CHAPTER XXX.
GIPSY HUNTS NEW GAME.
"And by the watch-fire's gleaming light, Close by his side was seen A huntress maid in beauty bright With airy robes of green."--SCOTT.
It was early afternoon of that same day on which the events related inthe last chapter occurred. Squire Erliston, in after-dinner mood, sat inhis arm-chair; Louis lay idly on a lounge at a little distance, andGipsy sat by the window, yawningly turning over a volume of prints. Mrs.Oranmore, swathed in shawls, lounged on her sofa, her prayerbook in herhand, taking a succession of short naps.
It was the squire's custom to go to sleep after dinner; but now, in hisevident excitement, he seemed quite to forget it altogether.
"Yes, sir," he was saying to Louis, "the scoundrel actually entered thesheriff's house through the window, and carried off more than a hundreddollars, right under their very noses. It's monstrous!--it's outrageous!He deserves to be drawn and quartered for his villainy! And he will be,too, if he's taken. The country 'll soon be overrun with just suchrascals, if the scoundrel isn't made an example of."
"Of whom are you speaking, papa?" inquired Lizzie, suddenly walking up.
"Of one of Drummond's negroes--a perfect ruffian; Big Tom, they callhim. He's fled to the woods, and only makes his appearance at night. Hestabbed young Drummond himself; and since then, he's committed all sortsof depredations. Simms, the sheriff, came down yesterday with constablesto arrest them; and during the night, the scoundrel actually had theaudacity to enter the sheriff's window, and decamped with a hundreddollars before they could take him. He met one of the constables in theyard as he was going out. The constable cried 'murder,' and seized him;but Big Tom--who is a regular giant--just lifted him up and hurled himover the wall, where he fell upon a heap of stones, breaking hiscollar-bone, two of his legs, 'and the rest of his ribs,' as Solomonsays. The constable's not expected to live; and Big Tom got off to hisden in safety with his booty."
"Why do they not scour the woods in a body?" inquired Louis.
"So they did; but--bless your soul!--it's like looking for a needle in ahay-stack--couldn't find him anywhere."
"Oh! it was capital fun!" said Gipsy, laughing, "it reminded me of'hide-and-go-seek' more than anything else. Once or twice they caughtsight of me through the bushes, and taking me for poor Tom, came prettynear firing on me. Simms made them stop, and called to me to surrenderto the law, or I'd repent it. Accordingly, I surrendered, and rode out,and--my goodness!--if they didn't look blue when they saw me! I burstright out laughing in their face, and made Simms so mad that I guess hewished he had let his men shoot me. Oh! didn't I have a jolly time,though! I took them, by various artifices, miles out of theirway--generally leaving them half-swamped in a bog, or in some pathlesspart of the woods--until Simms lost all patience, and swore till he wasblack in the face, and rode home in a towering passion, all covered withmud, and his fine city clothes torn to tatters. Ha, ha, ha! I guess Ienjoyed it, if they didn't."
"As mischievous as ever!" exclaimed the squire. "Pretty way, that, totreat the officers of the law in the discharge of their duty! How willyou like it, if that black demon comes here some night, and murders usall in our beds?"
Lizzie uttered a stifled shriek at the idea.
"I'm sure I'll be glad of it, if he only murders Spider first, and sosave me the trouble," said Gipsy.
"You're an affectionate wife, 'pon my word," muttered Louis.
"Yes; but it's just like the diabolical young imp," growled the squire.
"Thank you--you're complimentary," muttered Gipsy.
"Mind you," continued the squire, "while Big Tom's at liberty you mustleave off your rides through the woods and over the hills--because hemight be the death of you at any moment."
"More likely I'd be the death of him. I never was born to be killed by aruffian."
"No; for if the gallows had its dues----"
"You wouldn't be here to-day," interrupted Gipsy.
"Come--don't interrupt me, young woman. I positively forbid you or anyone in this place riding out while Big Tom's roaming about."
"That's right, Guardy--show your authority. Nothing like keeping it up,you know. And now, as I'm off to give Mignonne an airing, I'll think ofyour commands by the way."
And the disobedient elf arose to leave the room.
"But, my dear, tantalizing little coz, it really is dangerous,"interrupted Louis. "If you were to encounter this gigantic negro, alone,it would be rather a serious affair, I'm afraid."
"Bother!" exclaimed the polite and courteous Mrs. Wiseman. "Do yous'pose I'm afraid--Gipsy Gower afraid! Whew! I like that! Make your mindeasy, my dear Louis. I could face a regiment on Mignonne's back withoutflinching."
And Gipsy darted off to don her riding-habit, singing as she went:
"Some love to roam O'er the dark sea foam, Where the shrill winds whistle free; But a chosen band In the mountain land, And a life in the woods for me."
Ten minutes afterward they saw her ride out of the court-yard at herusual furious rate, and dash away over the hills, where she was speedilyout of sight.
Gipsy must have had some of the Arab in her nature; for she spent almosther whole life on horseback. She heeded not the flight of time, as shethundered along, riding in the most hazardous places--sometimesnarrowly escaping being dashed to pieces over precipices--sometimesleaping yawning chasms that would make many a stout hunter's head giddy.The excitement was a part--a necessity--of her nature. The almoststagnant life in the village would have driven the hot-headed, impetuousgirl wild, but for the mad excitement of the chase. Brave as a younglioness--bold and free as the eagle of her native mountains--she scornedfear, and sought danger as others do safety. She knew it was putting herhead into the lion's mouth to venture alone into this wild, unfrequentedregion, within arm's length of a desperate villain, hunted down like afurious beast; yet the idea of not venturing here never once entered hermad little head.
It was growing dark before Gipsy began to think of turning her stepshomeward. Reluctantly she turned her horse's head, and set out for MountSunset--half regretting she had met with no adventure worth relating onher return.
As she rapidly galloped along she discovered she had ridden much fartherthan she had intended, and that it would be late ere she reached thehall. The dim starlight alone guided her path; for the moon had not yetrisen. But Mignonne was so well accustomed to the road that he couldhave found his way in the dark; and Gipsy rode on gayly, humming toherself a merry hunting-chorus.
Suddenly a gleam of light from between the trees flashed across theirpath. Mignonne, like his mistress, being only a half-tamed thing atbest, reared suddenly upright, and would have dashed off at headlongspeed, had not Gipsy held the reins with a grasp of iron. Her strengthwas wonderful for a creature so small and slight; but her vigorousexercise had given her thews and muscles of steel. Mignonne felt he wasin the hand of a master-spirit, and after a few fierce bounds andplunges, stood still and surrendered.
Rapidly alighting, Gipsy bound her horse securely, and then stolenoiselessly through the trees. The cause of the light was soondiscovered; and Gipsy beheld a sight that, daring and fearless as shewas, for a moment froze the very blood in her veins.
A small semicircle was before her, in the center of which the remains ofa fire still glowed, casting a hot, reddish glare around. By its luridlight the huge figure of a gigantic negro, whose hideous face was nowfrightfully convulsed with rage. On her knees at his feet was a woman,whom he grasped with one hand by the throat, and with the otherbrandished over her head a long, murderous knife. The sight for a momentleft Gipsy's eyes, and her very heart ceased beating. Then, with therapidity of lightning, she drew a pistol, aimed and fired.
One second more and she would have been too late. With the shriek of amadman the huge negro leaped into the air, and bounded to where shestood. She turned to fly, but ere she had advanced a yard she was in thefurious grasp of the wounded monster. His red eyes wer
e like balls offire, he foamed, he roared with rage and pain, as with one huge hand heraised the slight form of Gipsy to dash out her brains.
In that moment of deadly peril the brave girl was as cool andself-possessed as though she were seated in safety in her guardian'sparlor. A gleaming knife was stuck in his belt. Quick as thought shedrew it out, and, concentrating all her strength, she plunged it in hisbreast.
The hot blood spurted in a gush up in her face. Without a cry theruffian reeled, his hand relaxed, and Gipsy sprang from his grasp justas he fell heavily to the ground.
Gipsy staggered against a tree, with a deadly inclination to swooncoming over her. She covered her face with her hands to hide the ghastlyform of the huge negro, lying weltering in his own blood before her. Shehad taken a life; and though it was done in self-defense, and to savethe life of another, it lay on her heart like lead.
The thought of that other at length aroused her to action. Dartingthrough the trees she approached the fire. The woman lay on the ground,senseless, and half strangled. The firelight, as it fell upon her,showed the face and form of an old woman, upward of fifty, poorly clad,and garments half torn off in the scuffle.
The sight restored Gipsy to her wonted composure. Kneeling down, shebegan chafing the old woman's hands and temples with an energy that soonrestored her to consciousness. She opened her eyes and glared for amoment wildly around; then, as consciousness returned, she utteredshriek upon shriek, making the forest resound.
"Stop your screaming," said Gipsy, shaking her in her excitement."You're safe enough now. Stop, will you. I tell you you're safe."
"Safe!" repeated the woman, wildly. "Oh, that drefful nigger----"
"He won't hurt you any more. Stop your noise, and get up, and come withme!" said Gipsy, impatiently.
"Oh! Lor' a massey! I can't git up. I'm all out o' j'int. I'm deadentirely!" groaned the woman.
"Then I shall leave you here," said Gipsy, rising.
"Oh, don't leave me!--don't, for God's sake! I'd die o' fear!" screamedthe woman, grasping Gipsy's dress.
"Then, you stupid old thing, get up and come along," cried Gipsy, losingall patience, as she seized her with no gentle hand, and pulled her toher feet.
"Where 'll I go?" said the poor old creature, trembling with mortalterror, evidently as much afraid of the fierce little Amazon before her,as of the huge negro.
"This way," said Gipsy, pulling her along to where stood her horse."Now, get up there, and put your arms around my waist, and hold on foryour life."
"Oh! dear me! I never rid a horseback in my life, and I'll fall off--Iknow I will!" said the old woman, wringing her hands in fresh distress.
"Well, I can't help it; you'll have to make the attempt, or stay heretill I reach St. Mark's, and rouse up the people. Which will you do?"
"Oh! I dassent stay. I'll go 'long with you, somehow."
"Very well. Up with you then," said Gipsy, almost lifting her into thesaddle. "Now, I'll get on before you, and mind, if you don't hold onwell, you'll never reach the village alive."
With the clutch of mortal fear, the old lady grasped Gipsy round thewaist, and held on for dear life, until Mount Sunset was gained, when,more dead than alive, she was assisted to alight, and consigned to thecare of the servants.
Louis, who had just returned from his interview with Celeste, was in theparlor with the squire, meditating how he should make his proposal, whenGipsy, pale, wild, and disordered, her hair disheveled, and her garmentsdyed with blood, burst in upon them, electrifying them with amazement.
Great was their consternation as they listened to the rapidly-toldtale. There was no time left to congratulate her on her narrow escape,for she impetuously commanded Louis to mount immediately and take threeor four of the servants to bring away the body.
With a rapidity almost as great as her own, her counsels were obeyed,and Gipsy, with Louis beside her, started back to the scene of thecatastrophe, followed by four of the servants.
They reached the spot at last, and Gipsy drew back in dismay as shediscovered the body was gone.
"Who can have carried it off?" she exclaimed, aghast.
"I rather think he has carried himself off," said Louis, who had beenattentively examining the ground.
"Oh, impossible! He was dead, I tell you--just as _dead_ as ever hecould be," said Gipsy.
"Well, dead or not, he has made his escape," said Louis. "See, the grassis dyed with blood all along, showing the way he has gone. Come, thetrail is plain enough, let us follow it."
All dismounted and followed Louis. Not far had they to go, for lying bythe fire was the burly form of the negro. He had evidently, with muchdifficulty, dragged himself thus far, and then sank down exhausted.
He rolled his glaring eyes fiercely on the faces bending over him, andgnashed his teeth in impotent rage as he saw Gipsy.
"Thank God! I have not killed him!" was her first fervent ejaculation.Then, while Louis and the servants began making a sort of litter, sheknelt beside him, and strove to stanch the flowing blood, undeterred bythe wild, ferocious glare of his fiery eyes.
"Now, Tom, look here," said Gipsy, as she composedly went on with herwork, "there's no use in your looking daggers at me that way, because itdon't alarm me a bit. You needn't be mad at me either, for though Ifired on you first, it was to save the life of an old woman, who mighthave been a loss to the world; and if I made use of your knifeafterward, it was to save the life of Mrs. Doctor Nicholas Wiseman, whowould have been a greater loss still. So you see I couldn't help myself,and you may as well look at the matter in the same light."
By this time the rest came back with a sort of litter; and groaning andwrithing with pain, the heavy form of the wounded giant was lifted ontheir shoulders, and borne toward the village, where it was consigned tothe care of the sheriff, who was thunderstruck when he heard of Gipsy'sdaring.
On their return to Sunset Hall, they learned from the old woman, whoseemed threatened with a severe illness, how it had all occurred.
She was a "poor, lone woman," she said--a widow, named Mrs. Donne,living by herself for ten odd years, in a little cottage beyond St.Mark's.
She was reputed to be rich--a rumor she never contradicted, as it madeher neighbors treat her with distinction, in the hope that she wouldremember them in her will.
Big Tom, hearing the rumor, and believing it, came to her cottage, anddemanded money. She had none to give him, and told him so, whichexasperated him beyond measure. He threatened to kill her if shepersisted in refusing, and gagged her to stifle her cries. Then, findingher still obstinate, he carried her off with him to the spot where Gipsyhad found them, and again offered her her life if she would deliver upher money. Still she was forced to refuse, and maddened with rage anddisappointment, he was about to murder her, when Gipsy providentiallyappeared, and saved her life.
Not without many interruptions was this story told; and ere it wasconcluded, Mrs. Donne was in a high fever. Gipsy installed herself asnurse, and listened in wonder and surprise to her raving of infants leftto perish in snow-storms, and her wild words of sorrow and remorse forsome past crime.
Sharing Her Crime: A Novel Page 31
