Elsie's Womanhood

by Martha Finley

  "Thither, full fraught with mischievous revenge Accurs'd, and in a cursed hour he hies." --MILTON'S PARADISE LOST.

  They were alone that evening, and retired earlier than usual. They hadbeen quietly sleeping for some time when Elsie was wakened by a suddengust of wind that swept round the house, rattling doors and windows; thenfollowed the roll and crash of thunder, peal on peal, accompanied withvivid flashes of lightning.

  Elsie was not timid in regard to thunder and lightning; she knew so wellthat they were entirely under the control of her Father, without whom nota hair of her head could perish; she lay listening to the war of theelements, thinking of the words of the Psalmist, "The clouds poured outwater: the skies sent out a sound; Thine arrows also went abroad. Thevoice of Thy thunder was in the heaven; the lightnings lightened theworld, the earth trembled and shook."

  But another sound startled her. Surely she heard some stealthy step on theveranda upon which the windows of the room opened (long windows reachingfrom the floor almost to the ceiling), and then a hand at work with thefastenings of the shutters of the one farthest from the bed.

  Her husband lay sleeping by her side. She half raised herself in the bed,put her lips to his ear, and shaking him slightly, whispered, "Edward,some one is trying to get in at the window!"

  He was wide-awake in an instant, raised himself and while listeningintently took a loaded revolver from under his pillow and cocked it readyfor use.

  "Lie down, darling," he whispered; "it will be safer, and should thevillain get in, this will soon settle him, I think."

  "Don't kill him, if you can save yourself without," she answered, in thesame low tone and with a shudder.

  "No; if I could see, I should aim for his right arm."

  A moment of silent waiting, the slight sound of the burglar's tool faintlyheard amid the noise of the storm, then the shutter flew open, a manstepped in; at that instant a vivid flash of lightning showed the three toeach other, and the men fired simultaneously.

  A heavy, rolling crash of thunder followed close upon the sharp crack ofthe revolvers; the robber's pistol fell with a loud thump upon the floorand he turned and fled along the veranda, this time moving with more hastethan caution. They distinctly heard the flying footsteps.

  "I must have hit him," said Mr. Travilla, "Dearest, you are not hurt?"

  "No, no; but you?"

  "Have escaped also, thank God," he added, with earnest solemnity.

  Elsie, springing to the bell-rope, sent peal after peal resounding throughthe house. "He must be pursued, if possible!" she cried; "for oh, Edward,your life is in danger as long as he is at large. You recognized him?"

  "Yes, Tom Jackson; I thought him safe in prison at the North; but probablyhe has been bailed out; perhaps by one of his own gang; for so are theends of justice often defeated."

  He was hurrying on his clothes as he spoke. Elsie had hastily donneddressing-gown and slippers, and now struck a light.

  Steps and voices were heard in the hall without, while Aunt Chloe comingin from the other side, asked in tones tremulous with affright, "What's dematter? what's de matter, darlin'? is you hurted?"

  "No, mammy; but there was a burglar here a moment since," said Elsie. "Heand Mr. Travilla fired at each other, and he must be pursued instantly.Send Uncle Joe to rouse Mr. Spriggs and the boys, and go after him withall speed."

  Meantime Mr. Mason was knocking at the door opening into the hall, askingwhat was wrong and offering his services; a number of negro men's voicesadding, "Massa and missus, we's all heyah and ready to fight for ye."

  Mr. Travilla opened the door, briefly explained what had happened, andrepeated Elsie's order for an immediate and hot pursuit.

  "I myself will head it," he was adding, when she interposed.

  "No, no, no, my husband, surely you will not think of it; he may kill youyet. Or he might return from another direction, and what could I do withonly the women to help me? Oh, Edward, don't go! don't leave me!" And sheclung to him trembling and with tears in the soft, entreating eyes.

  "No, dearest, you are right. I will stay here to protect you, and Spriggsmay lead the boys," he answered, throwing an arm about her. "I think Iwounded the fellow," he added to Mr. Mason. "Here, Aunt Chloe, bring thelight nearer."

  Yes, there lay a heavy revolver, and beside it a pool of blood on thecarpet where the villain had stood; and there was a bloody trail all alongthe veranda where he had run, and on the railing and pillar by which hehad swung himself to the ground; indeed, they could track him by it forsome distance over the lawn, where the trees kept the ground partiallydry; but beyond that the rain coming down in sheets, had helped thefugitive by washing away the telltale stains.

  Elsie shuddering and turning pale and faint at the horrible sight, orderedan immediate and thorough cleansing of both carpet and veranda.

  "Dere's hot water in de kitchen," said Aunt Phillis. "You, Sal an' Bet,hurry up yah wid a big basin full, an' soap an' sand an' house-cloths.Glad 'nuff dat massa shot dat ole debbil, but Miss Elsie's house not to bedefiled wid his dirty blood."

  "Cold watah fust, Aunt Phillis," interposed Chloe, "cold watah fust totake out blood-stain, den de hot after dat."

  "Mammy knows; do as she directs," said Elsie, hastily retreating into herdressing-room.

  "My darling, this has been too much for you," her husband said tenderly,helping her to lie down on a sofa.

  Chloe came hurrying in with a tumbler of cold water in one hand, a bottleof smelling salts in the other, her dusky face full of concern.

  Mr. Travilla took the articles from her. "That is right, but I will attendto your mistress," he said in a kindly tone; "and do you go and prepare abed for her in one of the rooms on the other side of the hall."

  "It is hardly worth while, dear," said Elsie; "I don't think I can sleepagain to-night."

  "Yet perhaps you may; it is only two o'clock," he said, as the timepieceon the mantle struck the hour, "and at least you may rest a little betterthan you could here."

  "And perhaps you may sleep. Yes, mammy, get the bed ready as soon as youcan."

  "My darling, how pale you are!" Mr. Travilla said with concern, as heknelt by her side, applying the restoratives. "Do not be alarmed; I amquite sure the man's right arm is disabled, and therefore the danger ispast, for the present at least."

  She put her arm about his neck and relieved her full heart with a burst oftears. "Pray, praise," she whispered; "oh, thank the Lord for your narrowescape; the ball must have passed very near your head; I heard it whizover mine and strike the opposite wall."

  "Yes, it just grazed my hair and carried away a lock, I think. Yes, let usthank the Lord." And he poured out a short but fervent thanksgiving, toevery word of which her heart said "Amen!"

  "Yes, there is a lock gone, sure enough," she said, stroking his haircaressingly as he bent over her. "Ah, if we had not lingered so long here,this would not have happened."

  "Not here, but elsewhere perhaps."

  "That is true, and no doubt all has been ordered for the best."

  Aunt Chloe presently returned, with the announcement that the bed wasready; and they retired for the second time, leaving the house in the careof Uncle Joe and the women servants.

  It was some time before Elsie could compose herself to sleep, but neardaybreak she fell into a deep slumber that lasted until long past theusual breakfast hour. Mr. Travilla slept late also, while the vigilantAunts Chloe and Phillis and Uncle Joe took care that no noise should bemade, no intruder allowed access to their vicinity to disturb them.

  The first news that greeted them on leaving their room, was of the failureof the pursuit after the burglar. He had managed to elude the search, andto their chagrin Spriggs and his party had been obliged to returnempty-handed. The servants were the first to tell the tale, then Spriggscame in with a fuller report.

  "The scoundrel!" he growled; "how he contrived to do it I can't tell. Ifwe'd had hounds, he couldn't. We've none on the place, but if
you say so,I'll borrow----"

  "No, no! Mr. Travilla, you will not allow it" cried Elsie, turning anentreating look upon him.

  "No, Spriggs, the man must be greatly weakened by the loss of blood, and,unable to defend himself, might be torn to pieces by them before you couldprevent it."

  "Small loss to the rest of the world if he was," grumbled the overseer.

  "Yes, but I wouldn't have him die such a death as that; or hurried intoeternity without a moment for repentance."

  "But might it not be well to have another search?" suggested Elsie. "Hehad better be given up to justice, even for his own good, than die in thewoods of weakness and starvation."

  "Hands are all so busy with the sugar-cane just now, ma'am, that I don'tsee how they could be spared," answered Spriggs. "And tell you what,ma'am"--as if struck with a sudden thought--"the rascal must have aconfederate that's helped him off."

  "Most likely," said Mr. Travilla. "Indeed, I think it must be so. And youneed give yourself no further anxiety about him, my dear."