Part 19 (1/2)
We gave Captain Falconer our hands upon it, whereupon he told us he would be at the pains to secure our relief from regular duty on the night set for the adventure--that of the following Wednesday--and directed us to be ready with our horses at the ferry at six o'clock Wednesday evening. The rebel cavalry caps and overcoats were to be taken to the New Jersey side previously, and there put on, this arrangement serving as precaution against our disguise being seen within our lines by some possible rebel spy who might thereupon suspect our purpose and find means of preceding us to the enemy's camp.
Tom and I saw the English captain and Margaret take the road toward the town, whereupon we resumed our ride Northward. I could note the lad's relief at being able to account for his sister's secret meeting with Falconer by a reason other than he had feared.
”By George, though,” he broke out presently, ”'tis plaguey strange Margaret should grow so active in loyalty! I never knew her zeal to be very great for any cause of a public nature. 'Tisn't like her; rabbit me if it is!”
”Why,” quoth I, ”maybe it's for her own purposes, after all--the reward and the glory. You know the pleasure she takes in s.h.i.+ning.”
”Egad, that's true enough!” And Tom's face cleared again.
Alas, I knew better! Besides the motive I had mentioned, there had been another to stimulate her wits and industry--the one her words, overheard by me alone, had betrayed too surely--the desire of enriching and advancing Captain Falconer. Well, she was not the first woman, nor has been the last, scheming to pour wealth and honour into a man's lap, partly out of the mere joy of pleasing him, partly in hope of binding him by grat.i.tude, partly to make him seem in the world's eyes the worthier her devotion, and so to lessen her demerit if that devotion be unlawful.
”Poor Philip!” thought I. ”Poor Philip! And what will be the end of this?”
CHAPTER XI.
_Winwood Comes to See His Wife._
'T were scarce possible to exaggerate the eagerness with which Margaret looked forward to the execution of the great project. Her antic.i.p.ations, in the intensity and entirety with which they possessed her, equalled those with which she had formerly awaited the trip to England. She was now as oblivious of the festivities arising from the army's presence, as she had been of the town's tame pleasures on the former occasion. She showed, to us who had the key to her mind, a deeper abstraction, a more anxious impatience, a keener foretaste (in imagination) of the triumphs our success would bring her. Her favourable expectations, of course, seesawed with fears of failure; and sometimes there was preserved a balance that afflicted her with a most irritating uncertainty, revealed by petulant looks and tones. But by force of will, 'twas mainly in the hope of success that she pa.s.sed the few days between our meeting in the glade and the appointed Wednesday evening.
”Tut, sister,” warned Tom, with kind intention, ”don't raise yourself so high with hope, or you may fall as far with disappointment.”
”Never fear, Tom; we can't fail.”
”It looks all clear and easy, I allow,” said he; ”but there's many a slip, remember!”
”Not two such great slips to the same person,” she replied. ”I had my share of disappointment, when I couldn't go to London. This war, and my stars, owe me a good turn, dear.”
But when, at dusk on Wednesday evening, Tom and I took leave of her in the hall, she was trembling like a person with a chill. Her eyes glowed upon us beseechingly, as if she implored our Herculean endeavours in the attempt now to be made.
We had to speak softly to one another, lest Mr. Faringfield might hear and infer some particular enterprise--for we were not to hazard the slightest adverse chance. Captain Falconer had been away from his quarters all day, about the business of the night, and would not return till after its accomplishment. Thus we two were the last to be seen of her, of those bound to the adventure; and so to us were visible the feelings with which she regarded the setting forth of our whole company upon the project she had designed, for which she had laboriously laid preparations even in the enemy's camp, and from which she looked for a splendid future. Were it realised, she might defy Mr.
Faringfield and Philip: they would be n.o.bodies, in comparison with her: heroines belong to the whole world, and may have their choice of the world's rewards: they may go where they please, love whom they please, and no father nor husband may say them nay. Though I could not but be sad, for Philip's sake, at thought of what effect our success might have upon her, yet for the moment I seemed to view matters from her side, with her nature, and for that moment I felt that to disappoint her hopes would be a pity.
As for myself (and Tom was like me) my cause and duty, not Margaret's private ambitions, bade me strive my utmost in the business; and my youthful love of danger sent me forth with a most exquisite thrill, as into the riskiest, most exhilarating game a man can play. So I too trembled a little, but with an uplifting, strong-nerved excitement far different from the anxious tremor of suspense that tortured Margaret.
”For pity's sake, don't fail, boys!” she said, as if all rested upon us two. ”Think of me waiting at home for the news! Heaven, how slow the hours will pa.s.s! I sha'n't have a moment's rest of mind or body till I know!”
”You shall know as soon as we can get back to New York,” said I.
”Ay--if we are able to come back,” added Tom, with a queer smile.
She turned whiter, and new thoughts seemed to sweep into her mind. But she drove them back.
”Hush, Tom, we mustn't think of that!” she whispered. ”No, no, it can't come to that! But I shall be a thousand times the more anxious!
Good night!--that's all I shall say--good night and a speedy and safe return!”
She caught her brother's head between her hands, bestowed a fervent kiss upon his forehead, swiftly pressed my fingers, and opened the door for us.
We pa.s.sed out into the dark, frosty evening. There was snow on the ground but none in the air. We mounted our waiting horses, waved back a farewell to the white-faced, white-handed figure in the doorway; and started toward the ferry. Margaret was left alone with her fast-beating heart, to her ordeal of mingled elation and doubt, her dread of crus.h.i.+ng disappointment, her visions of glorious triumph.
At the ferry we reported to Captain Falconer, who was expeditiously sending each rider and horse aboard one of the waiting flat-boats as soon as each arrived. Thus was avoided the a.s.semblage, for any length of time, of a special body of hors.e.m.e.n in the streets--for not even the army, let alone the townspeople, should know more of our setting forth than could not be hid. The departure of those who were to embark from the town was managed with exceeding quietness and rapidity.