Thou art my daughter, and art safe. I have heard thevoice of the Cataract, and its sound was sweet. It is a great water,and a good. The counsel is wise, my daughter. Go thou up and rest inpeace. The Black Eagle will watch by the Cataract till the eyes ofmorning open in the east. The Black Eagle will watch for thee as forhis own young, and thou art safe."
"I know I am, when thou art near me, Father," said Edith, taking hisbrown hand in hers, "but is it so with all mine?"
"If I can make it so," answered Black Eagle. "Go, daughter, and be atpeace. This one at least is safe also, for he is a great chief of ourwhite fathers, and we have a treaty with him. The man of the FiveNations who would lift his hand against him is accursed."
Edith knew that she could extract nothing more from him, and with hermind somewhat lightened, but not wholly relieved, she ascended to theupper story. Lord H---- seated himself on the step at the foot of thestairs, and the Indian chief crouched down beside him. But both kept aprofound silence, and in a few minutes after, the moon, slowly risingover the piece of cleared ground in front, poured in upon their twofigures as they sat there side by side, in strange contrast.
Ticonderoga: A Story of Early Frontier Life in the Mohawk Valley Page 8
