CHAPTER XIX.
With great pain Lord H---- contemplated the task before him; but hiswas a firm and resolute heart; and he strode forward quickly toaccomplish it as soon as possible. Fancy painted, as he went, all thegrief and anguish he was about to inflict upon Edith; but Fancy hardlydid her justice--for it left out of the picture many of the strongertraits of her character.
The beautiful girl was watching from the window, and at oncerecognized her lover as he issued from the wood alone. Her heart sankwith apprehension, it is true; nevertheless, she ran out along thelittle path to meet him, in order to know the worst at once.
Before they met, her father came forth from the wood, slowly andheavily, with a crowd of boatmen and soldiers following in groups ofsix or seven at a time. With wonderful accuracy she divined thegreater part of what had occurred. She instantly stopped till LordH---- came up, and then inquired, in a low and tremulous voice,--
"Have you found him? Is he dead or living?"
"We have not found _him_, dear Edith," said Lord H----, taking herhand, and leading her towards the house; "but your father conceivesthere is great cause for apprehension of the very worst kind, fromwhat we _have_ found. I trust, however, that his fears go beyond thereality, and that there is still----"
"Oh, dear George, do not keep me in suspense!" ejaculated Edith. "Letme hear all at once. My mind is sufficiently prepared by long hours ofpainful thought. I will show none of the weakness I displayed thismorning. What is it you have found?"
"His knife and his knapsack," replied Lord H----.
"He may have cast his knapsack off from weariness," said Edith, stillcatching at a hope.
"I fear not," replied her lover, unwilling to encourage expectationsto be disappointed. "The straps of the knapsack were cut, notunbuckled; and your father has given himself up entirely to despair,although we found no traces of strife or bloodshed."
"Poor Walter!" exclaimed Edith, with a deep sigh. But she shed notears; and walked on in silence, till they had reached the littleverandah of the house. Then suddenly she stopped, roused herself fromher fit of thought, and said, raising her beautiful and tender eyes toher lover's face, "I have now two tasks before me, to which I mustgive myself up entirely--to console my poor father, and to try to savemy brother's life. Forgive me, George, if, in executing these,especially the latter, I do not seem to give so much of my thoughts toyou as you have a right to expect. You would not, I know, have meneglect either."
"God forbid!" exclaimed Lord H----, warmly; "but let me share in them,Edith. There is nothing within the scope of honour and of right that Iwill not do to save your brother. I sent him on this ill-starrederrand: to gratify me was that unfortunate expedition made through thewood; but it is enough that he is your brother, and your father's son;and I will do anything--undertake anything--if there be still a hope.Go to your father first, my love, and then let us consult together. Iwill see these men attended to, for they want rest and food; and Imust take liberties with your father's house to provide for them."
"Do, do," she answered; "use it as your own."
And, leaving him in the verandah, she turned to meet her father.
Edith well knew that, for a time, Mr. Prevost's mind was not likely toreceive either hope or consolation. All she could give him wastenderness; and Lord H----, who followed her to speak with thesoldiers and boatmen, soon saw her disappear into the house with Mr.Prevost.
When he returned to the little sitting-room, Edith was not there, buthe heard a murmur of voices from the room above; and, in about half anhour, she rejoined him. She was much more agitated than when she hadleft him; and her face showed marks of tears: not that her fears weregreater, or that she had heard anything to alarm her more; but herfather's deep despair had overpowered her own firmness. All the weakeraffections of human nature are infectious; fear, despondency, andsorrow, peculiarly so.
Edith still felt, however, the importance of decision and action; and,putting her hand to her head with a look of bewilderment, she stood,for an instant, in silence, with her eyes fixed on the ground,seemingly striving to collect her scattered thoughts, in order tojudge and act with precision.
"One of the boatmen, Edith," said Lord H----, leading her to a seat,"has led me to believe that we shall have ample time for any effortsto save your brother, if he have, as there is too much reason to fear,fallen into the hands of these revengeful Indians. The man seems toknow what he talks of well, and boasts that he has been accustomed tothe ways and manners of the savages from boyhood."
"Is he a tall, handsome man, with two children?" asked Edith.
"He is a tall, good-looking man," answered Lord H----; "but hischildren I did not see."
"If he be the man I mean," answered Edith, "he can be fully dependedupon; and it may be well to ask his opinion and advice before he goes.But, for the present, George, let us consult alone. Perhaps, I canjudge better than you of poor Walter's present situation. That isfirst to be considered; and then what are the chances, what the means,of saving him. He is certainly in the hands of the Indians,--of that Ihave no doubt; and I think Black Eagle knew it when he guided usthrough the forest. Yet I do not think he will willingly lift thetomahawk against my brother--it will only be at the last extremity,when all means have failed of entrapping that unhappy man, Brooks. Weshall have time--yes, we shall certainly have time."
"Then the first step to be taken," said Lord H----, "will be to inducethe Government to make a formal and imperative demand for his release.I will undertake that part of the matter; it shall be done at once."
Edith shook her head sadly.
"You know them not," she said: "it would only hurry his fate." Then,dropping her voice to a very low tone, she added--"They wouldnegotiate and hold councils; and Walter would be slain while they weretreating."
She pressed her hands upon her eyes as she spoke, as if to shut outthe fearful image her own words called up; and then there was a momentor two of silence, at the end of which Lord H---- inquired if it wouldnot be better for him to see Sir William Johnson, and consult withhim.
"That may be done," replied Edith. "No man in the province knows themso well as he does; and his advice may be relied upon. But we musttake other measures too. Otaitsa must be told of Walter's danger, andconsulted. Do you know, George," she added, with a melancholy smile,"I have lately been inclined to think, at times, that there is nosmall love between Walter and the Blossom--something more thanfriendship, at all events."
"But, of course, she will hear of his capture, and do her best to savehim," rejoined the young nobleman.
Edith shook her head, answering, "Save him she will, if any humanpower can do it: but that she knows of his capture, I much doubt.These Indians are wise, George, in their own opinion; and never trusttheir acts, their thoughts, or their resolutions, to a woman. Theywill keep the secret from Otaitsa, just as Black Eagle kept it fromme; but she must be informed, consulted, and perhaps acted with. ThenI think, too, that poor man Woodchuck should have tidings of what hisact has brought upon us."
"I see not well," said Lord H----, "what result that can produce."
"Nor I," answered Edith; "yet it ought to be done, in justice toourselves and to him. He is bold, skilful, resolute; and we must notjudge of any matter in this country as we should judge in Europe. Hemay undertake and execute something for my brother's rescue, which youand I would never dream of. He is just the man to do so, and tosucceed. He knows every path of the forest, every lodge of theIndians, and is friendly with many of them; has saved the lives ofsome, I have heard him say, and conferred great obligations upon many;and I believe he will never rest till he has delivered Walter."
"Then I will find him out, and let him know the facts directly," saidLord H----. "Perhaps he and Otaitsa may act together, if we can openany communication with her."
"She will act by herself, and for herself, I am sure," replied Edith;"and some communication must be opened at any risk, and all risks. Butlet us see the boatman, George. Perhaps he may know
some one goinginto the Indian territory, who may carry a letter to her. 'Tis a greatblessing she can read and write; for we must have our secrets too, ifwe would frustrate theirs."
Lord H---- rose, and proceeded to the hall, where the men whom he hadbrought with him were busily engaged despatching such provisions asMr. Prevost's house could afford on the spur of the moment. Theboatman he sought was soon found. Following the young nobleman intothe lesser room, he entered into full conference with Edith and herlover, and again expressed the opinion that no harm would happen toyoung Walter Prevost for several months at the least. "They havecaught some one," he said, "to make sure of their revenge; and that isall they want for the present. Now they will look for the man himselfwho did it, and catch him, if they can."
"Can you tell where he is to be found?" asked Lord H---- in a quiettone.
"Why, you would not give him up to them?" asked the man, sharply.
"Certainly not," replied Lord H----; "he is in safety, and of thatsafety I have no right to deprive him--it would make me an accessoryto the act of the savages. But I wish to see him to tell him what hasoccurred, and to consult him as to what is to be done."
"That's a different case," observed the man, gravely; "and if that'sall you want, I don't mind telling you that he is in Albany, at thepublic-house called 'The Three Boatmen.' Our people who rowed him downsaid he did not intend to leave Albany for a week or more."
"And now, Robert," said Edith, "can you tell me where I can get amessenger to the Oneidas? I know you loved my brother Walter well; andI think, if we can get somebody to go for me, we may save him."
"I did indeed love him well, Miss Prevost," replied the man, with hisfirm, hard eye moistened, "and I'd do anything in reason to save him.It's a sad pity we did not know of this yesterday; for a half-breedOnondagua runner passed by and got some milk from us; and I gave himthe panther's skin which you, my lord, told some of our people to sendin the poor lad's name to the daughter of the old chief, Black Eagle."
Edith turned her eyes to her lover's face, and Lord H---- replied totheir inquiring look, saying--
"It is true, Edith, Walter shot a panther in the wood, and wished tosend the skin to Otaitsa. We had no time to lose at the moment; but,as we came back, I induced the guides to skin it, and made thempromise to dry and send it forward by the first occasion."
"I strapped it on the runner's back myself," said the man whom Edithcalled Robert, "and also gave him the money you sent for him, my lord.He would have taken any message readily enough, and one could havetrusted him. But it may be months before such another chance offers, Iguess. Look here, Miss Edith," he continued, turning towards her witha face full of earnest expression, "I would go myself, but what wouldcome of it? They would only kill me instead of your brother; for oneman's as good as another to them in such cases, and perhaps he mightnot get off either. But I've a wife and two young children, ma'am, andit makes me not quite so ready to risk my life as I was a few yearsago."
"It is not to be thought of," said Edith, calmly. "I could ask no oneto go; except one partly of their own race; for I know it must be theblood of a white man they spill. All I can desire you to do, forWalter's sake and mine, is to seek for one of the Indian runners, whoare often about Albany, and about the army, and send him on to me."
"You see, Miss Prevost," replied the man, "there are not so many aboutas there used to be, for it is coming on winter; and, as to the army,when Lord Loudon took it to Halifax, almost all the runners and scoutswere discharged. Some of them remained with Webb, it is true; but anumber of those were killed and scalped by Montcalm's Hurons. However,I will make it my business to seek one, night and day, and send himup."
"Let it be some one on whom we can depend," said Edith; "some one whomyou have tried and can trust."
"That makes it harder still," said the man; "for, though I have triedmany of them, I can trust few of them. However, I will see, and not belong about it either. But it would be quite nonsense to send you a manwho might either never do your errand at all, or go and tell yourmessage to those you don't want to hear it."
"It would indeed," said Edith, sadly, as all the difficulties andrisks which lay in the way of success were suggested to her by theman's words. "Well, do your best, Robert," she said, at length, aftersome thought; "and, as you will have to pay the man, here is moneyfor----"
"You can pay him yourself, ma'am," replied the boatman, bluntly. "Asfor taking any myself for helping poor Master Walter, that's what Iwon't do. When I have got to take an oar in hand, or anything of thatkind, I make the people pay fast enough what my work's worth--perhapsa little more sometimes," he added, with a laugh. "But not for suchwork as this--no, no, not for such work as this. So good-bye, MissPrevost--good-bye, my lord. I won't let the grass grow under my feetin looking for a messenger."
Thus saying, he quitted the room; and Edith and Lord H---- were oncemore left alone together. Sad and gloomy was their conversation,unchequered by any of those bright beams of love and joy which Edithhad fondly fancied were to light her future hours. All was dim andobscure in the distance; and the point upon which both their eyes werefixed most intently in the dark shadowy curtain of the coming time,was the murkiest and most obscure of all. Whatever plan was suggested,whatever course of action was thought of, difficulties rose up tosurround it and perils presented themselves on all sides.
Nor did the presence of Mr. Prevost, who joined them soon after, tend,in any degree, to support or to direct. He had lost all hope, at leastfor the time; and the only thing which seemed to afford him a faintgleam of light was the thought of communicating immediately withBrooks.
"I fear Sir William Johnson will do nothing," he said. "He is sodevoted even to the smallest interest of the Government, his wholemind is so occupied with this one purpose of cementing the alliancebetween Britain and the Five Nations, that, on my life, I believe hewould suffer any man's son to be butchered, rather than risk offendingan Indian tribe."
"In his position, it may be very difficult for him to act," said LordH----; "but it might be as well to ascertain his feelings and hisviews, by asking his advice as to how you should act yourself. Counselhe will be very willing to give, I am sure; and, in the course ofconversation, you might discover how much or how little you have toexpect from his assistance."
"But you said, my dear lord, that you were yourself going to Albanyto-morrow, to see poor Brooks," observed Mr. Prevost. "I cannot leaveEdith here alone."
All three mused for a moment or two, and Edith, perhaps, deepest ofall. At length, however, she said--
"I am quite safe, my father: of that I am certain; and you will becertain too, I am sure, when you remember what I told you of BlackEagle's conduct to me on that fatal night. He threw his blanket roundme, and called me his daughter. Depend upon it, long ere this, thenews that I am his adopted child has spread through all the tribes;and no one would dare to lift his hand against me."
"Still, some precaution," said Lord H----.
But Edith interrupted him gently, saying, "Stay, George, one moment.Let my father answer. Do you not think, dear father, that I am quitesafe? In a word, do you not believe that I could go from lodge tolodge, as the adopted daughter of Black Eagle, throughout the wholelength of the Long House of the Five Nations without the slightestrisk or danger? and, if so, why should you fear?"
"I do indeed believe you could," replied Mr. Prevost. "Oh that wecould have extracted such an act from the chief towards poor Walter.What Edith says is right, my lord: we must judge of these Indians aswe know them; and my only fear in leaving her here now, arises fromthe risk of incursions from the other side of the Hudson."
Lord H---- mused a little. It struck him there was something strangein Edith's way of putting the question to her father--something tooprecise, too minute, to be called for by any of the words which hadbeen spoken. It excited nothing like suspicion in his mind; for it washardly possible to look into the face, or hear the tones, of EdithPrevost, and entertain distrust. But it made him doub
t whether she hadnot some object, high and noble he was sure, but beyond the immediatepoint, which she did not think fit as yet to reveal.
"I was about to say," he replied at length to the last words of Mr.Prevost, "that I can easily move a guard up here sufficient to protectthe house; and I need not tell you, my dear sir," he continued, takingEdith's hand, "that as the whole treasure of my happiness is here, Iwould not advise you to leave her for an hour unless I felt sure shewould be safe. I will send down by some of the men, who are still inthe house, an order to Captain Hammond to march a guard here as earlyas possible to-morrow morning, under a trustworthy sergeant. As soonas it arrives, I will set out for Albany; and I think you can go toJohnson's Castle in perfect security."
So it was arranged, and all parties felt no inconsiderable relief whensome course of action was thus decided. Effort in this world iseverything. Even the waters of joy will stagnate; and the greatestrelief to care or sorrow, the strongest support in danger oradversity, is effort.
The Black Eagle; or, Ticonderoga Page 19