Horse-Shoe Robinson: A Tale of the Tory Ascendency
Page 38
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CIRCUMSTANCES FAVOR TYRREL's INFLUENCE OVER LINDSAY.
The discourse between Lindsay and Tyrrel was one of deep moment. Tyrrelhad taken advantage of the pervading fervor which the late successes ofthe British arms had diffused amongst the adherents of the royal cause,in behalf of what was deemed their certain triumph, to urge forward hisown views. This was the occasion of his present unexpected visit at theDove Cote. His immediate aim was to plunge Lindsay into the contest, byforcing him to take some step that should so commit him, in the opinionof the republican government, as to leave him no chance of retreat, northe means longer to enjoy the privileges of his late neutrality. He,unhappily, found Lindsay in a mood to favor this intrigue. Theincreasing anxieties of that gentleman's mind, his domestic griefs, hispeculiar temperament, and the warmth of his political animosities, allstimulated him to the thought of some active participation in thestruggle. Tyrrel had sufficient penetration to perceive that such waslikely to be the current of Lindsay's feelings, and he had by frequentletters administered to this result.
There were several opulent families in the lower sections of the state,who still clung to the cause of the King, and who had been patientlyawaiting the course of events, for the time when they might more boldlyavow themselves. With the heads of these families Tyrrel had been inactive correspondence, and it was now his design which under thesanction of the British leaders, he had already nearly matured, to bringthese individuals together into a secret council, that they might act inconcert, and strengthen themselves by mutual alliance. Immediately afterthe battle of Camden, it is known that Cornwallis had laid his plans forthe invasion of North Carolina, by intrigues of the same kind: it wasonly extending the system a little in advance to apply it to Virginia.Arrangements had been made for this meeting of malcontents to be heldat the house of a Mr. Stanhope, on one of the lower sections of theJames river--a gentleman of good repute, with whom Lindsay had long beenin the relations of close friendship.
"The moments are precious, and you are waited for," said Tyrrel, in thecourse of his conference with Lindsay; "we must strike whilst the ironis hot. Separated as our good friends are from each other, you are nowin the power, and at the mercy--which is a significant phrase--of theunruly government of Congress. Your motions, therefore, should beprompt. There are seasons, in the history of every trouble, when thevirtue of deliberation mainly lies in its rapidity and the boldness ofits resolve. I beseech you, sir, to regard this as such a season, and totake the course which the honor of our sovereign demands, withoutfurther pause to think of consequences."
"When you were here a month ago," replied Lindsay, "I had my scruples.But things have strangely altered in that short interval. Your standardfloats more bravely over the path of invasion than I had deemed itpossible. You charged me then with being a laggard, and, you mayremember, even impeached my loyalty."
"I did you a grievous wrong, my dear friend; and did I not know yourgenerous nature pardoned, as soon as it was uttered, my rash andintemperate speech, it would have cost me many a pang of remorse. Evenin this, good sir," said Tyrrel, smiling and laying his hand uponLindsay's shoulder; "even in this, you see how necessary is it that weshould have a wise and considerate councillor to moderate the ungovernedzeal of us younger men."
"My mind is made up," replied Lindsay. "I will attend the meeting."
"And Mildred will be removed forthwith to Charleston?" eagerlyinterrupted Tyrrel.
"Ah, sir, not one word of that. If I attend this meeting, it must be insecret. Nor do I yet commit myself to its resolves. I shall be alistener only. I would learn what my compatriots think, reserving tomyself the right to act. Even yet, I would purchase peace with many asacrifice. I abjure all violent measures of offence."
"I am content," answered Tyrrel, "that you should hold yourselfunpledged to any measures which your gravest and severest judgment doesnot approve. Though I little doubt that, from all quarters, you willhear such tidings as shall convince you that the road, both of safetyand honor, leads onward in this glorious enterprise. 'Tis from thisnettle danger, that we pluck the flower 'safety.' Conscious of this, Iwould have Mildred and her brother cared for."
"Mildred can never be yours," said Lindsay musing. "There is the thoughtthat makes me pause. I believed, and so do you, that the favor thisButler had found with her was the capricious and changeful fancy of agirl. It is the devoted passion of a woman: it has grown to be herfaith, her honor, her religion."
"Butler is a fool--a doomed madman," replied Tyrrel with earnestness."He came here with the hellish purpose to betray you; and he was sillyenough to think he could do so, and still win your daughter. She shouldbe told of this."
"She has been told of it, and she believes it not."
"Was my avouch given to her for the truth of the fact."
"It was. And, to speak plainly to you, it has only made your namehateful to her ear."
"Then shall she have proof of it, which she cannot doubt. She shall haveit in the recorded judgment of a court-martial, which has condemned himas a traitor and a spy; she shall have it in the doom of his death, andthe sequestration of his estate," exclaimed Tyrrel with a bittermalignity, "proud girl!"
"Remember yourself, sir!" interrupted Lindsay, sternly. "This is not thelanguage nor the tone fit for a father's ear, when the subject of it ishis own daughter."
Tyrrel was instantly recalled to his self-possession; and with thathumility which he could always assume when his own interest required it,spoke in a voice of sudden contrition.
"Why, what a fool am I to let my temper thus sway me! Humbly, mosthumbly, dear sir, do I entreat your forgiveness. I love your daughter,and revere the earnest enthusiasm of her nature; and, therefore, havebeen galled beyond my proper show of duty, to learn that she coulddiscredit my word."
"I enjoin it upon you," said Lindsay, "that in your intercourse with myfamily here, you drop no word calculated to alarm my daughter for thesafety of this Butler. It is a topic which distracts her, and must beavoided."
"For the present," replied Tyrrel, "as I have before told you, I thinkhe is safe. The forfeiture of his estate is not a secret. But tobusiness, my friend. When shall we set out?"
"To-morrow," answered Lindsay. "We must travel cautiously, and amongstour friends."
"This disguise has served me so far," said Tyrrel. "I may the bettertrust to it when in your company."
Mildred and Henry remained in the parlor, and were there when Lindsayand his guest, having terminated their secret conference, returned tothe house.
"Your cheek denies your customary boast of good health, Miss Lindsay,"said Tyrrel, respectfully approaching the lady, and with an air thatseemed to indicate his expectation of a cold reception. "It grieves meto learn that, at a time when all good men are rejoicing in the prospectof peace, you should not be in a condition to share the commonpleasure."
"I think there is small occasion for rejoicing in any quarter," repliedMildred, calmly.
"Miss Lindsay would, perhaps, be interested to hear," said Tyrrel, notdiscomfited by the evident aversion of the lady, "that I have, within afew days past, left the head-quarters of the British army, where I wasenabled to glean some particulars of a friend of hers, Major Butler, ofthe Continental service."
Mildred colored, as she said in a faint voice, "He is my friend."
"He has been unfortunate," continued Tyrrel, "having fallen into thehands of some of our skirmishers. But I believe I may assure MissLindsay that he is both safe and well. He enjoys the reputation of beinga brave gentleman. I may be permitted to say, that had his destinybrought him under other colors, I should have been proud to be betterknown to him."
"Major Butler chooses his own colors," said Henry, interposing. "I don'tthink destiny had much to do with it. He took his side because theywanted men to help out a brave war."
Lindsay frowned, and strode once or twice across the apartment, duringwhich an embarrassing silence prevailed.
"You are the same co
ckerel you always were, Henry," said Tyrrel, withundaunted playfulness; "always warm for the fight. But it is a Christianduty, you know, to be peace-makers in such times as these. We may trust,Miss Lindsay, that some conciliatory spirit shall arise to quell thequarrelsome humors of the people, and bring all things back totranquillity. For myself, I devoutly wish it."
"The day for such a spirit does not seem to be at hand," said Mildred,quietly rising to withdraw.
"You are not well, my daughter," interposed Lindsay. "Mildred is butrecently from a sick bed," he continued, addressing Tyrrel, in the wayof apology for her marked coldness of demeanor.
"I am not well, father," replied Mildred, "I must be permitted to leaveyou;" and she now retired.
When Henry soon afterwards joined her, he found her agitated andexcited.
"Better known to Arthur Butler!" she exclaimed, dwelling on the speechof Tyrrel. "He is better known already than he dreams of. Think,brother, of the cool hypocrisy of this bold schemer--this secretdisturber of the quiet of our house--that he should dare boast to me ofArthur's bravery."
"And to talk about his colors too!" said Henry. "Did you mark, sister,how I set him down--in spite of my father's presence? And did you seehow his brow blanched when I spoke my mind to him? He will find me toohot a cockerel, as he calls me, to venture upon our colors again. I holdno terms with him, sister, more than yourself."
"You will excuse me to my father, Henry, I will not go in to dinnerto-day."
"I wondered," replied Henry, "that you met him at all, sister; but hetook us unawares. And, truly, I don't think it would be safe to bringyou near him again. So I advise you, keep your room. As for me--tut! Iam not afraid to meet him. I warrant he gets his own upon occasion!"
"I entreat you, Henry," said Mildred, "to guard your temper. It wouldgive our father pain to hear a rash speech from you. It would answer nogood end."
"I will be as circumspect, Mildred, as the state of the war requires,"answered Henry. "Fight when it is necessary, and be silent when we can'tstrike."
Henry now left his sister and went to his usual occupations.
Mildred, in accordance with the purpose expressed to her brother did notappear at the dinner table; and the day was passed, by Lindsay andTyrrel, in close communion over the topics connected with the object ofthe enterprise in which they were about to embark. Tyrrel had seenenough to convince him that he might, at least for the present, abandonall effort to win Mildred's good opinion; and his whole thoughts werenow bent to bring Lindsay into such an attitude of hostility to therepublican authorities as would inevitably lead to his removal from thestate, and perhaps compel him to retire to England. Either of theseevents would operate to the advantage of the aspiring and selfish policyby which Tyrrel hoped to accomplish his object.
In the course of the evening Lindsay held a short interview with hischildren, in which he made known to them that affairs of importance wereabout to call him away, for a fortnight perhaps, from the Dove Cote. Itwas in vain that Mildred endeavored to turn him from his purpose, which,though undivulged to her, she conjectured to be, from its associationwith Tyrrel, some sinister political move, of which her father was to bethe dupe.
In accordance with Lindsay's intimation, he and Tyrrel set out, at anearly hour of the following day, on their journey towards the lowcountry.