University of Virginia Library

8. CHAPTER VIII.

We shall now return to Duncan, and to the events which followed
the sudden disappearance of Howard. On rising the morning
after his parting with him to return to his chamber, Duncan
went to his room for the purpose of saying to his brother that he
had resolved to pass the week which he had promised him to remain,
at Norfolk, where he should escape the unpleasant necessity
of meeting with Isabel, whom he felt no wish to see again, now
that he had made up his mind to resign her to his brother. He
knocked twice at the door, and receiving no reply, he opened it
and entered. To his surprise the bed had not been slept in; the
pillow was unpressed! Wondering what could have kept his brother
up, he hurried down to the drawing-room, expecting to find
him sleeping upon a sofa. But in this expectation he was deceived.
Breakfast was, at this moment, announced to him by a servant.

`John, is my brother in the breakfast room?'

`No, massa Duncan,' answered the African.

`Have you seen him this morning?'

`I hab'nt seen mass' Howard since I saw him come 'ome wid
you, mass' Duncan, lass night.'

`It is very strange,' said Duncan in an under tone, as he followed
the slave to the breakfast room. Here were seated his father
and mother. Colonel Dudley was a fine looking military man,
with his hair powdered, his bosom ruffled, and wearing buff breeches
with silver buckles in his shoes. He was about sixty-five years
of age, but being well preserved, looked not more than fifty. His
air was dignified and somewhat austere, but his manners were those
of a finished gentleman of the `old school.' His lady was tall and
graceful, and at the age of fifty-five retained the graces of more
youthful charms. Her smile was remarkably sweet, and her manner
affable, gentle, and full of dignity. She smiled on her son as
he entered. He respectfully kissed her cheek, and then bade his
father good morning, which the Colonel acknowledged by a gracious
paternal nod.

`Where is Howard?' asked his mother, seeing him come in alone,
for generally both brothers rose about the same time and walked
together before breakfast.

`I have not seen him, dear mother. He has evidently not slept
in his bed.'

`He probably remained at Judge Sumpter's,' she said, as if not
surprised.

`No. He came home with me, and we bade each other good night
at the hall stairs.'

`Had he any business that could have called him to town so late
that he should have gone out again?' asked the Colonel, interested
in the inquiry.

`Not that I know of, sir.'

`Has he had any quarrel with any one of late?'

`No, sir, not to my knowledge,' answered Duncan with a sudden
suspicion. `Yet he may have had. But then he would have
made me his confidant.'

`God in mercy forbid he should have gone abroad to fight a duel,'
cried his mother with intense solicitude.

`I can ascertain, sir, at once,' said Duncan, hastily quitting the
room.

In a moment afterwards he returned and said:

`He has not taken his pistols nor his sword with him.'

`Then he has rode to town,' answered the Colonel.

`John,' said Duncan to the slave, `go and see if master Howard's
horse is in the stable.'

In a few minutes the negro returned with the information that
he was, and that no horse had been taken from the stalls. Duncan
and his parents looked at each other a moment and then sat down
to breakfast.

`He will turn up by and by,' said the Colonel. `It was not
right for him to go off for a night without giving us notice. After
breakfast, you had best ride over to Judge Sumpter's, Duncan, and
see if he is not there. Perhaps he went back,' added the Colonel,
smiling archly as he broke an egg into his glass, `after he had left
you at home, to take a moonlight walk with Miss Isabel! You
know there is a tender attachment in that quarter.'

Duncan felt his temples burn, and was conscious that his mother's
eye detected his confusion. He made no reply, for he was too well
convinced of the truth of his father's words. Mrs. Dudley, after
letting her gaze rest for full a moment on her son's countenance,
which told her of a fact she had not before suspected, let drop her
eyes and said:

`Perhaps Howard has had a restless night, from some cause, and
not being able to sleep, went abroad very early.'

`I think this is the most probable construction we can put upon
his absence,' said the Colonel. `So we will not let it trouble us
any longer.'

Duncan also thought so, and he well knew what was the cause
which had driven sleep from his brother's eyes, were his mother's
suggestion true. He felt that Howard had indeed a deeper feeling
in the matter they had been the night before conversing upon, than
he chose to betray before him.

`Yes, he said to himself, `my generous brother is struggling between
love and fraternal affection. His love for me will conquer
too, to his own and her misery, unless I myself fly. I will see
Howard, and depart, and remain at Norfolk the week I have promised
to delay. But where shall I discover him?'

He thought, in his heart, that he had only to ride over to Judge
Sumpter's to solve this query. But there he had not the courage
to go. He had solemnly renounced Isabel to his brother, and he
wished to see no more the treasure that was no longer to be his.

`Duncan, I feel anxious about Howard,' said his mother, coming

to him as he paced the hall an hour after breakfast, waiting his
brother's return. `I fear some accident may have happened to
him. He may have fallen from the cliff, or been gored by a stag,
or shot himself accidentally with his gun. I wish you would go
forth and seek him; and perhaps you will find him with Isabel
Sumpter.'

The blood flew like lightning to his temples at the mention of
this name, and again the observing mother had her growing suspicions
confirmed.

`He did not take any of his guns. They are all here. He may
have gone to Judge Sumpter's. I will walk in that direction. I
will take Scot with me,' he said, glancing towards one of the servants,
who, while he was at home, acted as his body servant.
`Follow me, Scott.'

`Yes, massa.'

`Don't drive Belt back; let her come also,' he said, as the slave
would have prevented Howard's greyhound from following.

`It is so strange, too,' said Mrs. Dudley, `for Howard to be out
without Belt. Well, I hope we shall soon hear from him. It is
now nearly eleven o'clock. Hasten, Duacan, for I am full of
fears!'

`If he is not at Judge Sumpter's, let me at once know, Duncan,
said Col. Dudley, with animation, `and I will have a general search
for him. Ascertain if he has been seen on either of the high
roads.'

`I will, sir,' answered Duncan, who had now began to feel equally
anxious at the absence of Howard. It was very plain to all that
he had not gone away to remain, for he had taken nothing, not an
article of clothing with him; not even his watch, which was lying
on his table, run down.

Duncan, followed by Belt and the negro, walked rapidly along
the winding gravelled walk that bordered the lawn and hedge, until
it entered the belt of woodland which extended along the ridge
back of the cliff. The forest opened a hundred yards before the
path reached the cliff, leaving a clear space in front, along which
the way led, with a broad view of the Bay. On reaching this open
elevated space, Duncan was surprised to see the fleet, which had lain
at anchor in the Roads the day before, all under weigh and stretching
sea-ward in a long line, the frigate leading. They were already
far to leeward of him, and the leading frigate was nearly hull
down on the horizon. It was an imposing and beautiful spectacle,
and with an exclamation of surprise and delight he stopped to gaze
upon it. This was the first intimation he had had of the sailing of
the fleet; as he was not up when the signal gun was fired; and
the woodlands covering the ridge had prevented a view of the
Roadstead from the house.

While he was looking at the sight, and letting a suspicion slowly
steal into his mind that Howard's disappearance had something to
do with the sailing of the fleet, he was made conscious that he was
not alone, by a voice addressed to him.

`A fine show, Dudley! You should have been here to have
seen them get under weigh! They've got a fair wind, and by sundown
will be ten leagues out to sea!'

Duncan had already recoguized the voice to be that of Hamilton
Woodhall; a young man for whom he had no very great liking;
knowing him to be a person of dissolute morals, and altogether
destitute of character, though belonging to a highly aristocratic
family. He therefore dryly replied, without turning his head,

`Yes, sir.'

Woodhall bit his lip and muttered, `haughty!' But he was not
one readily abashed or put down. He thought, in the vanity of his
heart, that Duncan's dislike to him originated in a feeling of rivalry,
of which Miss Sumpter was the object He again spoke.

`Miss Sumpter should be here to see this magnificent spectacle!
She has a fine taste, and is a devilish fine girl!'

Duncan turned round and fixed upon the speaker his full dark
eye, and for quite a minute removed not his stern, withering glance
from his face. His lips parted to say something, but he was silent,
and contented himself with turning away with a contemptuous curl
of his lip. It seemed desecration to him for such a man to utter
Miss Sumpter's name, and in such a flippant, impertinent way.

`Humph! You don't seem to be in the best of humors this
morning, my lord Dudley,' said Woodhall, in ironical allusion to
Duncan's known relation to a noble English family.

`You are impertinent, sir,' said Duncan, with a flashing eye.

`I was merely jesting,' said the young man, stepping back a
pace for better security; for he felt he could not safely discharge
the little spite of his heart upon him.

`Then jest with thy fellows,' answered Duncan.

`Where is Howard? I can get along with him! We are
friends!'

`My brother Howard hath both chavity and patience, and may
endure thee. Hast thou seen him this morning?' asked Duncan,
eagerly.

`No. But I was going to tell him I had a pair of pup stag-hounde
to sell, and that he shall have them at a fair price.'

`My brother is not at home,' answered Duncan, `nor has he been
this morning. I am now seeking him. He is probably at Judge
Sumpter's.'

`No. I came past there! I asked the servants if he was there,
and they said no; for I thought he might be there, and save me a
walk. You know he is in love with Miss Isabel, and she with
him,' he added in a significant tone, and watching with secret delight
the effect of his words.

`This is nothing to thee, sir; and the less Miss Sumpter is alluded
to, the better and safer it will be for thee,' said Duncan,
menaceingly.

`I take no threats from any man,' responded Woodhall, doggedly.

`If you like blows better they shall be at your service on your
next offence,' answered Duncan, fixing upon him his eyes so sternly
that those of the young man fell; and walking slowly away he
muttered,

`You shall one day repent this insult! I will move all hell,
Duncan Dudley, but I will bring down your proud neck!'

Duncan smiled scornfully, and continued on his way along the
cliff, insensibly taking the path leading to Judge Sumpter's. The
sight of the house before him only brought him to a consciousness
of the direction he was taking.

`Why should I go thither?' he said, `Hamilton Woodhull says
he has not been there. Scott!'

`Massa,' answered the negro coming up from behind, and taking
off his hat.

`Go forward and see if Master Howard has been to the Judge's
this morning. Be sure that you ascertain certainly.

`Yes, Massa,' answered the negro putting on his hat and starting
forward.

`Scott.'

`Massa.' answered the black, taking off his hat again and making
a bob bow.

`You need not say I am here. Go and return to me directly.'

During his absence Duncan, with Belt lying on the grass watching
him, paced to and fro in the path near the seat where he had
met Howard and Isabel on his return home. He recalled this scene
with pleasure and pain. The return of his servant interrupted his
reveries.

`Well, Scott!'

`De Judge say how he hab seen notin' ob Mass Howard dis
day.'

`And'—Duncan hesitated a moment and then continued, `Miss
Isabel, Did you sce her?'

`Yes, I did, Massa Duncan.'

`Well what did she say?' asked Duncan impatiently.

`She was little sick, lying on um sofy in de parlor. And when
I axes for Mass Howard and tells the Judge as how he was loss
since last night, she scream and run to me and axes me twelve an'
a hundred question `bout him? But Mass Judge quiet her, and
tell me to go back, and when I find Mass Howard to let him know.
Dem's what Miss Isabel say, Mass' Duncan.'

`It is plain her life is wrapped up in his; and that she can never
be mine,' he said bitterly. `But what can have become of my
brother? I begin to fear the worst. Strange suspicions agitate
my mind, which will not be driven out! If he comes not and we
hear not from him to-day I shall be confirmed in them! But I cannot
harbor them now. I will hasten home and learn if intelligence
has not, by this time, been received from him! If not, then shall
I fear, what I begin to suspect, that my brother has sacrificed himself
by sudden flight or—no—he cannot have taken his life! I
will think no more of it!'

On reaching home, he found that Howard had not arrived and
that nothing had been heard from him to account for his absence.
His information that he had not been to Judge Sumpter's increased
the solicitude of his parents; and after advising a few moments
with Duncan, Colonel Dudley ordered the alarm bell of the estate
to be rung. When all the negroes were assembled to the number
of three hundred he selected fifty of the most intelligent and despatched
them in every direction through the forest and along the
sea-shore in search of him, with instructions to leave no crevice
or nook unsearched. But night approached and no discovery had
yet been made of anything which could afford a clue to his disappearance.
The alarm of Colonel Dudley and his lady had extended
itself to Judge Sumpter and other neighbors, who were assisting
in the endeavor to ascertain the fate of Howard; the generally
prevailing suspicion now being that he had been murdered
or fallen into the sea. Isabel was only prevented by coercion
from going forth to prosecute the search; and she remamed at
home, walking the hall, in a state bordering upon frenzy; questioning
every returning servant with an energy as if her life hung
on his reply. Duncan was scarcely less calm; for he dearly loved
Howard, and he believed that for his sake he had thus disappeared.
The woodlands, the more distant forests of the domain, the bay
shore for a league, had been traversed without any vestiges of him
The sun was just setting when the several parties accidentally
met at Judge Sumpter's, and reported to Colonel Dudley who,

with Duncan was there, their total want of success. It was about
a quarter of an hour before this time that a young man, rather
shabbily dressed in faded fashionable attire, and with a face bloated
by dissipation, who had been engaged very officiously in the
search for Howard, only for the gratification, it would seem, of returning
every half hour to Judge Sumpter's to tell Isabel he was
not yet found; and to have her thank him warmly, and bid him
again go upon the search with the others.

This was Hamilton Woodhall. He was now traversing the
beach on his way to make his usual report for the sake of speaking
to Isabel, when a while object at a distance on a rocky ledge attracted
his eyes. He hastened towards the spot, and as he approached
he discovered it was a gull, which some one had shot,
and which had fallen there. He was about to return when his
eye fell on another object beyond the gull, which caused him to go
on and examine it. As he approached he saw that it was a pile of
garments and a hat. He flew forward and reached the spot where
they were, hid by the spur of the ledge from view of any one on
the beach. To his surprise he saw that they were the coat, vest,
hat and boots of Howard Dudley.

He stood for a moment gazing at them with astonishment.

`Here is a mystery!' said he. `Here are his clothes, where can
he be? But I will examine in the pockets.'

In the vest he found a folded note. On it was some writing
with a pencil. They were addressed to Duncan Woodhall was
not scrupulous and read as follows:

`Dear Brother: I have seen enough of your feelings and
deep emotion at the discovery of Isabel's passion for me, to know
how much your happiness depends on regaining her entire affection.
It is true I love her. But what is my love compared with
yours for her. She was first yours and she shall still be yours.—
I have, therefore, determined to remove what I sincerely believe
to be the only obstacle to the re-union of your hearts—myself!
To night I go without leave-taking. Her I could not bear to part
from; you would not let me go! I did intend at first to depart
unknown to all and let it be supposed I was dead—had accidentally
fallen from the cliff and drowned. But I could not bear to
grieve you with this idea. I therefore leave this note, which I
have written rudely to-night on the rocks here, to tell you that I
intend to swim to the fleet, and commit my destiny for the future
to it in its active service in foreign war. Make no efforts to regain
me, if the fleet should not sail before you get this. But I
wish that Isabel should believe me dead! It is only with this belief
that her heart will return to you. Therefore let her know
nothing of my fate. Let it remain in mystery. She may grieve,
but time will heal her sorrow. I shall bury mine in action. This
secresy on your part, dear Duncan, will only render the sacrifice
I am making of any avail. Believing I live, she will still, I fear,
withhold her heart; and I wish her to give it to you freely and
entirely. Do you not owe to me, the sacred compliance with this,
my last request? Now God bless you both, and make you both
happy, is the prayer of your affectionate brother, Howard.

P. S. After I hear of your marriage, I may return! Till then
you will not hear from me.

Hamilton Woodhall read this note to its close, and then stood
thoughtfully gazing upon it for some minutes immoveable. At
length the thoughts it gave birth to in his depraved mind, found
utterance.

`This little paper now unravels the whole of the mystery,' he
said in a tone of intense satisfaction. Howard has got aboard the
squadron, and is now ten leagues a-sea!' (But at the moment he
was speaking, Howard was within half a mile of him, just prepairing
to launch his plank for the brig, which Woodhall plainly
saw not two miles from him, but which did not attract his attention,
so wholly absorbed was he with his discovery.) `Well, he is
a fool and that is my opinion! Here he has given up Miss Sumpter
whom he loved, and who loved him in return, to that haughty
brother of his, Duncan, because he happens to be also in love with
her. And that Miss Isabel may have nothing to tempt her, he
swims a mile or two to get on board of a ship and get out of her
way, leaving Duncan a clear coast. This is d—n handsome to
say the best of it, but it is what I call being a confounded fool.
But that's his look out. He's gone, and his absence is all in my
favor as well as Duncan's, who shall not have the whole field to
himself, if I can help it!'

Here he stopped and seemed to be impressed with some sudden
idea, which from his manner, must have promised to himself the
most important results. All at once his gray eyes flushed, while
his eyebrows lowered darkly over them like an assassin's. He
compressed his thin lips with vindictive resolution, while his hands
were nervously clutched together.

`I have it! I have it!' he muttered through his shut teeth, looking
stealthily around him, as if he feared the winds and the waves
should catch his words, and bear them to human ears. It shall be
done! Then without a rival, Isabel Sumpter is mine! Ha, ha!
Proud Duncan Dudley! I have you in my power!' And he laughed
inwardly with malicious joy. `Now for the first step!'

In furtherance of his dark purpose, whatever it was, which he
had resolved to achieve for the ruin of his enemy and rival, he
took up Howard's coal, and after rending the sleeve and collar, he
rubbed it forcible along the rocks. He tore the rest in a similar
manner and bruised and battered the hat. He then put stones in
the boots and dropped them in the water saying:

`These I will sink! They might weaken the evidence instead of
increasing it! Now for the gull which Providence seems to have
sent here expressly in my behalf.'

He then went for the gull, and opening its breast with a knife,
sprinkled the blood over the vest and coat and hat, the latter saturating
so that the lining on the inside was crimson. Having done
this he buried the bird in a crevice of the ledge, and covered it
from sight by throwing stones upon it.

`Now,' he said with fiendish exultation, after carefully washing
the blood from his fingers, `now have I done it in so effectual a
manner, that I feel as if I had really murdered Howard myself!
If he gets through this clear, then it will be because he gets the
devil to help him!'

With these words Hamilton Woodhall gathered up with a stick
the hat coat and vest, and took his way along the rocks to the
beach, and thence up the pathway along the cliff leading to the
mansion of Judge Sumpter. It was just sun down when he arrived
at the house, in front of which was Colonel Dudley and lady,
surrounded by their-friends, just getting into their carriage to return
with heavy hearts to their home.

`Dere come Mass' Woodhall, Massa Colonel,' said the coachman.
`He runnin' and hab someting!'

Colonel Dudley drew back the foot which he had placed on the
step of the carriage, and looked in the direction his servant pointed,
towards which all eyes were now turned Woodhall was not a
little gratified to find himself the object of general attention, and
full of the importance of his discovery he advanced towards them,
endeavoring to conceal his malicious pleasure at the effect he was
about to produce under a look of deep sorrow and sympathy.

`What have you found?' asked Duncan with quickness, making
a step towards him!'

`What you same folks would like should have remained unfound,'
rejoined Woodhall, with a significant glance, which Duncan did
not understand, but which, nevertheless, made him feel unpleasantly.

`And what is it?' questioned Judge Sumpter, impatiently.

`Do you know whether that is Howard's cast or not?' asked
Woodhall, holding up the bloody and torn garment before Colonel
Dudley.

`I should not know my own in such a condition,' he answered
with a pale countenance, and catching at the carriage door for
support.

`Is that his vest?' asked Woodhall coolly, displaying the vest
stained with blood.

`It is, it is!' shrieked Mrs. Dudley, and Isabel at the same moment!
`My son is dead! Howard is murdered!'

`Here is his hat which I also found!' he said.

Duncan snatched the ensanguined hat from him, and glancing
inside, dropped it from his hands, and pressing his forehead groaned,
fell his whole length upon the ground, insensible to the shrick
of Isabel and of his mother which pierced the air.