The Crisis — Complete

by Winston Churchill

  CHAPTER XII. THE LAST CARD

  Mr. Brinsmade and the Doctor were the first to leave the little roomwhere Silas Whipple had lived and worked and died, Mr. Brinsmade bentupon one of those errands which claimed him at all times. He tookShadrach with him. Virginia sat on, a vague fear haunting her,--a fearfor her father's safety. Where was Clarence? What had he seen? Was theplace watched? These questions, at first intruding upon her sorrow,remained to torture her.

  Softly she stirred from the chair where she had sat before the piano,and opened the door of the outer office. A clock in a steeple near bywas striking twelve. The Colonel did not raise his head. Only Stephensaw her go; she felt his eyes following her, and as she slipped outlifted hers to meet them for a brief instant through the opening of thedoor. Then it closed behind her.

  First of all she knew that the light in the outer office was burningdimly, and the discovery gave her a shock. Who had turned it down? HadClarence? Was he here? Fearfully searching the room for him, her gazewas held by a figure in the recess of the window at the back of theroom. A solid, bulky figure it was, and, though uncertainly outlinedin the semi-darkness, she knew it. She took a step nearer, and a cryescaped her.

  The man was Eliphalet Hopper. He got down from the sill with a motionat once sheepish and stealthy. Her breath caught, and instinctively shegave back toward the door, as if to open it again.

  "Hold on!" he said. "I've got something I want to say to you, MissVirginia."

  His tones seemed strangely natural. They were not brutal. But sheshivered and paused, horrified at the thought of what she was about todo. Her father was in that room--and Stephen. She must keep them there,and get this man away. She must not show fright before him, and yet shecould not trust her voice to speak just then. She must not let him knowthat she was afraid of him--this she kept repeating to herself. But howto act? Suddenly an idea flashed upon her.

  Virginia never knew how she gathered the courage to pass him, evenswiftly, and turn up the gas. He started back, blinking as thejet flared. For a moment she stood beside it, with her head high;confronting him and striving to steady herself for speech.

  "Why have you come here?" she said. "Judge Whipple--died--to-night."

  The dominating note in his answer was a whine, as if, in spite ofhimself, he were awed.

  "I ain't here to see the Judge."

  She was pale, and quite motionless. And she faltered now. She felt herlips moving, but knew not whether the words had come.

  "What do you mean?"

  He gained confidence. The look in his little eyes was the filmy look ofthose of an animal feasting.

  "I came here to see you," he said, "--you." She was staring at him now,in horror. "And if you don't give me what I want, I cal'late to see someone else--in there," said Mr. Hopper.

  He smiled, for she was swaying, her lids half closed. By a supremeeffort she conquered her terror and looked at him. The look was in hiseyes still, intensified now.

  "How dare you speak to me after what has happened! she said. If ColonelCarvel were here, he would--kill you."

  He flinched at the name and the word, involuntarily. He wiped hisforehead, hot at the very thought.

  "I want to know!" he exclaimed, in faint-hearted irony. Then,remembering his advantage, he stepped close to her.

  "He is here," he said, intense now. "He is here, in that there room." Heseized her wrists. Virginia struggled, and yet she refrained from cryingout. "He never leaves this city without I choose. I can have him hung ifI choose," he whispered, next to her.

  "Oh!" she cried; "oh, if you choose!"

  Still his body crept closer, and his face closer. And her strength wasgoing.

  "There's but one price to pay," he said hoarsely, "there's but one priceto pay, and that's you--you. I cal'late you'll marry me now."

  Delirious at the touch of her, he did not hear the door open. Her senseswere strained for that very sound. She heard it close again, and afootstep across the room. She knew the step--she knew the voice, and herheart leaped at the sound of it in anger. An arm in a blue sleeve camebetween them, and Eliphalet Hopper staggered and fell across the bookson the table, his hand to his face. Above him towered Stephen Brice.Towered was the impression that came to Virginia then, and so shethought of the scene ever afterward. Small bits, like points of temperedsteel, glittered in Stephen's eyes, and his hands following up themastery he had given them clutched Mr. Hopper's shoulders. Twice Stephenshook him so that his head beat upon the table.

  "You--you beast!" he cried, but he kept his voice low. And then, as ifhe expected Hopper to reply: "Shall I kill you?"

  Again he shook him violently. He felt Virginia's touch on his arm.

  "Stephen!" she cried, "your wounds! Be careful! Oh, do be careful!"

  She had called him Stephen. He turned slowly, and his hands fell fromMr. Hopper's cowering form as his eyes met hers. Even he could notfathom the appeal, the yearning, in their dark blue depths. And yet whathe saw there made him tremble. She turned away, trembling too.

  "Please sit down," she entreated. "He--he won't touch me again while youare here."

  Eliphalet Hopper raised himself from the desk, and one of the big booksfell with a crash to the floor. Then they saw him shrink, his eyes fixedupon some one behind them. Before the Judge's door stood Colonel Carvel,in calm, familiar posture, his feet apart, and his head bent forward ashe pulled at his goatee.

  "What is this man doing here, Virginia?" he asked. She did not answerhim, nor did speech seem to come easily to Mr. Hopper in that instant.Perhaps the sight of Colonel Carvel had brought before him too, vividlythe memory of that afternoon at Glencoe.

  All at once Virginia grasped the fulness of the power in this man'shands. At a word from him her father would be shot as a spy--and StephenBrice, perhaps, as a traitor. But if Colonel Carvel should learn that hehad seized her,--here was the terrible danger of the situation. Well sheknew what the Colonel would do. Would. Stephen tell him? She trusted inhis coolness that he would not.

  Before a word of reply came from any of the three, a noise was heardon the stairway. Some one was coming up. There followed four secondsof suspense, and then Clarence came in. She saw that his face wore aworried, dejected look. It changed instantly when he glanced abouthim, and an oath broke from his lips as he singled out Eliphalet Hopperstanding in sullen aggressiveness, beside the table.

  "So you're the spy, are you?" he said in disgust. Then he turned hisback and faced his uncle. "I saw, him in Williams's entry as we droveup. He got away from me."

  A thought seemed to strike him. He strode to the open window at the backof the office, and looked out, There was a roof under it.

  "The sneak got in here," he said. "He knew I was waiting for him in thestreet. So you're the spy, are you?"

  Mr. Hopper passed a heavy hand across the cheek where Stephen had struckhim.

  "No, I ain't the spy," he said, with a meaning glance at the Colonel.

  "Then what are you doing here?" demanded Clarence, fiercely.

  "I cal'late that he knows," Eliphalet replied, jerking his head towardColonel Carvel. "Where's his Confederate uniform? What's to prevent mycalling up the provost's guard below?" he continued, with a smile thatwas hideous on his swelling face.

  It was the Colonel who answered him, very quickly and very clearly.

  "Nothing whatever, Mr. Hopper," he said. "This is the way out." Hepointed at the door. Stephen, who was watching him, could not tellwhether it were a grim smile that creased the corners of the Colonel'smouth as he added. "You might prefer the window."

  Mr. Hopper did not move, but his eyes shifted to Virginia's form.Stephen deliberately thrust himself between them that he might not seeher.

  "What are you waiting for?" said the Colonel, in the mild voice thatshould have been an ominous warning. Still Mr. Hopper did not move. Itwas clear that he had not reckoned upon all of this; that he had waitedin the window to deal with Virginia alone. But now the very force of adesire which had gathered stren
gth in many years made him reckless. Hisvoice took on the oily quality in which he was wont to bargain.

  "Let's be calm about this business, Colonel," he said. "We won't sayanything about the past. But I ain't set on having you shot. There's aconsideration that would stop me, and I cal'late you know what it is."

  Then the Colonel made a motion. But before he had taken a step Virginiahad crossed the room swiftly, and flung herself upon him.

  "Oh, don't, Pa!" she cried. "Don't! Tell him that I will agree to it.Yes, I will. I can't have you--shot." The last word came falteringly,faintly.

  "Let me go,--honey," whispered the Colonel, gently. His eyes did notleave Eliphalet. He tried to disengage himself, but her fingers wereclasped about his neck in a passion of fear and love. And then, whileshe clung to him, her head was raised to listen. The sound of StephenBrice's voice held her as in a spell. His words were coming coldly,deliberately, and yet so sharply that each seemed to fall like a lash.

  "Mr. Hopper, if ever I hear of your repeating what you have seen orheard in this room, I will make this city and this state too hot foryou to live in. I know you. I know how you hide in areas, how you talksedition in private, how you have made money out of other men's misery.And, what is more, I can prove that you have had traitorous dealingswith the Confederacy. General Sherman has been good enough to callhimself a friend of mine, and if he prosecutes you for your dealingsin Memphis, you will get a term in a Government prison, You ought to behung. Colonel Carvel has shown you the door. Now go."

  And Mr. Hopper went.