Part 6 (2/2)

”'Ha! again here!' he exclaimed with astonishment; but she motioned him to be silent, and kneeling at his feet, presented him with a bouquet of flowers. Was.h.i.+ngton received it, and was about to place it in his breast, when she grasped him firmly by the arm, and pointing to it, said in a whisper '_Snake! Snake!_' and the next moment mingled with the company, who appeared to recognise and welcome her as one well-known and esteemed.

”Was.h.i.+ngton regarded the bouquet with wonder; her words and singular appearance had, however, sunk deeper into his heart, and looking closer upon the nosegay, to his surprise he saw a small piece of paper in the midst of the flowers. Hastily he drew it forth, and confounded and horror-stricken, read, '_Beware! you are betrayed_!' It was now apparent that he was within the den of the tiger; but to quit abruptly, might only draw the consummation of treachery the speedier upon his head. He resolved therefore that he would disguise his feelings, and trust to that Power which had never forsaken him. The festivities were again renewed, but almost momentarily interrupted by a second sound of the cannon. The guests now began to regard each other with distrust, while many and moody were the glances cast upon Rugsdale, whose countenance began to show symptoms of uneasiness, while ever and anon he looked from the window out upon the broad green lawn which extended to the river's edge, as if in expectation of some one's arrival.

”'What can detain them?' he muttered to himself. 'Can they have deceived me? Why answer they not the signal?' At that moment a bright flame rose from the river, illuminating, for a moment, the surrounding scenery, and showing a small boat filled with persons making rapidly towards the sh.o.r.e. 'All's well,' he continued; 'in three minutes I shall be the possessor of a coronet, and the cause of the Republic be no more.'

”Then gaily turning to Was.h.i.+ngton, he said, 'Come, General, pledge me to the success of your arms.' The eye of Rugsdale at that moment encountered the scrutinizing look of Was.h.i.+ngton, and sunk to the ground; his hand trembled violently, even to so great a degree as to partly spill the contents of the goblet. With difficulty he conveyed it to his lips--then retiring to the window, he waved his hand, which action was immediately responded to by a third sound of the cannon, at the same moment the English anthem of 'G.o.d save the King,' burst in full volume upon the ear, and a band of men attired in British uniform, with their faces hidden by masks, entered the apartment. The American officers drew their swords, but Was.h.i.+ngton, cool and collected, stood with his arms folded upon his breast, and quietly remarked to them, 'Be calm, gentlemen--this is an honour we did not antic.i.p.ate.' Then, turning to Rugsdale, he said, 'Speak, sir, what does this mean?'

”'It means,' replied the traitor, (placing his hand upon the shoulder of Was.h.i.+ngton,) 'that you are my prisoner. In the name of King George, I arrest you.'

”'Never,' exclaimed the General. 'We may be cut to pieces, but surrender we will not. Therefore give way,' and he waved his sword to the guard who stood with their muskets levelled, as ready to fire, should they attempt to escape. In an instant were their weapons reversed, and, dropping their masks, to the horror of Rugsdale, and the agreeable surprise of Was.h.i.+ngton, his own brave party, whom he had left in charge of the barge, stood revealed before him.

”'Seize that traitor!' exclaimed the commander. 'In ten minutes from this moment let him be a spectacle between the heavens and the earth.'

The wife and daughter clung to his knees in supplication, but an irrevocable oath had pa.s.sed his lips that never should treason receive his forgiveness after that of the miscreant Arnold. 'For my own life,'

he said, while tears rolled down his n.o.ble countenance at the agony of the wife and daughter: 'For my own life I heed not; but the liberty of my native land--the welfare of millions demand this sacrifice. For the sake of humanity, I pity him; but my oath is recorded, and now in the presence of Heaven, I swear I will not forgive him.'

”Like a thunderbolt fell these words upon the wife and daughter. They sank lifeless into the hands of the domestics, and when they had recovered to consciousness, Rugsdale had atoned for his treason by the sacrifice of his life.

”It appears that the Indian girl, who was an especial favourite and domesticated in the family, had overheard the intentions of Rugsdale to betray the American General, and other valuable officers, that evening, into the hands of the British, for which purpose they had been invited to this 'feast of Judas.' Hating, in her heart, the enemies of America, who had driven her tribe from their native forests, she resolved to frustrate the design, and consequently waylaid the steps of Was.h.i.+ngton, as we have described, but failing in her n.o.ble purpose, she had recourse to the party left in possession of the boat.

”Scarcely had she given the information, and night closed round, when a company of British soldiers were discovered making their way rapidly towards the banks of the Hudson, within a short distance of the spot where the American party was waiting the return of their commander. Bold in the cause of liberty, and knowing that immediate action alone could preserve him, they rushed upon and overpowered them, bound them hand and foot, placed them with their companions, and sent them to the American camp at West Point. Having disguised themselves in the habiliments of the enemy, they proceeded to the house of Rugsdale, where, at the appointed time and sign made known by the Indian, they opportunely arrived to the relief of Was.h.i.+ngton, and the confusion of the traitor.”

”Who told you that story?” enquired Kinnison.

”An old friend of mine, named Buckram; he was one of the men who disguised themselves,” replied Colson.

”I'm inclined to believe it's a tough yarn,” said Kinnison. ”It's true enough to the character of Was.h.i.+ngton. He never let his feelings swerve him from the strict line of duty. But all that stuff about the Indian girl is somebody's invention, or the most extraordinary thing of the kind I've heard tell of. I don't doubt your friend's veracity, but it's a tough yarn.”

”Probable enough,” remarked Hand.

”It's a very pretty story,” said Ransom, ”and I'm inclined to swallow it as truth.”

”I'm satisfied of its truth,” said Colson. ”But I wouldn't ask any of you to believe it, if there's anything in it staggers you.”

”I think Rugsdale was served as all such traitors in such times should be served,” said Hanson. ”Hurra! for Gineral Was.h.i.+ngton.”

”Three cheers for General Was.h.i.+ngton!” suggested Hand, and the three cheers were given. A song was called for by several voices, and a young man volunteered to favour the company with ”Liberty and Was.h.i.+ngton,” the song which follows:--

When Freedom, from her starry home, Look'd down upon the drooping world, She saw a land of fairy bloom, Where Ocean's sparkling billows curl'd; The sunbeams kiss'd its mighty floods, And verdure clad its boundless plains-- But floods and fields and leafy woods, All wore alike a despot's chains!

”Be free!” she cried, ”land of my choice; Arise! and put thy buckler on; Let every patriot raise his voice For Liberty and Was.h.i.+ngton!”

The word went forth from hill to vale, Each patriot heart leapt at the sound; Proud Freedom's banner flapp'd the gale, And Britain's chains fell to the ground.

Man stood erect in majesty, The proud defender of his rights: For where is he would not be free From stern oppression's deadening blights!

<script>