Part 3 (1/2)
”You musn't mind her peculiarities; she is a good woman, and then, you know, she is my friend.”
”Well, _that_ makes a good deal of difference--that's a fact,” remarked Golcher, with such a grotesque attempt to look arch and loving, that the watchful African, instead of firing upon him as he had meant to do, smiled.
”I'm afeard he don't feel berry well; he'll feel a good deal worse if Aunt Peggy or me gets hold of him.”
”And then,” added Golcher, glancing at Gravity, ”_you_ heard the impudence of that servant.”
”Because he is a servant you ought to excuse him; I should feel very sorry to have him suffer harm.”
”I don't mind taking particular care of _you_ and your little sister there, but I would prefer to leave Aunt Peggy, as you call her, and the darkey to s.h.i.+ft for themselves.”
”Then I do not want you to do anything for Eva and me,” said Maggie, resolutely, feeling that she was throwing away invaluable time by holding converse with this man; ”G.o.d has been better to us than we deserve, and we shall leave all with him.”
She turned to move off, much to the relief of Aunt Peggy, who had hard work to hide her impatience, when Golcher saw that he had gone too far.
Catching her arm, he said:
”Don't be so fast; where will you go, if you don't go with me?”
”Gravity is our guide.”
”I haven't told you I wouldn't take care of you, have I?”
”But if you are unwilling to include _all_ of us, I do not want your friends.h.i.+p.”
”Then for the sake of _you_ I will save you _all_, though n.o.body beside me would do so; but, Maggie, I'll expect a little better treatment from you when I come to your house again.”
At this point Golcher saw that the patience of the young lady was exhausted. Her companions were ready to chide her for halting to speak to him, though the words that pa.s.sed took but a few minutes. He reached out his hand to lay it on her arm, but she drew back.
”Maggie,” said he, warningly; ”when I came down the river bank, I left six Seneca warriors among the trees back there; they are tired waiting for me; their guns are loaded, and I have only to raise my hand over my head to have 'em fire every one of 'em; if they do it, they will all be _pointed this way_.”
Maggie Brainerd was sure the Tory spoke the truth.
”You will not do that, Jake, I am sure.”
”Not if you act right; follow me.”
Maggie reached out her hand as an invitation for Eva to come to her; but Aunt Peggy grasped one of the little palms in her own, for she had overheard the invitation. When Maggie looked around, her aunt compressed her thin lips and shook her head in a most decided fas.h.i.+on.
”_No, ma'am_; Eva stays here: if you want to go off with that scamp you can do so, but the rest of us _don't_.”
”But, aunt, what shall we do? There's no escape for us unless we put ourselves in his care; Jake has promised to see that no harm befalls us from the Indians.”
”Ugh!” exclaimed the aunt, with a shudder of disgust: ”I'd rather trust myself with the worst Indians that are now in the valley than with _him_.”
”Them's my sentiments,” broke in Gravity; ”we don't want to fool away any more time with _him_.”
”Then you'll take the consequences,” said the Tory, trembling with anger. ”I offered to protect you and you refused to have me; I'll still take care of Maggie and Eva, but as for you others, you shall see--”