CHAPTER XVIII--STOLEN THUNDER
"When breach of faith joined hearts does disengage, The calmest temper turns to wildest rage."
--Lee.
"And what is it all about, my child?" inquired the governor as Harrietdisappeared down the lane.
"She spoke the truth, sir," said Peggy, trying to recover from theintense amazement into which Harriet's conduct had thrown her. "Here isa letter--nay, my cousin must have kept it," she ended after a hastysearch.
"She wished to show it to General Maxwell, I make no doubt," he said."Canst remember the contents?"
"I think so, sir," answered Peggy, who was herself again. The thing todo was to explain the warning to the governor. The affair with Harrietcould be adjusted afterward. "It said that an attempt would be made tosurprise the brigade at Elizabethtown on the twenty-fourth, sir, whichis to-night. Also that an effort would be made to captivate the oldrebel at L---- H----, which must have meant thee, sir."
"Doubtless! Doubtless!" he agreed. "I learned to-day that there was alarge reward offered for me, dead or alive."
"Why, it spoke of the reward," cried she. "Thee won't stay here, willthee?"
"Oh, as to that----" he began, when his wife and two daughters appeared inthe doorway.
"What is it, William?" asked gentle Mrs. Livingston.
"The British plan to attempt my capture to-night," he explained grimly."Zounds! do they think to find me in bed, as they did Charles Lee?"
"Oh, father," cried one of the girls fearfully, "you must leave at oncefor a place of safety."
"Here I stay," declared the doughty governor. "Is 't not enough that Ishould be hounded from pillar to post for two years, that I should leavenow with a brigade less than a mile away? I'll barricade the house."
"Why, how could the house be barricaded when there is not a lock left ona door, nor even a hinge on the windows," cried Miss Susannah. "Papa,aren't you going to tell us who your informant is."
"Bless my soul," ejaculated the governor hastily. "My dears, this isMiss Peggy Owen, David's daughter. 'Twas her cousin, however, who wasthe informant. She hath ridden on, like the brave girl she is, to warnMaxwell. Miss Peggy, will you not stop with the family until morning, ordo you wish to return to camp?"
"The camp, sir," replied Peggy promptly. "My mother will be uneasy."
"Then I will ride with you, my little maid," cried he, swinging himselfinto the saddle. "This information proves beyond doubt that there is aspy somewhere among us, and steps should be taken at once for hisapprehension. My dears, if I thought for one moment that harm would beoffered you----"
"Go, go," cried one of the daughters imploringly. "No greater harm willbefall us than an attack of scarlet fever."
"That is Susy's favorite jest," chuckled William Livingston. "She willhave it that our belles are in more danger from the red coats of theBritish officers than from all the bullets the English possess."
They had reached the end of the lane by this time, and turned into theturnpike just as a trooper rode up to them coming from Elizabethtown.
"Sir," he said, saluting, "General Maxwell hath sent to ask concerningthis matter of attack. Have you any further knowledge regarding it, anddo you consider the information correct? A young girl, English she was,came in great haste to tell us of it and hath set forth at speed forMiddlebrook to ask General Washington to send reinforcements, as thenumber of the attacking party is unknown."
"'Tis marvelous," ejaculated the governor. "That is just what should bedone. That is a wonderful cousin of yours, Miss Peggy. Yes," to thetrooper, "I have no doubt but that the information is correct, though Iknow no further concerning the affair than that an attack iscontemplated. Tell your general to be prepared. I am myself bound forthe camp and will hasten the sending of reinforcements."
The trooper saluted, wheeled, and left them. The ride to Middlebrook wasa silent one. The governor seemed absorbed in thought, and Peggy wasfull of wonderment at the perplexity of Harriet's actions. She had notwished her (Peggy) to warn the governor. She had tried to keep her fromcoming. And then--when she had thought her cousin well on toward the campshe had come after her and had given the warning herself. Why, why, why?Peggy asked herself over and over. Had she thought it a hoax at first,as she had said, and then upon reflection concluded that it was not?
She was glad that Harriet had changed about it, Peggy told herself, buthow strangely it was happening! Just as though 'twas Harriet and notherself to whom the credit belonged. It was so different, she reflected,from the time when she had gone to General Putman with news of the spy,James Molesworth. Then she had been made much of by every one, and now----
As she reached this point in her musings she chided herself sharply.
"Peggy," she exclaimed in stern self-admonition, unconscious that shespoke aloud, "Peggy, what doth it matter who did it--so that 'twas done?That is the main thing."
"Did you speak, Mistress Peggy?" queried Governor Livingston, rousinghimself from reverie in turn.
"I was thinking, sir," she told him, "and knew not that I spoke aloud.'Tis fashion of mine so to do sometimes."
"'Tis one that most of us indulge in, I fancy," he responded. "We arealmost at camp now. Art tired, my child? 'Tis a goodly distance you havetraveled."
"A little," she made answer, and again there was silence.
It was ten o'clock when at last they rode into camp. Lights flashed asmen hurried to and fro, and there was a general appearance of excitementquite different from the usual quiet of that hour. David Owen came outof the farmhouse as they drew rein before it.
"I hoped thee would come to the camp, William," he exclaimed. "Harriethath thrown us all into a fever of apprehension concerning thee. HisExcellency hath sent twice to know if aught was heard from thee."
"His Excellency is most kind," returned the governor. "And you also,David, to be so solicitous anent me. And Harriet? How is she? Zounds,David! there is a lass to be proud of! She not only warned me, butMaxwell also, and now hath come back to the camp and roused it too!Wonderful! wonderful! She hath beaten us well, Mistress Peggy."
"Yes," said Peggy quietly. "She hath. Finely!"
There was that in her voice that made her father come to her quickly.
"Thee is tired, Peggy," he cried lifting her from Star's back. "Thymother hath been full of worriment anent thy absence, but Harriet saidthat she had left thee at the governor's, so I knew that thou wert safe.Wilt light, William? We will be honored to have thy company for thenight, and as much longer as 'twill please thee to remain."
"Thank you, David." Mr. Livingston swung himself lightly down to theground. "I accept your hospitality with pleasure. Methought I was safefor this winter at home. Odds life! but the British grow reckless tomake sallies so near the main army."
"The more glory should the attempt have been successful," laughed Mr.Owen. "Come in, William."
"And this is the young lady who would give me no opportunity to thankher for her information," said the governor, going directly to Harrietwho, looking superbly beautiful, despite a certain languor, reclined ina large chair surrounded by a group of officers.
"You must thank Peggy," declared Harriet laughing. "'Twas she who foundthe note. Peggy and Fleetwood, my horse, deserve all the credit, ifthere be any."
"And Harriet not a bit?" he quizzed, quite charmed by her modesty. "Ifancy that there are those of us who think that Harriet deserves somelittle herself. And now that we are at ease, let us hear all about it."
"Hath not Peggy told you?" asked Harriet.
"Only given me the outline of it," he answered. "Now that the need foraction is past, let's hear the story."
"Why, we were riding along when all at once I took a dash ahead ofPeggy, just for sport. When I returned she had the letter, which she hadfound while I was gone," Harriet told him. "I was miles away then, was Inot, Peggy?" Without waiting for an answer she continued hastily: "Atfirst we hardly unders
tood what it meant, and then suddenly it flashedover us that to-day was the twenty-fourth, and if there was an attack tobe made 'twould be to-night. Of course when we realized that, there wasbut one thing to do, which was to let you know about it as quickly aspossible, and to warn the brigade at Elizabethtown. Really," she ended,laughing softly, "there is naught to make such a fuss about. Twas asimple thing to do."
"Mother," spoke Peggy, rising abruptly, "if thee does not mind I thinkI'll go to my room. I--I am tired."
Her voice quivered as she finished speaking and a wild inclination tosob came suddenly over her. Mrs. Owen glanced at her daughter's paleface anxiously as she gave her permission to withdraw. Something wasamiss, she saw. The two girls had not spoken, and had avoided eachother's glances. Wondering much, she turned again to the guests whilePeggy, safe at last in her own little chamber, gave vent to a flood oftears.
Peggy Owen, Patriot: A Story for Girls Page 20