AUN' JINKEY'S WARNING
The night passed like a lull in the storm. Perkins reported that the
negroes were quiet, contenting themselves with whispering and
watchfulness. Aun' Jinkey smoked and dozed in her chair, listening to
every sound, but no "squinch-owl" renewed her fears. The family at the
mansion were too perturbed to sleep much, for all knew that the morrow
must bring decisive events. The three soldiers sent after the recreant
trooper returned from a bootless chase and were allowed to rest, but
Whately saw to it that there was a vigilant watch kept by relief of
guards on the part of the others. He was not very greatly encouraged by
his mother's report, but as the hours passed the habits of his life and
the tendencies of his nature asserted themselves with increasing force.
He would marry his cousin on the morrow; he would not be balked in his
dearest hope and wish. The very resistance of the girl stimulated his
purpose, for throughout all his life nothing so enhanced his desire for
anything as difficulty and denial. The subduing the girl's high spirit
into subservience to his own was in itself a peculiarly alluring
prospect, and he proved how little he appreciated her character by
whiling away part of the night over "Taming of the Shrew." A creature
of fitful impulse, nurtured into an arrogant sense of superiority, he
banished all compunctions, persuading himself easily into the belief
that as soldier, officer, and lover he was taking the manly course in
going straight forward. "The idea of consulting a whimsical girl at
such a time," he muttered, "when a Yankee horde may descend on the
plantation within forty-eight hours."
Miss Lou was quite as sleepless as himself, and also did a great deal
of thinking. She had too much pride to hide and mope in her room. Her
high, restless spirit craved action, and she determined to brave
whatever happened with the dignity of courage. She would face them all
and assert what she believed to be her rights before them all, even the
clergyman himself. She therefore appeared at the breakfast table with
just enough color in her cheeks and fire in her eyes to enhance her
beauty.
"Ah, this is something like," exclaimed her uncle. "I knew sleep and
thought would bring back good sense."
Mrs. Whately kissed her effusively and Mrs. Baron formally, the girl
submitting with like mien in both instances. Her cousin, in accordance
with his mood and the policy he had adopted, bowed gallantly and with a
touch of grandiloquence in his tone said, "I again apologize before all
for my most unfortunate act last evening."
She only bowed silently in reply.
Then Whately assumed the air of one who had many and weighty matters on
his mind, his whole conversation conforming to the accepted belief that
they were facing a terrible emergency, and that he, as the practical
head of the family at such a time, must act decisively for the best
good and safety of all. "If I could be governed in this instance," he
said, "only by patriotic feeling I would advise the destruction of all
the forage on the place if convinced that the Yanks were coming this
way, but that would incite them to every possible outrage. Still, I
truly believe that it would be best for you and aunt to go with us this
evening."
"No," said Mr. Baron, "I've settled that."
"Haven't you negroes that you can trust to take the stock off into the
woods for concealment?"
"After Chunk's rascality I won't trust any of them."
"Well, I shall adopt that plan at our place this morning, and leave as
little of value within reach as I can help."
By a sort of tacit agreement it was thought best not to say anything to
Miss Lou except as Mrs. Whately broached the subject, it being believed
that a quiet ignoring of her will and a manifest purpose to carry out
their own would have the most weight in breaking down her opposition.
Indeed it was a shrewd policy, hard for the young girl to bear up
against. Mrs. Baron had been enjoined not to cross her in little
things. The busy housekeeper was too preoccupied to do so had she been
disposed, but it troubled and incensed the girl to the last degree to
see her bustling about, preparing for the wedding as if it would take
place as a matter of course. Mrs. Whately's affectionate smiles and
encouraging words were even harder to endure. That good lady acted as
if Miss Lou were a timid and coy maiden, who merely needed heartening
and reassuring in order to face a brief ordeal, and then all would be
well. Her cousin gallantly lifted her hand to his lips and then rode
away with part of his men, saying cheerfully, "I'll manage everything
for the best."
A vague terror seized upon the girl and she again sought the refuge of
Aun' Jinkey's cabin. She must have some one to speak to who understood
her, who felt for her. She found that Mrs. Baron had been there before
her, urging the completion of certain tasks. Indeed, the old woman was
ironing a white muslin dress which looked very bridal-like. Miss Lou
recognized it as her own gown, which might naturally be worn on such an
occasion.
"Who brought that here?" she asked quickly.
"Ole miss, honey. She said you cud war dis or de one you hab on, des ez
you pleases."
"Aun' Jinkey," said the girl in an awed whisper, "do you think they can
marry me against my will?"
"Miss Lou, I declar ter you I'se been smokin' en projeckin' ober dat
mos' all night."
"Well?"
"Hit 'pears ter me a orfully mux-up question. Yere yo' gyardins, ole
mars'r en ole miss. Dey's des had dere gay on dis plantashon sence I
wuz a gyurl. You wuz trus' ter dem ter be took keer on en you tole me
how he manage yo' prop'ty. He call you he ward. I des dunno w'at po'r
dat ward business gib 'im. I'se yeared en my day ob young gyurls mar'ed
yere en mar'ed dar en dey aim' sayin' much 'bout who dey mar'y. Folks
say dat wuz de way wid ole miss. I reckermember dem days en I year ole
mars'r's fader talk'n wid her fader 'bout w'at dey call set'l'ments en
po'tions. Den ole miss's mammy tole me how her young miss wuz cool ez a
cowcumber, en how she say her folks know bes' en she sat'sfied; en den
how she gib her min' ter w'at she call her trosso. Why honey, I des
doin' up tings ob dat ar trosso yit."
"That's just the trouble with aunt," said Miss Lou scornfully. "I don't
believe she ever had heart enough to love with."
"Well, I reck'n ole mars'r is projeckin' dis away. Ole miss, she settle
down en tuck hole strong. She des kin'er fall inter he ways en mek
tings hum wid de yard en house folks. She des a nachel-bawn
housekeeper, en we uns all had ter stan 'roun' en do ez she sed sud'n,
we sutn'y did; en ole mars'r, he tink hit be des de same wid you."
"But it won't, mammy. I'm not like my aunt."
"Dat you ain', honey, bless de Lawd! Ole miss neber stan' 'twix me en a
whip, en she neber run fer my pipe en let her shol'er ache whiles I
smokes like a ole himage. I'se only des a s'plainin' how dey feels
'bout yo' mar'age."
"Ah, but mammy, you know how I feel about it. I won't marry my cousin
if I can help it."
"Hit's yo' feelin's, honey, w'at des riles up my in'erds so I kyant
hardly wuk. Dat's whar my projeckin' gins out, en I'se kin'er stump'd
'bout hit. Dey's gwine right 'long wid dere prep'rations des ez ef dey
cud do ez dey pleased. Dunno w'at de law is 'bout hit ef dere is any
law in dese mux-up times. I'se des took clar off my foots wid all de
goin's on. De fiel'-han's at de quarters is bilin' ober wid 'citement,
en dey's sayin' de Linkum men's comin' ter upset ebryting. Whar dey get
de news fum I dunno. Dey sez ole mars'r is 'stracted en ole miss des
put her thin lips tergedder ez ef she gwine ter hab her way ter de las'
minit. Ez fer Marse Whately, you knows he al'ays hab his way, en ef
dere isn't eny way he mek it. You sez de min'ster en folks is comin'?
Hit des stumps me fer dem ter go on so ef dey hasn't de po'r."
"Well, then," said the girl desperately, "they will have to use force
all the way through. I'll never give my consent."
"P'raps w'en de min'ster see dat he woan mar'y you."
"That's just my hope," said the girl, "I--"
A quick step was heard and a moment later Mrs. Baron entered the cabin.
Ostensibly she came for some of the articles which Aun' Jinkey had
ironed, but Miss Lou knew she was under surveillance and she departed
without a word. On entering her room she found that her little trunk
had been packed and locked in her absence and that the key was gone.
She felt that it was but another indignity, another phase of the strong
quiet pressure urging her toward the event she so dreaded. A hunted,
half-desperate look came into her eyes, but she did not waver in her
purpose.
Mrs. Whately knocked, but the girl would not admit her.
Meanwhile Mrs. Baron said to Aun' Jinkey in parting, "See to it that
you don't put foolish notions in my niece's head. We are none of us in
a mood for trifling to-day."
Then the old woman's wrath burst out. "You 'speck I'se feared ter speak
fer dat chile w'at stan' by me so? Bettah be keerful yosef, mistis; you
alls gittin' on ve'y scarey groun' wid Miss Lou. You tink you kin do
wid her w'at you pleases des ez ef she a lil gyurl baby. I reck'n her
moder come out'n her grabe ter look arter you ef you ain' keerful."
"What do you mean by such language?"
"I mean des dis, mistis. Ef you tinks Miss Lou ole anuff ter mar'y you
know she ain' a chile. Ef she ain' a chile she a woman. Does you tink
you kin tromple on a woman? You kin tromple on me en I am' sayin'
not'n, but you kyant tromple on a wi'te woman like yosef. I tells you
you gittin' on scarey groun' wid Miss Lou."
"If you both had sense you would know we are getting her off scarey
ground, as you call it. All you have to do is to obey my orders and not
meddle."
"Ve'y well, mistis, I'se warn you," said Aun' Jinkey, sullenly
returning to her work.
"Warn me of what?" But the old woman would not vouchsafe another word.
Mrs. Baron returned to the house, her lips compressed with a firmer
purpose to maintain discipline on deck till the ship went down, if that
was to be the end. Combined with her cold, unimaginative temperament
was a stronger and more resolute spirit than that of her husband, who
now was chiefly governed by his lifelong habit of persistence. He
adhered to his purposes as a man at sea clings to the ship which he
feels is going to pieces beneath him.
Chunk and Scoville reached the Union camp in the gray dawn of the
morning, and the latter soon had an audience with the commanding
officer, with whom he was a favorite scout. The small party which had
been compelled to leave Scoville behind had brought important
information, gained chiefly by the young man's daring and address, and
the general was very glad to see him again and to be assured of his
escape.
"We are ready to move," said the commander, "and the information
brought in by your party has decided me to bear off to the southeast in
order to meet the enemy approaching from the southwest. As soon as you
are rested, Lieutenant Scoville--"
"Sir! what?"
"Yes, I had recommended you for promotion and the order has come."
"If zeal in your service, sir"--began the scout flushing proudly.
"Yes, yes, I understand all that. I remember the men who serve me well.
As soon as you're able to start out in the same direction again I would
like you to do so."
"I'm able now," said Scoville eagerly, and then he briefly related the
situation of affairs at The Oaks, concluding, "If I had twenty-five men
I believe I could not only prevent the marriage but capture all the
Confederates with their information. They have been scouting up toward
us just as we were toward the enemy."
"All right," said the general, laughing. "Perhaps the marriage may come
off yet, only with another groom."
"No, sir," said Scoville, gravely. "The girl befriended me in my sore
need. She is as good and innocent as a child, and I would shield and
respect her as I would my own sister."
"That's the right spirit, Lieutenant. I was not sure how far matters
had gone--in fact, was only jesting."
Scoville made a hearty breakfast, and within an hour, at the head of
over a score of men, was rapidly retracing his steps, Chunk following
in a state of wild elation. They both had been furnished with fresh
horses, and the tough, elastic sinews of the newly-fledged officer were
tense with an unwonted excitement. If those tearful blue eyes of Miss
Lou should welcome him as deliverer this would be the most memorable
day of his life.