Part 21 (1/2)
”She's as sound as a dollar,” he p.r.o.nounced admiringly. ”Don't often see such a specimen of perfect health as the Madam. Nerves? Not likely.
Probably over-fatigue--she does the work of ten men. Let me see, how old is she? Nearly forty--humph! Looks twenty-five. Make her take a rest.
She'll be all right.”
But rest, inactivity, was the one thing Kate would not allow herself.
She dared not. She threw herself heart and soul into the business of her estate, and tried to feel the same interest, the same sense of large accomplishment, that had buoyed her up through so many years of loneliness.
On the Monday after Mag's child was christened, it happened that she was due to appear at a fair in an adjoining county, where she was exhibiting shorthorn cattle. But before she left, she did not forget to send a peremptory message to the man Henderson.
During her not infrequent absences from home, she had no uneasiness about her daughters, amply protected as they were by the numerous servants in the quarters back of the ”great house,” to say nothing of the small army of dogs which fattened upon her bounty. The housewoman who had been with her for years slept on such occasions on a pallet outside the girls' door, and Big Liza, the cook, also took up a position in the house, lying across the stairs in the great hall, whence her ma.s.sive snores would have deterred the most reckless of marauders from entering.
But it chanced that this particular Monday was the occasion of the annual colored picnic in the village, held under the auspices of the Ladies of the Evening Star, of which organization both the housewoman and Big Liza were officials. So from dusk until midnight the young ladies were to be left in the charge of no one but Lige, the stable-boy who had once figured as butler, to whose unhappy lot this honor had fallen because of his known slave-like devotion to Jacqueline. Every other member of the domestic force was off rejoicing with the Ladies of the Evening Star.
This youth was making the rounds of the house with one of the Madam's pistols in his belt, taking some comfort in the dramatization of his unlucky role, when breathless yells were heard approaching, and a small Ethiopian made his appearance over the back fence, yelling for help and the Madam in the same breath.
”The Madam's done gone away fum heah, an' lef me in charge,” said Lige, grandly. ”Whut kin I do fer you, young chile?”
A window opened in the house. ”What's the matter, Lige? What's Caesar Jackson yelling that way for?” demanded Jacqueline, who knew by name every creature, on two legs or four, in the county.
”Hit's de Riders!” gasped Caesar Jackson. ”De Riders is comin'!”
”Here? Nonsense! Why should Night Riders come to Storm? They wouldn't dare!” But she thought suddenly of Mag Henderson, and her jaw set.
”I yeared 'em, Miss Jacky! I hid behine a tree an' seed 'em pa.s.s with dey false-faces on!” The little negro s.h.i.+vered with that superst.i.tious awe which had made the Ku-Klux Klan possible. ”Dey 'lowed dey was a-gwine ter git old man Henderson.”
Jacqueline gave a quick breath of relief. ”Then they're too late. He has gone. Mother sent him word to leave the cabin last night. They won't find him.”
”Yes'm, dey will, kase I seed 'im! I snuck erlong 'cross de fiel', an'
dey was a light in de winder, an' I calls out, 'Run lak de debbil, kase de Riders is on dey way!' But he can't do it, run--he's too drunk. An'
he say, 'Go an' git de Madam. Fo' G.o.d's sake git de Madam!' So I run, an' I run, an' I yells fit to bust myse'f--”
”You certainly did, Caesar Jackson,” said Jacqueline, patting his head.
”You couldn't have yelled better if you had been a white boy. The Madam shall hear of this. She likes people who keep their wits about them.--What must we do, Jemmy?” The older girl had followed her out. ”Do you suppose they mean Henderson any real harm?”
There was a sobbing cry from Mag behind them. ”They'll kill him, that's what they'll do! Oh, pore Pappy! They'll beat him up, an' it'll kill him, he's so puny. Oh, my Gawd! Cain't n.o.body stop 'em? They'll _kill_ my Pappy!”
The two girls exchanged startled glances.
”What ef dey does? Nuffin but po' w'ite trash nohow,” murmured Lige scornfully. He knew what he knew.
Jemima hushed him, sternly. ”Poor white or not, we can't have tenants on our property murdered. I'll get help!” She started for the telephone.
”No time for that. They must be at the cabin already. We are the only neighbors, Jemmy. It's up to us. I wonder what mother would do if she were here?”
Even as she spoke she was running toward the stable. She knew that at least her mother would not be standing idle.
Mag cried after her, ”Miss Jacky, whar you goin'? Don't you try it, honey, don't you! How could you stop 'em all by yourself? They might whip you, too, ef you was to make 'em mad.”
”Whip me? _Whip me?_” Jacqueline threw up her head and laughed. Her purpose had not been clear in her mind, but Mag's plea settled it.