Part 85 (1/2)

The negro pulled in his horses and sat staring at me, astounded.

I walked leisurely past the horses to the window of the coach. And there, seated, I saw Polly Johnson and Claudia Swift.

There ensued a terrible silence and they gazed upon me as though they were looking upon a dead man.

”Jack Drogue!” whispered Claudia, ”how--how come you here?”

I bowed, my cap in my hand, but could not utter a word.

”Jack! Jack, are--are you alone?” faltered Lady Johnson. ”Good heavens, what does this mean, I beg of you?----”

”Where are your people, Polly?” I asked in a dead voice.

”My--my people? Do you mean my husband?”

”I mean him.... And his troops. Where are they at this moment?”

”Do you not know that the army is before Stanwix?”

”I know it now,” said I gravely.

”Mercy on us, Jack!” cried Claudia, finding her voice shrilly; ”will you not tell us how it is that we meet you here on the Oneida road and close to our own army?”

I shook my head: ”No, Claudia, I shall not tell you. But I must ask you how you came here and whither you now are bound. And you must answer.”

They gazed at my sombre face with an intentness and anxiety that made me sadder than ever I was in all my life.

Then, without a word, Lady Johnson laid aside the silken flap of her red foot-mantle. And there my shocked eyes beheld a new born baby nursing at her breast.

”We accompanied my husband from Buck Island to Oswego,” she said tremulously. ”And, as the way was deemed so utterly secure, we took boat at Oneida Lake and brought our horses.... And now are returning--never dreaming of danger from--from your people--Jack.”

I stared at the child; I stared at her.

”In G.o.d's name,” I said, ”get forward then, and hail your hors.e.m.e.n escort. Say to them that the road is dangerous! Take to your batteau and get you to Oswego as soon as may be. And I strictly enjoin you, come not this way again, for there is now no safety in Tryon for man or woman or child, nor like to be while red-coat or green remains within this new-born nation!

”And you, Claudia, say to Sir Frederick Haldimand that he has lighted in Tryon a flame that shall utterly consume him though he hide behind the ramparts of Quebec itself! Say that to him!”

Then I stepped back and bade Colas drive on as fast as he dare. And when he cracked his long whip, I stood uncovered and looked upon the woman I once had loved, and upon the other woman who had been my childhood playmate; and saw her child at her breast, and her pale face bowed above it.

And so out of my life pa.s.sed these two women forever, without any word or sign save for the white faces of them and the deadly fear in their eyes.

I stood there in the Oneida Road, watching their coach rolling and swaying until it was out of view, and even the noise of it had utterly died away.

Then I walked slowly back to the wood's edge; in silence my Oneidas rose from the weeds and stood around me where I halted, the sleeve of my buckskin s.h.i.+rt across my eyes.

Then, when I was ready, I turned and went forward, swiftly, in a southeasterly direction; and heard their padded footsteps falling lightly at my heels as I Hastened toward the Mohawk, a miserable, sad, yet angry man.