CHAPTER IX
ROBERT AND LUCIA
Two days passed, and neither any word nor his gold having come from theGrayson cottage, Prescott began to feel bold again and decided that hewould call there openly and talk once more with Miss Grayson. He waiteduntil the night was dusky, skies and stars alike obscured by clouds, andthen knocked boldly at the door, which was opened by Miss Graysonherself. "Captain Prescott!" she exclaimed, and he heard a slightrustling in the room. When he entered Miss Catherwood was there.Certainly they had a strange confidence in him.
She did not speak, nor did he, and there was an awkward silence whileMiss Grayson stood looking on. Prescott waited for the thanks, the hintof gratitude that he wished to hear, but it was not given; and while hewaited he looked at Miss Catherwood with increasing interest, beholdingher now in a new phase.
Hitherto she had always seemed to him bold and strong, a woman of morethan feminine courage, one with whom it would require all the strengthand resource of a man to deal even on the man's own ground. Now she wasof the essence feminine. She sat in a low chair, her figure yielding alittle and her face paler than he had ever seen it before. The lineswere softened and her whole effect was that of an appeal. She made himthink for a moment of Helen Harley.
"I am glad that our soldiers did not find you here when they searchedthis house," he said awkwardly.
"You were here with them, Captain Prescott--I have heard," she replied.
The colour rose to his face.
"It was pure chance," he said. "I did not come here to help them."
"I do not think that Captain Prescott was assisting in the search,"interposed Miss Grayson. Prescott again looked for some word or sign ofgratitude, but did not find it.
"I have wondered, Miss Catherwood, how you hid yourself," he said.
The shadow of a smile flickered over her pale face.
"Your wonder will have to continue, if it is interesting enough, CaptainPrescott," she replied.
He was silent, and then a sudden flame appeared in her cheeks.
"Why do you come here?" she exclaimed. "Why do you interest yourself intwo poor lone women? Why do you try to help them?"
To see her show emotion made him grow cooler.
"I do not know why I come," he replied candidly.
"Then do not do so any more," she said. "You are risking too much, andyou, a Southern soldier, have no right to do it."
She spoke coldly now and her face resumed its pallor.
"I am with the North," she continued, "but I do not wish any one of theSouth to imperil himself through me."
Prescott felt hotly indignant that she should talk thus to him after allthat he had done.
"My course is my own to choose," he replied proudly, "and as I told youonce before, I do not make war on women."
Then he asked them what they proposed to do--what they expected MissCatherwood's future to be.
"If she can't escape from Richmond, she'll stay here until General Grantcomes to rescue her," exclaimed the fierce little old maid.
"The Northern army is not far from Richmond, but I fancy that it has along journey before it, nevertheless," said Prescott darkly.
Then he was provoked with himself because he had made such a retort to awoman.
"It is not well to grow angry about the war now," said Miss Catherwood."Many of us realize this; I do, I know."
He waited eagerly, hoping that she would tell of herself, who she wasand why she was there, but she went no further.
He looked about the room and saw that it was changed; its furniture,always scanty, was now scantier than ever; it occurred to him with asudden thrill that these missing pieces had gone to a pawnshop inRichmond; then his double eagle had not come too soon, and that was whyit never returned to him. All his pity for these two women rose again.
He hesitated, not yet willing to go and not knowing what to say; butwhile he doubted there came a heavy knock at the door. Miss Grayson, whowas still standing, started up and uttered a smothered cry, but MissCatherwood said nothing, only her pallor deepened.
"What can it mean?" exclaimed Miss Grayson.
No one answered and she added hastily:
"You two must go into the next room!"
She made a gesture so commanding that they obeyed her without a word.Prescott did not realize what he was doing until he heard the door closebehind him and saw that he was alone with Miss Catherwood in a littleroom in which the two women evidently slept. Then as the red blood dyedhis brow he turned and would have gone back.
"Miss Catherwood, I do not hide from any one," he said, all hisingrained pride swelling up.
"It is best, Captain Prescott," she said quietly. "Not for your sake,but for that of two women whom you would not bring to harm."
A note of pathetic appeal appeared in her voice, and, hesitating, he waslost. He remained and watched her as she stood there in the centre ofthe room, her hand resting lightly upon the back of a chair and all hersenses alert. The courage, the strength, the masculine power returnedsuddenly to her, and he had the feeling that he was in the presence of awoman who was the match for any man, even in his own special fields.
She was listening intently, and her figure, instinct with life andstrength, seemed poised as if she were about to spring. The pallor inher cheeks was replaced by a glow and her eyes were alight. Here was awoman of fire and passion, a woman to whom danger mattered little, butto whom waiting was hard.
The sound of voices, one short and harsh and the other calm and even,came to them through the thin wall. The composed tones he knew werethose of Miss Grayson, and the other, by the accent, the note ofcommand, belonged to an officer. They talked on, but the words were notaudible to either in the inner room.
His injured pride returned. It was not necessary for him to hide fromany one, and he would go back and face the intruder, whoever he mightbe. He moved and his foot made a slight sound on the floor. MissCatherwood turned upon him quickly, even with anger, and held up awarning finger. The gesture was of fierce command, and it said as plainas day, "Be still!" Instinctively he obeyed.
He had no fear for himself; he never thought then of any trouble intowhich discovery there might lead him, but the unspoken though eagerquestion on his lips was to her: "What will _you_ do if we are found?"
The voices went on, one harsh, commanding, the other calm, evenargumentative; but the attitude of the woman beside Prescott neverchanged. She stood like a lithe panther, tense, waiting.
The harsh voice sank presently as if convinced, and they heard the soundof retreating footsteps, and then the bang of the front door as ifslammed in disappointment.
"Now we can go back," said Miss Catherwood, and opening the door she ledthe way into the reception room, where Miss Grayson half lay in a chair,deadly pale and collapsed.
"What was it, Charlotte?" asked Miss Catherwood in a protecting voice,laying her hand with a soothing gesture upon Miss Grayson's head.
Miss Grayson looked up and smiled weakly.
"It lasted just a little too long for my nerves," she said. "It was, Isuppose, what you might call a domiciliary visit. The man was an officerwith soldiers, though he had the courtesy to leave the men at the door.He saw a light shining through a front window and thought he ought tosearch. I'm a suspect, a dangerous woman, you know--marked to bewatched, and he hoped to make a capture. But I demanded his right, hisorders--even in war there is a sort of law. I had been searched once, Isaid, and nothing was found; then it was by the proper authorities, butnow he was about to exceed his orders. I insisted so much on my rights,at the same time declaring my innocence, that he became frightened andwent away; but, oh, Lucia, I am more frightened now than he ever was!"
Miss Catherwood soothed her and talked to her protectingly and gently,as a mother to her frightened child, while Prescott admired the voiceand the touch that could be at once so tender and so strong.
But the courageous half in Miss Grayson's dual nature soon recovered itsrule over the timid half and she
sat erect again, making apologies forher collapse.
"You see, now, Captain Prescott," said Miss Catherwood, still leaving aprotecting hand upon Miss Grayson's shoulders, "that I was right when Iwanted you to leave us. We cannot permit you to compromise yourself inour behalf and we do not wish it. You ran a great risk to-night. Youmight not fare so well the next time."
Her tone was cold, and, chilled by it, Prescott replied:
"Miss Catherwood, I may have come where I was not wanted, but I shallnot do so again."
He walked toward the door, his head high. Miss Grayson looked at MissCatherwood in surprise.
The girl raised her hand as if about to make a detaining gesture, butshe let it drop again, and without another word Prescott passed out ofthe house.
* * * * *
One of the formal receptions, occurring twice a month, was held the nextevening by the President of the Confederacy and his wife. Prescott andall whom he knew were there.
The parlours were crowded already with people--officers, civilians,curious transatlantic visitors--and more than one workman in his roughcoat, for all the world was asked to come to the President's officialreceptions. They had obeyed the order, too, and came with their bravestfaces and bravest apparel. In the White House of the Confederacy therewere few somber touches that night.
The President and his wife, he elderly and severe of countenance, sheyoung and mild, received in one of the parlours all who would shake thehand of Mr. Davis. It was singularly like a reception at that otherWhite House on the Potomac, and the South, in declaring that she wouldact by herself, still followed the old patterns.
It was a varied gathering, varied in appearance, manners and temper. Theofficial and civil society of the capital never coalesced well. The oldfamilies of Richmond, interwoven with nearly three centuries of life inVirginia, did not like all these new people coming merely with the stampof the Government upon them, which was often, so they thought, no stampat all; but with the ceaseless and increasing pressure from the Norththey met now on common ground at the President's official reception,mingling without constraint.
Prescott danced three times with Helen Harley and walked twice with herin the halls. She was at her best that night, beautiful in a gentle,delicate way, but she did not whip his blood like a wind from the hills,and he was surprised to find how little bitterness he felt when he sawher dancing with Mr. Sefton or walking with the great cavalry Generallike a rose in the shadow of an oak. But he loved her, he told himselfagain; she was the one perfect woman in the world, the one whom he mustmake his wife, if he could. These men were not to be blamed for lovingher, too; they could not help it.
Then his eye roved to Colonel Harley, who, unlike General Wood, was asmuch at home here as in the field, his form expanding, his face in aglow, paying assiduous attention to Mrs. Markham, who used him as shewould. He watched them a little, and, though he liked Mrs. Markham, hereflected that he would not be quite so complacent if he were in GeneralMarkham's place.
Presently Talbot tapped him on the shoulder, saying:
"Come outside."
"Why should I go out into the cold?" replied Prescott. "I'm not going tofight a duel with you."
"No, but you're going to smoke a cigar with me, a genuine Havana atthat, a chance that you may not have again until this war ends. A friendjust gave them to me. They came on a blockade runner last week by way ofCharleston."
They walked back and forth to keep themselves warm. A number of people,drawn by the lights and the music, were lingering in the street beforethe house, despite the cold. They were orderly and quiet, notcomplaining because others were in the warmth and light while they werein the cold and dark. Richmond under the pressure of war was full ofwant and suffering, but she bred no mobs.
"Let's go back," said Talbot presently. "My cigar is about finished andI'm due for this dance with Mrs. Markham."
"Mine's not," replied Prescott, "and I'm not due for the dance withanybody, so I think I'll stay a little longer."
"All right; I must go."
Talbot went in, leaving his friend alone beside the house. Prescottcontinued to smoke the unfinished cigar, but that was not his reason forstaying. He remained motionless at least five minutes, then he threw thecigar butt on the ground and moved farther along the side of the house,where he was wholly in shadow. His pretense of calm, of a lack ofinterest, was gone. His muscles were alert and his eye keen to see. Hehad on his military cap and he drew his cloak very closely about himuntil it shrouded his whole face and figure. He might pass unnoticed ina crowd.
Making a little circuit, he entered the street lower down, and then cameback toward the house, sauntering as if he were a casual looker-on. Noone noticed him, and he slid into a place in the little crowd, where hestood for a few moments, then made his way toward a tall figure near thefence.
When he was beside the house with Talbot he had seen that face under ablack hood, looking over the fence, and the single glance wassufficient. Now he stood beside her and put his hand upon her arm as ifhe had come there with her, that no one might take notice.
She started, looked up into his face, checked a cry and was silent,though he could feel the arm quivering under the touch of his fingers.
"Why are you here?" he asked in a strained whisper. "Do you not knowbetter than to leave Miss Grayson's house, and, above all, to come tothis place? Are you a mad woman?"
Anger was mixed with his alarm. She seemed at that moment a child whohad disobeyed him. She shrank a little at his words, but turned towardhim luminous eyes, in which the appeal soon gave way to an indignantfire.
"Do you know what it is to stay in hiding--to be confined within thefour walls of one room?" she said, and her voice was more intense eventhan his had been. "Do you know what it is to sit in the dark and thecold when you love the warmth and the light and the music? I saw you andthe other man and the satisfaction on your faces. Do you think that youalone were made for enjoyment?"
Prescott looked at her in surprise, such was the fire and intensity ofher tone and so unexpected was her reply. He had associated her withother fields of action, more strenuous phases of life than this of theballroom, the dance and the liquid flow of music. All at once heremembered that she was a woman like another woman there in the ballroomin silken skirts and with a rose in her hair. Unconsciously he placedher by the side of Helen Harley.
"But the danger!" he said at last. "You are hunted, woman though youare, and Richmond is small. At such a time as this every strange form isnoted."
"I am not afraid," she replied, and a peculiar kind of pride rang in hertone. "If I am sought as a criminal it does not follow that I am such."
"And you have left Miss Grayson alone?"
"Miss Grayson has often been alone. She may dislike loneliness, but shedoes not fear it. Listen, they are dancing again!"
The liquid melody of the music rose in a rippling flow, coming throughthe closed windows in soft minor chords. Standing there beside her, inthe outer darkness and cold, Prescott began to understand the girl'sfeeling, the feeling of the hunted, who looks upon ease and joy. Thehouse was gleaming with lights, even the measured tread of the dancersmingled with the flow of music; but here, outside, the wind began towhistle icily down the street, and the girl bent her head to its edge.
"You must go back at once to Miss Grayson's," urged Prescott, "and youmust not come out again like this."
"You command merely for me to disobey," she said coolly. "By what rightdo you seek to direct my actions?"
"By the right of wisdom, or necessity, whichever you choose to call it,"he replied. "Since you will not, of your own choice, care for yourself,I shall try to make you do so. Come!"
He put his hand upon her again. She sought to draw away, but he wouldnot let go, and gradually she yielded.
"What a great thing is brute force! at least, you men think so," shesaid, as they walked slowly up the street.
"Yes, when properly exerted, as in the present insta
nce."
They went on, the lights in the house became dimmer, and the sound ofthe music and the tread of the dance reached them no more.
She looked up into his face presently.
"Tell me one thing," she said.
"Certainly."
"Who is Helen?"
"Who is Helen?"
"Yes, I heard that man say how well she was looking to-night, and youagreed."
"We were both right. Helen is Miss Helen Harley, and they say she is themost beautiful woman in Richmond. She is the sister of Colonel Harley,one of our noted cavalry leaders."
She was silent for a little while, and then Prescott said:
"Now will you answer a question of mine?"
"I should like to hear the question first."
"Where were you hidden when we searched Miss Grayson's house?"
"That I will never tell you," she replied with sudden energy.
"Oh, well, don't do it then," he said in some disappointment.
They were now three or four squares away from the presidential mansionand were clothed in darkness, and silence save when the frozen snowcrackled crisply under their feet.
"You cannot go any farther with me," she said. "I have warned you beforethat you must not risk yourself in my behalf."
"But if I choose to do so, nevertheless."
"Then I shall go back there to the house, where they are dancing."
She spoke in such a resolute tone that Prescott could not doubt herintent.
"If you promise to return at once to Miss Grayson's cottage I shallleave you here," he said.
"I make the promise, but for the present only," she replied. "You mustremember that we are enemies; you are of the South, and I am treated asan enemy in Richmond. Good-night!"
She left him so quickly that he did not realize her departure until hesaw her form flicker in the darkness and then disappear completely. Afaint smile appeared on his face.
"No woman can ever successfully play the role of a man," he said tohimself. Despite her former denial and her air of truth he was stillthinking of her as a spy.
Then he walked thoughtfully back to the presidential mansion.
"You must have found that a most interesting cigar," said Talbot to himwhen he returned to the house.
"The most interesting one I ever smoked," replied Prescott.
Prescott found himself again with Mrs. Markham and walked with her intoone of the smaller parlours, where Mr. Sefton, Winthrop, Raymond,Redfield and others were discussing a topic with an appearance of greatearnestness.
"It is certainly a mystery, one of the most remarkable that I have everencountered," said the Secretary with emphasis, as Prescott and Mrs.Markham joined them. "We are sure that it was a woman, a woman in abrown cloak and brown dress, and that she is yet in Richmond, but we aresure of nothing else. So far as our efforts are concerned, she might aswell be in St. Petersburg as here in the capital city of the South.Perhaps the military can give us a suggestion. What do you think of it,Captain Prescott?"
He turned his keen, cold eye on Prescott, who never quivered.
"I, Mr. Sefton?" he replied. "I have no thoughts at all upon such asubject; for two reasons: first, my training as a soldier tells me tolet alone affairs which are not my own; and second, you say this spy isa woman; know then that it is the prayer of every soldier that God willpreserve him from any military duty which has to do with a woman, as itmeans sure defeat."
There was a laugh, and Mrs. Markham asked:
"Do you mean the second of your reasons as truth or as a mere complimentto my sex?"
"Madam," replied Prescott with a bow, "you are a living illustration ofthe fact that I could mean the truth only."
"But to return to the question of the spy," said Mr. Sefton,tenaciously, "have you really no opinion, Captain Prescott? I have heardthat you assisted Mr. Talbot when he was detailed to search MissGrayson's house--a most commendable piece of zeal on your part--and Ithought it showed your great interest in the matter."
"Captain Prescott," said Mrs. Markham, "I am surprised at you. Youreally helped in the searching of Miss Grayson's house! The idea of asoldier doing such work when he doesn't have to!"
Prescott laughed lightly--a cloak for his real feelings--as Mrs.Markham's frank criticism stung him a little.
"It was pure chance, Mrs. Markham. I happened to be near there whenTalbot passed with his detail, and as he and I are the best of friends,I went with him wholly out of curiosity, I assure you--not the best ofmotives, I am willing to admit."
"Then I am to imply, Mrs. Markham," said the Secretary in his smoothvoice, "that you condemn me for instituting such a search. But theladies, if you will pardon me for saying it, are the most zealousupholders of the war, and now I ask you how are we men to carry it on ifwe do not take warlike measures."
She shrugged her shoulders and the Secretary turned his attention againto Prescott.
"What do you think of our chances of capture, Captain?" he said. "Shallwe take this woman?"
"I don't think so," replied Prescott, meeting the Secretary's eyesquarely. "First, you have no clue beyond the appearance of a womanwearing a certain style of costume in the Government building on acertain day. You have made no progress whatever beyond that. Now,whoever this woman may be, she must be very clever, and I should think,too, that she has friends in the city who are helping her."
"Then," said the Secretary, "we must discover her friends and reach herthrough them."
"How do you propose going about it?" asked Prescott calmly.
"I have not made any arrangements yet, nor can I say that I have asettled plan in view," replied the Secretary; "but I feel sure ofmyself. A city of forty thousand inhabitants is not hard to watch, andwhoever this spy's friends are I shall find them sooner or later."
His cold, keen eyes rested upon Prescott, but they were withoutexpression. Nevertheless, a chill struck the young Captain to themarrow. Did the Secretary know, or were his words mere chance? Herecognized with startling force that he was face to face with a man ofcraft and guile, one who regarded him as a rival in a matter that layvery close to the heart's desire, and therefore as a probable enemy.
But cold and keen as was the look of the Secretary, Prescott could readnothing in his face, and whether a challenge was intended or not heresolved to pick up the glove. There was something stubborn lying at thebottom of his nature, and confronted thus by formidable obstacles heresolved to protect Lucia Catherwood if it lay within his power.
General Wood, a look of discontent on his face, entered the room at thismoment. An electrical current of antagonism seemed to pass between himand the Secretary, which Mrs. Markham, perhaps from an impulse ofmischief and perhaps from a natural love of sport, fostered, permittingPrescott, to his relief, to retire into the background.
The Secretary's manner was smooth, silky and smiling; he never raisedhis voice above its natural pitch nor betrayed otherwise the slightesttemper. He now led the talk upon the army, and gently insinuated thatwhatever misfortunes had befallen the Confederacy were due to itsmilitary arm; perhaps to a lack of concord among the generals, perhapsto hasty and imperfect judgment on the field, or perhaps to a failure tocarry out the complete wishes of the Executive Department.
He did not say any of these things plainly, merely hinting them in themildest manner. Prescott, though a representative of the army, did nottake any of it to himself, knowing well that it was intended for theGeneral, and he watched curiously to see how the latter would reply.
The General surprised him, developing a tact and self-command, aknowledge of finesse that he would not have believed possible in a roughand uneducated mountaineer. But the same quality, the wonderfulperception, or rather intuition, that had made Wood a military genius,was serving him here, and though he perceived at once the drift of theSecretary's remarks and their intention, he preserved his coolness andcontented himself for awhile with apparent ignorance. This, however, didnot check the attack, and by and by Wood, too, began to dea
l in veiledallusions and to talk of a great general and devoted lieutenantshampered by men who sat in their chairs in a comfortable building beforeglowing fires and gossiped of faults committed by others amid the reekof desperate fields.
It was four o'clock in the morning when Prescott stood again in thestreet in the darkness and saw the Secretary taking Helen home in hiscarriage.
Before the Dawn: A Story of the Fall of Richmond Page 9