by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VII
LANGDON'S LETTERS.
It had been no part of Somers's purpose to bear the whole responsibilityof the transactions in which he had so promptly engaged. Mr. Waldronwould return in a few days, and on his arrival, the overburdened youngofficer intended to confide the momentous secret to him, receiving thebenefit of his advice and support in the great business he hadundertaken.
After the kind treatment he had received at the hands of LieutenantPillgrim, he was rather disposed to make him a confidant; but he knew solittle about his travelling companion, that though he had no questionabout his fidelity and honor, he was not quite willing to stakeeverything on his judgment and discretion, as he must do, if he openedthe subject to him.
Somers was not a little surprised to see Mr. Pillgrim enter the parlorin that unceremonious way. It indicated a degree of intimacy between thetwo gentleman that gave him an unpleasant impression, which, however, hehad no time to follow out to its legitimate issue.
"Excuse me, Mr. Wynkoop," said Lieutenant Pillgrim, as he paused at theside of the table, "for entering in this abrupt manner. I have beenknocking at your door for some time, without obtaining a response."
"You went to the wrong door. That's my bedroom."
"So I perceive, now."
"But there is no harm done; on the contrary, I am very glad to see you.Sit down and take a glass of wine with me. Mr. Somers does not indulge."
"Mr. Somers is a very proper young man," said the lieutenant, with apleasant smile, as he glanced again at the papers which lay open on thetable. "I have been looking for you, Somers, but it was only to ask youwhat the prospect is on board the Chatauqua. I have not been on boardto-day."
"I think we shall be wanted by to-morrow or next day," replied Somers,who could not help seeing that the eye of his superior officer was fixedon the commander's commission, which lay open before him.
"Indeed! I am glad to know this, for I had made up my mind to go to NewYork in the morning. Of course I shall not go."
"Sit down, Mr.--Really, sir, you must excuse me, but I have forgottenyour name," said Mr. Wynkoop.
"Lieutenant Pillgrim--at your service. It is not very surprising thatyou should forget it, since we have met but once; not half sosurprising as that I should force myself into your rooms, on so short anacquaintance."
"Don't mention it, my dear fellow. We sailors are brothers all over theworld. Sit down, and take a glass of sherry with me. It's a capitalwine--made two voyages to India."
"Excuse me, Mr. Wynkoop; I merely called to invite you to spend theevening with me. I have a plan that will use up two or three hours verypleasantly."
"Thank you, Mr. Pillgrim. You are a friend in need, and a friendindeed."
"I see that you and Mr. Somers have business, and I will take my leave."
"I should be happy to have you remain, but if you will not, I will joinyou in half an hour in the reading-room. Better sit down, and waithere."
"I will not interrupt your business with Mr. Somers," replied LieutenantPillgrim, again glancing curiously at the documents on the table.
Greatly to the relief of Somers, his fellow-officer left the room. Thisvisit had been a most unfortunate one, for the lieutenant could not haveavoided seeing the nature of the papers on the table. But as Somers wasa true and loyal man, his conscience accused him of no wrong, and he hadno fears in regard to the result. This revelation simply imposed uponhim the necessity of making Mr. Pillgrim his confidant, which heproposed to do at the first convenient opportunity.
"You think you will not sign the oath to-night, Mr. Somers?" said hiscompanion.
"It had better be deferred," replied Somers, as he folded up thecommission, and put it in his pocket, regarding it as the most importantevidence in his possession against Coles, and a sufficient confirmationof the truth of the statement he had so carefully written out the nightbefore.
"Suit yourself, Somers. We shall not differ about these small matters,"added Wynkoop, as he folded up the oath, and put it in his pocket. "Bythe way, Somers, what do you think of our friend Pillgrim?"
"He is a fine fellow, and I am told he is a good officer. I was notaware that you knew him."
"I have only met him once, just as I met you. How do you think he standsaffected towards our cause?"
"Not well."
"So I feared."
"He is a loyal man, though a Virginian."
"Do you think I could make anything of him?"
"I am satisfied you could not."
"I did not dare to try him. I gave him a chance to nibble at my bait,but he wouldn't bite. Perhaps, when I know him better, he will comeround; for I don't think there are many of these Yankee officers thathave any real heart in their work."
"You are utterly mistaken," said Somers; but remembering that he washardly in a position to defend his loyal comrades in the navy, he didnot seriously combat the proposition of the rebel emissary.
As the business of the interview was now finished, Somers shook handswith his agreeable host--though his heart repelled the act,--and tookleave of him. He hastened to his chamber, agitated and excited by thestrange and revolting scene through which he had just passed. It wassome time before he was calm enough to think coherently of what he haddone, and of the compact he had made. He wished very much to see Mr.Waldron now; indeed, he felt the absolute necessity of confiding to sometrustworthy person the momentous secret he had obtained, which burned inhis soul like an evil deed.
If Lieutenant Pillgrim had not actually read his commission when it layon the table, he must, at least, have suspected that all was not rightwith his shipmate. He must, therefore, confide in him, and without theloss of another moment, he hastened to his room for this purpose; butthe lieutenant was not there. He searched for him in all the publicrooms of the hotel, but without success. Remembering that hisfellow-officer was to meet Mr. Wynkoop in the reading-room half an hourfrom the time they parted, he waited there over an hour, but theappointment evidently was not kept by either party.
Somers did not wish to sleep another night without sharing his greatsecret with some one; for if anything should happen to him, he reasoned,the commission and the orders might be found in his possession, andsubject him to very unpleasant suspicions, if they did not expose him tothe actual charge of complicity with the enemies of his country. Hewaited in the vicinity of the office till midnight, hoping to see Mr.Pillgrim; but he did not appear, and he reluctantly retired to hischamber.
When he carried his key to the office in the morning, there was a notein his box, addressed to him. The ink of the direction was hardly dry,and the lap of the envelope was still wet where it had been moistened toseal it. Somers opened it. He was surprised and startled at itscontents; but the writer had evidently made a mistake in thesuperscription. It was as follows:--
"MY DEAR PILLGRIM: I have just sent a note to Somers, saying that the Ben Nevis has sailed,--which is a fact,--and that he must join her at Mobile, where she will run in a cargo of arms and provisions. Act accordingly. How is this?
"LANGDON."
Both the name and the import of the letter implied that the note was notintended for Somers, though it was directed to him. The writer hadevidently written two notes, and in his haste had misdirected theenvelopes.
"My dear Pillgrim!" The note was intended for his fellow-officer. WasPillgrim a confederate of Langdon? It looked so, incredible as itseemed.
Somers was bewildered for a moment, but he was too good a strategist tobe overwhelmed. Restoring the note to its envelope, he readjusted thelap, which was still wet, and the letter looked as though it had notbeen opened. He returned it to the box under his key, and perceived thatthere was also a note in Mr. Pillgrim's box. As soon as the mistake wasdiscovered, the letters would be changed. He returned to his room toawait the result.
Somers had made an astounding discovery by the merest accident in theworld. Things were not what they seemed. Mr. Pillgrim had relations ofsome kind with Langdon,
_alias_ Lieutenant Wynkoop. His entering theparlor while they were at dinner was not so accidental a circumstance asit had appeared. Who and what was Lieutenant Pillgrim? The belief thathe had met him somewhere before they came together at Newport, stillhaunted Somers; but he was in no better condition now than then to solvethe mystery.
In half an hour he went down to the office again. The note to Mr.Pillgrim was gone; but there was one for himself in the box. He took itout; the direction was not in the same handwriting as before. Mr.Pillgrim had probably discovered the mistake, and changed the letters,without a suspicion that the one addressed to himself had been read.Somers opened the note, which contained the information he expected tofind there in regard to the Ben Nevis, and was signed by Wynkoop.
Beyond the possibility of a doubt now, Lieutenant Pillgrim was aconfederate of Langdon. Of course, he knew Coles. He was a Virginian,and it was now certain to Somers, if to no one else, that his loyaltyhad been justly suspected. He had doubtless entered the navy again for apurpose. What that purpose was, remained yet to be exposed. From thedepths of his heart, Somers thanked God that this discovery had beenmade; and he determined to put it to good use. He was now more anxiousthan before to meet his friend Mr. Waldron, and communicate thestartling information to him.
From the morning papers he saw that the Ben Nevis, whose name had beenchanged to that of a famous Union general, had actually sailed, asLangdon's note informed him. In the forenoon, he went to the navy yard,expecting to find the ship ready to go into commission; but he learnedthat the bed-plates of her pivot guns had to be recast, and that shewould not be ready for another week. He also learned that his friend Mr.Waldron had been taken down with typhoid fever at his home, and was thenin a critical condition.
Somers was not only shocked, but disconcerted by this intelligence, forit deprived him of the friend and counsellor whom he needed in thisemergency. After careful deliberation, he obtained a furlough of a week,and went to the home of Mr. Waldron; but the sufferer could not even beseen, much less consulted on a matter of business. Left to act forhimself, he hastened to New York, and then to Boston, to ascertain whathe could in regard to the Ben Nevis. So far as he could learn,everything was all right in regard to her. After a short visit toPinchbrook, he hastened back to Philadelphia, and found the Chatauquahauled out into the stream, and ready to go into commission at once.Lieutenant Pillgrim and the other officers had already gone on board.Under these circumstances, Somers had not a moment to see Langdon. Hetook possession of his state-room, and at once had all the work he coulddo, in the discharge of his duty.
At meridian the ensign was run up, and the ship went into commissionunder the command of Captain Cascabel. Mr. Pillgrim was doing duty asexecutive officer, though a substitute for Mr. Waldron was expectedbefore the ship sailed. Somers was uneasy, and dissatisfied withhimself. He began to feel that he had left a duty unperformed. He hadintended to expose the conspiracy before the Chatauqua sailed, and thusrelieve himself from the heavy responsibility that rested upon him. Yetto whom could he speak? Mr. Waldron was still dangerously ill. Mr.Pillgrim was evidently a traitor himself.
He could give his information to the United States marshal atPhiladelphia; but how could he prove his allegations? Langdon and Coleshe had not seen since his return, and perhaps they were in another partof the country by this time. He had the commander's commission and thewritten orders, but in the absence of the principals, he feared thesewould be better evidence against himself than against the conspirators.
The Ben Nevis had sailed, and the worst she could do at present would beto run the blockade. The Chatauqua was generally understood to beordered to Mobile, where the Ben Nevis was to run in, and fit out forher piratical cruise. After a great deal of serious reflection, Somerscame to the unsatisfactory conclusion that he must keep his secret. Hecould not denounce Mr. Pillgrim as a rebel, with his presentinformation, without exposing himself to greater peril than the realcriminal. Besides, he was to be with the lieutenant, and he was going toMobile. He could watch the traitor, and await the appearance of the BenNevis, when she arrived at the station.
Somers was not satisfied with this conclusion, but his judgment assuredhim his intended course of action was the best the circumstances wouldadmit. Thus settling the question, he attended to his duty with hisusual zeal and energy.