CHAPTER II
THE CABIN IN THE CLEARING
DAVID ARMSTRONG, the father of the two young hunters, was descendedfrom a fine old Scotch family. At the death of his father he inheriteda considerable estate, but the loss of his parent made the thoughtof remaining in the old home too painful to him, and he decided toleave Scotland and seek a new home. He consequently sold everything hepossessed and, with his young wife and little children, sailed for thenew country beyond the sea, and settled at Richmond, where he engagedin the tobacco business.
For some years he prospered, but trouble finally overtook him. Arelative, whom he had taken into partnership, betrayed his confidence,with the result that one day David awoke to find that he had theexperience, while this cousin possessed the money that had beeninvested.
Even in those primitive days there were courts where those who believedthey had been wronged could seek redress, and David would have failedto do credit to his Scotch ancestry had he not been a fighter. Hebelieved he had a good case against this relative who had swindled him,and he tried to press the matter.
But, somewhat discouraged by the constant delays, he made up his mindat last to leave for a point further west, and begin life anew undermore humble conditions.
He had come westward from the region around Richmond, and settled neara small town, where he secured employment at the tobacco warehouse ofa certain Jason Diggett, the richest man in that region. He did hiswork faithfully as the days and months went by, seldom complaining,so long as he had his dearly beloved wife, and his three children tocomfort him; yet never ceasing to hope that he would hear good newsfrom Richmond, and receive his own again from the clever relative whohad tricked him.
He was anxious to do all he could for his three children, Kate, Robertand Alexander; and sent them regularly to the little schoolhouse, wherethey learned the rudiments of reading and figuring, which among manypersons in those days were considered all the education required tocarry one through life.
The family spent some very happy years in the little cabin that stoodin a clearing. The boys knew nearly every one in the town; and as theygrew older began to show themselves capable of assisting in the task ofsupporting the family. Often they brought in game from the forest, andin the season their traps yielded them quite a little harvest in thepelts of otter, muskrat, mink, fox, badger and wildcat.
Suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue sky, trouble swooped down uponthe Armstrongs. David had some difficulty with his employer, and wasdischarged, since he was too proud to seek a reconciliation, when hefully believed himself to be in the right.
Then, one night, the tobacco barn of Jason Diggett burned to theground, entailing quite a loss. Suspicion alighted on David, simplybecause it was known that between the two men ill feelings existed.
So David was arrested, and held in the town blockhouse for a wholeweek; but, there being no actual proof against him, he was allowed togo free. That had been more than a month before, and, ever since, mostof the people who had once called themselves his friends had turnedtheir heads aside when by chance they met. The odor of guilt clung tohis skirts, for, even though the law had declared it had no evidenceupon which to base conviction, people _believed_ he must be guilty,since some one had surely set fire to the barn, and who besides Davidhad any grudge against Jason Diggett?
Armstrong fretted greatly over the injustice of such action, and ittook all the tact of his wife, Mary, to keep him from doing some rashact.
"If this keeps up much longer, wife," he would say, after a freshexhibition of coldness and aloofness on the part of those who had oncecalled him friend, "we must leave here for good, and go further intothe wilderness. It is useless for me to look further for work, since noone wishes to employ a _barn-burner_!"
His loving wife would labor to cheer him up as only a loyal womancould. Possessed of a sunny disposition, trusting by nature, and aboveall imbued with a strong sense of God's goodness, Mary Armstrongrefused to lose heart.
"It will surely come out all right, husband," she would say, as herloving hands smoothed the frown away from his forehead; "we must havepatience, and do our part. To-morrow, perhaps the day after; but in Hisgood time it will all be well."
And, although David had vowed he would not again seek work in thatbitter community, when another day arrived, her sweet influence overhim was so great that once more he would stalk forth, moodily, but withhis spirit still uncrushed.
It was a momentous time in the history of the colonies. For many monthsthere had been heard mutterings of the storm that was later to break atLexington and Bunker Hill. Already people were taking sides, even inthe more distant settlements, and were either patriots or loyalists,according to the way they looked at things.
But David Armstrong gave little thought to such matters, for his owntroubles were so exceedingly weighty that he could think of little else.
There was much talk of daring pioneers journeying still further intothat wonderful country beyond the great mountains; and again and againdid he brood over the possibilities that might await the forerunnersof civilization there.
Those who had made the trip, and returned, gave such glowingdescriptions of the amazing fertility of the black soil, and theastounding number of game animals to be had for the mere shooting, thatit was small wonder the harassed borderer's mind turned westward manytimes, and he was only waiting for some climax to arrive ere packing upand moving toward the land of the setting sun.
On the very morning that the two boys started out on their memorablehunt for fresh venison, David had taken new courage, and once moreventured to look for work.
"The very last time, wife, mark you," he had solemnly declared as hekissed her good-bye, and she knew that finally he had indeed reachedthe parting of the ways; for, if his quest was now in vain, he wouldnever ask a favor of these town people again.
During the month when David had been idle, and the one that followedhis release from the blockhouse strong-room, it can be understood thatthings were at low ebb in the home of the Armstrongs.
At no time had they been able to accumulate any amount ahead of theirconstant needs; so that very soon they hardly knew where to turn formoney with which to purchase the few necessities of life.
Robert and Sandy sold what few skins they had collected; then theybusied themselves hunting, and trying to trap more animals; but thewinter had been unusually severe, and trappers reported a scarcity ofpelts.
Recently even little Kate, just fourteen, had hired out to aneighboring family, as the daughters of the pioneers often did, withoutlosing any of their self-respect, or standing.
Mrs. Armstrong worked at her various tasks as the day advanced. Nooncame and went, and the sky clouded up with evil portents of snow,for the air was raw and had all the ominous attributes which thesewoods-dwellers knew presaged a storm.
Frequently she would step outside the humble log cabin to look around,and see whether either the boys or her husband could be coming. Thenher troubled eyes would scan the bleak heavens, and note that alreadythe first flakes of snow, forerunners of the mighty storm to come,were drifting along on the rising wind that was moaning through thesentinel oak at the back of the cabin.
She wished the boys were safe at home, though she was so confidentof their ability to take care of themselves, no matter under whatdifficulties, that she did not as yet once allow herself to fear actualdanger to them.
They had all their lives been accustomed to roaming the woods, and knewhow to grapple with such emergencies as hunters may expect to meet.
The afternoon had begun to decline, and the snow was coming downheavily, when David arrived home. Little need for his wife to looktwice to understand what his dejected manner indicated.
"It's no use, wife," he said, moodily, a frown on his strong face;"everything's working against me here, and I doubt if I have a singlereal friend in all the community. The poison has done its work, andthere is no employment here for a man suspected of being a barn-burner.I've been turned away by
a man I believed would take my word as quickas my bond. And I tell you I'm done. Never again will I demean myselfasking favors on my knees, just because my family may be in need."
And wise Mary Armstrong, realizing that the strong man had indeed goneto the limit of his strength, knew that there must come a change. Itwere folly to continue to beat one's head against the wall. Better findsome way of less resistance, and allow the current to carry them on.
"We have each other, David," she said, sturdily, as became a pioneerwife and mother; "and as long as health remains we must not complain.See, I give in entirely to you. Let us leave here at the very firstchance, and in a new country try to secure contentment, even thoughwe may not find happiness as long as this cloud hangs over your head.Cheer up! With three fine children, and a husband whom I respect andlove, I am content. The darkest cloud has a silver lining. Wait, andhope!"
"Then you consent that we shall emigrate to the land beyond themountains, to the banks of that beautiful stream they call the Ohio, ofwhich we have heard so much?"
It had been a vague dream with David for some time, and the prospect ofbeing able to carry it into actual execution in the near future beganto arouse him; so that he threw off his moody spirits, and showedrising animation.
"Yes, anything that you think wise," Mary went on calmly, though herheart was sore, "I am ready to undertake. But, of course, we could notthink of starting until some caravan arrives here in the spring, headedthat way. You were telling of one that was expected."
"Yes," said David, eagerly, "the last time Pat O'Mara, the trapper, washere, he was speaking of that famous hunter, Daniel Boone, and how hehad organized an expedition in Carolina that was to pass up along thisway in the spring, headed for the mountain passes and the bank of thegreat Ohio. We must be ready to throw our poor fortunes in with themwhen they reach here. I only hope and pray that new friends may be moremerciful than old ones."
"I wish the boys were safe at home, for it promises to be a hard storm,from the looks of things," said the fond mother, anxiously.
David's eyes sparkled with a look of pride in his offspring.
"Fear nothing for those two lads. To Robert the secrets of the woodsare as an open book; and I would trust them to even go over the greatmountain trail alone. They have their guns, and will know how toprotect themselves from the storm. In due time we shall see them again,Heaven willing."
It was his turn now to comfort, a new role for David Armstrong; but heknew, better than did his wife, how those half-grown boys had becomefamiliar with the perils of the wilderness, and understood how to meetthem almost as well as the oldest and most experienced forest ranger.
The day gradually came to a close, and when evening had drawn near, sothat the kettle was singing over the flames, and supper cooking, MaryArmstrong went often to the door to peer out into the howling storm, asif still hoping that her brave boys would show up, like white ghosts,to join them at the humble and scanty repast.
But presently the time came when she and her husband had to sit downto the board alone, for no cheery hail came out of the gloomy night;but even then the mother would not let David see how worried she felt.She insisted upon talking about the Promised Land beyond the mountainchain, and asked him scores of questions concerning it, so that hecould not dream how her mother heart felt cold with new-born fears,and how her ears were ever attuned to the wild music of the ragingstorm, in which, _somewhere_, far away, she realized her two boys mustbe caught.
Later grew the hour. David had brought in a goodly supply of firewood,for so long as they could wield an axe there was always a bountifulamount of this at their very door, to be had for the cutting. Then theyprepared to retire for the night, the settler in a better humor than hehad been exhibiting for weeks; for at last he began to see a way out ofthe terrible difficulty that had so long been confronting them.
And while he slept, and dreamed of that wonderful land of plenty alongthe border of the Ohio River, Mary lay awake, her gentle heart filledwith unspoken prayers concerning the safety of their boys.
The Pioneer Boys of the Ohio; or, Clearing the Wilderness Page 5
