Horse-Shoe Robinson: A Tale of the Tory Ascendency

by John Pendleton Kennedy

  CHAPTER III.

  AN INCIDENT THAT SAVORS OF ROMANCE.

  By the time the sun had fallen to the level of the summits of the BlueRidge, Butler and Robinson had progressed so far in their journey, as tofind themselves in the vicinity of the Rockfish river--a rapid mountainstream, that traverses the southern confine of Albemarle, and which, atthat period, separated this county from Amherst. Their path had ledthem, by a short circuit, out of the ravine of Cove creek, along uponthe ridges of the neighboring hills; and they were now descending fromthis elevation, into the valley of the Rockfish, near to the point wherethe Cove creek forms its junction with this river. The hill was coveredwith a stately forest, and a broad, winding road had been cut down thesteep side, in such a manner as to present a high bank on one hand, andan abrupt sheer descent on the other. From this road might be seen, atintervals, glimmering through the screen of underwood, the waters of thesmall river below; whilst, at the same time, the circuitous course ofthe descending track left but few paces of its length visible from anyone point, except where, now and then, it came boldly forth to the vergeof some wild crag, from which glimpses were to be obtained of itsfrequent traverses towards the deep and romantic dell that received themingled tribute of the two streams.

  Here, as our travellers journeyed downward, their attention was awakenedby the cry of hounds in pursuit of game. These sounds came from the woodon the crest of the hill above them; and the clamorous earnestness withwhich they assailed the ear, and roused the far echo of the highlands,showed the object of chase to have been suddenly surprised and hotlyfollowed. The outcry was heard, for some moments, pursuing a directiontowards the river, when, suddenly from the midst of the forest, thesharp twang of a rifle-shot showed that some hunter was on the watch toprofit by the discovery of the dogs.

  Robinson, as soon as he heard the report, urged his horse forward withspeed, to the first turn of the road below; dismounted, and, throwinghis rifle into the palm of his left hand, stood ready to give his firewherever he might find occasion. Butler followed, and reined up closebeside his companion.

  "There is game afoot," said Galbraith, "and if that shot has not doneits business, it may be my turn to try a hand."

  These words were hardly spoken, when a wounded buck rushed to the brinkof the bank, some twelve or fifteen feet above the heads of thetravellers, and regardless of the presence of enemies, made one franticbound forward into the air, and fell dead almost at Robinson's feet. Soeffectually had the work of death been done upon the poor animal, thathe seemed to have expired, in the convulsion of this last leap, beforehe reached the ground; his antlers were driven into the clay; his eyeswere fixed, and not a struggle followed.

  "It was a home-shot that brought this poor fugitive to the earth," saidButler, as he stood gazing at the piteous spectacle before him, "andsped by a practised hand."

  "I don't count him a good man, major," said Galbraith, with professionalindifference, "who would mangle his meat by random firing. Now, thisbuck was taken sideways, as he leaped above the tops of the bushes,which is the ticklishest of all the ways of shooting a deer. The manthat plucked this fellow, I'll warrant, can plant his ball just where helikes: right under the arm is the place for certainty; and the thingcouldn't have been prettier done if the man had had a rest and astanding shot."

  During this short interval, the hounds had arrived on the spot where thebuck lay bleeding, and these, after a few minutes, were followed by twohunters of very dissimilar appearance, who came on foot, slowly leadingtheir horses up the hill.

  The first was a tall, gaunt woodman, of a sallow complexion, jet blackeyes, and round head of smooth black hair. His dress was simply a coarselinen shirt and trowsers, the heat of the day being such as to allow himto dispense with coat and waistcoat. He carried, in one hand, a batteredstraw hat, and in the other, trailed a long rifle. His feet werecovered with a pair of moccasins of brown leather, and the ordinaryhunting equipments were suspended about his person.

  The second was a youth apparently about sixteen, dressed in a suit ofgreen summer-cloth, neatly and fancifully adapted to his figure, whichwas graceful and boyish. The jacket was short, and gathered into a smallskirt behind; and both this and the pantaloons were garnished with aprofusion of black cord and small black buttons. A highly polishedleather belt was buckled around his waist; a cap of green cloth rested,somewhat conceitedly, amongst the rich locks of a head of light, curlyhair that fell, with girlish beauty, over a fair brow, and gave softnessto a countenance of pure white and red; and a neat foot showed toadvantage in a laced boot. The whole appearance of the youth was of oneof an amiable and docile bearing, and the small rifle or carbine whichhe bore in his hand, as well as the dainty accoutrements that belongedto it, amongst which was a diminutive bugle, looked more like the toysof a pampered boy, than any apparatus of service.

  No sooner had these two approached near enough to Butler and hisattendant for recognition, than the youth, quitting the hold of hishorse, sprang forward with a joyous alacrity and seized Butler by thehand.

  "Captain Butler," he cried with great animation, "how glad I am you havecome! And how fortunate it is that I should meet you! Get down from yourhorse, I have something to tell you. Here, Stephen Foster, take thisgentleman's horse."

  "You are a fine fellow, Harry," said Butler, dismounting. "That smilingface of yours is full of pleasant news; it assures me that all are wellat the Dove Cote." Then having given his horse in charge to Robinson,and walked a few paces apart with his young friend, he enquired, in alow and anxious tone, "Mildred, my dear Henry, what of your sisterMildred? Has she received my letter? Does she expect me? Is yourfather--"

  "Now, captain," interrupted the other--"but heigh! don't the newspaperssay you are brevetted? I am a pretty fellow to forget that! Well then,Major Butler, let me answer one question at a time. In the first place,sister Mildred is as well as any girl can be, that has a whole bushel ofcrosses to keep her out of spirits. Poor thing, she frets so, about youand my father. In the second place, she received your letter a week ago,and has had me patrolling this ridge every day since, just to keep alook-out for you; and, for the sake of company, I have had StephenFoster hunting here all the time--more for an excuse than anything else,because on this side of the river the drives are not the best fordeer--a man might be here a fortnight and not get a shot. Sister Mildredwanted me, if I should see you first, just to whisper to you that it isimpossible to do anything with my father, especially at this time, forhe has one of these English officers staying at the Dove Cote now, who,I am afraid, and so is sister Mildred, has come to do some mischief.Mildred says I must make some appointment with you to see her privately.I thought of Mrs. Dimock's, but this Englishman has a servant stayingover there, and may be it wouldn't do. So, major, you will have to ridedown to the big chestnut, on the bank of the river, just under the rockthat we call the Fawn's Tower--you know where that is? it isn't morethan two miles from here."

  "I know it well, Henry, I will wait there patiently," replied Butler, ashe now returned to his horse.

  "Haven't we been in luck," said Henry, "to get so fine a buck at last?This fellow has eight branches. It is Stephen's rifle that has done it."

  The woodman, during this conversation, had taken possession of hisspoil, and was now busily engaged with his knife in cutting open andpreparing the animal for transportation, according to the usages ofwoodcraft, whilst Robinson stood by, admiring the dexterity with whichthis office was performed. When the buck was, at last, thrown by Stephenacross his horse, Henry gave him orders to ride forward.

  "You will carry our game to your own house, Stephen; and don't forget,to-morrow, to let us have the saddle at the Dove Cote. And Stephen, youneed not say that we have found any acquaintances upon the road, youunderstand!"

  The man bowed his head, in token of obedience, and getting upon hislong-backed steed, behind the buck, was soon lost to view in thewindings of the hill.

  "Sister Mildred is sometimes downright melancholy," said the
younghunter, after he had remounted, and now rode beside Butler. "She istroubled about you, and is always telling me of some unpleasant dream. Ialmost think she is over-fanciful; and then she reads everything aboutthe army, and talks almost like a man about soldiering. Do you know sheis making a soldier of me? I am constantly reading military books, andpractising drill, and laying out fortifications, just as if I was goinginto camp. My father doesn't know a word of it; his time is taken upwith these English officers, writing to them, and every now and thenthere are some of them at our house. Mildred knows them--a famous spyshe would make! Isn't she an excellent girl, Major Butler?"

  "You and I should guard her, Henry, with more care than we guard ourlives," replied Butler, with a serious emphasis.

  "I hope," returned Henry, "she will be in better spirits after she seesyou."

  "I would to heaven," said Butler, "that we all had more reason to be ofgood cheer, than we are likely to have. It is as cloudy a day, Henry, asyou may ever behold again, should you live, as I pray you may, to theripest old age."

  Henry looked up towards the west.

  "There are clouds upon the sky," he said, "and the sun has dropped belowthem; but there is a streak of yellow light, near to the line of themountain, that our wise people say is a sign that the sun will rise inbeauty to-morrow."

  "There is a light beyond the mountain," replied Butler, half speaking tohimself, "and it is the best, the only sign I see of a clear to-morrow.I wish, Henry, it were a brighter beam."

  "Don't you know Gates has passed South?" said Henry, "and has somepretty fellows with him, they say. And ar'n't we all musteringhere--every man most? Ask Stephen Foster what I am?"

  "And what will he tell me?"

  "Why, that I am his deputy-corporal in the mounted riflemen; Stephen isthe lieutenant."

  "Oh, I crave your favor, brother officer, good master deputy-corporal,Henry Lindsay! and does your father allow you to ride in the ranks ofthe friends of liberty?"

  "Sister Mildred persuaded him that as I am a mere lad, as shesays,--look at me, major,--a pretty well grown lad, I take it, there isno harm in my playing soldier. So I ride always with Stephen Foster, andMildred got me this light rifle-carbine. Now, major, I fancy I am prettynearly as good a marksman as rides in the corps. Who is this with you?"asked Henry, looking back at Robinson, who loitered some distance in therear purposely to avoid what might be deemed an intrusion upon theprivate conference of the two friends.

  "That is a famous soldier, Henry; he was at the siege of Charleston, andlast year at Savannah. He has had some hard blows, and can tell you moreof war than you have ever read in all your studies."

  "He wears a curious uniform," said Henry, "for a regular soldier. Whatis his name?"

  "Galbraith Robinson--or Horse Shoe Robinson--to give him his mostpopular distinction. But it would be well to keep his name secret."

  "I have heard of Horse Shoe," said Henry, with an expression of greatinterest. "So, this is the man himself? From all reports he is as braveas"--

  "As who?" asked Butler, smiling at the tone of wonder with which Henryspoke.

  "As Caius Marcius Coriolanus, who, I make no doubt, major, was about thebravest man in the books."

  Butler laughed, and applauded the young martialist for hisdiscrimination.

  The road from the foot of the hill pursued the left, or northern, bankof the Rockfish, which shot along, with a rapid flood, over the rocksthat lay scattered in its bed; and the gush of whose flight fell uponthe ear like the loud tones of the wind. From either margin it wasshaded by huge sycamores, whose tops, at this twilight hour, were markedin broad lines upon the fading sky, and whose wide spreading boughs met,from side to side, over the middle of the stream, throwing a deepernight upon the clear and transparent waters. The valley was closelybound by high precipitous hills, whose steep crags and narrow passesseemed to echo and prolong the gush of the stream, that was now mingledwith the occasional lowing of cattle, the shriek of the owl, and thefrequent hoarse scream of the whip-poor-will.

  When our party had advanced about a mile along this road, Henry Lindsaytook his bugle and blew a blast which seemed to dance in itsreverberations from one side of the river to the other.

  "Mildred knows my signal," said he; "that is the scout's warning:cavalry approaches: dress your line: prepare to receive a generalofficer."

  "Henry, pray drop your military phrase, and tell me what this means?"said Butler.

  "Ride on till you arrive beneath the Fawn's Tower. Wait for me there. Iwill give you a signal when I approach: and trust me for a faithfulmessenger. The river is deep at the rock, but you will find a boatfastened to this bank. When you hear my signal come across. Mr. Dimock'sis only another mile; and, I'll warrant, the old lady will make youcomfortable. Love, they say, major," added Henry, sportively, "is meatand drink, and a blanket to boot; but for all that, Mrs. Dimock's willnot be amiss--especially for Horse Shoe, who, I take it, will have theroughest time of the party. If love is a blanket, Mr. Robinson," Henrycontinued, addressing himself to that worthy, "it doesn't cover two, youknow."

  "To my thinking, young sir," replied Horse Shoe, with a laugh, "itwouldn't fold so cleverly in a knapsack."

  "Now that I have given my orders," said Henry, "and done my duty, I mustleave you, for my road lies across the ford here. Where are my hounds?Hylas, Bell, Blanche, you puppies, where are you?"

  Here Henry blew another note, which was immediately responded to by thehounds; and, plunging into the rapid and narrow stream, followed by thedogs, who swam close behind him, he was seen, the next moment, throughthe twilight, galloping up the opposite hill, as he called out his "goodnight" to his friends.

  As soon as Henry had disappeared, the other two pricked their steedsforward at a faster pace. The rapid flow of the river, as they advancedalong its bank, began to change into a more quiet current, as if someobstruction below had dammed up the water, rendering it deep and still.Upon this tranquil mirror the pale crescent of the moon and the faintlypeeping stars were reflected; and the flight of the fire-fly was traced,by his own light and its redoubled image, upon the same surface.

  The high toppling cliff of the Fawn's Tower, that jutted forth like aparapet above the road, soon arrested the attention of Butler; and atits base the great chestnut flung abroad his "vast magnificence ofleaves," almost in emulation of the aspiring crag.

  "We have reached our appointed ground," said Butler. "I shall want mycloak, Galbraith; the dews begin to chill my limbs."

  They dismounted, and Butler threw his cloak around his shoulders. Then,in a thoughtful, musing state of mind, he strolled slowly along the bankof the river, till he was temporarily lost to view in the thick shadesand sombre scenery around him. Robinson, having secured the horses, sathimself down at the foot of the chestnut, unwilling to interrupt, byconversation, the anxious state of feeling which he had the shrewdnessto perceive predominated in Butler's mind.