Prisoners of Chance

by Randall Parrish

  CHAPTER XIII

  WE GAIN A NEW RECRUIT

  There could be no doubt regarding the complete emptiness of theReverend Ezekiel Cairnes, if the breakfast he devoured from our stockof cold provisions was evidence. I have been commonly blessed withrobust appetite, yet where that man found space within his ribs tostore away all he ate in that hour remains a mystery. Nothing, excepttotal inability to address him in intelligible language, held De Noyanquiet as our limited supply steadily diminished before the Puritan'sonslaught, and long before the latter heaved a sigh of profoundsatisfaction the gallant soldier had fallen fast asleep. But Madameremained in her place opposite, apparently fascinated by that vivid redcrop of hair, now thoroughly dried in the sun, and standing erect abovehis odd, pear-shaped head. I had whispered in her ear what the fellowclaimed for himself, and being a most devout Catholic, and he the firstspecimen of his class she had ever met, she studied him with no smallamount of curiosity and abhorrence.

  I can clearly recall the picture, as these two, so widely different,sat facing each other in silence, the golden sunshine checkered overthem through an arch of limbs, the broad river shining away to thesouthward, and De Noyan resting upon his back, with face turned uptoward the clear blue sky. The woman, with her soft silken hairsmoothed back from the wide, white brow, her intelligent face lightedby eyes of deepest brown, looking, what in truth she was, thearistocratic daughter of a gentleman of France, one whose home had everbeen amid refinements of civilization, and whose surroundings those oflove and courtesy. Even there, in the heart of that wilderness, thesocial training of years remained paramount, and she sat silent, toyingwith untasted food, out of respect to this stranger guest. And he,with shoulders so abnormally broad as to appear deformed, clad in soberPuritan garb, ate serenely on, unconscious of her glances, making useof both his huge hands in the operation, his little gimlet eyestwinkling greedily, his head, oddly resembling a cone, blazing like afire whenever a ray of sun chanced to fall across it. I noticed heoccasionally stole shy glances at her, nor could I wonder, for, inspite of fatigue and exposure, Madame remained a winsome sight, to dothe heart of any man good to look upon.

  "The Lord God of Hosts be praised; ay! with harps, cymbals, andinstruments of many strings, will I give praise unto His holy name," heexclaimed fervently, wiping his wide mouth upon his sleeve, whilecasting a look of regret over the debris in his front. "Once againhath He abundantly supplied His elect with that which upbuildeth andgiveth strength to the flesh. Now my bodily requirements have beenduly attended to, it behooves me to minister likewise unto thespiritual, and then seek repose. Friends, will you not both join withme at the throne of grace? It hath been said that I possess muchunction in prayer."

  "No," I answered, not unwilling to be left alone with Eloise; "you arewelcome to put up petitions in our behalf, but this lady is not of yourfaith, while as for myself, I have known little about such matterssince childhood. One thing, however,--if you propose making use ofthat bull voice of yours, I advise that you select the fartherextremity of the island for the scene of your devotions, lest youarouse the Chevalier."

  He cast upon me a glance not altogether pleasant, but tramped offthrough the bushes without reply, and for several moments we heard thesturdy rise and fall of his earnest supplications, frequentlyinterspersed with hearty groans, as of one in all the agony of deepremorse.

  "'Tis an odd fish we've hooked out of the stream," I said, turning myhead toward the dismal sounds. "Yet he has strong arms, and may be ofconsiderable use, if he will consent to voyage with us."

  "I scarcely know what to make of the man," Madame admitted candidly."He is unlike any I have ever met. Yet I think he may prove honest andof good heart, although his exterior is far from attractive."

  "And his appetite hardly suggestive of economy," I added.

  The bright look I always loved to see leaped into her clear eyes.

  "Have you faith his labor will offset his eating?" she replied,laughing.

  "Possibly not; yet it is not labor alone I would select him for. Wemay have to fight before we attain a place of safety. For that purposeI would rank this fellow highly. Never yet have I met a red-headed manaverse to a quarrel. Faith! by that token, this one should be worth acompany if we ever come to blows."

  "But he is a priest, you told me, a preacher of the Protestants."

  "Ay! and the better for it. I have heard my father say the Puritanbreed makes the stoutest men-at-arms; that nothing has been found tostiffen a battle-line equal to a good text. Give this fellow a pike,pit him against a boatload of Spanish papists, and, I 'll warrant, he'll crack more heads than any two of us. Besides, he controls aperfect tornado of a voice, fit to frighten the crew of a frigate on adark night."

  She was sitting, her back pressed against a small tree, her handsclasped lightly about one knee, with dark eves gazing afar where thebroad river danced away into the golden sheen.

  "Geoffrey Benteen," she asked soberly, never glancing toward me, "is ittrue you do not desire my return to New Orleans?"

  "It is true."

  "Would you honestly tell me why?" and she turned her eyes, lookingsearchingly into mine.

  "I have mentioned sufficient reasons," I ventured, resolutely facingher, determined to speak frankly and abide the result. "All I need addis, to my judgment it will prove better for you to remain with yourhusband."

  She glanced aside at him where he lay, the quick blood flushing herclear cheek.

  "You do not like him?" the question fell faltering from her lips.

  "That I am not prepared to declare. He is changeable, somewhatoverbearing in speech, not as sober of mind as I am accustomed to findmen, yet it is not true I dislike him. I merely believe that he willdo better, be truer to his manhood, with you near him, than with youabsent."

  "He is French," she explained gently, "by nature of birth differentfrom your race. Besides, he has led a life filled with the dissipationof the town."

  "True! for that reason I forbear judging his words and actions by anystandard of my own people. Yet this I cannot be blind to, Madame; heis of quick temper, hasty in action, easily influenced by others, andmight become careless at times, and under strong temptation, unlesssome moral firmness hold him in check. You alone possess the power tobecome his good angel."

  She bowed her head, her gaze again far off upon the river, thedeepening surge of color rising upon either cheek.

  "You cannot be angry," I continued gravely, after pausing vainly for areply. "Surely I have said no more than you already knew, and I spokemerely in answer to your questioning."

  "No, I am not angry. But it is not a pleasant reflection underlyingthe things mentioned, and I cannot assert your judgment of theChevalier false. Still I would press you further. Is this your onlyreason for desiring me to remain?"

  "You wish me to answer frankly?"

  "Otherwise I should not ask."

  I felt the quick flush mount even to my hair, yet gripped my breath,making effort to respond boldly.

  "I had other reason. To deny it would be merely uttering a lie to nopurpose. Madame de Noyan, we are not strangers--we could never beafter that night when we parted beneath the olives of MonsieurBeaujen's garden. You are wife to a chevalier of France; I, a homelessadventurer. Yet I have no higher ambition than to prove of service toyou. Whatever I have accomplished has been entirely for your sake, notfor his. Now we are together, the daily opportunity to serve you ismine; here I can work for you, perchance die for you, should suchsacrifice promise you happiness. But if you decide to go back yonder,directly into danger as desperate as any confronting us to thenorthward, then I must determine for myself where I can serve you best.Knowing my heart as you must, you can easily judge whether I wouldplunge deeper into the wilderness with your husband, or return to NewOrleans with you. There is a sentence in the Bible about theimpossibility of serving two masters, hence I trust I may not becompelled to choose between, until the hour when you are both safe."
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  She listened silently, and I almost feared I had ventured upon tooplain speaking. Yet now, as she turned again toward me, her eyes weremoist with tears.

  "You are a strange man, Geoffrey Benteen," she said gently, and, I knownot how, yet both her hands found way to mine. "I scarcely comprehendyour nature, or gauge your purposes--you are so unlike all others Ihave known. Yet this I am assured; you are of honest heart, and Itrust you wholly."

  "You will not return to the town?"

  "I abide with you, and with my husband." Her voice faltered to thatlast word, yet she spoke it bravely.

  "It will be better so," I assented. "Better for us all."

  We slept late, undisturbed, in secure retreat among the trees, the vastriver chanting its endless song on either side of us. During theevening meal, partaken of amid the gathering shadows of twilight, ournewly discovered friend again evidenced his power as a trencherman.

  "_Sacre_!" ejaculated De Noyan in dismay. "I supposed his breakfastwas intended to last the week. We shall need a fleet of boats toprovision the fellow if he keep us company long. How is it, friendBenteen, are we to enjoy the pleasure of associating with this humanalligator, or do we now part company?"

  "That is not yet determined," I replied, smiling at the look ofconsternation with which he regarded him. "I will sound the man on thesubject, while he appears in good humor."

  I crossed the narrow plat of grass to where our guest sat facing theremains of his late feast, a look of satisfaction visible upon hiswithered countenance.

  "My good friend," he exclaimed, observing my approach, "there seems anover-preponderance of spices in this cured meat; otherwise it meets mycordial approbation, although your Southern cookery has a peculiarlygreasy flavor to one of my taste in food."

  "I failed to observe your refraining from any on account of thatobjection," I retorted, deeply amused by his words. "But if you arecompletely satisfied, you may be willing to turn a moment to matters ofbusiness, and inform us what you propose doing. In brief, will youresume your voyage, or is it your desire to cast your lot with us?"

  He meditatively stroked the thin red stubble adorning his chin,contemplating me steadily.

  "Doth that which assisteth to nourish and sustain the inner man bidfair to hold out?" he finally questioned in a tone of anxiety. "I haveneed of sufficient food, both temporal and spiritual, and would notlightly assume any burden of suffering, unless it appear clearly as thewill of God."

  "I know not how long we can withstand such onslaughts as those you havealready made," I returned honestly. "We are fairly well provisionedfor present needs, and when farther up the river will feel free to seekfresh game."

  "Ah! you have guns in the party? You will shoot deer--deer!" Hesmacked his thin lips greedily. "A nice, fat, juicy steak would not gobad even now. 'Tis strange how the mind runneth upon such carnalmatters--it remindeth us the flesh is weak. Deer--'tis best turnedupon a spit, with live coats not quite touching it. I would one mightwander before your gun this very night. Young man, did I not hear youname the destination of your party as the Ohio?"

  "I so stated."

  "Then let me warn you, friend," he crossed his legs more comfortably,resting back at ease, "that what you propose may not prove so easy asyou dream. The Amalekites and heathen, together with the worshippersof Baal, are everywhere along the upper waters. By the memory of OldNoll, I have seen more black-faced papists in the past two weeks than Iever before laid eyes on."

  "You do not enjoy the prospect of a fight?"

  "Nay; it is not that, friend. I am, indeed, a preacher ofrighteousness, a man of peace, yet I might, upon occasion, strike rightlustily for the Lord and Gideon. I am not altogether unaccustomed tofeeling carnal weapons of strife, but with yonder fair specimen ofwomanhood in our care, I should not deem it best to force a struggle,provided passage might be secured through other means."

  "Have you some plan?"

  "Nay; it has not been revealed unto me, although I besought it of theLord with great earnestness after the morning meal. I will againwrestle in prayer before the throne, and no doubt it shall all be madeplain in due season, if we faint not."

  "I take it, then, you propose forming one of our company?"

  "Such seemeth the will of the Lord," he responded soberly, "and I everhearken unto His voice. Thou didst state there would be plenty offood, so I abide with you."