The Crisis — Complete

by Winston Churchill

  CHAPTER XXII. THE STRAINING OF ANOTHER FRIENDSHIP

  Captain Lige asked but two questions: where was the Colonel, and wasit true that Clarence had refused to be paroled? Though not possessingover-fine susceptibilities, the Captain knew a mud-drum from a lady'swatch, as he himself said. In his solicitude for Virginia, he saw thatshe was in no state of mind to talk of the occurrences of the last fewdays. So he helped her to climb the little stair that winds to the topof the texas,--that sanctified roof where the pilot-house squats. Thegirl clung to her bonnet Will you like her any the less when you knowthat it was a shovel bonnet, with long red ribbons that tied underher chin? It became her wonderfully. "Captain Lige," she said, almosttearfully, as she took his arm, "how I thank heaven that you came up theriver this afternoon!"

  "Jinny," said the Captain, "did you ever know why cabins are calledstaterooms?"

  "Why, no," answered she, puzzled.

  "There was an old fellow named Shreve who ran steamboats before Jacksonfought the redcoats at New Orleans. In Shreve's time the cabins werecurtained off, just like these new-fangled sleeping-car berths. The oldman built wooden rooms, and he named them after the different states,Kentuck, and Illinois, and Pennsylvania. So that when a fellow cameaboard he'd say: 'What state am I in, Cap?' And from this river has thename spread all over the world--stateroom. That's mighty interesting,"said Captain Lige.

  "Yea," said Virginia; "why didn't you tell me long ago."

  "And I'll bet you can't say," the Captain continued, "why this housewe're standing on is called the texas."

  "Because it is annexed to the states," she replied, quick a flash.

  "Well, you're bright," said he. "Old Tufts got that notion, when Texascame in. Like to see Bill Jenks?"

  "Of course," said Virginia.

  Bill Jenks was Captain Brent's senior pilot. His skin hung on his facein folds, like that of a rhinoceros It was very much the same color. Hisgrizzled hair was all lengths, like a worn-out mop; his hand remindedone of an eagle's claw, and his teeth were a pine yellow. He greetedonly such people as he deemed worthy of notice, but he had held Virginiain his arms.

  "William," said the young lady, roguishly, "how is the eye, location,and memory?"

  William abandoned himself to a laugh. When this happened it was put inthe Juanita's log.

  "So the Cap'n be still harpin' on that?" he said, "Miss Jinny, he's justplumb crazy on a pilot's qualifications."

  "He says that you are the best pilot on the river, but I don't believeit," said Virginia.

  William cackled again. He made a place for her on the leather-paddedseat at the back of the pilot house, where for a long time she satstaring at the flag trembling on the jackstaff between the great sombrepipes. The sun fell down, but his light lingered in the air above as thebig boat forged abreast the foreign city of South St. Louis. Therewas the arsenal--grim despite its dress of green, where Clarence wasconfined alone.

  Captain Lige came in from his duties below. "Well, Jinny, we'll soon beat home," he said. "We've made a quick trip against the rains."

  "And--and do you think the city is safe?"

  "Safe!" he cried. "As safe as London!" He checked himself. "Jinny, wouldyou like to blow the whistle?"

  "I should just love to," said Virginia. And following Mr. Jenks'sdirections she put her toe on the tread, and shrank back when themonster responded with a snort and a roar. River men along the leveeheard that signal and laughed. The joke was certainly not on sturdyElijah Brent.

  An hour later, Virginia and her aunt and the Captain, followed by Mammyaster and Rosetta and Susan, were walking through the streets of thestillest city in the Union. All that they met was a provost's guard, forSt. Louis was under Martial Law. Once in a while they saw the light ofsome contemptuous citizen of the residence district who had stayed tolaugh. Out in the suburbs, at the country houses of the first families,people of distinction slept five and six in a room--many with only aquilt between body and matting. Little wonder that these dreamed ofHessians and destruction. In town they slept with their doors open,those who remained and had faith. Martial law means passes andexplanations, and walking generally in the light of day. Martial lawmeans that the Commander-in-chief, if he be an artist in well doing,may use his boot freely on politicians bland or beetle-browed. No policeforce ever gave the sense of security inspired by a provost's guard.

  Captain Lige sat on the steps of Colonel Carvel's house that night, longafter the ladies were gone to bed. The only sounds breaking the silenceof the city were the beat of the feet of the marching squads and thecall of the corporal's relief. But the Captain smoked in agony until theclouds of two days slipped away from under the stars, for he was tryingto decide a Question. Then he went up to a room in the house which hadbeen known as his since the rafters were put down on that floor.

  The next morning, as the Captain and Virginia sit at breakfast togetherwith only Mammy Easter to cook and Rosetta to wait on them, the Colonelbursts in. He is dusty and travel-stained from his night on the train,but his gray eyes light with affection as he sees his friend beside hisdaughter.

  "Jinny," he cries as he kisses her, "Jinny, I'm proud oil you, my girl!You didn't let the Yankees frighten you--But where is Jackson?"

  And so the whole miserable tale has to be told over again, betweenlaughter and tears on Virginia's part, and laughter and strong languageon Colonel Carvel's. What--blessing that Lige met them, else theColonel might now be starting for the Cumberland River in search of hisdaughter. The Captain does not take much part in the conversation, andhe refuses the cigar which is offered him. Mr. Carvel draws back insurprise.

  "Lige," he says, "this is the first time to my knowledge."

  "I smoked too many last night," says the Captain. The Colonel sat down,with his feet against the mantel, too full of affairs to take muchnotice of Mr. Brent's apathy.

  "The Yanks have taken the first trick--that's sure," he said. "But Ithink we'll laugh last, Jinny. Jefferson City isn't precisely quiet. Thestate has got more militia, or will have more militia in a day ortwo. We won't miss the thousand they stole in Camp Jackson. They'reorganizing up there. And I've got a few commissions right here," and hetapped his pocket.

  "Pa," said Virginia, "did you volunteer?"

  The Colonel laughed.

  "The Governor wouldn't have me," he answered. "He said I was more goodhere in St. Louis. I'll go later. What's this I hear about Clarence?"

  Virginia related the occurrences of Saturday. The Colonel listened withmany exclamations, slapping his knee from time to time as she proceeded.

  "By gum!" he cried, when she had finished, "the boy has it in him, afterall! They can't hold him a day--can they, Lige?" (No answer from theCaptain, who is eating his breakfast in silence.) "All that we have todo is to go for Worington and get a habeas corpus from the United StatesDistrict Court. Come on, Lige." The Captain got up excitedly, his facepurple.

  "I reckon you'll have to excuse me, Colonel," he said. "There's a cargoon my boat which has got to come off." And without more ado he left theroom. In consternation they heard the front door close behind him. Andyet, neither father nor daughter dared in that hour add to the trialof the other by speaking out the dread that was in their hearts. TheColonel smoked for a while, not a word escaping him, and then he pattedVirginia's cheek.

  "I reckon I'll run over and see Russell, Jinny," he said, striving tobe cheerful. "We must get the boy out. I'll see a lawyer." He stoppedabruptly in the hall and pressed his hand to his forehead. "My God," hewhispered to himself, "if I could only go to Silas!"

  The good Colonel got Mr. Russell, and they went to Mr. Worington, Mrs.Colfax's lawyer, of whose politics it is not necessary to speak. Therewas plenty of excitement around the Government building where his Honorissued the writ. There lacked not gentlemen of influence who went withMr. Russell and Colonel Carvel and the lawyer and the Commissioner tothe Arsenal. They were admitted to the presence of the indomitable Lyon,who informed them that Captain Colfax was a prisoner of w
ar, and, sincethe arsenal was Government property, not in the state. The Commissionerthereupon attested the affidavit to Colonel Carvel, and thus theapplication for the writ was made legal.

  These things the Colonel reported to Virginia; and to Mrs. Colfax, whoreceived them with red eyes and a thousand queries as to whether thatYankee ruffian would pay any attention to the Sovereign law which hepretended to uphold; whether the Marshal would not be cast over theArsenal wall by the slack of his raiment when he went to serve the writ.This was not the language, but the purport, of the lady's questions.Colonel Carvel had made but a light breakfast: he had had no dinner,and little rest on the train. But he answered his sister-in-law withunfailing courtesy. He was too honest to express a hope which he did notfeel. He had returned that evening to a dreary household. During theday the servants had straggled in from Bellegarde, and Virginia had hadprepared those dishes which her father loved. Mrs. Colfax chose to keepher room, for which the two were silently thankful. Jackson announcedsupper. The Colonel was humming a tune as he went down the stairs, butVirginia was not deceived. He would not see the yearning in her eyes ashe took his chair; he would not glance at Captain Lige's empty seat. Itwas because he did not dare. She caught her breath when she saw that thefood on his plate lay untouched.

  "Pa, are you ill?" she faltered.

  He pushed his chair away, such suffering in his look as she had neverseen.

  "Jinny," he said, "I reckon Lige is for the Yankees."

  "I have known it all along," she said, but faintly.

  "Did he tell you?" her father demanded. "No."

  "My God," cried the Colonel, in agony, "to think that he kept it from meI to think that Lige kept it from me!"

  "It is because he loves you, Pa," answered the girl, gently, "it isbecause he loves us."

  He said nothing to that. Virginia got up, and went softly around thetable. She leaned over his shoulder. "Pa!"

  "Yes," he said, his voice lifeless.

  But her courage was not to be lightly shaken. "Pa, will you forbid himto come here--now?"

  A long while she waited for his answer, while the big clock ticked outthe slow seconds in the hall, and her heart beat wildly.

  "No," said the Colonel. "As long as I have a roof, Lige may come underit."

  He rose abruptly and seized his hat. She did not ask him where he wasgoing, but ordered Jackson to keep the supper warm, and went into thedrawing-room. The lights were out, then, but the great piano that washer mother's lay open. Her fingers fell upon the keys. That wondroushymn which Judge Whipple loved, which for years has been the comfortof those in distress, floated softly with the night air out of theopen window. It was "Lead, Kindly Light." Colonel Carvel heard it, andpaused.

  Shall we follow him?

  He did not stop again until he reached the narrow street at the topof the levee bank, where the quaint stone houses of the old Frenchresidents were being loaded with wares. He took a few steps back-up thehill. Then he wheeled about, walked swiftly down the levee, and on tothe landing-stage beside which the big 'Juanita' loomed in the night. Onher bows was set, fantastically, a yellow street-car.

  The Colonel stopped mechanically. Its unexpected appearance there hadserved to break the current of his meditations. He stood staring at it,while the roustabouts passed and repassed, noisily carrying great logsof wood on shoulders padded by their woollen caps.

  "That'll be the first street-car used in the city of New Orleans, if itever gets there, Colonel."

  The Colonel jumped. Captain Lige was standing beside him.

  "Lige, is that you? We waited supper for you."

  "Reckon I'll have to stay here and boss the cargo all night. Want toget in as many trips as I can before--navigation closes," the Captainconcluded significantly.

  Colonel Carvel shook his head. "You were never too busy to come forsupper, Lige. I reckon the cargo isn't all."

  Captain Lige shot at him a swift look. He gulped.

  "Come over here on the levee," said the Colonel, sternly. They walkedout together, and for some distance in silence.

  "Lige," said the elder gentleman, striking his stick on the stones, "ifthere ever was a straight goer, that's you. You've always dealt squarelywith me, and now I'm going to ask you a plain question. Are you North orSouth?"

  "I'm North, I reckon," answered the Captain, bluntly. The Colonel bowedhis head. It was a long time before he spoke again. The Captain waitedlike a man who expects and deserve, the severest verdict. But there wasno anger in Mr. Carvel's voice--only reproach.

  "And you wouldn't tell me, Lige? You kept it from me."

  "My God, Colonel," exclaimed the other, passionately, "how could I? Iowe what I have to your charity. But for you and--and Jinny I shouldhave gone to the devil. If you and she are taken away, what have I leftin life? I was a coward, sir, not to tell you. You must have guessedit. And yet,--God help me,--I can't stand by and see the nation go topieces. Your nation as well as mine, Colonel. Your fathers fought thatwe Americans might inherit the earth--" He stopped abruptly. Then hecontinued haltingly, "Colonel, I know you're a man of strong feelingsand convictions. All I ask is that you and Jinny will think of me as afriend--"

  He choked, and turned away, not heeding the direction of his feet. TheColonel, his stick raised, stood looking after him. He was folded in thenear darkness before he called his name.

  "Lige!"

  "Yes, Colonel."

  He came back, wondering, across the rough stones until he stood besidethe tall figure. Below them, the lights glided along the dark water.

  "Lige, didn't I raise you? Haven't I taught you that my house was yourhome? Come back, Lige. But--but never speak to me again of this night!Jinny is waiting for us."

  Not a word passed between them as they went up the quiet street. At thesound of their feet in the entry the door was flung open, and Virginia,with her hands out stretched, stood under the hall light.

  "Oh, Pa, I knew you would bring him back," she said.