University of Virginia Library

29. CHAPTER XXIX.

“I think,” said Douglas, “I now understand
your general purpose, and the means to be placed at
my disposal. Let me now know your plan of operations.
What am I to do, and when?”

“The task I propose to myself,” replied B—, “is
one which requires that I keep myself out of harm's
way, and free from all suspicion, until the time shall
come; when I propose to act a part which shall make
me a conspicuous mark for the malice or policy of
our enemies. Hence I affect to live, and keep myself
as much as possible on this side of the line.
What you do there must be done in such a way as to
indicate no connexion with me. I therefore propose
that you accompany my friend here to South Carolina,
where you may derive much benefit from seeing
the first men in that State, with whom he will make
you acquainted. From thence I would have you
address letters to your friends (especially those in
the army) so worded as to lead them to attribute

your change of opinions (which should be made to
seem progressive) to the influence of these new associations.
A few weeks will be sufficient for this
purpose, and you may return to Virginia early in the
summer. Here,” continued B—, pointing to a map
which hung in the room, “is the point at which you
will enter the State, and here will be the principal
scene of your operations. You will there find
Schwartz, to whom you shall be properly accredited,
and from whom you will learn the resources to be
placed at your command, and the capabilities of the
country.

“Now observe. Our object is to organize a small
force, under which the district may be protected in
declaring for the Independence of Virginia, and prepared
to afford a place of refuge to the Legislature,
should they be driven from Richmond, before they
have time to organize the operations of the Government.
Of course, they must have an opportunity to
assemble there, if but for a day. This it must be
our care to secure, by a sudden movement from the
midland counties on the southern boundary, and in
this we may need your co-operation. On that point
we shall take care to keep you advised.

“Now our first object being to free Richmond
from the presence of the federal army, at the moment
the Legislature is to meet, we must be careful to
cause no alarm for the safety of that place. Any
movement in that direction would produce a concentration

of force there, and increase our difficulties.
You should, therefore, be careful so to shape your
operations as rather to call the attention of the enemy
to other points; and if you can make them of sufficient
importance to draw detachments from Richmond, a
double purpose will be answered. You will have no
cause to fear any force that can be brought against
you. Your field of operations affords situations which
may defy assault, and, the line of North Carolina
being at your back, you may, at any moment, cross
it and disband for a time.

“But I am not sure whether our end may not be
answered best by giving to all your operations such
a character as may exclude the idea of any political
object. As none of those who are conspicuous as
malcontents in the lower country will join you,
this deception will not be difficult. In beating up
the quarters of the troops near you, you may seem
to act but in self-defence; and should you extend
your blow so far as Lynchburg, your mountaineers
will hardly fail to levy such contributions on the camp-followers,
and Yankee pedlars there, (who call themselves
merchants,) as to give the measure the appearance
of a mere marauding expedition.”

“I am not so very sure,” replied Douglas, “that
I should like to mix my little reputation as a soldier
and a gentleman with an affair of that sort.”

“I am not suggesting any thing contrary to the
laws of war,” said B—. “The violation of them

would be but in appearance. Care would be taken
to indemnify any who might be wronged, whenever
it shall be expedient for you to throw off the
mask. As to any temporary misconstruction, your
name would connect you with your uncle, and,
through him, with me and all our friends; and moreover,
would whet the malice of your worthy friends,
the Bakers, who would move heaven and earth to
circumvent you. Better, therefore, to drop the last
name. Archibald Douglas is name enough to satisfy
the ambition of any reasonable man, at least until he
can cap it with a yet more honorable addition, if that
be possible.”

While this conversation was going on, there was
some appearance of embarrassment about Douglas,
which did not escape the observation of his uncle.
At length he said to him, in an under tone, that, before
carrying the matter under discussion any farther,
he would be glad to have a few words with
him in private.

“I understand your wish,” said the old gentleman,
aloud; “it shall be indulged.”

“I suspect you mistake me,” said Douglas, coloring
very high.

“Not at all,” replied the other. “You only suppose
so because you do not know that one of my
friends here received his wife in marriage at my hands,
and that the other stood father to mine. Hence I

have no such reserves with them as you may suppose.
Now, do I understand you?”

“I dare say you do,” replied Douglas, blushing
yet more deeply.

“Then I say, again, your wish shall be indulged.
You shall not leave us until you are fully established
in all the rights which it is mine to confer. But you
must suppress your raptures until you hear the conditions.
Our plan requires secrecy, and, above all,
that there should be no appearance of concert between
you and us, and no cause to suspect it. This
thing, therefore, must be absolutely private; no witnesses
but those here present, and your aunt, and
Lucia; and in the next moment your foot must be in
the stirup. Are you content?”

“Content!” said Douglas. “Indeed I am not;
but I see that you are acting upon a concerted plan,
and that all expostulation must be vain. Let me at
least see Delia now.”

“I suspect she has gone to bed,” said Mr. T—.
“Retired! I believe is the word introduced by our
Yankee school-mistresses, whose prurient imaginations
are shocked at the name of a bed. Poor girl, she
was glad to retire, in the plain English sense of the
word, as soon as we got here, and, I dare say, has
been in bed half an hour. She and your aunt were
on active service all last night, while you were keeping
a snoring watch over our friend Whiting. Come,
my boy! You shall not infect her with the fever of

your brain to night. If you cannot sleep, it is no
reason why she should not. And now let us turn
again to other matters.”

“The next question, then,” said the southron, “is
how we can aid you? By sword, or tongue, or pen,
or purse?”

“By purse as much as you please,” said B—.
“Our young friend here will need a small military
chest, which we have no means of filling. As to
the rest, keep out of the scrape. We wish to join
you in peace, and then remain at peace, which will
not be, if you strike a blow in our behalf now. As
much individual aid as you please to our rendezvous
just before the first Monday in December. A thousand
independent volunteers, pour le coup, would be
welcome. In the meantime, if you can send our
young friend here a promising young officer from
your military school, to be his second in command, it
is all we would ask. Of course, he will come as of
his own head, for you must not seem to have any
thing to do with the matter.”

Many other topics connected with our subject were
discussed, but I deem it unadvisable to speak of
more than is necessary to explain the subsequent
situation of the parties. When they met again at
breakfast, the swimming eye and changing cheek of
Delia told that she had been made acquainted with
all that had passed. The countenance of Douglas
beamed with high excitement, at once pleasant and

painful. A glance of triumphant encouragement to
Delia, and her answering tearful smile, showed that
they perfectly understood each other. Indeed it was
time they should, for it had been settled that B—,
who was a resident and justice of the peace of the
county, should perform the marriage ceremony, according
to the unceremonious law of North Carolina,
immediately after breakfast.

As soon as it was over, they adjourned to the parlor,
where B—, drawing Delia to him, seated her
on his knee. “I don't half like this business,” said
he. “I have no mind to take an active part in giving
up my own little girl to this young fellow. I
am too old to think of loving and fighting all in a
breath, as he does, and I thought to wait till the wars
were over, and here he comes and cuts me out. But
I am determined to do nothing in prejudice of my
claim, until I find that I have no chance. Young
man,” added he, in a tone gradually changing from
playful to serious, “do you love this dear girl with
that faithful, single-hearted love, which man owes to
a woman who gives him all her heart, and entrusts
to him all her happiness, and all her hopes?”

As he said this he took the hand of Douglas, and
went on: “Do you thus love her, and will you in
good faith manifest this love, by being to her a true
and devoted husband, in every change and vicissitude
of life, so long as life shall last? Answer me, Douglas,”
he continued, with a voice approaching to

sternness, and a fixed and searching look, while he
strongly grasped the young man's hand.

“Assuredly I will,” said Douglas, somewhat
hurt.

“And you, dear,” said B—, resuming his kind
and playful tone, “do you love this young fellow
in like sort, and will you, on your part, be to him thus
faithful as his wife?”

While B— said this, the blushing Delia tried to disengage
herself. But he detained her, and caught
the hand with which she endeavored to loosen his
from her waist, and held it fast. At length she hid
her face on his neck, whispering:

“You know I do. You know I will.”

“Then God bless you, my children,” said B—,
bringing their hands together and grasping both
firmly in one of his; “for you are married as fast as
the law can tie you.”

In a moment the whole party were on their feet,
each expressing a different variety of surprise. Douglas
was the first to understand his situation fully, as
appeared by his springing forward and catching his
bride to his bosom, imprinting on her pure cheek the
kiss that holy nature prompts, and that all the caprices
of fashion (thank God!) can never shame.
From him she escaped into the arms of her mother,
who, caressing her with murmured tenderness, looked
half reproachfully at B—. Then smiling through
the tear that filled her large blue eye, she shook her

finger at him, and said, “Just like you! Just like
you!”

“Fairly cheated you of your scene, Margaret. All
the matronly airs, and maidenly airs, that you and
Delia have been rehearsing this morning, gone for
nothing. And there is dear little Lucia crying as if
to break her heart, because sister Delia was married
before she could fix her pretty little face for the occasion.
Never mind, dear! When your turn comes
there will be less hurry, and you shall have a ceremony
as long as the whole liturgy. Well, Douglas,
you will not quarrel with me, I am sure; and I think
Delia will forgive me for the trick I played her. You
have but an hour to stay together, and where was the
sense of giving that up to the flutter and agitation
of a deferred ceremony? I suspect if I were always
to manage the matter in this way, I should have my
hands as full of business as the dentist that used to
conjure people's teeth out of their mouths without
their knowing it, while he was pretending just to fix
his instrument. But go, my children. Empty your
full hearts into each other's bosoms, and thank me
for the privilege.”