University of Virginia Library

12. CHAPTER XII.
THE TWO HORSEMEN.

`If Archibald Worthington has returned
to this country,' mused Nelson
Osborne, as he slowly walked across the
bridge, he must be at his mother's. All
my hopes of Blanche, and my safety, too,
depend upon his non-appearance to-morrow.
I will not sleep to-night till I have
ascertained whether he be really at
home, as his negro's presence here, so
near his home, leads me to believe. If I
find him there, he shall never see
Blanche Talbot again. If he has as
many lives as a cat, I will have them
before I will see him married to her. I
can return before day, and in full time
to join the Captain's party on the water.'

With this resolution he turned aside,
after crossing the bridge, which after
nine o'clock was free of toll to all foot-passengers,
and so he passed unnoticed,
and walked rapidly down the river-road in
the direction of Hallowell.

Archibald Worthington was pacing,
with a true sailor's restlessness, up and
down the little gravel walk in front of
his mother's cottage, enjoying the moonlight
and watching the river for Cæsar's
return, who had then been gone full
time enough to get back. He was a
fine-looking young man, tall and manly,
with a frank, bold bearing, and the open,
pleasing countenance of a person of a
generous spirit. He was attired in the
undress uniform of an officer in the
United States navy, and carried in his
hand as he walked, for the night was
warm, his blue cap with its gold band.

The house before which he was walking
faced the water, and was situated a
little back from the river-road, with a
small yard before it, enclosed by a low
paling. The dwelling was of an extremely
humble character, being but one
story high, and white-washed. A few
flowers grew in the yard, and a vine of
the scarlet bean was trained to run up
one of the windows, and falling down
over it, nearly hid it from the passer-by
in a curtain of leaves Through the leaves
now sparkled a light in the room within.

Archibald Worthington loeked very
happy. He was once more at home: he
had found his mother well and everjoyed
to see him again. He was near Blanche,
too, and he had returned conscious that
he had merited her hand by his deeds of
valor.

`How Cæsar loiters,' he said, after a
long and close survey of the river above.
`I fear something may have occurred to

detain him. Perhaps he brings evil news,
and lingers with it lest he should bring it
to my ears too soon.'

`Archy, my dear son,' said a lady,
coming out of the door, `I fear you will
take cold in the night air.'

`Take cold, my dear mother,' he answered
with a smile at the idea of a
sailor's taking cold by being out of doors
at night; `why, sailors live out of doors
on their decks, mother. But if you only
wish me to come in to keep you company,
I will obey.'

`No, not if you prefer being out here.
You don't know how happy I am, Archy,
to see you once more before I die; and
then to see you return an officer. How
strange you never wrote to me, and that
I never heard of you, Archy dear.'

`I will tell you the reason to-morrow
or the next day, mother, after I have
seen Blanche. How Cæsar stays. Perhaps
they refused the gift.'

`He would then return the sooner.'

`You say that Blanche was not well
when you heard from her?' asked the
noble young man anxiously and tenderly.

`More beautiful than ever.'

`I hope, then, she is still so. `What
is that moving? It is a boat coming
round the point. It must be Cæsar. I
will run up the shore and meet him.'

`You have dropped your cap, Archy.'

`No mother, dear mother,' he answered,
hastening down to the shore, and then
up the beach in the direction of the approaching
boat. He soon saw that it contained
but one person, and in a few minutes
he recognised the individual to be
Cæsar.

`Pull in where I am, Cæsar,' he called
to him. `How long you have been.'

`Bress you, massa Archy, I hab nuff
to 'tain dis niggar! But wait till me
fasten um boat.'

And Cæsar rowed down parallel with
the shore to the boat flotilla in front of
the house, while Archibald walked on the
shore rapidly questioning him.

`Did you see Blanche? Did the Captain
accept the oranges? Did you tell
him who sent them? How did Blanche
look? What did she say? Did you give
her the note? Did she give you any
thing for me?'

To all which inquiries Cæsar replied
in detail; and having secured his boat,
he turned to his master and began to give
him a full account of what passed. It
was all very satisfactory to the youthful
lover; and when Cæsar took from his
hat the old piece of sail-cloth, and drew
from it the lock of hair, he caught it
from him and covered it with kisses.

`Dear, noble, generous, kind Blanche,'
he exclaimed with deep emotions of joy.

`But I haint told you all, massa,' said
Cæsar.

`No! What else?'

`I see dat marine what spose he hab
left you and me dead on the island!'

`What Osborne—Nelson Osborne?'
exclaimed Archibald with amazement.

`Yis, massa, jist dat same indiwidual.'

`Where? when? It is very strange.'

Cæsar then related to him the circumstances
of his meeting and recontr
with him; and in proof of his words he
took from the boat the sword he had captured.

`What can be his motive in being
here? How dare he when he is a murderer
in intention, and knows he is in my
power?'

`He spose you dead, you see, massa
Archy!'

`True! I see through it now! I
wonder if he has dared to go to the Captains?'

`He won't be well received if he do,
massa, coz I tell massa Cap'n's sailor
man; Jack, he tell me his name be, all

'bout dis massa Osborne, and he said he'd
see how he come to his massa's!'

`I do not fear for my own position and
hopes in reference to Blanche, but I do
not wish them to be imposed upon by
one so utterly lost to virtue, honor, and
every noble trait of character as Nelson
Osborne has proved himself to be.'

This was said not to Cæsar, but spoke
rather to himself. He remained a few
moments silently reflecting upon the intelligence
which had been communicated
to him by Cæsar. He was confounded
at the assurance of Osborne in appearing
again in his native place, and evidently
with the view of seeking the hand
of Blanche. But when he reflected that
he supposed the only person he had to
fear was no longer living, he was less
surprised. To prevent him from imposing
upon Captain Talbot, he resolved to
go up early in the morning.

`Do you think the sailor told the Captain
what you narrated to him, Cæsar,
and so put him on his guard?'

`I sure ob dat, massa; coz he went
strait up to de house when I left him to
git into de skiff!'

`In that case they are safe: otherwise
I would go to night and warn them, or
send you!'

`I tink massa you send and hab him
'rested for murderin' us.'

`We are not yet killed, Cæsar, Heaven
be thanked. His intentions have been
signally defeated. I don't know that I
could on my own word without witnesses
convict him of his wicked purpose.'

`Dare is me, too, massa! I take my
oath on him!'

`We had best wait and see first what
to-morrow brings forth. I do not, if I
can help it, care to mix myself up with
any such troublesome affair, unless it be
found absolutely necessary for the protection
of society. I wish to have as little
to do with him as possible!'

`You best keep on your watch agea
him, massa Archy. He sure do you
some mischief.'

`Sir,' said one of two men who rode
up on horseback at that moment, for
Archibald was just crossing the road from
the water-side and entering the gate to
his mother's house, `will you tell me how
far it is to Augusta?'

`Two miles, sir,' answered Worthington
looking steadily at the men, whom he
saw were strangers, though he could not
discern then features very distinctly, as
a cloud was passing over the moon at the
time.

`Thank you, sir, answered the man,
in a bluff, strong voice like one who was
in the habit of talking freely and fearlessly
with all men. `Do you know sir,
if there is a Lieutenant Osborne recently
arrived at Augusta; for as you live so
near, you must doubtless be familiar
with all the news stirring there!'

`Lieutenant Osborne!' repeated Archibald,
`I do not know any such person,
sir!'

`Perhaps he may have dropped his
title this way, having no further use of
it,' responded the man. `Is there a Nelson
Osborne in Augusta?'

`Yes sir, I have just heard that there
is,' responded Worthington with surprise.

`Could you direct me the best way to
find him, after entering the village?'

`Probably at his mother's, sir! But
you just inquired for Lieutenant Osborn.
Are they one and the same! The one
I know cannot be an officer, for he is a
villain!'

`Oh, you seem to know whom we
want! They are not the same!' answered
the other person who had not
hitherto spoken. `You appear to be an
officer, sir! May I ask whom I have
the honor of addressing.

`I am a lieutenant in the navy, sir!
My name is—is—Worthington sir!'

`Then I will speak freely to you,
Lieutenant Worthington. I am lieutenant
Osborn. Last week on my arrival
in Boston I found that some person had
preceded me and assumed my name,
and representing my person, and lodged
at the hotel and received the courtesies
of several of the principal citizens. I
should not have complained of this greeting,
if he had been any thing like an
honest rogue; but it seems that after he
had left the city, on the very morning of
my arrival, it was discovered that he had
stolen a valuable diamond from one of
the hotel rooms and sold it to a jeweller
in whose possession it was found.

`Yes, I myself, found it,' said the
other.' I am an officer of the police!'

`Judge my surprise, sir, when I found
what had occurred, and that my name
had been made infamous! After satisfying
those interested that I was the true
Lieutenant Osborne, I resolved to follow
up the imposter; and as the police
also determined to seek him out to arrest
him, I started with them from Boston;
and we have succeeded in tracing
the gentleman thus far!'

`I found out before I left Boston,' said
the officer, `that the person who represented
Lieutenant Osborne was a certain
Nelson Osborne who came from
New York in a coasting packet, from
which he stole a watch belonging to the
skipper, and for which theft I have a
warrant for him, if I catch him! while
in the packet he said he was from Kennebec!
This information was of great
value to me in getting on the scent!'

`I am truly sorry, Lieutenant Osborne,'
said Archibald, `for the unfortunate
position you have been placed in
by this person who has abused your
name. This is not his first villany. But
it is not for me to revile him. I hope
you will succeed in arresting him. He
was seen not an hour since on the other
side of the river near the black-house.
He wore, says my man here, who saw
him, an infantry undress uniform. His
mother lives three houses above the
bridge on the left. He may he found
there! If you arrest him please let me
know when you return!'

`If I take him, I shall lodge him in
jail at Augusta till to-morrow, for we
both of us need rest,' answered the police
officer.

`I am greatly indebted to you Lieutenant
Worthington,' said the officer;
`we were fortunate in having spoken
with you. Good night sir!'

`Good night, gentlemen.'

The two horsemen now rode rapidly
forward. Archibald followed them with
his eyes until they were out of sight and
then turning to Cesar said,

`Well Cesar what do you think of all
this?'

`It very 'markable, massa Archy! I
I berry good of it. I hopes he get what
he desarves now sure!'

`It is very strange! What a thorough
villain Nelson has turned out to be.
Poor fellow! I am sorry for him, for I
cannot forget our school-boy-days. But
even then I saw the seeds of the fruit he
has brought forth. If he had truly loved
Blanche Talbot, he could never have
become the man of the evil heart and
evil hand he is! But he is about to
have his recompense! What a career
his has been!'

`He no be able to fight himself to be
an ossifer, massa Archy, and so he steat
anodder ossifer's name! I should'nt
wonder if he go and see Missy Blanche
wid dis lie in him mouth!'

`You have hit it! This must have
been all his mistake, Cesar. But we
shall know all to-morrow. Poor Osborne,
I pity him; but as he has sown so
he must reap.'

Nelson Osborne, whom we left pursuing
his way from the bridge along the
river road, in the direction of the house
of Archabald's mother, where he hoped
to find his rival, had got about half way
between the two villages when he beheld
two horsemen riding rapidly along the
road approaching. He had been so deeply
engaged in contemplating some plan of
surprising and murdering Worthington if
he should be at home, that the horsemen
were very near before he discovered
them.

Always suspicious, like all guilty men,
he would have turned out of his way to
avoid them, for he did not wish to be
seen by any one on the errand he was
engaged in, but at this part of the road
there were deep ditches and high fences,
so that it was not easy to avoid them.
He, therefore, resolved to pass on his
way boldly, bending his body forward
upon a huge cudgel he carried, as it he
was an old man, and slouching his cap
over his eyes.

The two horsemen came up, and drawing
rein, looked at him closely. The officer
kept on without quite stopping his
horse, but the police-officer, (for they
were the two persons who ten minutes
before had left Archibald Worthington at
his mother's gate) checking his horse,
said,

`Hulloh, old man: whither away so
late, hey?'

`Home, gentlemen,' muttered Osborne,
who did not at all like the salutation, or
the manner of it.

`Let me see your face. I am a Boston
police-offier, and I never let any face
pass me when I am on a hunt without
seeing who it belongs to. Old or
young, it makes no difference: man or
woman: for rogues hide themselves under
all disguises. Come, look up!'

`I am very decrepid,' answered Osbore
his voice trembling and unsteady,
but with fear rather than age, for he began
to suspect he might be after himself,
and he covered his face and stooped lower,
and hurried on.

`Then I will get down and see you,
lieutenant. Ride back. We may or
may not have bagged something here;
but it is best to be safe.'

As the officer spoke he leaped from
his horse, and advanced upon him, with
his hand on a pistol; for there was something
in him that awakened his suspicions
that all was not right; for your
keen police officer,

Osborn in the outset of his expedition
had turned his coat to disguise himself
the more; but the keen eye of the police-officer
soon detected a glitter of the lace
in the moonlight. As the officer alighted
Osborne straightened himself and ran
like a deer. Lieutenant Osborne being
mounted pursued, while the police officer
regaining his saddle followed at full speed,
being sure that he had got his man, or at
least some other arrant rogue.

Osborne finding he would be over-taken
strained every nerve to reach an
opening in the fence that he knew led to
the river-side, when by diving into the
water he hoped to escape.

`It is our man, be sure,' said Lieutenant
Osborne, `he must not be suffered to
escape us.'

`Not if I have to bring him with a
bullet,' answered the police officer, as he
dashed past him, with his pistol in his
hand, and at a slapping pace. At this
instant Osborne reached the gab and
turned towards it; but he had not diverged
two yards from the road before
the officer, fearing he should lose him,
fired his pistol not at him, but over him
so as to alarm him. But a sharp cry of
pain told him that he had hit the fugitive.
Upon coming up they found him on the

ground, and bleeding profusely from a
wound in the hip, and evidently in great
pain.

`The ball must have struck this post
here and glanced,' said the officer, `for
I did not aim at him.'

`Both now dismounted, and the policeman
staunched the blood, before asking
him any questions.

`You should have hove to, my man,'
he said. `You grew young too quick
for an honest man.'

`Who are you?' asked the army officer.

`Who are you?' demanded Nelson,
doggedly.

`I am a Boston police-officer,' answered
the other. `I am after a certain Nelson
Osborn, otherwise Lieutenant Osborn,
and I am glad to have the pleasure
of meeting him. Don't deny your name
my good Sir, for I saw you at the Exchange
when I was in Boston, and for
that reason was selected to hunt you up.'

`Is it he?' exclaimed the army officer,
with surprise.

`It is, and no mistake. I could swear
to him anywhere. This has been a nice
night's work for us.'