CHAPTER XXX
Had Dorothy been less absorbed by anxiety and grief when she was makingher way to General Washington's apartments, she would have heard thedoor of the taproom open softly as she reached the foot of the stairsleading to the second floor.
Farmer Gilbert's head was thrust from the opening, and his fierce eyeswatched the slight figure ascend to the landing above and turn in thedirection of the rooms occupied by the Commander-in-Chief.
As soon as she was out of sight, he glanced up and down the hall, tomake certain no one was near, and slipped cautiously out. Then quicklyremoving his heavy shoes, he stole, cat-like, up the stairway.
His progress was stayed by the voices of the girl and Doak; and raisinghis head until his eyes were on a level with the floor, he saw thementer the room together.
"Whatever be she up to?" he muttered. Then hearing footsteps in thehall below, he sped noiselessly up the few remaining steps, and madehaste to hide himself in Mistress Trask's linen-press, standing only ashort distance away, and which afforded him ample opportunity forwatching, as he held the door ajar.
"Aha, my lady spy," he whispered to himself, "I'll keep my eye onye--an' my ears, too. Ye can't fool Jason Gilbert, 'though ye may foolsome as thinks they know more as I."
He saw Doak fetch the British prisoner, and noted the length of timethe young man remained in the room whither the girl had gone.
"Aye--him outside, last night, an' she on the inside," his maudlinthoughts ran on. "They thought to hev it all their own way,--to tellthe Britishers the names o' the officers that were here, an' all thatwas goin' on. An' now here be General Washington himself, I'll bebound, lettin' her coax him to save t' other spy from hangin', whenthey both ought to be strung up together. I wish now I'd not set up ahello that brought the men out o' the inn, but had jest given him acrack o'er the head myself, to settle the matter, an' so hev none o'this triflin', with her tryin' to pull the wool over the General'seyes. But I guess he'll know 'em for the pair o' d----d British spiesthey be."
His lips moved in unworded mutterings, his eyes intent upon Doak--nowsitting by the closed door--or else glancing about the hall to see ifany one were approaching his place of concealment.
When Doak was again summoned within the room, Gilbert thought toimprove the chance for making his escape; but seeing that the door wasopen a few inches, he concluded to wait. Then he saw the fishermancome out with the prisoner, and he uttered a low curse when the youngman turned to meet the girl's eyes before the door closed behind him.
Before the sound of their footsteps died away down the hall, FarmerGilbert left his hiding-place and hastened below, sitting down on thesteps to replace his shoes, as one of the women servants came along.
"Got a pebble, or summat, in my shoe," he explained, raising his head;for the girl had stopped, and was staring at him curiously.
"Did ye have to take off both shoes to find it?" she asked pertly.
He did not answer, and she passed on to the tap-room, whither hefollowed her.
Less than an hour after this, as Mary and Dorothy were in their littleparlor, talking over the recent happenings, the landlady came toannounce that General Washington desired to see them at once.
They observed, as they passed along the hall, that some freshexcitement seemed to prevail, for they could see that the taproom wasfilled with men, many of whom were talking animatedly.
The door of Washington's room stood open, and they saw him in earnestconversation with two other officers, who withdrew as the girls entered.
He welcomed them kindly, although seeming preoccupied,--as if pressedby some new matter which disturbed him.
"A messenger has brought information that a body of the enemy is comingin this direction," he said, speaking quite hurriedly. "It istherefore prudent that we go our ways with all proper speed, and I wishto urge your own immediate departure. I regret that our routes lie indifferent directions; but I will send the man Doak to escort you, as itappears he is well known to your family."
Seeing the consternation in the girls' faces, he added reassuringly:"There is no cause for alarm, for you have ample time to put a safedistance between yourselves and the approaching British. I think itprobable they will halt for a time here, at the tavern, for this seemsto be their objective point."
"Do you think there is like to be a battle?" Mary inquired nervously.
Washington smiled at her fears.
"No," he answered. "It is but a moderate-sized force--probablyreconnoitring. We shall, I trust, have the enemy well out of Bostonerelong, without the risk or slaughter of a battle."
Then he added: "But we are losing valuable time, and I have somethingmore pleasant than battles to speak about. I take it, MistressDevereux,"--and he turned to Mary,--"that your little sister here hasmade you aware of what passed between us but an hour ago?"
"Yes, sir." And Mary stole a side glance at Dorothy, wondering thatthe girl should appear so self-possessed.
"Captain Southorn will go with me to Cambridge," he continued, "wherehis ultimate disposition will be decided upon."
Dorothy started; but looking at Washington, she saw a smile in thekindly glance bent upon her troubled face.
"He will also meet Lieutenant Devereux there, and this I deem adesirable thing for all concerned. So take heart, Mistress Dorothy,and trust that all will end happily."
He looked at his watch, and then held out a hand to each of them.
"Get you under way for Dorchester at once," he said, "and you shallhear something from me within the week."
With this he led them to the door and bade them God speed, warning themonce more to make haste in leaving the inn.
When they had put on their riding-hats, and gathered up their fewbelongings, the two girls left their room in company with MistressTrask, who, between the excitement of seeing her distinguished guestsdepart, and the unusual exercise attending the concealment of herchoicest viands from the approaching enemy, was well-nigh speechless.
Emerging from the narrow passage leading to the main hall of the inn,they encountered a small knot of men looking curiously at CaptainSouthorn and the two soldiers guarding him, who were standing at thefoot of the staircase, apart from the others, and were apparentlywaiting for orders, while outside the open door several other men weregathered, in charge of a dozen or more horses.
As Mary's glance fell upon the young Englishman, she flushed a little,and holding her chin a bit higher than before, turned her eyes inanother direction--but not until he saw the angry flash in them.
A faint smile touched his lips as he lifted his hat, and then an eagerlook came to his eyes as he saw the small figure following close behindher, whose steps seemed to falter as she neared him.
Just then there was a call from above stairs; and as one of the guardsascended hastily to answer it, Captain Southorn said something in a lowtone to the other one--quite a young man--standing beside him.
He listened, and then shook his head, but hesitatingly, as he glancedtoward Dorothy, who was looking wistfully at his prisoner.
Good Mistress Trask had chanced to overhear what the Britisher said;and speaking to the young soldier, she exclaimed testily:"Fiddlesticks, Tommy Macklin! Why not let him speak a word to theyoung lady, when he asks ye so polite-like? What harm can come of it?They be old acquaintances."
Tommy seemed to waver; but being a good-hearted young fellow, as wellas standing somewhat in awe of the landlady, who was a distantrelative, he made no farther objection, and nodded his consent.
Southorn gave Mistress Trask a grateful smile, and stepping quickly towhere Dorothy was standing, took her hand and led her a few steps awayfrom the others, as he asked in a low voice, "Do you know what is to bedone with me, sweetheart?"
"Only that you are to go to Cambridge," was the hurried reply.
"I knew that much myself," he said smilingly. "But what is the meaningof all this sudden stir?"
"They say the--British are marching toward the inn," sh
e whispered, hermind troubled by the fear that she had no right to give him thisinformation.
He drew a quick breath; and she readily divined the thoughts thatcaused him to frown, and bite his lips.
"General Washington said you would meet my brother at Cambridge, andthat it was best to--best for--that it was important for you to seehim," she added stammeringly, while her color deepened.
The scowl left his face, and he smiled at her in a way to make her eyesseek the floor.
"Aha! did he, indeed? Well then, no doubt it is best that I am goingto Cambridge, and as soon as may be. But," with some anxiety, "whatthink you this brother of yours will say to me, or will a bullet be allhe will have for my hearing?"
"No, indeed no!" Dorothy exclaimed. "Jack would never show youunkindness, for he knows--he well knows, because I told him--"
"Do you mean to say," he asked quickly, cutting short her words, "thatyour brother has known all this time the blessed truth that I learnedonly this very morning?"
"He only knew of it just before he left home in the summer," shewhispered. "I had to tell him."
"Why?"
"I was afraid you and he might meet, and I was fearful that--" Thevoice died away, and Dorothy's head drooped.
"Sweetheart," he said softly, "I understand. You must have been sadlytorn betwixt your love and what you thought to be your duty. It makesme realize more keenly what a brute I have made of myself. But trustme--only trust and believe in my honor and true love, and I will tryall my life to make amends for the suffering I have caused you."
Washington and his suite were now descending the stairs, and TommyMacklin hastened to place himself closer to his prisoner as the othersoldier joined him.
Then Southorn turned to Dorothy and said: "It is evident that we areabout to leave. Tell me quickly as to your own movements,--you surelyare not going to stop here?"
"Oh no; Mary and I are to set out right away for Dorchester, andFisherman Doak is to see us safely housed with Mistress Knollys."
"You will go at once," he insisted, "and not delay a second?"
She nodded smilingly, and their eyes spoke the farewell their lips wereforbidden to utter.
Mary had been standing all this time alongside Mistress Trask, her facestudiously averted from the two at whom nearly all the others werestaring wonderingly.
She now came forward, and without looking at Captain Southorn, joinedDorothy; and in company with the landlady they passed through the doorinto the midday sunlight flooding the world outside.
Washington and those with him were the first to leave,--their departurebeing witnessed by every one at the inn.
The two girls were now standing side by side in the doorway; andCaptain Southorn, on horseback, with a mounted guard on either side ofhim, smiled again as his glance fell on Mary's spirited face, and atthe thought it awakened of that morning at the Sachem's Cave.
"They be goin' to take the spy to Cambridge, to hang him," mutteredFarmer Gilbert to Mistress Trask, his restless eyes roving from thesweet young face in the doorway to that of the young man sitting uponthe horse.
"No such thing," said the landlady, with an indignant sniff. "He is aprisoner, but there's no further talk o' hangin'."
"Who says so?" and the farmer's scowling brows grew blacker.
"The young ladies say so, an' they both know him--knew him long ago."
"Aye, that I'll be bound, as to one of 'em, at any rate," he growled,eying Dorothy savagely. The girl's face was telling her secret, whileshe stood watching her husband turn for a parting smile as he rode offwith the others.
"Where do she live?" Gilbert asked suddenly, jerking his thumb towardthe doorway, in front of which Doak was now standing with the horses.
"Down at Marblehead, when they be at home; both of 'em live there," thelandlady answered. "But they be stoppin' at Dorchester now, withfriends, an' there's where they're bound for." With this she turnedaway, her manner showing that she desired no further parley with him.
The man stood for a few moments, as if reflecting upon what he hadheard. Then, with one more glance at the two girls, he turned slowlyabout, and took his way to the stables of the inn.
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