by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER I
AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR
"Cornelius!" exclaimed Captain Passford, as a young man of nineteen wasshown into the library of the magnificent dwelling of the millionnaireat Bonnydale, on the Hudson.
"Cornelius Passford, Uncle Horatio," replied the young man, as thecaptain rushed to him and extended his hand.
"I think there can be no mistake about it; and I should have been nomore surprised if Mr. Jefferson Davis had been ushered into my libraryat this moment," continued Captain Passford, still retaining the hand ofhis nephew. "I understood that you were a soldier in the Confederatearmy."
"I was a soldier; but I am not one just now," replied the visitor, withsome embarrassment in his manner, though the circumstances were strangeenough to account for it.
"How are your father and mother and Miss Gerty, Corny?" asked the uncleof the visitor, giving the young man the name by which he was generallycalled both at home and in the family of his uncle.
"They were all very well when I left them," replied Corny, looking onthe floor, as though he was not altogether satisfied with himself.
"Of course, you brought letters from your father and Gerty?"
"No, sir; I brought no letters," replied Corny, and, more than before,he looked as though he was not enjoying his present visit.
"No letters!" exclaimed Captain Passford, evidently surprised beyondmeasure at the apparent want of kindly feeling on the part of membersof his brother's family in the South.
"Not a letter, Uncle Horatio," answered Corny, bracing himself up, asthough he realized that he was not presenting a demeanor such as hethought the occasion required of him.
"This is very strange," added Captain Passford, with a cloud playing onhis fine features.
"It is war between the North and the South, Uncle Horatio, and I supposemy father did not feel like writing any letters. Gerty never writes anyletters if she can help it," Corny explained.
"But Gerty used to write to Florry about once a week."
"Did she? I didn't know it. She never would write to me when I wasaway from home," said Corny, who seemed to be very anxious not to sayanything that was not consistent with the present situation, whateverit was.
"When I parted with my brother on board of the Bellevite, both of usshed tears as we realized that war made enemies of us; but each of uspromised to do all he could for the other in case of need. I am verysure that there was not the slightest unkind feeling between us. Ofcourse, I did not expect him to write me the war news, but I think hecould have written a few lines without any allusion to the war," saidCaptain Passford, pained at this want of filial affection on the partof his brother.
At that moment the bell for tea rang, and the captain invited his nephewto the table with him. The host was saddened by the absence of news fromhis brother, of any kindly expression from one who was of the same bloodas himself. He was not quite satisfied with Corny's manner, or with thelittle he seemed to be willing to say about the rest of the family. Itwas certainly very strange that the young man should be there at all,and his awkwardness and confusion made the visit seem still moresingular.
It was possible that the young man had just arrived and was fatiguedby the trials and perils of his trip, for he must have come by someroundabout way; and very likely he felt nervous and uneasy in the midstof people who were loyal to the government and the Union. CaptainPassford decided to say nothing more to his nephew at present as tothe occasion and the manner of his visit to Bonnydale, and during theevening meal he avoided all allusion to the war, so far as it waspossible to do so. Mrs. Passford and Florry received him very kindly,but following the example of the head of the family, they spoke only ofdomestic affairs, and of the relations of the two families as they hadbeen before the war.
Between the brothers Homer and Horatio Passford, even from their earlyboyhood, a remarkably strong fraternal affection had subsisted. Both ofthem were high-toned men, and both of them had always been faithful inthe discharge of every duty to God and man. Each of them had a wife, ason and a daughter, and two happier families could not have been foundon the face of the earth. They were not only devoted to each other, eachwithin its own circle, but the two families were as nearly one as it waspossible to be.
Captain Horatio had formerly been a shipmaster, and had accumulatedan immense fortune. Homer was less fortunate in this respect, and histastes were somewhat different from those of his brother. He wanted tobe a planter, and with the financial assistance of his brother, he wentinto the business of raising cotton near Mobile, in Alabama. But yearsbefore the war, he had paid off every dollar of his indebtedness toHoratio, and had made a comfortable fortune besides. The two familieshad visited each other as much an possible, and the captain, with hislittle family, had been almost to the plantation in the Bellevite, themagnificent steam-yacht of the Northerner.
During the preceding winter, Captain Passford, his wife and son, hadvisited most of the islands of the Atlantic; but the health of MissFlorry was considerably impaired, and the doctors would not permit herto make this sea-voyage, but recommended her to keep quiet in somesouthern locality. She had therefore passed the winter at Glenfield,which was the name of Homer Passford's plantation. On his return fromthis long cruise, the owner of the Bellevite obtained his first newsthat war existed between the North and the South from the pilot. Thethree members of the family on board of the steamer were greatlydistressed over the fact that Florry was still at the home of heruncle in Alabama, within the enemy's lines.
Without going on shore, Captain Passford decided to arm his yacht, whichwas large enough for a man-of-war, and hasten to Mobile Bay to bringback his daughter. He was in doubt with regard to the political feelingof Homer, but believed that he would still adhere to the government andthe Union. It was a part of his mission to bring his brother and hisfamily to his own home at Bonnydale. Mrs. Passford was sent on shore ina tug, and Christy, the son, was to go with her; but the young man, justentering his seventeenth year, protested against being left at home, andas the captain believed that a patriotic citizen ought to be willing togive his all, even his sons, to his country, the young man went with hisfather. The mother was as devoted to her country as the father, andterrible as was the ordeal, she consented to part with him for such aduty.
By an event fortunate for him, Captain Passford succeeded in obtainingan armament for his vessel, as well as an abundant supply of ammunition;and the vessel was refitted for the perilous service in which she wasto be engaged. At Nassau, Christy made the acquaintance of a young manwho proved to be of great service to the expedition, and the Bellevitereached her destination in safety, though not without some ratherexciting incidents.
Captain Passford found that his brother was sincerely and devotedlyattached to the Southern cause. They discussed the great question forhours upon hours, each striving to convert the other to his own views,but with no success on the part of either. Homer Passford was areligious man, conscientious in the discharge of every duty, and nothingless could be said of his Northern brother. In a short time the owner ofthe Bellevite found that he had fallen into a "hornet's nest," for theplanter did not believe that he ought to allow the steam-yacht to betaken to New York to become a part of the navy of the Union. He declaredhis convictions to his brother, who was compelled to regard the planteras an enemy in spite of the relations subsisting between them. Both ofthem placed their duty to their own country above every otherconsideration.
Captain Passford was obliged to get his daughter out of his brother'shouse by stealth, and to make his escape with the Bellevite as best hecould.
Major Lindley Pierson, in command of Fort Gaines, at the entrance toMobile Bay, had permitted the steamer to pass, having been deceived byhis younger brother. He had been a frequent visitor at the mansion ofHomer Passford, attracted there, it appeared, by the lovely daughter ofthe planter's brother, remaining there for the winter. Perhaps on heraccount, perhaps with the fear that the Bellevite was not what she hadappeared to be, he had go
ne to the vicinity of Glenfield to inquire intothe mission of the steamer.
Homer Passford, acting upon his convictions, gave information whichresulted in an attempt to capture the Bellevite. Christy, not informedin regard to the plans of his father to depart at once in the steamer,was "Taken by the Enemy," and had some very stirring adventures in thebay. But the steamer escaped from the numerous enemies that awaited her,and Christy got on board of her at the last minute. The Bellevite ranthe gantlet of the forts in a dense fog, and brought Miss Florry insafety to her home at Bonnydale.
Corny Passford, whose unexpected arrival at Bonnydale had excited theastonishment of his uncle, was a year older than Christy, and hadenlisted in the Confederate service at the instance of Major Pierson.Without knowing anything in particular about the matter, his unclebelieved, at his visit to Glenfield, that Corny was as earnestly devotedto the Southern cause as his father, judging entirely from the fact thathe had enlisted as a soldier.
Corny had a good appetite, and a good supper was set before him. He atelike a hungry boy, and the fact that he was within the enemy's lines didnot seem to have any influence upon him. His aunt helped him till heseemed to be filled to repletion, for she thought he must have beenaccustomed of late only to the most indifferent fare. After supper, hefollowed his uncle back to the library; but he seemed less embarrassedthan before.
"Where is Christy, Uncle Horatio?" asked Corny, as he seated himself inthe library. "I have not seen him yet; and as I was away at the fortwhen you went to Glenfield, I did not see him then."
"I don't know where he is just now, though he is in or about the housemost of the time," replied the captain. "Are you still in the army,Corny?"
"No, sir, I am here. I did not like the service very well, and I thoughtI should like the navy better. The reason why I did not like it as wellas at first was because I was no longer in Major Pierson's battalion,"replied Corny, looking at his uncle as though he expected a questionfrom him.
"Then Major Pierson is no longer in the army?" added the captain.
"Oh, yes, he is; but I think he was the maddest man in the army soonafter you left."
"Indeed! Why was he so mad?"
"Because he was removed from command of Fort Gaines for letting you passit in your steamer."
"Then he is still in the service?" asked Captain Passford.
"Yes, sir; he is a good officer, and he will make his way, if he wasguilty of a blunder in letting the Bellevite pass the fort."
"Then you intend to be a sailor, Corny?"
"Yes, sir; in fact, I am a sailor now. I had been in your yacht somuch that I knew something about the ropes, and I had no difficulty ingetting transferred, as sailors were wanted more than soldiers," repliedCorny, who seemed to be studying the figures in the carpet.
"But if you went into the navy, how do you happen to be in New York?"asked Captain Passford.
"I suppose you remember the Dauphine, which was fitting out when youwere in Mobile Bay?" continued Corny.
"I heard the name, and was told that she was one of the vessels thattried to prevent the escape of the Bellevite."
"I was sent on board of her; but, in coming out of the bay, she wascaptured by a Federal vessel, and sent to New York. I hid myself whenthe crew were taken off, and came in her here," replied Corny, stillstudying the carpet.
Captain Passford had not heard of the capture of the Dauphine. He wasnot quite satisfied with the story of his nephew. But he was obliged togo to the city, and he handed the guest over to his wife and daughter.Corny wanted to see Christy, and Mrs. Passford had begun to be uneasythat he did not return at dark. Corny went out to find him.