CONSPIRACIES.
After the adjournment of the clan, the members collected together in
various little squads about the cave, and engaged in conversation, some in
a loud, braggadocio, swaggering tone, others in low, murmuring voices,
audible only to themselves, and still others in confidential whispers. Of
those who have figured heretofore in the incidents of this story, we may
mention the hard-featured, desperado-looking fellows who had conceived a
dislike to Duval, as being very earnestly engaged in some matter among
themselves, doubtless of a vile character; it would seem, too, from their
manner, that others than themselves were not to be admitted into their
counsels, or to know the nature of their scheme, be it what it might, for
they kept casting wary glances about on all sides, as if with the intention
of guarding their circle from intrusion, and their words from being heard
by ears for which they were not intended. All the clan, however, were too
busily engaged in concerns of their own, to notice others. This fact was
observed by the ruffians, and they became less reserved and cautious in
their movements. Had one been near them at the closing of their confab, he
would have heard this fragment of a conversation among them:
"League or no League he's got to die!"
"Better be careful, or you'll have the cap'n down on you."
"---- the cap'n!"
"Beware what you say! that is treason!"
"Treason be it then! When Bill Mitchel says he'll do a thing he does it,
and all the Leagues and captains in or out of h----l can't stop him!"
"Come, come! be cool and don't make a fool of yourself; it can all be done
without so much bluster."
But, as we are not so deeply interested in the proceedings of these fellows
as in some other of our characters, we will pass from them and their
villainous plot, whatever it may be, and look after Duffel and the captain.
These two worthies had drawn aside, and were deeply absorbed in
confidential intercourse. As their conversation is of considerable
interest, we give a part of it:
"Well, Duffel, how is that affair with Miss Mandeville prospering?"
"Not so well as I could wish. The truth is I shall have a pretty hard time,
if my suit wins at all."
"Indeed! I am sorry for that; for I was strongly in hopes of receiving a
little assistance from you in the way of cash. I have been at great expense
the past few months, and need a little aid just now, to finish the
necessary fixtures for our south-western branch. You know it takes a mine
to fit up a cave such as that was and is to be."
"I am really sorry that things have turned out as they have. I expected,
when I mentioned this matter before, that ere this time I should have
consummated the affair; but I am far less sanguine of success now than at
any previous time. Mr. Mandeville favors my suit, but the daughter has
taken a dislike to me and--"
"Ho, ho! I thought you were always victorious with the women."
"So I have been until now, and I am by no means vanquished yet, in this
instance; but I have a rival in the way, one, too, that had possession of
the citadel of her heart, ere I became a candidate for her hand; that makes
a great difference, you know; then, to make the matter worse, I knew
nothing about the state of the case until I had spent a length of time in
wooing, all to no purpose, because of my ignorance. But enough of this. If
worst comes to worst, rivals must be got out of the way."
"Be guarded there, Duffel; a resort to foul means must never be had until
every other method has been 'tried and found wanting.' Remember that. One
murder will do more against us than fifty thefts or robberies."
"I know all that, captain, and shall not peril the existence of our
organization, or even the safety of one of its members, except necessity
compels to the act; but I think there will be no need of adopting extreme
measures in the present case. I have a different plan of operations marked
out, which, with your assistance and approval, I will first act upon, and
if _it_ fails, then something else afterward."
"Well, proceed; I am all attention, and will not fail to render such
assistance as shall be in my power, though you know my time is limited."
"I shall not draw upon you for much aid; an hour is all the time it will
require for your part of the performance. But before you can appreciate the
merits of my scheme, it is necessary that I should make some explanations.
You remember the conversation we held in old Marshall's garden?"
"Yes."
"Well, it turned out that Miss Mandeville was in the arbor and overheard a
part of what passed between us."
"The devil she did!"
"Yes, but only enough to excite her suspicions that there was something in
the wind--nothing definite or satisfactory, so that we may consider
ourselves safe on that score."
"But, between you and me, Duffel, I don't like these suspicions; they are
apt to lead to something worse."
"True; but in this instance I think such will not be the result. However, I
must be frank with you, and I hope, if I have gone too far in any point,
you will pardon me, for I did the very best that could be done under the
circumstances, I think. As I said, Miss Mandeville heard a few words that
passed between us at the time referred to, and when, a short time
afterward, her father urged upon her the propriety of accepting me as a
suitor for her hand, she must needs tell him of this little incident!"
"Worse and worse!"
"Not so fast. I know it is bad, and I knew then that something of a
decisive kind must be done in order to relieve myself from the dilemma into
which this little untoward circumstance had placed me. I remembered that on
that occasion you were somewhat disguised, so that in your natural state,
or in any other disguise you might wish to assume, it would be impossible
to identify you as the same individual. Well, after long deliberation, and
the formation and abandonment of many projects, I finally had to settle
upon one, which, in your then appearance, compromised your character to
some degree; but I hope the course I pursued, notwithstanding this
unpleasant part connected with it, will meet your entire and cordial
approbation. Indeed, had I not felt certain of this, I should not have
adopted the measures I did."
Here Duffel gave the captain a history of the events narrated in chapter
second. When he finished his recital, the captain said:
"Why, Duffel, you are the very devil at a plot! I had no idea you could act
the part so well--I shall certainly use you hereafter. But now for the rest
of your scheme; if it is half as well matured as the first part, I shall
certainly join you in it with all my heart."
"Well, you see, I have already deceived the old gentleman, but he must be
kept deceived; it will not do to let first impressions wear off, or all
will be lost. From all that I can learn, he is very tender toward his
daughter since her illness, and it is not unlikely will yield to her
wishes, if she recovers, more than he has done heretofore; but in order to
keep his suspicions of Hadley excited, while he still retains his good
opinion of your humble servant, his mind must be plied and his prejudices
kept alive, so as to counteract the effect likely to be produced by a
father's feelings for a suffering child. In other words, the growing
sympathy for his daughter, must be met by a countervailing distrust and
aversion toward Hadley. To accomplish this I have hit upon the following
plan."
Here he drew the captain still further from the others, and, in low and
smothered tones, imparted to him his scheme, which was no doubt a
villainous one, as it drew from his auditor and confidant an exclamation to
this effect:
"By my soul, Duffel, you are an adept in these matters! I never dreamed of
your being so deep a plotter! The world and your friends, also, have done
you injustice by not giving you credit for so ample a development of such
rare ability to deceive. Success to your plans. I will gladly second them,
as far as the part allotted to me is concerned, with a hearty good will.
But what think you I had best do?"
"Taking everything into consideration, I think the best thing you can do
for us all is to go down south, or to St. Louis, and remain for a length of
time, perhaps till I send you word of what is transpiring in this part of
the world."
"What will be done about our next meeting? You know we have an application
on hand."
"Let the meeting be postponed; or, if you see fit, I will attend to the
initiation in your absence. Choose yourself between the two measures."
"I will let you preside at the meeting, then; we have need of a few
additions to our number, when we can find the right kind of fellows; and
from all I can learn, this Hurd is made of the right stuff. See that
everything is done strictly in order."
"I will attend to that. But had you not better announce this arrangement to
the members present? They are all here yet, I believe."
In accordance with this suggestion, those of the clan present were notified
of the captain's probable absence at their next meeting, and that
Lieutenant Duffel would act in his place in the interim, to whom all
reports must be made, and from whom all orders must emanate and be obeyed.
After this was arranged, Duffel, who was highly pleased at the working of
things, again drew his superior aside, and said:
"I have now a request to make of you, captain, which, if compatible with
your wishes and convenience, I hope you will see fit to grant."
"I shall be most happy to grant anything in my power, be assured of that
fact."
"I know your good will and generosity are great, or I should not ask the
favor I am about to crave, which is, that you will allow me the use of your
private room here during your absence. I have a particular reason for
desiring this favor."
"I perceive so by your earnestness. I hardly know how to grant your
request, without delaying my departure."
"Oh, never mind, then, I can manage to get along without it."
"No, you shall have it. I mind now of a method by which all necessary
arrangements can be made to-night; and you may find it a very convenient
place to tame some obstinate fair one. Oh, not a word; I understand these
matters. Excuse me for a couple of hours, and I will bring you the key."
With these words, the captain went to his room, into which he had no sooner
entered, than Duffel sought the presence of the desperadoes, two of
whom--the ones that had taken a dislike to Duval--he engaged in
conversation. When assured that no one was sufficiently near or attentive
to hear what passed between them, he said:
"My good fellows, I see we are alone, and I should be pleased to have a
little private and confidential conversation with you."
"We shall be happy to hear anything Lieutenant Duffel may be pleased to
communicate, and feel highly flattered by his confidence," replied one of
them, speaking for both.
"Thank you. I presume it is not necessary for me to pledge you to secrecy
in regard to any transactions that may take place, either in word or deed,
as you will feel bound by honor to look upon all confidential
communications and proceedings as sacredly and faithfully to be kept in
your own bosoms."
"You but do us justice in entertaining such opinions, and, without the
asking on your part, we most solemnly pledge our word, even unto death,
that what your honor may please to say to us shall be kept a most
inviolable secret, which nothing shall extort from us."
"I have always found you faithful, and have no hesitation in trusting you
again; but this time I have a peculiar request to make of you, one that may
lead to business out of the ordinary line of operations to which you have
been accustomed. Can I rely on you in any emergency?"
"Yes, to the very death."
"Are you easily moved by the tears and prayers of persons in distress?"
"Do we _look_ tender-hearted, your honor?"
"Well, no; I can't say that you do; but then the looks are not always a
true criterion by which to judge of the heart. A smooth face and a hard
heart may go together, so may a rough visage and warm sympathies."
"You may rely on us in that particular."
"Even if the suppliant be a helpless and beautiful woman?"
"Well, I must confess, I don't fancy meddling with feminines much. What do
you say to it, Dick; shall we pledge?"
"Dang the women! It allers looked kinder cowardly to me to see men turn
agin' the weak things and abuse 'em; it don't seem nateral, but 'pears like
a feller didn't remember his mother, or his sisters, if he had any. But if
the lieutenant has any work to do, we'll do it, women or no women. Them's
my sentiments, Bill, exactly."
"Give us your hand on it, then," said Bill. "And now, give us yours,
lieutenant, and the thing's settled."
With this, they all shook hands in token of agreement, and thus their faith
was pledged. But what a rebuke Dick inadvertently administered to Duffel in
his quaint remarks! How his vicious heart, bad as it was, must have felt
the blow, and all the more severely that it came from such a source!
However, the villain was not to be turned from his purpose, and so,
pocketing the unintentional affront, he proceeded:
"As you have already heard, our most worthy captain will be absent on
important business for some time to come, and during the period of his
absence the duties of command will devolve on me. I have long been
contemplating a measure, which, if carried out, will be of great and
lasting benefit to our order. In order to conduct the affair to a
successful termination, it may become necessary to imprison a female, a
young lady of great beauty and accomplishments, in this cave. I do not know
that it will require such extreme measures as this, I hope it will not, but
should it become needful to go to this extreme, I shall desire your aid in
carrying her off."
"We'll be with you, as we have already pledged ourselves; but we must ask,
as a favor in return, that you allow us to settle a personal affair with
Amos Duval."
"Of what nature? You know he is a member of the _League_, and that it is a
crime to lift a hand against him."
"We know all about that; but Duval is a traitor at heart, and we can prove
him such."
"Then proceed against him in the order, and I will stand by you."
"That's just what we want; first to prove him worthy of death by our laws,
and secondly, to be allowed to execute the sentence pronounced against
him."
Duffel could not but see that there was a discrepancy between the first and
last request of these fellows, though they tried to make them appear as
one, and he knew there was personal enmity at the bottom of the whole
affair. His duty, as a member of the order, made it obligatory for him to
discourage any ill feeling among the members; but he needed the services of
these two rascals, and so forbore to reprove them.
"I will aid you as far as my duty to the League will permit, provided you
will do me still another service."
"Name it."
"There is a fellow standing in my way in the prosecution of a scheme for
the benefit of our order, and I would like to have him removed. I
understand you with regard to Duval; you wish to be revenged upon him for
some injury or insult, and that revenge looks to his death. You need not
say, yea or nay; well, we will stand by each other all around. I will give
you further instructions at another time. Hold yourselves in readiness at
any moment to aid me. Meet me in the forest by the old oak, on the path to
the 'Swamp,' every day, and be always prepared for either of the services I
may require at your hands."
"You may rely on us."
Thus these worthies parted. What a series of villainous conspiracies had
been developed in this one night, in that secret den of iniquity! Will
these murderers succeed in all their plans? Alas! the wicked often triumph.
The captain soon returned, and placed the key of his room in Duffel's
possession--and then the clan dispersed.