by Mary Dillon
CHAPTER XII
A MIDNIGHT FRAY
"Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety."
Josef Papin was the first to bow the knee to me in mock homage, and ashis laughing eyes met mine he said, in a tone not so low but thatmademoiselle might have heard if she had listened:
"I owe you a grudge, sire. You have stolen the honors I so dearlycoveted."
A sudden impulse seized me.
"Would you like to be detailed on some special service to your kingand queen?" I asked.
"Most certainly, sire."
"Then stay by me, and when the ceremony of choosing the next kingbegins I will tell you about it."
Here was a heart as true as steel, ready to be generous to asuccessful rival and loyal unto death to his queen. It would not hurtto have one more guard for mademoiselle on our midnight ride; we wouldthen more nearly match in numbers the chevalier's band, and by numbersalone might intimidate him from even making the attack. Which was muchto be desired, since there would be two ladies in our party, andfighting and bloodshed are not for tender hearts like theirs to know.
But more than that, I thought I could give him no greater pleasurethan the chance to prove himself of some real service to mademoiselle,and I would like to atone for stealing the honors he had felt so sureof. And more still: we had decided, in our hasty conference a littlewhile before,--Dr. Saugrain, my captain, and I,--that it would not doat all to wait until the day before the Jour des Rois, as we had atfirst intended. Since the boat was in readiness, and the captain'sbusiness finished, there was no reason why we should not start atonce. We had decided, therefore, on the next morning for ourdeparture, for we all felt that as long as the chevalier was lurkingabout there was no safety for mademoiselle until she was well on herway to France.
To spirit mademoiselle away without a chance of saying good-by to sogood a friend as young Papin seemed to me unkind to them both. Wecould trust him fully, and he should have his chance to say good-by.The captain and Dr. Saugrain had intrusted me with the entirearrangement for mademoiselle's safety and given me command of ourlittle force, so I could make my offer to him with authority. When theopportunity offered to explain to him, a very few minutes sufficed totell him our fears for mademoiselle's safety. His eyes flashed fire ashe listened, and when I said to him, "Would you like to make one ofour guard on our way home?" he grasped my hand and wrung it.
"I thank you, monsieur," he said, and then he muttered in my ear:
"What would I not give for one good chance at the chevalier!"
Half an hour later our little cavalcade set off from the governor'shouse, the governor himself waving us an adieu from the gallery steps.We had placed madame and mademoiselle in the center, with Josef Papinon one side and myself on the other. Black Hawk and Yorke were in thevan, and Captain Clarke and Dr. Saugrain brought up the rear.
It had been necessary to make to the two ladies some explanation ofthese warlike arrangements, but we had said nothing of the presence ofthe chevalier. I knew it would distress mademoiselle, nor was I surethat her heart would not dictate a surrender, and he would at lastaccomplish his purpose and bear her away with him, a willing captive,to France. We had only said that a suspicious band of Osages waslurking about, and we thought it wise to take some precautions.
There was, on the Rue de l'Eglise, which was our direct way home, onespot peculiarly fitted for an ambuscade, where the road dippedsuddenly into a deep gully and rose again on the farther side, andwhere, owing to the marshy nature of the soil, the forest had not beencleared away. It was a lonely bit of road, without houses on eitherside for a quarter of a mile, and I thought it more than likely thatthe chevalier would select this spot for an attack, if he intended tomake one.
To cheat him, if possible, we rode up the hill of the Rue de la Tourand turned to the left at the fort, which was dark and silent, a proofto me that the troops had left it, and had, no doubt, ere this rid thevillage of our enemy. The Rue des Granges, down which we rode, ranalong the crest of the hill, and there was no marsh here to becrossed, and the gully had run out to a mere depression. We bore notorches, and moving as silently as possible through the blackness ofthe night, we hoped we might escape detection. But as we came to thehead of the gully I glanced down, and at that moment a swift spark asfrom a tinder flashed into the air, followed by a steady glow, and Iknew the chevalier was there and that, deeming himself securely hiddenamong the trees, he had just lighted a cigar to keep him company inhis stealthy watch. And I knew, too, that if I but drew my pistol andtook steady aim at that glow-worm in the dark there would be no moretrouble or anxiety for any of us on mademoiselle's account. For onemoment I hesitated, and Fatima, feeling the involuntary grasp of herbridle-rein, half stopped. But could I have brought my mind to thecommitting of a cold-blooded murder like that, the memory ofmademoiselle's plea for the chevalier's safety would have palsied myarm. Yet my generosity had like to have been our undoing. What it wasthat betrayed us I know not. It may have been the tramp of our horses'feet, conveyed down the gully as by an ear-trumpet; or it is possiblethat in spite of the darkness our moving figures were silhouettedagainst the faint light in the western sky; or a stone, loosened byone of our horses, may have rolled down the gully to the chevalier'sfeet. Whatever it was, I knew we were discovered. There was suddenly asoft call of a whippoorwill from below us, answered quickly and softlyby a half-dozen others, and then a sound as of hasty but cautiousstirrings. I knew what it meant: they had seen us, and they would cutus off before we reached our gates. I gave a quick word of command:
"Ride as hard and as fast as you can; never mind the noise you make.We are discovered! Our only hope of avoiding a fight is by reachingthe gates first."
Black Hawk and Yorke were off like a shot: Yorke, I have no doubt,with the intention of getting to cover as quickly as possible, butBlack Hawk, I believe, after a scalp or two. I had to call to themboth to come back and keep close to the ladies. Mademoiselle haduttered not a word, only urged her little La Bette to do her utmost,but madame, since the embargo of silence was removed, did not cease toutter a string of prayers and entreaties to "le bon Dieu" to save usall from the savages.
We were on the crest of the hill, and looking down to the Rue del'Eglise I could get an inkling of what progress the savages weremaking from an occasional flash of shining metal in a ray of lightfrom some window; for though the hour was late the town was stillastir from the governor's ball, and lights were in most of the houses.As yet they were some distance behind us, but though we were on horsesand they afoot, they had a much shorter distance to travel and theywere fleet runners. We were like a chain, only as strong as ourweakest link; we were only as fleet as our slowest horse, and that wasthe one that bore madame's plump figure. La Bette was not much faster,and I began to get in a fever of impatience, as I could see thesavages were steadily gaining on us. Should we meet them in that darklane leading down from the Rue des Granges to the Rue de l'Eglise wewere almost certainly at their mercy. In a few minutes it was evidentto me that at our present rate of progress they were sure to meet usthere, and there seemed no possible way of hurrying our two slowponies. I would have turned back but that I believed the chevalier wassharp enough to have sent part of his men up the gully to cut off ourretreat, should we attempt one. There was but one thing to do: Fatimahad saved mademoiselle once; she should save her again. I leaned backof mademoiselle and spoke to Josef Papin:
"We will never reach the house before the savages at this rate. Ishall take mademoiselle on Fatima and get her safe inside the gates.You and Black Hawk follow me as quickly as possible, and the otherthree will remain to protect Madame Saugrain."
Then I called a halt and explained my plan to the others. It neededbut a word, and there was no demur but a low wail from MadameSaugrain, who, I make no doubt, believed Pelagie was going to certaindeath. Mademoiselle herself said nothing; I think for the first timeshe realized that the chevalier was leading the Osages and that theironly aim was to get posses
sion of her.
My explanation had not consumed a minute, and as I finished it Iturned in my saddle.
"By your leave, Mademoiselle," I said, bent over and lifted her fromLa Bette's back (and never was I more thankful for my great strengthand that she was but a feather-weight, else had the feat proved adifficult one) and placed her securely in front of me on Fatima. 'Twasnot so comfortable a seat as at my back, no doubt, but I dared notrisk her where I could not see what befell her. One word to Fatima:
"Sweetheart, for our lives!" I laid the reins low on her neck, and wewere off with a long swinging stride that soon left even Black Hawkand Papin far behind, though they were urging their good horses to theutmost.
There was not a moment to be lost, for I could see that the savageswere nearing the junction of the lane and the Rue de l'Eglise, and wemust pass that point before them and ride some twenty paces down theRue de l'Eglise before we should reach the gates and a safe refugebehind the walls of Emigre's Retreat. I did not cease to urge Fatimaby my voice, though never touching her reins. One arm heldmademoiselle securely, and my right hand lay on the holster of mypistol, ready for instant service.
Out of the Rue des Granges we shot like a bolt, into the steep andrough lane leading down the hill. Had I not held mademoiselle sofirmly I think that swift swerve at the sharp corner might haveunseated us both. Faster and faster we flew, like a swallow on thewing, Fatima's dainty feet as surely placed among the rocks and holesof the rough road as if she had been pacing in Rotten Row. Well sheknew that a misstep of hers now might mean death to all three of us,and well she knew that her master trusted her perfectly.
I could feel mademoiselle's heart fluttering like a caged bird forterror; my own was beating like a trip-hammer, for I was near enoughnow to perceive that the savages too were redoubling their efforts andit was still a chance which of us would reach the corner of the Rue del'Eglise first.
"Faster, Sweetheart, faster!" I urged in an agony of apprehension as Ipressed my knees close to Fatima's hot sides, and felt her breathbeginning to come in long laboring moans as my great weight (withmademoiselle's added one, which might yet prove the last feather)began to tell on her. Bravely she responded to my voice and stretchedout farther and faster at every stride, and in another moment, withanother tremendous swerve, we had turned the corner into the Rue del'Eglise with the foremost of the savages not twenty feet behind us. Iexpected nothing less than a bullet in my back, and was glad indeedthat mademoiselle was in front of me, fully shielded by my broadshoulders, for I knew whatever befell me Fatima would carrymademoiselle into the garden and to the very door of Emigre's Retreatbefore any savage could possibly reach her. But I felt no bullet, nordid any whistle by my ears, and I wondered why, until I saw, what thesavage possibly saw too in the dim light, that mademoiselle (whosehead had been cowering on my breast like a child in great terrortrying to hide from the sight of danger) had, as we turned into theRue de l'Eglise, raised her head and looked boldly over my shoulder.
I have no doubt the savage feared to shoot, lest he should hit thatwhite face, and I did not doubt that was mademoiselle's plan, to useherself as a shield for me. I was very angry with her, but I had onlytime to draw her head roughly down on my shoulder again when we werewithin the gates and, in a dozen mighty strides, at the very door ofEmigre's Retreat.
At the sound of clattering hoofs, Narcisse and half a dozen servants,among them mademoiselle's maid, Clotilde, came running out on thegallery. I sprang from my horse and lifted mademoiselle down, in toogreat haste to be gentle, I fear.
"Take your mistress into the house and bar every door and window!" Icried sharply. "The savages are after us!"
It needed but that word "savages" to lend wings of terror to theusually slow and lazy movements of the negroes. With shrieks of womenand shouts of men, they dragged mademoiselle into the house, and Iheard the hasty putting up of bars. Then I turned to meet that onesavage who was so far in advance and who must by this time havereached the gates. I had no fear, now that I was free of mademoiselle,for I felt myself good for two or three of them, and I could even nowhear the clattering hoofs of Josef Papin's and Black Hawk's horsecoming down the lane, and they were a host in themselves. But by thetime I had reached the gate there was a great noise of shouts andfiring and wild halloos at the corner, and I ran on, knowing thatPapin and Black Hawk must have met the savages, and knowing that thetwo would be outnumbered and greatly in need of my assistance.
But I had hardly got into the thick of the melee, cutting and slashingwith my sword for fear a shot would go astray and hit one of myfriends should I use my pistol, when the savages suddenly turned tailand ran off, disappearing in the night like shadows. For a moment Ithought it was my prowess that had put them to flight, and I began inmy heart to plume myself thereon. But only for a moment, for up theRue des Granges and down the steep lane there came charging thebelated troops of Spanish horsemen (they had stupidly been scouringthe other end of the village, it seems), and would have charged fullupon us, no doubt,--since in the dark one could not tell friend fromfoe,--had not young Papin called out in Spanish that we were friendsand belonged to Dr. Saugrain's party. Whereupon the officer haltedlong enough to inquire in which direction the savages had fled, andwith many a round Spanish oath that he would not leave one of the reddogs alive if he had to follow them to Cape Girardeau, he led histroop clattering off toward the stockade. And no sooner had theydisappeared than down the steep lane came the rest of the party,Madame Saugrain half dead with fright (for she had heard the sounds offiring and of fighting, and feared the worst for Pelagie), thedoughty doctor and my captain not a little disappointed that theyshould have missed the fray, and Yorke almost as much so, since it hadturned out to be such an easy victory.
But when I had told madame that Pelagie was safe in the house and thesavages had fled and, except for a scratch on my forehead that scarcedrew blood, no one was hurt (though at that very moment Black Hawkcame creeping back out of the darkness hanging a dripping scalp to hisbelt, which when I perceived I was nigh sick unto death for amoment)--when I told her all this (and, fortunately, madame did notsee Black Hawk's ugly trophy), she broke forth into a Te Deum and wenthappily up to the house, where Pelagie herself came running out tomeet her, and they fell into each other's arms and, after the mannerof women, wept long and loud for joy, though they had shed no tearswhen there might have been occasion for them.