University of Virginia Library

42. CHAPTER XLII.
A VISIT TO A DESPERATE BRIGAND.

It was not until Hadley entered the room of the condemned
man, and the key was turned upon them alone, that the latter suspected
who his visitor was, and what was the nature of his errand.

It was a strange, sad meeting between two young and educated
men, of refined minds and manners, whose ages were nearly
equal, whose natural graces of person were not dissimilar, but whose
present condition and prospects were, alas! how widely, how
fearfully diverse! If Hadley had been so deeply interested in the
fate of his companion before seeing him, how much was that interest
enhanced by his first glance at the pale, intellectual features
of the imprisoned youth, whose clanking chains, as he rose gracefully
to return the salutation of his visitor, proclaimed the whole
sad story of his fate.

Hadley advanced unhesitatingly, and offered his hand, saying,
with his kindest smile,

“We shall need no introduction, I believe, Mr. Vrail; you have
been informed both of my name, and of my object in calling to
see you.”

“I have certainly heard the whole story of your extraordinary
kindness, if, as I cannot doubt, your name is”—

Harry paused with instinctive caution. He dared not supply
the name, lest he might be mistaken in his visitor. The sentence
was, however, finished by his companion.

“Edward Hadley B—. You have heard it from one who
has your welfare deeply at heart, and whose distress has enlisted
my services for you.”

“She is an angel,” exclaimed Harry, enthusiastically, “and if
it were only for the few days more of hope which your aid and
efforts must give her, I shall thank you with my latest breath.”

“I hope to render you more efficient service than that,” replied
Hadley, smiling; “indeed, I may say, I feel confident of so doing,
if Miss Van Kleeck succeeds in her part of the undertaking.”

“But I cannot understand how a few, or many men are to obtain
access to me, even if they should obtain peaceable entrance
into the main building. There will still be two doors to be forced,
and that in the presence of several guards.”

“I do not intend they shall undertake any such miracles. This
room, I think, will afford better facilities for your rescue, and I
have already taken the initiatory step in my scheme, by having
you brought here to-night.”

“But I shall not be allowed to remain in this apartment.”

“Certainly not. Yet you will be brought here again to meet
me, and again, if my present designs succeed, when I shall not be
here, and when your friends, concealed about the building, shall
have an opportunity to rush in and bear you off, chained as you
are. This door, if necessary, must be quickly forced. Used thus
only for a temporary purpose, it is but singly locked, and these
heavy bolts, as you see, are not turned.

“But the outer door?”

“Will be opened to give exit to one who is to visit you here.
That is the critical moment which must be seized by those outside,
and on that everything depends. Remember, too, at that particular
instant the door of this room will probably be unlocked, as
they will be in the act of removing you to your cell. If otherwise,
it must, as I said, be forced, or the turnkeys must be overpowered,
though of course not harmed, and their keys taken from

them. These at least, are the chances on which we must calculate.
Everything, of course, is liable to be defeated by unforeseen
events, but I have not the least doubt,” added the young man,
with flashing eyes, which spoke his delight in daring deeds, “that
I could accomplish this successfully, with three strong followers,
and one able coadjutor inside. But, of course, I cannot compromise
myself so far; indeed, it is even my intention, to be out of
the city on the evening when the rescue takes place.”

“Or is attempted,” added Vrail, sadly.

“I cannot look upon it as a failure,” was the reply; “and I
should be deeply chagrined and grieved at such a result.”

The pretext, under which Hadley intended to introduce a confederate
into the prisoner's room, he did not disclose to the latter,
for he had been warned by Gertrude that, however readily Vrail
might consent to, or take part in a forcible rescue, he would
perhaps refuse, in the solemn prospect of death, to be a party to
any scheme of deception. Gertrude's own scruples on this point
had not been light, but uncertain of her duty, she had not dared
to jeopard the momentous interests at stake, by urging objections
which she thought might be misplaced, and which her gay confederate
laughed at as the merest puerilities.

An assumed lawyer, from “the States,” was to be the prisoner's
visitor, for the pretended purpose of drawing the will of the doomed
man, who had the reputation of wealth, owing to the large sums
of money which had been expended on his defence. This story
Hadley believed would excite no suspicion, and he had decided
upon it as the best of many schemes which he had contemplated.

“It will be painful to me,” said Vrail, after a pause, “to be
compelled to be an inactive witness of the struggle which must
take place, as I can do nothing with my limbs thus hampered.
If your interest could release me from these chains, I am sure I
should be equal to any two opponents in a contest in which my
life was at stake.”

“I expected this suggestion from you, but I have already decided,
after the most mature deliberation, against attempting it
for two reasons. One of them is the very great danger of exciting
suspicion of our plan, and thus defeating all hope of success, and
the other is purely selfish and personal with me. It would almost
convict me of being an accomplice in your escape, of which
I shall be tolerably sure to be suspected at the best.”

“Doubtless you are right. I must be content to be an idle spectator
of my own rescue, or to do what little my bonds will permit.”

“You will find enough to do in exercising a vigilant supervision
of the scene, when the critical moment arrives, so as to
take instant advantage of every favorable contingency. Accident,
or what we call so, often favors the best laid schemes more than
all the wisdom that is bestowed upon them, and, I need not say,
it sometimes frustrates them. Your business will be to watch.”

“This attempt must of course take place in the evening?”

“Of course, and at as late an hour as practicable. Your visitor
will come in the evening, but not late, lest he should be refused
admittance; and he must remain with you here, probably until as
late an hour as nine o'clock.”

“If anything should occur to require more precipitate action?”

“Of course you will be guided by circumstances, your friends
outside being warned to be ready at any moment, yet patient
enough to wait quietly as long as may become necessary. They
must be prepared too for an instant alarm and pursuit when the
rescue is achieved. A stout carriage and fleet horses, with frequent
relays, must serve them until they gain a safe place to embark.”'

“Should we not instantly seek the river at the nearest point?”

“Certainly not; your boats must be at some distance from the
city, for the whole town will be aroused by the tumult and
the chase, and it will only be when you have fairly distanced
both the pursuit and the clamor, that you can safely leave your carriage.
Any attempt to do so within the city, where an enemy

might spring up at any point, would be dangerous in the extreme.
If your embarkation were not altogether prevented, your boats
would be fired into, and your lives endangered.”

“I see that you have fully digested your plan, and that it cannot
be amended by me. All these details I suppose you will
communicate to Gertrude, or possibly, to the man who becomes the
leader of this forlorn hope.”

I shall confer with the leader of the rescuing party, if possible,
but it must be under such circumstances of disguise or darkness
as shall preclude all possibility of his recognition of me, if we
should ever meet again. I trust my secret confidently to you and
your fair friend, but to no more.”

“Honor and gratitude will alike bind us to eternal secrecy,
unless your own consent should at some future time permit us to
name our benefactor.”

“A not improbable contingency; for, if our scheme succeeds, I
feel assured the time will come when I shall make open boast of
what I do now under a cloud.”

“I regret that you deem it necessary to leave the city before
the attempt is made. I fear something may occur when the
influence of your presence is wanting, to prevent our obtaining
the full benefit of the privileges you are to bespeak for us.”

“I am not decided to go. I will think further of it; but, if
in the city, I must be at a distance from you, and where I could
be of no service in an emergency. Indeed, if I were at hand, I
could do little to remedy a misstep.”

The young men conversed at considerable length, and it was
not until the jailer had twice unlocked the door and looked in
upon the colloquists, that Hadley relieved his impatience by rising
to depart.

“I have learned a good deal from this man,” he said to the
officer, as he went out, “and it is possible that I shall wish to converse
with him again.”

“Certainly, sir, at any time before next Friday. We can't
make any engagements for him later than that, you know,”
replied the keeper, with a grim smile.

“Of course—of course; I shall probably find leisure to see
him before that day.”

“Or, if you should not, you may find others here who are
equally able to give you the information you may wish.”

“Very true. Then, as to this Mr. Vrail, if that is his name, he
wants a favor of you, which I presume you will be quite willing
to grant. Indeed, you may find it greatly to your interest to
oblige him, as he is reputed to be a man of great wealth.”

“Certainly, sir; if it is anything proper, I shall be very glad.”

“Oh, he only wants to make his will; and he expects a lawyer
here from the States to draw it for him. Perhaps he may leave
you a valuable legacy for your civility.”

“Oh, indeed! I am sure I should be very glad to do anything
for the unfortunate man, but it is not much that I can do. He has
no appetite, though we send him daily meals that are fit for—for
a lord, sir. Three-fourths of the dishes come back untouched, sir.”

The jailer omitted to mention that this choice fare was trebly
paid for by his involuntary guest.

“When his counsel comes,” continued Hadley, “he will, of
course, want to see him alone, and perhaps for several hours.
This room, which I have just left, will suit their purpose, and if it
will not be disturbing your family too much to give up possession
of it, I suppose you will allow them to occupy it.”

“Oh, certainly, sir; they shall have it, and be quite welcome.
I will just station a turnkey or two in the hall here, sir, as I have
to-night. You know that is proper, sir, if it is only for form's
sake.”

And with many obsequious bows, the warder waited upon the
young gentleman to the door, and expressed his sense of the high
honor which his visit had conferred upon him.