 | CHAPTER VI. The wept of Wish-ton-Wish |  |
6. CHAPTER VI.
“But, by your leave,
I am an officer of state, and come
To speak with—”
Coriolanus.
Notwithstanding the sharp look which the Messenger
of the Crown deliberately and now openly
fastened on the master of Wish-Ton-Wish, while
the latter was reading the instrument that was
placed before his eyes, there was no evidence of
uneasiness to be detected in the unmoved features
of the latter. Mark Heathcote had too long schooled
his passions, to suffer an unseemly manifestation
of surprise to escape him; and he was by nature a
man of far too much nerve, to betray alarm at any
trifling exhibition of danger. Returning the parchment
to his son—
“We must open wide the doors of Wish-Ton-Wish.
Here is one charged with authority to look
into the secrets of all the dwellings of the colony.”
Then, turning with dignity to the agent of the
Crown, he added, “Thou hadst better commence
thy duty in season, for we are many and occupy
much space.”
The face of the stranger flushed a little, it might
have been with shame for the vocation in which he
had come so far, or it might have been in resentment
at so direct a hint that the sooner his disagreeable
office should be ended, the better it would
please his host. Still, he betrayed no intention of
shrinking from its performance. On the contrary,
discarding somewhat of that subdued manner which
he had probably thought it politic to assume, while
sounding the opinions of one so rigid, he broke out
rather suddenly in the exhibition of a humor somewhat
better suited to the tastes of him he served.
“Come then,” he cried, winking at his companions,
“since doors are opened, it would speak ill of
our breeding should we refuse to enter. Captain
Heathcote has been a soldier, and he knows how to
excuse a traveller's freedom. Surely one who has
tasted of the pleasures of the camp, must weary at
times of this sylvan life!”
“The stedfast in faith weary not, though the road
be long and the wayfaring grievous.”
“Hum—'tis pity that the journeying between
merry England and these Colonies is not more brisk.
I do not presume to instruct a gentleman who is
my senior, and peradventure my better; but opportunity
is everything in a man's fortunes. It were
charity to let you know, worthy sir, that opinions
have changed at home: it is full a twelvemonth
since I have heard a line of the Psalms, or a verse
who are at all esteemed for their discretion.”
“This change in the fashion of speech may better
suit thy earthly than thy heavenly master,” said
Mark Heathcote, sternly.
“Well, well, that peace may exist between us,
we will not bandy words about a text more or less,
if we may escape the sermon,” rejoined the stranger,
no longer affecting restraint, but laughing with
sufficient freedom at his own conceit; a species of
enjoyment in which his companions mingled with
great good-will, and without much deference to the
humor of those under whose roof they found themselves.
A small glowing spot appeared on the pale cheek
of the Puritan, and disappeared again, like some
transient deception produced by the play of light.
Even the meek eye of Content kindled at the insult;
but, like his father, the practice of self-denial,
and a never-slumbering consciousness of his own
imperfections, smothered the momentary exhibition
of displeasure.
“If thou hast authority to look into the secret
places of our habitations, do thy office,” he said,
with a peculiarity of tone which served to remind
the other, that though he bore the commission of
the Stuart, he was in an extremity of his Empire,
where even the authority of a King lost some of
its value.
Affecting to be, and possibly in reality conscious
of his indiscretion, the stranger hastily disposed
himself to the execution of his duty.
“It would be a great and a pain-saving movement,”
he said, “were we to assemble the household
in one apartment. The government at home
would be glad to hear something of the quality of
its lieges in this distant quarter. Thou hast doubtless
a bell to summon the flock at stated periods.”
“Our people are yet near the dwelling,” returned
Content: “if it be thy pleasure, none shall be
absent from the search.”
Gathering from the eye of the other that he was
serious in this wish, the quiet Colonist proceeded to
the gate, and, placing a shell to his mouth, blew
one of those blasts that are so often heard in the
forests summoning families to their homes, and which
are alike used as the signals of peaceful recall, or
of alarm. The sound soon brought all within hearing
to the court, whither the Puritan and his unpleasant
guests now repaired as to the spot best
suited to the purposes of the latter.
“Hallam,” said the principal personage of the
four visiters, addressing him who might once have
been, if he were not still, some subaltern in the
forces of the Crown, for he was attired in a manner
that bespoke him but a half-disguised dragoon, “I
leave thee to entertain this goodly assemblage.
Thou mayst pass the time in discoursing on the
vanities of the world, of which I believe few are
better qualified to speak understandingly than thyself,
or a few words of admonition to hold fast to
the faith would come with fitting weight from thy
lips. But look to it, that none of thy flock wander;
for here must every creature of them remain, stationary
as the indiscreet partner of Lot, till I have
cast an eye into all the cunning places of their
abode. So set wit at work, and show thy breeding
as an entertainer.”
After this irreverent charge to his subordinate,
the speaker signified to Content and his father, that
he and his remaining attendant would proceed to a
more minute examination of the premises.
When Mark Heathcote saw that the man who
had so rudely broken in upon the peaceful habits
of his family was ready to proceed, he advanced
steadily in his front, like one who boldly invited inquiry,
The stranger, perhaps as much from habit as from
any settled design, first cast a free glance around
at the bevy of fluttered maidens, leered even upon
the modest and meek-eyed Ruth herself, and then
took the direction indicated by him who had so unhesitatingly
assumed the office of a guide.
The object of this examination still remained a
secret between those who made it, and the Puritan,
who had probably found its motive in the written
warranty which had been submitted to his inspection.
That it proceeded from fitting authority, none
might doubt; and that it was in some manner connected
with the events that were known to have
wrought so sudden and so great a change in the
government of the mother country, all believed
probable. Notwithstanding the seeming mystery
of the procedure, the search was not the less rigid.
Few habitations of any size or pretension were
erected in those times, which did not contain certain
secret places, where valuables and even persons
might be concealed, at need. The strangers
displayed great familiarity with the nature and ordinary
positions of these private recesses. Not a
chest, a closet, or even a drawer of size, escaped
their vigilance; nor was there a plank that sounded
hollow, but the master of the valley was called on
to explain the cause. In one or two instances,
boards were wrested violently from their fastenings,
and the cavities beneath were explored, with
a wariness that increased as the investigation proceeded
without success.
The strangers appeared irritated by their failure.
An hour passed in the keenest scrutiny, and nothing
had transpired which brought them any nearer to
their object. That they had commenced the search
with more than usually confident anticipations of a
favorable result, might have been gathered from
pointed personal allusions in which, from time to
time, he indulged, often too freely, and always at
some expense to the loyalty of the Heathcotes. But
when he had completed the circuit of the buildings,
having entered all parts from their cellars to the
garrets, his spleen became so strong as, in some degree,
to get the better of a certain parade of discretion,
which he had hitherto managed to maintain
in the midst of all his levity.
“Hast seen nothing, Mr. Hallam?” he demanded
of the individual left on watch, as they crossed the
court in retiring from the last of the out-buildings;
“or have those traces which led us to this distant
settlement proved false? Captain Heathcote, you
have seen that we come not without sufficient warranty,
and it is in my power to say we come not
without sufficient—”
Checking himself as if about to utter more than
was prudent, he suddently cast an eye on the block-house,
and demanded its uses.
“It is, as thou seest, a building erected for the
purposes of defence,” replied Mark; “one to which,
in the event of an inroad of the savages, the family
may fly for refuge.”
“Ah! these citadels are not unknown to me. I
have met with others during my journey, but none
so formidable or so military as this. It hath a soldier
for its governor, and should hold out for a reasonable
siege. Being a place of pretension, we will look
closer into its mystery.”
He then signified an intention to close the search
by an examination of this edifice. Content unhesitatingly
threw open its door, and invited him to
enter.
“On the word of one who, though now engaged
in a more peaceful calling, has been a campaigner
in his time, 'twould be no child's-play to carry this
of our approach, Captain Heathcote, the entrance
might have been more difficult than we now find it.
We have a ladder, here! Where the means of mounting
are found, there must be something to tempt one
to ascend. I will taste your forest air from an upper
room.”
“You will find the apartment above, like this below,
merely provided for the security of the unoffending
dwellers of the habitations,” said Content;
while he quietly arranged the ladder before the
trap, and then led the way himself to the floor
above.
“Here have we loops for the musketoons,” cried
the stranger, looking about him, understandingly,
“and reasonable defences against shot. Thou hast
not forgotten thy art, Captain Heathcote, and I consider
myself fortunate in having entered thy fortress
by surprise, or I should rather say, in amity, since
the peace is not yet broken between us. But why
have we so much of household gear in a place so
evidently equipped for war?”
“Thou forgettest that women and children may
be driven to this block for a residence,” replied Content.
“It would show little discretion to neglect
matters that might be useful to their wants.”
“Is there trouble with the savages?” demanded
the stranger, a little quickly; “the gossips of the
Colony bade us fear nothing on that head.”
“One cannot say at what hour creatures trained
in their wild natures may choose to rise. The dwellers
on the borders therefore never neglect a fitting
caution.”
“Hist!” interrupted the stranger; “I hear a
footstep above. Ha! the scent will prove true at
last! Hilloa, Master Hallam!” he cried from one of
the loops, “let thy statues of salt dissolve, and come
hither to the tower. Here is work for a regiment;
deal with.”
The sentinel in the court shouted to his companion
in the stables, and then, openly and boisterously
exulting in the prospects of a final success to a
search which had hitherto given them useless employment
throughout many a long day and weary
ride, they rushed together to the block-house.
“Now, worthy lieges of a gracious master,” said
the leader, when he perceived himself backed by
all his armed followers, and speaking with the air
of a man flushed with success, “now quickly provide
the means of mounting to the upper story. I
have thrice heard the tread of man, moving across
that floor; though it hath been light and wary, the
planks are tell-tales, and have not had their schooling.”
Content heard the request, which was uttered
sufficiently in the manner of an order, perfectly
unmoved. Without betraying either hesitation or
concern, he disposed himself to comply. Drawing
the light ladder through the trap below, he placed
it against the one above him, and ascending he
raised the door. He then returned to the floor beneath,
making a quiet gesture to imply that they
who chose might mount. But the strangers regarded
each other with very visible doubts. Neither
of the inferiors seemed disposed to precede his chief,
and the latter evidently hesitated as to the order in
which it was meet to make the necessary advance.
“Is there no other manner of mounting, but by
this narrow ascent?” he asked.
“None. Thou wilt find the ladder secure, and of
no difficult height. It is intended for the use of women
and children.”
“Ay,” muttered the officer, “but your women
and children are not called upon to confront the
devil in a human form. Fellows, are thy weapons
spirit, ere we get our—Hist! by the Divine Right
of our Gracious Master! there is truly one stirring
above. Harkee, my friend; thou knowest the road
so well, we will choose to follow thy conduct.”
Content, who seldom permitted ordinary events
to disturb the equanimity of his temper, quietly
assented, and led the way up the ladder, like one
who saw no ground for apprehension in the undertaking.
The agent of the crown sprang after him,
taking care to keep as near as possible to the person
of his leader, and calling to his inferiors to lose
no time in backing him with their support. The
whole mounted through the trap, with an alacrity
nothing short of that with which they would have
pressed through a dangerous breach; nor did either
of the four take time to survey the lodgment he
had made, until the whole party was standing in
array, with hands grasping the handles of their
pistols, or seeking as it were instinctively the hilts
of their broadswords.
“By the dark visage of the Stuart!” exclaimed
the principal personage, after satisfying himself by
a long and disappointed gaze, that what he said
was true, “here is nought but an unarmed savage
boy!”
“Didst expect to meet else?” demanded the still
unmoved Content.
“Hum—that which we expected to meet is sufficiently
known to the quaint old gentleman below,
and to our own good wisdom. If thou doubtest of
our right to look into thy very hearts, warranty
for that we do can be forthcoming. King Charles
hath little cause to be tender of his mercies to the
dwellers of these Colonies, who lent but too willing
ears to the whinings and hypocrisies of the wolves
in sheeps' clothing, of whom old England hath now
so happily gotten rid. Thy buildings shall again be
the corner-stone in thy cellars, unless deceit and
rebellious cunning shall be abandoned, and the
truth proclaimed with the openness and fairness of
bold-speaking Englishmen.”
“I know not what is called the fairness of bold-speaking
Englishmen, since fairness of speech is not
a quality of one people, or of one land; but well I
do know that deceit is sinful, and little of it, I
humbly trust, is practised in this settlement. I am
ignorant of what is sought, and therefore it cannot
be that I meditate treachery.”
“Thou hearest, Hallam; he reasoneth on a
matter that toucheth the peace and safety of the
King!” cried the other, his arrogance of manner
increasing with the anger of disappointment. “But
why is this dark-skinned boy a prisoner? dost dare
to constitute thyself a sovereign over the natives
of this continent, and affect to have shackles and
dungeons for such as meet thy displeasure?”
“The lad is in truth a captive; but he has been
taken in defence of life, and hath little to complain
of, more than loss of freedom.”
“I will inquire deeply into this proceeding.
Though commissioned on an errand of different
interest, yet, as one trusted in a matter of moment,
I take upon me the office of protecting every
oppressed subject of the Crown. There may grow
discoveries out of this practice, Hallam, fit to go
before the Council itself.”
“Thou wilt find but little here, worthy of the
time and attention of those burthened with the
care of a nation,” returned Content. “The youthful
heathen was found lurking near our habitations,
the past night; and he is kept where thou
seest, that he may not carry the tidings of our
condition to his people, who are doubtless outlying
their evil.”
“How meanest thou?” hastily exclaimed the
other, “at hand, in the forest, didst say?”
“There can be little doubt. One young as this
would scarce be found distant from the warriors of
his tribe; and that the more especially, as he was
taken in the commission of an ambush.”
“I hope thy people are not without good provision
of arms, and other sufficient muniments of
resistance. I trust the palisadoes are firm, and the
posterns ingeniously defended.”
“We look with a diligent eye to our safety, for
it is well known to us dwellers on the borders that
there is little security but in untiring watchfulness.
The young men were at the gates until the morning,
and we did intend to make a strong scouting
into the woods as the day advanced, in order to look
for those signs that may lead us to conclusions on
the number and purposes of those by whom we
are environed, had not thy visit called us to other
duties.”
“And why so tardy in speaking of this intent?”
demanded the agent of the King, leading the way
down the ladder with suspicious haste. “It is a
commendable prudence, and must not be delayed.
I take upon me the responsibleness of commanding
that all proper care be had in defence of the
weaker subjects of the Crown who are here collected.
Are our roadsters well replenished, Hallam?
Duty, as thou sayest, is an imperative master; it
recalls us more into the heart of the Colony. I
would it might shortly point the way to Europe!”
he muttered as he reached the ground. “Go, fellows;
see to our beasts, and let them be speedily prepared
for departure.”
The attendants, though men of sufficient spirit
in open war, and when it was to be exercised in
other mortals, a wholesome deference for unknown
and terrific-looking danger. It is a well-known
truth, and one that has been proved by the experience
of two centuries, that while the European
soldier has ever been readiest to have recourse to
the assistance of the terrible warrior of the American
forest, he has, in nearly every instance, when
retaliation or accident has made him the object
instead of the spectator of the ruthless nature of
his warfare, betrayed the most salutary, and frequently
the most abject and ludicrous apprehension
of the prowess of his ally. While Content therefore
looked so steadily, though still seriously, at the
peculiar danger in which he was placed, the four
strangers seemingly saw all of its horrors without
any of the known means of avoiding them. Their
chief quickly abandoned the insolence of office,
and the tone of disappointment, for a mien of greater
courtesy; and, as policy is often seen suddenly to
change the sentiments of even more pretending
personages, when interests assume a new aspect, so
did his language rapidly take a character of conciliation
and courtesy.
The handmaidens were no longer leered at; the
mistress of the dwelling was treated with marked
deference; and the air of deep respect with which
even the principal of the party addressed the aged
Puritan, bordered on an exhibition of commendable
reverence. Something was said, in the way of
apology, for the disagreeable obligations of duty,
and of a difference between a manner that was
assumed to answer secret purposes, and that which
nature and a sense of right would dictate: but
neither Mark nor his son appeared to have sufficient
interest in the motives of their visiters, to put them
to the trouble of repeating explanations that were as
unnecessary to those who listened.
So far from offering any further obstacle to the
movements of the family, the borderers were seriously
urged to pursue their previous intentions of
thoroughly examining the woods. The dwelling
was accordingly intrusted, under the orders of the
Puritan, to the keeping of about half the laborers
assisted by the Europeans, who clung with instinctive
attachment to the possession of the block-house
their leader repeatedly and rightly enough declaring
that though ready at all times to risk life on a plain
he had an unconquerable distaste to putting it in
jeopardy in a thicket. Attended by Eben Dudley
Reuben Ring, and two other stout youths, all well
though lightly armed, Content then left the palisadoes,
and took his way towards the forest. They
entered the woods at the nearest point, always
marching with the caution and vigilance that a
sense of the true nature of the risk they ran would
inspire, and much practice only could properly
direct.
The manner of the search was as simple as it
was likely to prove effectual. The scouts commenced
a circuit around the clearing, extending
their line as far as might be done without cutting
off support, and each man lending his senses attentively
to the signs of the trail, or of the lairs, of
those dangerous enemies, who they had reason to
think were outlying in their neighborhood. But
like the recent search in the buildings, the scouting
was for a long time attended by no results. Many
weary miles were passed slowly over, and more
than half their task was ended, and no sign of being
having life was met, except the very visible trail
of their four guests, and the tracks of a single
horse along the path leading to the settlement
from the quarter by which the visiter of the
comments were made by any of the party, as each
in succession struck and crossed this path, nearly at
the same instant; but a low call from Reuben Ring
which soon after met their ears, caused them to assemble
in a body at the spot whence the summons
had proceeded.
“Here are signs of one passing from the clearing,”
said the quick-eyed woodsman, “and of one
too that is not numbered among the family of Wish-Ton-Wish;
since his beast hath had a shodden hoof,
a mark which belongeth to no animal of ours.”
“We will follow,” said Content, immediately
striking in upon a straggling trail, that by many unequivocal
signs had been left by some animal which
had passed that way not many hours before. Their
search, however, soon grew to a close. Ere they
had gone any great distance, they came upon the
half-demolished carcass of a dead horse. There
was no mistaking the proprietor of this unfortunate
animal. Though some beast, or rather beasts of
prey, had fed plentifully on the body, which was
still fresh and had scarcely yet done bleeding, it
was plain, by the remains of the torn equipments,
as well as by the color and size of the animal, that
it was no other than the hack ridden by the unknown
and mysterious guest, who, after sharing in
the worship and in the evening meal of the family
of the Wish-Ton-Wish, had so strangely and so suddenly
disappeared. The leathern sack, the weapons
which had so singularly riveted the gaze of old
Mark, and indeed all but the carcass and a ruined
saddle, were gone; but what was left, sufficiently
served to identify the animal.
“Here has been the tooth of wolf,” said Eben
Dudley, stooping to examine into the nature of a
ragged wound in the neck; “and here, too, has
red skin, it exceedeth my art to say.”
Each individual of the party now bent curiousl
over the wound; but the results of their inquirie
went no further than to prove that it was undeniably
the horse of the stranger, that had forfeited it
life. To the fate of its master, however, there was
not the slightest clue. Abandoning the investigation,
after a long and fruitless examination, they
proceeded to finish the circuit of the clearing
Night had approached ere the fatiguing task was
accomplished. As Ruth stood at the postern waiting
anxiously for their return, she saw by the countenance
of her husband, that while nothing had
transpired to give any grounds of additional alarm,
no satisfactory testimony had been obtained to explain
the nature of the painful doubts, with which
as a tender and sensitive mother, she had been distressed
throughout the day.
| CHAPTER VI. The wept of Wish-ton-Wish | |