Part 11 (1/2)
”It's a shame! We repeatedly urge those families to stick, not to come off their creeks until they've laid by their corn and harvested their oats; and they are denied the simple means of defending their lives. Whether the Burgesses or the royal governor be at fault the fact remains that the settlers pay in blood and anguish.”
”If there is any powder at Williamsburg or Norfolk that I can lay hands to, it shall go over the mountains. At least the royal governor will prove his hands are clean,” solemnly declared His Excellency.
”I'll warrant that Pennsylvania has traded enough guns and powder to the Shawnee and Mingos,” moodily observed the colonel.
”There's too much talk in Williamsburg over peoples' rights, and not enough concern for peoples' lives,” declared His Excellency. ”It would be a good thing if the House of Burgesses could be locked up in a fort and made to repel an Indian attack.”
”Well, well,” sighed the colonel, ”we'll never lick the Ohio tribes with proclamations and empty hands.”
”By gad, sir! We'll whip them with powder and lead! I've set myself to the task of crus.h.i.+ng the Indian power. It shall be done!”
They settled back and signaled for me to resume my narrative. When I mentioned Crabtree and the other killers both the governor and the colonel expressed a wish that the Indians might catch them, or else scare them from the border. I closed my story by speaking of John Ward, the returned captive. The military instinct of both my hearers was instantly aroused; for here was a source of inside information our spies could not hope to provide.
”Find that man and send him here,” ordered the governor. ”But before you go tell us something of conditions about Fort Dunmore. You seem to have skipped that.”
This was what I had expected, and I did not relish the task. Had I been talking alone with Colonel Lewis it would have been the first topic I had touched upon.
”Your Excellency has Doctor Connolly's despatches. Doubtless they will give you much more than I can,” I faltered.
”There isn't any danger of your duplicating Doctor Connolly's information,” said His Excellency sharply.
”His Excellency desires to learn those odds and ends which wouldn't be included in an official report, but which may throw some light on the whole situation,” added the colonel, his gaze resting on me very insistently. And somehow I knew he wanted me to talk, and to speak plainly.
If I reported according to my sense of duty I feared I was in for an unpleasant experience with His Excellency. If I would ever receive any favors from him it would be because I kept my mouth shut and steered clear of dangerous ground. The situation at Pitt, however, had offended me; and now that I must speak I grew reckless and decided to speak frankly.
”Arthur St. Clair, representing the Pennsylvania proprietors, together with other eminent men in that colony, publicly declared that Your Excellency is in partners.h.i.+p with Doctor Connolly in various land-deals,”
I began.
”Doctor Connolly has acted as my agent, just as his uncle, Michael Croghan, has acted for Colonel George Was.h.i.+ngton,” easily remarked His Excellency.
”Croghan repudiates the acts of Connolly,” I said.
Dunmore frowned and spoke wide of the mark when he said:
”What St. Clair and his friends see fit to believe scarcely const.i.tutes facts. But go on.”
”They also say that this war with the Shawnees is being hurried on for the purpose of establis.h.i.+ng our boundary-claims and making good our t.i.tles to grants under Virginia patents.”
”Scarcely news. They've been howling that ever since last April,” growled Lewis.
”I've been absent some months. I have no way of knowing what you've heard, or haven't heard. I'm afraid I have nothing new in the way of facts or gossip,” I said, and my face flushed.
Governor Dunmore laughed softly and good-naturedly nodded for me to continue. I said:
”It is commonly believed in Pennsylvania that Connolly's circular letter to our frontier was meant to precipitate a war so that he might cover up the costs of rebuilding Fort Pitt. It is said on all sides that the commandant fears the House of Burgesses will repudiate his expenditures even after Your Excellency has endorsed them--providing there is no war.”
The governor's face colored, but his voice was quiet as he said:
”Connolly may be a fool in many things, but he is right about the House of Burgesses. There isn't any doubt as to their repudiating anything which looks like a benefit to our frontier.”
”Your Excellency, I can scarcely agree to that,” cut in Colonel Lewis. It was the second time their counter-views had struck out sparks.