Part 52 (1/2)
Mrs. Arnold was a handsome, vivacious, blonde young woman of thirty.
The officer speaks in a letter of her lively talk and winning smiles and splendid figure, well fitted with a costume that reminded him of the court ladies in France.
”What a contrast to the worn, patched uniforms to be seen in that camp!” he added.
Soon after the dinner began, Mrs. Arnold said to the young man, ”We have heard of your romance. Colonel and Mrs. Hare and their young daughter spent a week in our home in Philadelphia on their first trip to the colonies. Later Mrs. Hare wrote to my mother of their terrible adventure in the great north bush and spoke of Margaret's attachment for the handsome boy who had helped to rescue them, so I have some right to my interest in you.”
”And therefor I thank you and congratulate myself,” said the young man.
”It is a little world after all.”
”And your story has been big enough to fill it,” she went on. ”The ladies in Philadelphia seem to know all its details. We knew only how it began. They have told us of the thrilling duel and how the young lovers were separated by the war and how you were sent out of England.”
”You astonish me,” said the officer. ”I did not imagine that my humble affairs would interest any one but myself and my family. I suppose that Doctor Franklin must have been talking about them. The dear old soul is the only outsider who knows the facts.”
”And if he had kept them to himself he would have been the most inhuman wretch in the world,” said Mrs. Arnold. ”Women have their rights.
They need something better to talk about than Acts of Parliament and taxes and war campaigns. I thank G.o.d that no man can keep such a story to himself. He has to have some one to help him enjoy it. A good love-story is like murder. It will out.”
”It has caused me a lot of misery and a lot of happiness,” said the young man.
”I long to see the end of it,” the woman went on. ”I happen to know a detail in your story which may be new to you. Miss Hare is now in New York.”
”In New York!”
”Oddso! In New York! We heard in Philadelphia that she and her mother had sailed with Sir Roger Waite in March. How jolly it would be if the General and I could bring you together and have a wedding at headquarters!”
”I could think of no greater happiness save that of seeing the end of the war,” Jack answered.
”The war! That is a little matter. I want to see a proper end to this love-story.”
She laughed and ran to the spinnet and sang _Shepherds, I Have Lost My Love_.
The General would seem to have been in bad spirits. He had spoken not half a dozen words. To him the talk of the others had been as spilled water. Jack has described him as a man of ”unstable temperament.”
The young man's visit was interrupted by Solomon who came to tell him that he was needed in the matter of a quarrel between some of the new recruits.
Jack and Solomon exercised unusual care in guarding the camp and organizing for defense in case of attack. It was soon after Was.h.i.+ngton's departure that Arnold went away on the road to the south.
Solomon followed keeping out of his field of vision. The General returned two days later. Solomon came into Jack's hut about midnight of the day of Arnold's return with important news.
Jack was at his desk studying a map of the Highlands. The camp was at rest. The candle in Jack's hut was the only sign of life around headquarters when Solomon, having put out his horse, came to talk with his young friend. He stepped close to the desk, swallowed nervously and began his whispered report.
”Suthin' neevarious be goin' on,” he began. ”A British s.h.i.+p were lyin'
nigh the mouth o' the Croton River. Arnold went aboard. An' officer got into his boat with him an' they pulled over to the west sh.o.r.e and went into the bush. Stayed thar till mos' night. If 'twere honest business, why did they go off in the bush alone fer a talk?”
Jack shook his head.
”Soon as I seen that I went to one o' our batteries an' tol' the Cap'n what were on my mind.
”'d.a.m.n the ol' British tub. We'll make 'er back up a little,' sez he.
'She's too clus anyhow.'