Still stooping in her gait, casting furtive glances to right, to left,
before and behind--at intervals stopping to listen--Helen Armstrong
continues her nocturnal excursion. Notwithstanding the obscurity, she
keeps in a direct course, as if to reach some particular point, and for
a particular reason.
What this is needs not be told. Only love could lure a young lady out
at that late hour, and carry her along a forest path, dark, and not
without dangers. And love unsanctioned, unallowed--perhaps forbidden,
by some one who has ascendancy over her.
Just the first it is which has tempted her forth; while the last, not
the cold, has caused her to cloak herself, and go close hooded. If her
father but knew of the errand she is on, it could not be executed. And
well is she aware of this. For the proud planter is still proud,
despite his reverses, still clings to the phantom of social superiority;
and if he saw her now, wandering through the woods at an hour near
midnight, alone; if he could divine her purpose: to meet a man, who in
time past has been rather coldly received at his house--because scarce
ranking with his own select circle--had Colonel Armstrong but the gift
of clairvoyance, in all probability he would at once suspend the
preparations for departure, rush to his rifle, then off through the
woods on the track of his erring daughter, with the intent to do a deed
sanguinary as that recorded, if not so repulsive.
The girl has not far to go--only half a mile or so, from the house, and
less than a quarter beyond the zigzag rail fence, which forms a boundary
line between the maize fields and primeval forest. Her journey, when
completed, will bring her under a tree--a grand magnolia, monarch of the
forest surrounding. Well does she know it, as the way thither.
Arriving at the tree, she pauses beneath its far-stretching boughs. At
the same time tossing back her hood, she shows her face unveiled.
She has no fear now. The place is beyond the range of night-strolling
negroes. Only one in pursuit of 'possum, or 'coon, would be likely to
come that way; a contingency too rare to give her uneasiness.
With features set in expectation, she stands. The fire-flies illuminate
her countenance--deserving a better light. But seen, even under their
pale fitful coruscation, its beauty is beyond question. Her features of
gipsy cast--to which the cloak's hood adds characteristic expression--
produce a picture appropriate to its framing--the forest.
Only for a few short moments does she remain motionless. Just long
enough to get back her breath, spent by some exertion in making her way
through the wood--more difficult in the darkness. Strong emotions, too,
contribute to the pulsations of her heart.
She does not wait for them to be stilled. Facing towards the tree, and
standing on tiptoe, she raises her hand aloft, and commences groping
against the trunk. The fire-flies flicker over her snow-white fingers,
as these stray along the bark, at length resting upon the edge of a dark
disc--the knot-hole in the tree.
Into this her hand is plunged; then drawn out--empty!
At first there is no appearance of disappointment. On the contrary, the
phosphoric gleam dimly disclosing her features, rather shows
satisfaction--still further evinced by the phrase falling from her lips,
with the tone of its utterance. She says, contentedly:--"_He has got
it_!"
But by the same fitful light, soon after is perceived a change--the
slightest expression of chagrin, as she adds, in murmured interrogatory,
"Why hasn't he left an answer?"
Is she sure he has not? No. But she soon will be.
With this determination, she again faces towards the tree; once more
inserts her slender fingers; plunges in her white hand up to the wrist--
to the elbow; gropes the cavity all round; then draws out again, this
time with an exclamation which tells of something more than
disappointment. It is discontent--almost anger. So too a speech
succeeding, thus:--
"He might at least have let me know, whether he was coming or not--a
word to say, I might expect him. He should have been here before me.
It's the hour--past it!"
She is not certain--only guessing. She may be mistaken about the time--
perhaps wronging the man. She draws the watch from her waistbelt, and
holds the dial up. By the moon, just risen, she can read it.
Reflecting the rays, the watch crystal, the gold rings on her fingers,
and the jewels gleam joyfully. But there is no joy on her countenance.
On the contrary, a mixed expression of sadness and chagrin. For the
hands indicate ten minutes after the hour of appointment.
There can be no mistake about the time--she herself fixed it. And none
in the timepiece. Her watch is not a cheap one. No fabric of Germany,
or Geneva; no pedlar's thing from Yankeeland, which as a Southron she
would despise; but an article of solid English manufacture, _sun-sure_,
like the machine-made watches of "Streeter."
In confidence she consults it; saying vexatiously:
"Ten minutes after, and he not here! No answer to my note! He must
have received it: Surely Jule put it into the tree? Who but he could
have taken it out? Oh, this is cruel! He comes not--I shall go home."
The cloak is once more closed, the hood drawn over her head. Still she
lingers--lingers, and listens.
No footstep--no sound to break the solemn stillness--only the chirrup of
tree-crickets, and the shrieking of owls.
She takes a last look at the dial, sadly, despairingly. The hands
indicate full fifteen minutes after the hour she had named--going on to
twenty.
She restores the watch to its place, beneath her belt, her demeanour
assuming a sudden change. Some chagrin still, but no sign of sadness.
This is replaced by an air of determination, fixed and stern. The
moon's light, with that of the fire-flies, have both a response in
flashes brighter than either--sparks from the eyes of an angry woman.
For Helen Armstrong is this, now.
Drawing her cloak closer around, she commences moving off from the tree.
She is not got beyond the canopy of its branches, ere her steps are
stayed. A rustling among the dead leaves--a swishing against those that
live--a footstep with tread solid and heavy--the footfall of a man!
A figure is seen approaching; as yet only indistinctly, but surely that
of a man. As surely the man expected?
"He's been detained--no doubt by some good cause," she reflects, her
spite and sadness departing as he draws near.
They are gone, before he can get to her side. But woman-like, she
resolves to make a grace of forgiveness, and begins by upbraiding him.
"So you're here at last. A wonder you condescended coming at all!
There's an old adage `Better late than never.' Perhaps, you think it
befits present time and company? And, perhaps, you may be mistaken.
Indeed you are, so far as I'm concerned. I've been here long enough,
and won't be any longer. Good-night, sir! Good-night!"
Her speech is taunting in tone, and bitter in sense. She intends it to
be both--only in seeming. But to still further impress a lesson on the
lover who has slighted her, she draws closer the mantle, and makes as if
moving away.
Mistaking her pretence for earnest, the man flings himself across her
path--intercepting her. Despite the darkness she can see that his arms
are in the air, and stretched towards her, as if appealingly. The
attitude speaks apology, regret, contrition--everything to make her
relent.
She relents; is ready to fling herself upon his breast, and there lie
lovingly, forgivingly.
But again woman-like, not without a last word of reproach, to make more
esteemed her concession, she says:--
"'Tis cruel thus to have tried me. Charles! Charles! why have you done
it?"
As she utters the interrogatory a cloud comes over her countenance,
quicker than ever shadow over sun. Its cause--the countenance of him
standing _vis-a-vis_. A change in their relative positions has brought
his face full under the moonlight. He is _not_ the man she intended
meeting!