CHAPTER XV.
MISS WHARTON'S MARRIAGE INTERRUPTED.
They were met by Miss Peyton, who acquainted them of the approachingmarriage of her eldest niece and Colonel Wellmere, and invited them tobe present. The gentlemen bowed; and the good aunt, with an inherentlove of propriety, went on to add that the acquaintance was of an olddate, and the attachment by no means a sudden thing; that the consentto this sudden union of Sarah and Wellmere, and especially at a timewhen the life of a member of the family was in imminent jeopardy,[93]was given from a conviction that the unsettled state of the countrywould probably prevent another opportunity to the lovers of meeting,and a secret dread on the part of Mr. Wharton that the death of hisson might, by hastening his own, leave his remaining children withouta protector.
[Footnote 93: risk or danger.]
Miss Peyton now led them to the room where Lawton had left Sarah andColonel Wellmere, and awaited the nuptials.
Wellmere, offering Sarah his hand, led her before the divine, and theceremony began. The first words of this imposing office produced adead stillness in the apartment; and the minister of God was about toproceed when a figure, gliding into the midst of the party, at onceput a stop to the ceremony. It was the peddler. His look was bitterand ironical,[94] while a finger raised towards the divine seemed toforbid the ceremony to go any further.
[Footnote 94: expressing one thing and meaning another.]
"Can Colonel Wellmere waste the precious moments here, when his wifehas crossed the ocean to meet him? The nights are long, and the moonbright; a few hours will take him to the city."
Aghast at the suddenness of his extraordinary address, Wellmere for amoment lost the command of his faculties. To Sarah, the countenanceof Birch, expressive as it was, produced no terror; but the instantshe recovered from the surprise of his interruption, she turned heranxious gaze on the features of the man to whom she had pledged hertroth. They afforded the most terrible confirmation of all that thepeddler affirmed; the room whirled round, and she fell lifeless intothe arms of her aunt.
The confusion enabled the peddler to retreat with a rapidity thatwould baffle pursuit, had any been attempted, and Wellmere stood withevery eye fixed on him, in ominous silence.
"'Tis false--'tis false as hell!" he cried, striking his forehead. "Ihave ever denied her claim; nor will the laws of my country compel meto acknowledge it."
"But what will conscience and the laws of God do?" asked Lawton.
"'Tis well, sir," said Wellmere, haughtily, and retreating towards thedoor, "my situation protects you now; but a time may come--"
He had reached the entry, when a slight tap on his shoulder caused himto turn his head; it was Captain Lawton, who, with a smile of peculiarmeaning, beckoned him to follow. They reached the stables before thetrooper spoke, when he cried aloud:
"Bring out Roanoke!"
His man appeared with the steed caparisoned[95] for its master.Lawton, coolly throwing the bridle on the neck of the animal, took hispistols from the holsters, and continued, "Here are weapons that haveseen good service before to-day--aye, and in honorable hands, sir. Inwhat better way can I serve my country than in exterminating a wretchwho would blast one of her fairest daughters?"
[Footnote 95: covered with a decorated cloth.]
"This injurious treatment shall meet its reward," cried the other,seizing the offered weapon; "the blood lie on the head of him whosought it!"
"Amen! but hold a moment, sir. You are now free, and the passports ofWashington are in your pocket; I give you the fire; if I fall, thereis a steed that will outstrip pursuit, and I advise you to retreatwithout delay."
"Are you ready?" asked Wellmere, gnashing his teeth with rage.
"Stand forward, Tom, with the lights; fire!" Wellmere fired, and thebullion flew from the epaulette of the trooper.
"Now the turn is mine," said Lawton, deliberately leveling his pistol.
"And mine!" shouted a voice as the weapon was struck from his hand."'Tis the mad Virginian!--fall on, my boys, and take him; this is aprize not hoped for!"
Unarmed, and surprised as he was, Lawton's presence of mind did notdesert him; he felt that he was in the hands of those from whom he wasto expect no mercy; and, as four of the Skinners fell upon him atonce, he used his gigantic strength to the utmost.
The struggle was short but terrific; curses and the most dreadfulimprecations were uttered by the Skinners, who in vain called on moreof the band, who were gazing on the combat in nerveless horror, toassist. A difficulty of breathing, from one of the combatants, washeard, accompanied by the stifled moanings of a strangled man; anddirectly one of the group arose from his feet, shaking himself freefrom the wild grasp of the others. Both Wellmere and the servant ofLawton had fled--the former to the stables, and the latter to give thealarm, leaving all in darkness.
The figure that stood erect sprang into the saddle of the unheededcharger; sparks of fire, issuing from the armed feet of the horse,gave a momentary light by which the captain was seen dashing like thewind towards the highway.
"He's off!" cried the leader, hoarse with rage and exhaustion;"fire!--bring him down--fire, or you'll be too late!"
"He would not fall if you had killed him," muttered one; "I've knownthese Virginians sit their horses with two or three balls throughthem; aye, even after they were dead."
"A short half hour will bring down that canting sergeant and the guardupon us," cried the leader. "'Twill be lucky if the guns don't turnthem out. Quick, to your posts, and fire the house in the chambers;smoking ruins are good to cover evil deeds."
Wellmere availed himself of the opportunity, and stealing from thestable with his own charger, he was able to gain the highwayunnoticed. For an instant he hesitated whether to ride towards thepoint where he knew the guard was stationed and endeavor to rescue thefamily, or, profiting by his liberty, to seek the royal army. Shame,and a consciousness of guilt, determined him to take the lattercourse, and he rode towards New York.
The report of the fire-arms first roused the family to the sense of anew danger, and but a moment elapsed before the leader and one more ofthe gang entered the room.
The Spy: Condensed for use in schools Page 16
