Part 46 (1/2)
”Thiohero!” I called.
”I listen, my elder brother,” said the little maid of Askalege.
”You shall take a trade-rifle, move out one hundred paces to the west, and halt all who come. And fire on any who refuse to halt.”
”I listen,” she said coolly.
”You shall call to us if you need us.”
”I continue to listen.”
”And if there comes a wagon, then you shall take the horses by the head and lead them this way until the fire s.h.i.+nes on their heads. Go, little sister.”
She took a trade-rifle from the stack, primed it freshly, and crossed the circle on light, swift feet.
When she had gone into the darkness, I bade de Golyer kick the fire. He did so and it blazed ruddy, painting in sanguine colour the sombre, unhealthy visage of my prisoner.
”Search him,” said I briefly.
Joe and my Oneida rummaged him to the buff. It was in his boots they discovered, at last, a sheaf of papers.
I could not read what was writ, for the writing was in strange signs and figures; so presently I gave over trying and looked up at my prisoner, who now had dressed again.
”You are Captain Moucher?”
He denied it hoa.r.s.ely; but I, having now no vestige of doubt concerning this miserable man's ident.i.ty, ignored his answer.
”What is this paper which was taken from your boot?”
He seemed to find no word of explanation, but breathed harder and watched my eyes.
”Is it writ in a military cipher?”
”I do not know.”
”How came these papers in your boot?”
He stammered out that somebody who had cleansed his boots must have dropped them in, and that, in pulling on his boots that morning, he had neither seen nor felt the papers.
”Where did you dress this morning?”
”At the Johnson Arms in Johnstown.”
”You wear the uniform of an officer in the Canajoharie Regiment. Are you attached to that regiment?”
He said he was; then contradicted himself, saying he had been obliged to borrow the clothing from an officer because, while bathing in the Mohawk at Caughnawaga, his own clothing had been swept into the water and engulfed.
Over this lie he was slow in speech, and stammered much, licking his dry lips, and his reddish, furtive eyes travelling about him as though his stealthy mind were elsewhere.
”Do you recollect that we supped in company at Johnson Hall--you and I--and not so long ago?” I demanded.