CHAPTER XXXI.
BUTLER FINDS A GLEAM OF SUNSHINE IN HIS DISTRESS.
Allen Musgrove had heard enough of Butler's history from his daughterand from Galbraith Robinson, to feel a warm interest in that officer'ssafety; and now his personal acquaintance with the prisoner stillfurther corroborated his first prepossessions. The old man took theearliest opportunity to indicate to Butler the concern he felt in hiswelfare. From the moderate and kindly tone of his own character, he wasenabled to do this without drawing upon himself the distrust of theofficer of the guard. His expressions of sympathy were regarded, byMacdonald, as the natural sentiments of a religious mind imbued with anhabitual compassion for the sufferings of a fellow creature, and of onewho strove to discharge the duties of a peace-maker. His visits werelooked upon as those of a spiritual counsellor, whose peculiar right itwas to administer consolation to the afflicted, in whatever condition;he was therefore permitted freely to commune with the prisoner, and, asit sometimes happened, alone with him in his chamber.
This privilege was now particularly useful; for Mary having, on themorning after her midnight interview with John Ramsay and Robinson,communicated to her father the incidents of that meeting, and put in hispossession the letter which the sergeant had given her, and having alsorepeated her message to him accurately as she had received it, Musgrovetook occasion, during the following day, to deliver the letter toButler, and to make known to him all that he had heard from hisdaughter. This disclosure produced the most cheering effect uponButler's spirits. It, for the first time since the commencement of hissufferings, opened to his mind a distinct view of his chance of eventualliberation. The expectation of having his case represented to Cornwallisinspired him with a strong confidence that justice would be done tohim, and the covert malice of his enemies be disarmed. In this hope, itoccurred to him to take some instant measures to satisfy the Britishcommander-in-chief of the groundless character of the principalaccusation brought against him by the court-martial,--that which relatedto the pretended design to deliver up Philip Lindsay to the wrath of theRepublican government. For this purpose he resolved to make an appeal toLindsay himself, by letter, and frankly to call upon him to put at restthis most unjust and wicked accusation. He knew that however strongLindsay's antipathy to him might be, the high sense of honor whichdistinguished the father of Mildred might be confidently andsuccessfully invoked to furnish such a statement as should entirelysatisfy his accusers of the gross injustice of the charge. "I will writeto him," he said, "and throw myself upon his protection. I will requireof him to detail the whole history of my intercourse with his family,and to say how improbable even he must deem it, that I could be so baseas to plot against his peace. And I will appeal to Mildred to fortifyher father's statement, to show that this wicked accusation rests upon astory which it is impossible could be true."
Whilst Butler's thoughts were still occupied with this resolve, MaryMusgrove entered his apartment, bearing in her hands a napkin and platewhich she had come to spread for his dinner, and as the maiden employedherself in arranging a small table in the middle of the room, she cast afew distrustful glances towards the sentinel who paced to and froopposite the door, and then, seizing on a moment when the soldier haddisappeared from view, she whispered to Butler--
"You have seen my father, sir?"
Butler nodded his head.
"He has told you all?"
Butler again signified a silent assent.
The tramp of the sentinel showed that he was again approaching the door;and when Mary turned her eyes in that direction, she beheld the watchfulsoldier halting in such a position as to enable him both to see and hearwhat was passing in the room. Without showing the least perturbation, oreven appearing to notice the guard, she said in a gay and carelessvoice,--"My father and Lieutenant Macdonald,--who is a goodgentleman--think it belongs to Christian people to do all the good wecan for them that providence has put under us; and so, sir, I have beento gather you some blackberries, which I thought, may be, you wouldlike, sir."
The sentinel walked away, and Mary smiled as she saw her littlestratagem succeed.
"Bring me some paper," said Butler cautiously. "You are a considerategirl," he continued, in a louder voice, "and I thank you for this goodwill." Then finding that the sentinel did not immediately return, hewhispered--"I wish to write to Robinson--you shall take the letter andread it to him."
"I will do my best," replied the maiden; and again the sentinelinterrupted the conference.
Mary, having arranged the table, left the room. In a few moments shereturned, bringing with her the family Bible.
"If you would like to read, sir," she said, "here is a book that a bodymay look at a long time without getting tired of it. We have only gotthis, and the Pilgrim's Progress, and the hymn-book, in the house; butmy father says this is worth all the others that ever were printed, puttogether; and especially, sir, when one's in distress, and away fromtheir friends."
An expression of pleasure played across Butler's features as he took theheavy volume from the girl.
"A thousand thanks to you, my pretty maiden," he replied. "I doubt not Ishall grow both wiser and better under your tutoring. This kindnessalmost reconciles me to my fate."
"John is doing all he can for you, and he is a good helper to Mr.Robinson," said Mary, in the same cautious whisper that she had firstspoken in, as she retreated from the room. Butler opened the book, andfound a sheet of paper folded away amongst the leaves; then closing it,he threw it upon his bed.
In due course of time, Mary Musgrove returned with a few dishes of foodwhich she set out upon the table, and, in one of the successive visitswhich were employed in furnishing the repast, she took from beneath herapron a small ink-horn and pen, which she placed, unobserved by thesentinel, in Butler's hand. Having done this, she retired, leaving theprisoner to despatch his meal alone.
After dinner, Butler threw himself upon his bed, where he lay with theBible opened out before him, with his back turned towards the door; and,whilst Mary Musgrove was engaged in removing the furniture of the table,he found means to write a few lines to Philip Lindsay. He took the sameopportunity to pen a short letter to Mildred; and then to set down somedirections for Horse Shoe Robinson, the purport of which was that thesergeant should take the two letters and depart, with all despatch, forthe Dove Cote, and to put both into the hands of Mildred, with a requestthat she would procure him the necessary reply from her father. HorseShoe was also directed to explain to Mildred such particulars ofButler's history as were necessary to be made known for theaccomplishment of the object of the mission.
When these papers were finished they were folded up into a smallcompass, and in the course of the evening put into Mary's hands, with arequest that she would herself read the instructions intended for thesergeant, and apprise him of their contents when she delivered thepapers to him.
So far all had succeeded well, and Butler found additional reason todispel the gloom that hung upon his spirits, in the prospect that wasnow opened to him of enlisting strong and authoritative friends in thescheme of his liberation.
Horse-Shoe Robinson: A Tale of the Tory Ascendency Page 33
