CHAPTER XII
"THEY MUST GO HOME"
"It wounds, indeed, To bear affronts too great to be forgiven, And not have power to punish."
--_"Spanish Friar," Dryden._
"Let them sleep, Hannah. I make no doubt but that they are greatlyfatigued."
"Yet methinks they would not care to be left behind if we go to themeeting-house, Mary. Both maidens have regard for the Sabbath.First-day, they call it."
Peggy sat up quickly as the foregoing words penetrated her drowsedconsciousness, and parting the curtains of the bed looked out. Thedoor leading into the adjoining chamber was ajar, and through it thevoices of the two women sounded distinctly. A flood of bright sunshinefilled the little room with dazzling light, and she uttered anexclamation of dismay at the lateness of the hour.
"Sally," she called, bending over her still sleeping friend andshaking her gently, "'tis time to get up. I fear me that we haveover-slept."
Sally stirred protestingly between the lavender-scented sheets, thenopened her blue eyes sleepily.
"Did mother call?" she murmured. "Oh, dear! I don't want to get up."
"Thy wits are wool-gathering, Sally," laughed Peggy slipping from thehigh bed without touching the small flight of steps generally used fordescending. "Thee is not at home, but in Freehold. We must dress withspeed, for the friends wish to go to the meeting-house."
"Heigh-ho!" yawned Sally rubbing her eyes. "Methought I was inPhiladelphia, and here we are in---- Is it East or West Jersey,Peggy?"
"Neither. 'Tis New Jersey, Sally."
"But which would it be had they not gone together to make New Jersey?"persisted Sally.
"It seems to me, miss, that for so sleepy a damsel thee is consumedwith a great thirst for geographical knowledge," was Peggy's commentas she dipped her face in the washing bowl.
"Does thee really know, Peggy Owen?"
"I don't, Sally. Is thee pleased?"
"Yes," declared Sally. "I thought of course thee would be informed, asthee has traveled so much. Peggy!"
"Well?"
"Did thee name the bedposts to find who would be thy fate? And atwhich one did thee look? Betty and I always do it when we sleep in astrange bed."
"Yes, Sally. And I looked at this one." Peggy lightly touched the postnearest her.
"Why, that's the very one I saw first," cried Sally excitedly. "Forwhom did thee name it, Peggy? What if it should be the same as mine! Icalled it--Fairfax."
"Fairfax," came from Peggy at the same moment. A merry peal oflaughter filled the chamber as they uttered the name in unison.
"And how shall it be decided?" cried Sally gaily. "I shall never besecond, Peggy."
"What if Betty were here?" queried Peggy mirthfully.
"We should both have to give up then, of course. I'll tell thee what:Being of the sect of Friends we cannot fight a duel, as the world'speople do, so when we go down-stairs let's note which one of us headdresses first. That one shall be The One," she ended impressively.
"Very well. Is thee ready, Sally?"
Arm in arm they descended the stairs. A chorus of "Good-mornings"greeted them as they entered the living-room. Mrs. Ashley, who wasjust putting breakfast on the table, glanced at them smilingly.
"You are both as bright as the morning," she remarked approvingly."'Tis no need to ask how ye slept. Truly your experience of yesterdaydoth not seem to have weighed upon you as I feared it would."
"And how I did sleep!" exclaimed Sally. "The bed was so downy thatPeggy had hard work to make me get up. What virtue does thee give thyfeathers, Mistress Ashley, to make them bestow so sound a slumber?"
"Methinks any bed would have served the purpose when you were sofatigued, child," answered the hostess, pleased nevertheless by thegirl's tribute to her feathers. "Nevvy, will you find places for thegirls at the table?"
"Certainly, Aunt Mary." Fairfax placed the chairs around the table,then drawing out two of them, turned toward the maidens, his faceflushing at the necessity of addressing them, his whole mannerbetokening the diffidence that beset him. With demure looks buttwinkling eyes the girls awaited his next words eagerly. "Have thesechairs," he said.
An irrepressible giggle came from Sally. Peggy bit her lips to keepback her laughter, and cast down her eyes quickly. The youth hadincluded both in his speech, and, during the meal that followed, hisfew remarks were characterized by a like impartiality. When at lengthall were in the sleigh bound for the meeting-house at Freehold bothgirls were bubbling over with mischief.
"What spirits you two are in this morning," observed Nurse Johnson."Do tell us the fun."
"'Tis thy son," explained Sally in a whisper. "We want to see whichone of us he addresses singly, because we both named the same bedpostafter him, and 'tis the only way to decide our fate. He won't speak toeither of us alone," she ended plaintively.
Nurse Johnson laughed heartily, well knowing that these girls likedher boy, and that such teasing as they indulged in was partly girlishfun, and partly a desire to cure him of his bashfulness.
"What a thing it is to be young," she commented almost enviously."Mary, did we ever do such things?"
"As naming bedposts, do you mean, Hannah? Truly. Many and many a posthave we both named."
"And how did it turn out?" asked Sally eagerly. Before the lady couldreply Peggy spoke suddenly:
"Why do thy husband and Fairfax carry their muskets?" she inquiredwith surprise.
"'Tis not safe to go to meeting without them, child," responded thematron gravely. "To such a state hath New Jersey come that 'tisimpossible to go from one's door without firelocks."
"'Tis as it was when the country was first settled," remarked NurseJohnson. "Only then, 'twas fear of the savages, and now----"
"'Tis of a foe no less savage, Hannah," completed her sister. "Thelong years of warfare have rendered the enemy cruel and pitiless inthe extreme."
"'Tis as bad here as on the frontiers," commented Peggy. "Before wecame 'twas talked at Philadelphia that an uprising of the Indians waslooked for along the borders. In truth, methinks there hath alreadybeen atrocities committed upon the settlers, but affairs seem no worsewith them than they are here with you."
When they finally drew up before the Freehold meeting-house it wasobvious to the least heedful that something unusual was astir.Although the snow lay deep in front of the building and a keen nip wasin the air, there were groups of men scattered over the green. Despitethe chill, some sat upon the steps of the church, others clusteredabout the wagons in the wagon-shed, and still others stood about,stamping their feet or swinging their arms to keep warm. But whethersitting or standing each man held a musket in the hollow of his armready for instant use, while about the church two men patrolled assentinels. All the light and laughter died out of the faces of themaidens at these warlike signs, and unconsciously they drew closertogether.
"I wonder what hath happened," mused Farmer Ashley stopping before thehorse-block. "What's to do, neighbor?" he called to a man in a near-bygroup.
"Sam Nathan's farm was raided by the loyalists last night, Tom," camethe startling response. "His house and barns were burned, and Samhimself killed. His wife and daughter escaped into the woods, andreached Freehold this morning half dead from shock and exposure."
"Sam Nathan!" ejaculated Mrs. Ashley becoming pale. "Why, that wasonly five miles from us, father. 'Twill be our turn next."
"Now don't go to looking for trouble, Mary," chided her husband. "Youwomen-folks go right into the meeting-house, and whatever you do, becheerful. Nevvy and I will come in presently."
The church was partly filled with sad-eyed, patient-faced women,whose quiet demeanor was more heartrending than tears would have been.Some gave them the welcome that those who are united in the bonds ofaffliction give each other; others only stared at them with stony,unseeing eyes. Whose turn would be the next? was the thought thatfilled every breast. Oppressed and saddened, Peggy thoughtfully tookthe seat assigned he
r, and, as Sally sank down beside her, she slippedher hand into her friend's protectingly. Sally responded with areassuring pressure, and so with clasped hands the two sat throughoutthe service. And a memorable service it was. While the ministerpreached, the men took turns in patrolling the building and watchingthe horses. Beside every pew stood a musket, ready for instant use.Even in the house of God these people were not secure from the attacksof their enemies.
And without the sun shone brightly upon the hills and plains ofMonmouth. Over the meadows lay the snow, and on the streams a thickcoating of ice; but the pines were green in the woodlands, and theair--though sharp and nipping--still breathed of spring and hope. Theland was fair to see in its winter garb. Man alone was the discordantnote in Nature's harmony.
As Thomas Ashley had said, all New Jersey was roused to action.Harassed and harried as no other state had been, with the exception ofSouth Carolina, at this time it seemed on the verge of extinction, andits condition was in truth deplorable. In the earlier years of the warit had been swept like a plague by the horde of hireling Hessians andthe British army. In addition, the main army of the patriots hadwintered for several years among its mountains, and drawn upon it forsupplies until the state was all but beggared. But if liberty live thearmy must eat; so the farmers plowed, and sowed, and reaped, eventhough many dropped in the fields from the crack of an ambushed rifle.
As though suffering from the depredations of the pine robbers were notenough, there was added to the state's afflictions the incursions ofthe freebooters of the sea, and, far more bitter to bear--for civilwar is ever without mercy and compassion--were the heinous outrages ofthe Tories. It was no wonder, with foes without and foes within, thatthe temper of the people had risen to fever heat, and that they weremaking determined efforts to rid themselves of their enemies.
The meeting was ended finally, and with saddened mien the familyreentered the sleigh. Farmer Ashley's face wore a grave expression,while Fairfax's countenance betokened a set determination. He turnedtoward his mother abruptly.
"Mother," he said, "these girls must go home. New Jersey is no placefor them."
"You never spoke a truer word, nevvy," chimed in his uncle. "They mustgo home; the sooner they start, the better 'twill be. So long as thesnow lasts, the riding will be easy. Now, if you are willing to riskanother encounter with the robbers, we will start with them Tuesday."
"But would not Friend Nurse and thy wife be left unprotected while yewere away?" questioned Peggy in troubled accents.
"Now, Peggy, don't wherrit over that," spoke Nurse Johnson. "The firstthing to attend to is getting you girls home. I should never haveanother minute's peace if anything befell you. I ought never to havebrought you into such danger, but I knew not that things were as theyare here. Mary and I can take care of ourselves."
"It won't do, Hannah," said Thomas Ashley decidedly. "The girls mustgo of a truth, but you and Mary must have protection, too. Capable yeboth are, but 'twould not do to leave ye alone. The journey toPhiladelphia would take all of six days, there and back. That wouldmean fast going at that. Should there come a thaw there's no tellingwhen we'd get home."
"Friend," broke in Peggy eagerly, "if thee could get us to Trentonthere would be no need for thee to go on to Philadelphia. Both Sallyand I have friends there who would see that we reached home safely.Beside, the stage runs thrice a week from that point to our city, andshould other means fail, we could take that."
"Come! that's well thought of," he cried quickly. "'Twould be but aday's travel to Trenton, if the snow holds. Mary and Hannah could bidein Freehold until our return; so we'll call the matter settled. Nevvy,we will start Tuesday."
"Then on Tuesday ye will both be gone," said Fairfax with such a sighof relief that Sally, despite the gravity of the situation, could notforbear a little laugh.
"Oh, Peggy!" she cried, "why weren't we named Betty? Had we beenCaptain Johnson would not wish us gone as soon as we arrived."
"'Tis not as you think, Mistress Sally," he protested earnestly."Indeed, in truth "--he faltered, then continued manfully--"did Iregard your friend as your words imply I would not consent to waituntil Tuesday to take her back."
A puzzled look spread over Sally's face.
"Doth he mean that he is indeed fond of Betty?" she whispered to Peggyunder cover of Thomas Ashley's laughter which followed the youth'sresponse.
"I fear to say," was Peggy's amused reply.
And so, in spite of the fact that ravage and pillage had come verynear to them in the night, they returned to the farm in much betterspirits than would have been deemed possible when they left themeeting-house.
Peggy Owen and Liberty Page 14
