CHAPTER V
_A Timely Interference_
A young man in the uniform of a British naval lieutenant leaped infront of the girl with drawn sword, with which he laid about himlustily, striking some of the men with the flat of it, threateningothers with the point; and backing his actions by the prompt commandsof one not accustomed to be gainsaid, he soon cleared the space infront of her.
"How dare you interfere in this matter, my lord?" shouted Johnson,passionately. "I command this party, and I intend--"
"I know you do," replied the officer, "and that I am only a volunteerwho has chosen to accompany you, worse luck! but I am a gentleman and alieutenant in his Britannic majesty's navy, and by heaven! when I seeold men mishandled, and wounded helpless men about to be assassinated,and young women insulted, I don't care who commands the party, Iinterfere. And I don't propose to bandy words with any runagateAmerican partisan who uses his commission to further private vengeance.And I swear to you, on my honor, if you do not instantly modify yourtreatment of this gentleman, and call off this ragamuffin crew, youshall be court-martialled, if I have any influence with Dunmore orParker or Lord Howe, or whoever is in authority, and I will have therest of you hung as high as Haman. This is outrage and robbery andmurder; it is not fighting or making prisoners," continued the youngofficer. "You are not fit to be an officer; and you, you curs, youdisgrace the uniform you wear."
Johnson glanced at his men, who stood irresolute before him fiercelymuttering. A rascally mob of the lowest class of people in the colony,to whom war simply meant opportunity for plunder and rapine, they wouldundoubtedly back up their leader, in their present mood, in any attemptat resistance he might make the young officer. But he hesitated amoment. Desborough was a lord, high in the confidence of GovernorDunmore, and a man of great influence; his own position was tooprecarious, the game was not worth the candle, and the risk ofopposition was too great.
"Well," he said in sulky acquiescence, "the men meant no special harm,but have it your own way. Fall back, men! As to what you say to mepersonally, you shall answer to me for that at a more fitting time," hecontinued doggedly.
"When and where you please," answered Desborough, hotly, "though I 'dsoil a sword by passing it through you. What was Dunmore thinking ofwhen he put you in charge of this party and sent you to do this work, Iwonder? Give your orders to your men to unhand this gentlemaninstantly. You will give your parole, sir? I regret that we arecompelled to secure your person, but those were the orders; and you,madam," turning to Katharine, "I believe no order requires you to betaken prisoner, and therefore you shall go free."
But Katharine had knelt down by her prostrate lover as soon as thespace in front of her had been cleared, and was entirely oblivious toall that was taking place about her.
"Allow me to introduce myself, colonel," he resumed. "I am LordDesborough. I have often heard my father, the Earl of Desmond, inIreland, speak of you. I regret that we meet under such unpleasantcircumstances, but the governor's orders must be carried out, though Iwish he had sent a more worthy representative to do so. I will see,however, that everything is done for your comfort in the future."
"Sir," said the colonel, bowing, "you have rendered me a service I cannever repay. I know your father well. He is one of the finestgentlemen of his time, and his son has this day shown that he is worthyof the honored name he bears. I will go with you cheerfully, and youhave my parole of honor. Katharine, you are free; you will be safe inthe house, I think, until I can arrange for your departure."
She looked up from the floor, and then rose. "Oh, father, he is dead,he is dead," she moaned. "Yes, I will go with you; take me away."
"Nay, my child, I cannot."
"Enough of this!" broke in the sneering voice of Johnson. "She hasbeen taken in open resistance to the king's forces, and, warrant or nowarrant, orders or no orders, or court-martial either," this with amalevolent glance at Desborough, "she goes with us as a prisoner."
"I will pledge my word, Colonel Wilton, that no violence is offeredher," exclaimed Desborough, promptly, and then, turning to Katharine,--
"Trust me, madam."
"I do, sir," she said faintly, giving him her hand. "You are verykind."
"It is nothing, mistress," he replied, bowing low over it, as he raisedit respectfully to his lips. "I will hold you safe with my life."
"Very pretty," sneered Johnson; "but are you coming?"
"What shall we do with these two, captain?" asked the sergeant, kickingthe prostrate form of Seymour, and pointing to the body of the man whohad been slain.
"Oh, let them lie there! We can't be bothered with dead and dying men.One of them is gone; the other soon will be. The slaves will burythem, and those other three at the foot of the hill--d' ye hear, yeblack niggers? There 's hardly room enough on the sloop for theliving," he continued with cynical indifference.
"All right, captain! As you say, poor Joe's no good now; and as forthe other, that crack of Welsh's was a rare good one; he will probablydie before morning anyhow," replied the sergeant, there being littlelove lost among the members of this philosophic crew; besides, the moredead, the more plunder for the living. And many of the band were evennow following the example of their leader, and roaming over the house,securing at will whatever excited their fancy, the wine-cellarespecially not being forgotten.
"Oh, my God! John," whispered Katharine, falling on her knees again byhis side, "must I leave you now, oh, my love!" she moaned, taking hishead in her arms, and with her handkerchief wiping the blood from offhis forehead, "and you have died for me--for me."
The colonel saw the action, and knew now what was the subject of theinterview after supper which Seymour had so much desired. He kneltdown beside his daughter, a great pity for her in his soul, and laidhis hand on the prostrate man's heart.
"He is not dead, Katharine," he whispered. "I do not even think hewill die; he will be all right in an hour. If we don't go soon,Katharine, Philip and Bentley will return and be taken also," hecontinued rapidly. "Come, Katharine," he said more loudly, rising."Dearest child, we must go,--you must bear this, my daughter; it is forour country we suffer." But the talismanic word apparently had lostits charm for her.
"What's all this?" said Johnson, roughly; "she must go." She onlymoaned and pressed her lover's hands against her heart.
"And go now! Do you hear? Come, mistress," laying his hand roughlyupon her shoulder.
"Have a care, sir," said Desborough, warningly. "Keep to yourself, mydear sir; no harm is done. But we must go; and if she won't gowillingly, she will have to be carried, that's all. Do you hear me?Come on!"
"Come, Katharine," said the colonel, entreatingly.
"Oh, father, father, I cannot leave him! I love him!"
"I know you do, dear; and worthy he is of your love too. Please Godyou shall see him once again! But now we must go. Will you not comewith me?"
"I cannot, I cannot!" she repeated.
"But you must, Kate," said the colonel, lifting her up, in deadlyanxiety to get away before his son returned. "You are a prisoner."
"I can't, father; indeed I can't!" she cried again.
She struggled a moment, then half fainted in his arms.
"Who else is here?" said Johnson.
"Only the slaves," replied the colonel.
"Well, we don't want them. Move on, then! Your daughter can take hermaid with her if she wishes," he said with surly courtesy. "Is thisthe wench? Well, get your mistress a cloak, and be quick about it!"
Assisted by Chloe, the maid, and Lord Desborough, the colonel halfcarried, half led, his daughter out of the room.
"Seymour, Seymour!" she cried despairingly at the door; but he laystill where he had fallen, seeing and hearing nothing.
For Love of Country: A Story of Land and Sea in the Days of the Revolution Page 6
