Part 6 (1/2)

”It must lie somewhere betwixt us and Canada,” said Harkness vaguely.

”Does not Sir Henry know?”

”He said he did not,” replied Sir Peter, ”and he sent out a scout for information. No information has arrived. Is it an Iroquois word, Carus?”

”I think it is of Lenape origin,” I said--”perhaps modified by the Mohawk tongue. I know it is not pure Oneida.”

Harkness glanced at me curiously. ”You'd make a rare scout,” he said, ”with your knowledge of the barbarians.”

”The wonder is,” observed Sir Peter, ”that he is not a scout on the other side. If my home had been burned by the McDonalds and the Butlers, I'm d.a.m.ned if I should forget which side did it!”

”If I took service with the rebels,” said I, ”it would not be because of personal loss. Nor would that same private misfortune deter me from serving King George. The men who burned my home represent no great cause. When I have leisure I can satisfy personal quarrels.”

”Lord!” laughed Sir Peter, ”to hear you bewail your lack of leisure one might think you are now occupied with one cause or t'other. Pray, my dear Carus, when do you expect to find time to call out these enemies of yours?”

”You wouldn't have me deprive the King of Walter Butler's services, would you?” I asked so gravely that everybody laughed, and we rose in good humor to join the ladies in the drawing-rooms.

Sir Peter's house on Wall Street had been English built, yet bore certain traces of the old Dutch influence, for it had a stoop leading to the front door, and the roof was Dutch, save for the cupola; a fine wide house, the facade a little scorched from the conflagration of '78 which had ruined Trinity Church and the Lutheran, and many fine buildings and homes.

The house was divided by a wide hallway, on either side of which were drawing-rooms, and in the rear of these was a dining-room giving on a conservatory which overlooked the gardens. The ground floor served as a servant's hall, with a door at the area and another in the rear leading out through the garden-drive to the stables.

The floor above the drawing-rooms had been divided into two suites, one in gold leather and blue for Sir Peter and his lady, the other in crimson damask for guests. The third floor, mine, was similarly divided, I occupying the Wall Street side, with windows on that fas.h.i.+onable street and also on Broadway.

Thus it happened that, instead of entering the south drawing-room where I saw the ladies at the card-table playing Pharaoh, I turned to the right and crossed the north, or ”state drawing-room,” and parted the curtains, looking across Broadway to see if I might spy my friend the drover and his withered little mate. No doubt prudence and a dislike for the patrol kept them off Broadway at that hour, for I could not see them, although a few street lamps were lit and I could make out wayfarers as far north as Crown Street.

Standing there in the dimly lighted room, my nose between the parted curtains, I heard my name p.r.o.nounced very gently behind me, and, turning, beheld Miss Grey, half lying on a sofa in a distant corner. I had not seen her when I entered, my back being turned to the east, and I said so, asking pardon for an unintentional rudeness--which she pardoned with a smile, slowly waving her scented fan.

”I am a little tired,” she said; ”the voyage from Halifax was rough, and I have small love for the sea, so, Lady Coleville permitting, I came in here to rest from the voices and the glare of too bright candle-light. Pray you be seated, Mr. Renault--if it does not displease you. What were you looking for from the window yonder?”

”Treason,” I said gaily. ”But the patrol should be able to see to that.

May I sit here a moment?”

”Willingly; I like men.”

Innocence or coquetry, I was clean checked. Her white eyelids languidly closing over the pure eyes of a child gave me no clue.

”All men?” I inquired.

”How silly! No, very few men. But that is because I only know a few.”

”And may I dare to hope that--” I began in stilted gallantry, cut short by her opening eyes and smile. ”Of course I like you, Mr. Renault. Can you not see that? It's a pity if you can not, as all the others tease me so about you. Do you like me?”

”Very, _very_ much,” I replied, conscious of that accursed color burning my face again; conscious, too, that she noted it with calm curiosity.

”Very, _very_ much,” she repeated, musing. ”Is that why you blush so often, Mr. Renault--because you like me very, _very_ much?”

Exasperated, I strove to smile. I couldn't; and dignity would not serve me, either.

”If I loved you,” said I, ”I might change color when you spoke.

Therefore my malady must arise from other causes--say from Sir Peter's wine, for instance.”