CHAPTER V
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE STRONG ROOM
As she heard his departing footstep on the porch the poor girl threwherself down upon her knees and lifted her hands.
"The South and--and--he, mistaken, but still--ah, where is my duty? Theship and Rhett Sempland! I love him. I cannot let him go! It would bewicked. God pity me! But how, how to prevent it? If I can only delayhim until to-morrow, I can tell the general everything, and--is there away, is there a way, O God?"
She thought deeply, every atom in her being concentrated on the problemwhich tore her between love and duty, devotion to the cause of theSouth and those other appeals, which, finding lodgment in her heart,moved her so profoundly. She wrestled with the question as to where herduty lay as Jacob wrestled with the angel of old, and if she did notconquer, at least she decided.
Determining on a desperate course of action, she rose to her feet andsharply struck a bell by her side on the table. The house was anancient mansion when it had been rented by her aunt and herself threeyears before. It dated back to Colonial times. There was a strong roomin it, the windows of which were barred. It would make a safe prisonfor any one. He should be put in there and be kept there until morning.He would be safe there. No harm would come to the ship, and when thegeneral knew, he would forgive her. She would tell him the first thingin the morning.
It would cause her lover pain and grief, this summary action of hers,but she could explain it to him, too; and he would forgive her also andshe would reward him with herself! There was compensation in that, shethought proudly and tenderly.
"Caesar," she said, as the aged butler made his appearance in responseto the bell, "send Joe and Sam and Cato to me. Boys," she continued, asthree stalwart young negroes presented themselves before her soonafter, "Mr. Sempland is coming here to-night to see me. I--he--" shefound it somewhat difficult to explain. "General Beauregard wants himdetained here. I cannot let him get away. Show him into the strong roomon the other side of the house when he asks for me, and then lock thedoor on him. Don't let him get out under any circumstances untilto-morrow, but on no account are you to do him any hurt. You hear? Youunderstand?"
"Ya-as, Miss Fanny, I specs we does," answered Cato, the oldest andmost intelligent of the three.
"Caesar, you lead him into the strong room. Say I will meet him there ina moment. He won't suspect anything, I reckon. The rest of you stay inthe passage, and as soon as he enters lock the door upon him. Don'tneglect that! He'll try to get out. He may break the door down. But youmust keep him there, even if he attempts to kill you--unless I say foryou to release him."
The three slaves were devoted to their young mistress and, acceptingher orders without a question, they at once began their preparations tocarry them out. As they were talking together a light step sounded onthe porch. There was a ring at the door. The men hurried to theirplaces of concealment. Miss Fanny Glen hid in the dark drawing-room, asCaesar shuffled along the hall to the front door.
"Your mistress has sent for me," said Sempland. And from where shestood in the drawing-room, Fanny Glen's heart leaped at the tones ofhis voice.
"Yas, suh," returned the darky, obsequiously ushering him through thehall. "Step right dis way, suh, Mass' Sempland. Miss Fanny done axesyou to go in dis room at de end ob de passage, suh. An' she tol' me shegwine be wid you in a minute, suh."
The room was one which Sempland had never entered before. It was small,furnished like a library or office, with several large closets and anold iron safe, and had two grated windows and one heavy mahogany door.It had formerly been used as an office and as a treasure room. Seeingthe visitor safe within, Caesar calmly withdrew, and as he adroitlycoughed violently in the passage Sempland did not hear the ponderouskey turning in the old-fashioned lock. He waited a few minutes, andthen, as time was precious, he looked around for a bell. Seeing none hewalked to the door, laid his hand upon the knob, and tried to open it.It did not give.
"Locked!" he muttered in surprise.
Raising his hand he struck a light blow on the panels, but there was noreply. Then he called out and received no answer. He struck and calledagain and again, his voice rising to a shout while his hands werebleeding from the blows he had rained on the hard surface. Finally avoice came to him faintly through the door.
"Wat's de matta, suh?"
"Open this door instantly, you black dog! Where is Miss Glen?"
"She's a-comin', suh."
"I wish to see her immediately!" he cried imperiously, kicking andbattering again upon the door in furious rage, which was stilled theinstant he heard her voice outside.
"Mr. Sempland?"
"What is the meaning of this action, this outrage, Miss Glen?" hecried. "You sent for me. I came. Why am I locked in here? Open thedoor! I must leave immediately!"
"You are locked in here by my orders, Mr. Sempland," said Fanny Glen,nervously.
"Impossible! For what reason?"
"Because I--I--"
"By heavens, this is maddening! You don't know what you do! I amordered to-night on a hazardous expedition. I must be at my post in tenminutes. Let me out instantly!"
"I know," returned the girl.
"Well, then, why don't you open this door? I will say nothing ofthis--"
"I cannot."
"Why not?"
"I--I--do not wish you to go out on the _David_."
"What is it to you? How dare you interfere? You said I had done nothingbut lie in prison," he replied. "I will show you to-night."
"Not to-night."
"This is madness! Think what you are doing!"
"I can't help it."
"Why not?"
"Because I--I--"
"In God's name, what do you mean?"
"I will not have you take the risk. It is certain death to you, and theadmiral's ship--" said the girl, so softly that he could scarce hearher. "You will forgive me when you understand. I shall release youto-morrow. Mercy! Have pity on me, I am almost crazy!"
"Do you know that you will dishonor me? If you care, let me go."
"There is another reason. I will not have the _Wabash_ blown up. Thereis a--a--"
"Another man?" shouted Sempland. "You are a coquette! Let me out, Isay! I will get out! My God, was ever a man in such a situation?"
He beat and hammered on the massive door until his bruised hands bledagain. He shook it in its frame like a madman. He was exhausted by theviolence of his efforts and of his passion. Through it all the girlstood in the hall frightened nearly to death. What mad scheme had sheentered upon? Had she strength enough to carry it through? The threeservants were terrified also, their eyes rolling in their sockets,their hands nervously fingering their weapons. Suddenly another voice,Caesar's, broke through the turmoil, reaching even the ear of thedesperate man on the other side of the heavy mahogany door. He stoppedto listen.
"Miss Fanny," said the butler, "dah's a sojah man at de do', an' hewants to know if Mass' Semplan' is heah."
"Tell him, no," said Fanny Glen, resolutely. "Say he left a half-hourago."
"My God!" groaned Sempland. "I am a disgraced and ruined man! Listen tome, Fanny Glen! I swear to you, on my honor as a gentleman, if you donot instantly open this door I'll blow my brains out in this room!"
"Oh, you wouldn't do that?"
"I will, so help me God!"
There was conviction in his voice. The girl listening in the passageheard the click of a raised revolver hammer.
"Don't!" she cried in greater terror than ever, "I will open!"
He heard a brief whispered consultation, the key was turned in thelock, and the door was suddenly flung open. Sempland darted toward iton the instant and recoiled from the terrible figure of the littlewoman barring him with outstretched arms. If he had suffered within,she had suffered without the room. Such a look of mortal agony andanguish he had never seen on any human face. She trembled violentlybefore him. Yet she was resolute not to give way, determined to keepthe door. Clustered at her back were the three tr
embling negroes armedone with a knife, another with a pistol, another with a stout club. Hewould have swept them out of his path in an instant had it not been forthe girl. She stood before him with outstretched arms, her attitude amixture of defiance and appeal.
"The door was suddenly flung open."]
"It is too late," she said, "you were to go at seven. It is past thatnow. Saved, saved!"
He could do her no violence, that was certain. He stood silent beforeher, his head bent toward the floor, thinking deeply. Her heart wentout to him then, her soul yearned to him. She had hurt him, he musthate her--and she loved him.
"Will you not come in and speak to me for a moment?" he asked herquietly enough at last.
She signed to the men, stepped forward, the door was closed, and lockedbehind her, and they were alone.
"Did you think to be of service to me?" he burst out, as she drew nearand then paused irresolute, miserable. "You have ruined me for life! Ibegged that detail. I volunteered. I must get out! They may wait forme. It may not be too late. For God's sake unlock that door!"
She shook her head, she could not trust herself to speak.
"I don't understand you. If it is--love--for me--"
She stared at him beseechingly, mute appeal for mercy, for help, in herlovely eyes.
"You are condemning me to death, to worse than death. I am going!"
"You cannot!"
She came nearer as she spoke. Suddenly he seized her, drew her close tohim, held her with his left arm, and there was happiness for her in histouch. She was as a child before his strength. With his right hand hepresented his pistol to her temple. He took advantage of her weakness,but only in the service of a higher cause than love of woman, in answerto a greater demand than even she could make. She offered no resistanceeither. What was the use?
"Boys!" he called out sharply. "Are you there?"
"Yas, suh," answered Cato.
"I have your mistress in my arms, my pistol is at her head. If you donot instantly open the door, I shall kill her where I stand!"
"Cato, I forbid you to open!" cried Fanny Glen, in a ringing voice,still making no effort to struggle and looking up into the infuriatedman's face with the expression of a martyr and an angel. He saw andrecognized, but persisted; it was his only way.
"Open instantly!" he said again, "unless you would see your mistressdie!"
That was a threat the men could not resist. In a second the door wasopened. The awe-struck faces of the blacks peered into the room.
"Throw down your arms, here at my feet, you black hounds!" shoutedSempland. "Quick! Or I fire!"
Instantly knife, pistol, and bludgeon clattered on the floor at hisfeet.
"Out of the way now! Leave the hall! I want a clear passage!"
"Kill me! Kill me!" cried the girl, "and have done!"
He released her in a moment.
"You have dishonored me," he cried. "I fear it is too late. I wouldn'thurt a hair of your head. But I love you, I love you!"
He strained her to his breast, pressing a passionate, burning kiss uponher lips. He wasted a few precious seconds, but he could not help it.She threw her arms about his neck and returned his kiss. He could feelher heart beating against his own.
"I cannot let you go!" she cried. "Stay with me and I am yours!"
"I must go!"
He tore himself from her and ran down the passage into the street. Shethought she would have fainted at that instant, but something--suspense,the faint possibility of success, doubt--nerved her to action. After afew moments of awful uncertainty she followed Sempland along thehallway, out through the door, and into the night. He was not to beseen. She knew where he had gone, however, and she bent her stepstoward the government wharf. She went slowly at first, but finally ranat her greatest speed.
A Little Traitor to the South Page 7