AT CANE RIDGE AGAIN
Abner returned to Kentucky early in October. At Pittsburg, on his
return journey, he had again fallen in with Judge Sebastian, who
intrusted him with a packet containing a sum of money, and with a
package of books, requesting him to deliver them to Judge Innes.
Arriving at Lexington, he delivered the money and books, and then went
on to Cane Ridge, reaching Mason Rogers' about nightfall.
The next morning he set out for his farm, intending, after he had
looked after affairs there, to ride on to Bourbonton to post a letter,
as it was the day on which the once-a-week mail-coach passed through
the village.
Over three months had elapsed since he had seen Betsy Gilcrest; and
although he meant to obey her hint and wait until November to renew his
suit, he felt that there was no prohibition against his seeing her.
Accordingly, he purposed to return from Bourbonton by way of Oaklands.
On the way to the farm he met James Drane. Abner had not made known to
the Rogers family the nature of the business which had called him to
Virginia, nor did he now say anything to the lawyer about consulting
him professionally; for he had resolved that Betsy should be the first
to be told of his good fortune. Drane, after congratulating Abner upon
his safe return, and expressing an intention of calling soon to learn
the particulars of the visit to Virginia, added that he must now hasten
forward, as he had business to transact at Bourbonton. Whereupon,
Abner, thinking to save himself a ride to the village, handed him the
letter to post, and then went on towards his farm.
As soon as Abner was out of sight, Drane took the letter from his
pocket. When he saw its address, Judge Benjamin Sebastian, he uttered
an ejaculation of surprise and pleasure. He rode on slowly for a time,
in deep thought, then turned and galloped rapidly towards Oaklands. In
a field adjoining the road was Hiram Gilcrest, superintending some
negroes gathering corn. Drane, riding up to the fence, hailed Gilcrest,
who advanced to meet him. Drane then took the letter from his pocket,
and, showing its address, said, "You see, Major, my suspicions
regarding your neighbor are well founded."
"Has Dudley returned?" asked Gilcrest in some surprise.
"Yes, last evening. He passed through Lexington yesterday. While there
he doubtless gathered important information from others of the band,
and this morning he asked me to post this letter, which, of course,
transmits this information to Sebastian."
After some further conversation, Drane exacted a pledge from Gilcrest
of absolute secrecy in regard to the letter, and, declining an
invitation to dine at Oaklands, rode away.
Much to Abner's chagrin, he found, on arriving at Oaklands an hour
after the interview between Drane and Gilcrest, that Betsy was on a
visit to her friend, Mary Winston, who lived near Lexington. Mrs.
Gilcrest, however, was unusually animated, and evinced great interest
in his recent journey, and questioned him about people and places,
changes and fashions in Virginia. Yet Abner could not but notice the
lack of cordiality in Major Gilcrest. Thinking this due to recollection
of the discussion just before the trip to Virginia, Abner tried to
avoid all topics even remotely approaching church matters. He described
his visit to Blennerhassett Island. Gilcrest, becoming interested,
melted perceptibly, for a time; but when the young man, in the course
of his narrative, mentioned the names of his two traveling companions
from Lexington to Blennerhassett Island, Gilcrest's manner not only
lost its lately recovered geniality, but became harder and more frigid
than ever.
After striving vainly to bring his host back to a more pleasant mood,
Abner felt that he could not, in the face of Gilcrest's increasing
sternness and coldness, prolong the visit. Although it was raining
heavily, he declined Mrs. Gilcrest's timid invitation to remain to
dinner, and left a little before noon. As he rode home through the rain
he thought over every trifling incident of his hour at Oaklands. He
recalled every topic of conversation, without finding a clue to the
enigma. "He's harking back to my old transgression in upholding Stone,"
was his conclusion. "Interest in the account of my journey did for a
time beguile him into forgetfulness of my offense, but his mind at last
reverted to it; hence his return to the Frigid Zone. It was a regular
freeze-out toward the end. If he were not Betty's father, I'd have
nothing more to do with him. But what a fool I was to discuss
theological matters with him in the first place! After all, this church
trouble is no affair of mine, and Stone did not need my advocacy; he's
quite able, single-handed, to play St. George to the dragon of
sectarianism that trails its length through this region. A pretty time
I'll have now, trying to reinstate myself in the old gentleman's good
graces! I hope to heaven something will happen to call him out of the
way the first of November; for see Betty then I will, no matter what
happens."
When James Drane, after his talk with Gilcrest, reached the main
thoroughfare, instead of choosing the turning towards Bourbonton, he
took the opposite course towards Lexington. As soon as he was in his
office, and had barred his door, he carefully cut around the seal of
Abner's letter. It contained merely a few lines stating that the money
and books had been delivered to Innes.
"The devil take it!" he ejaculated. "This shows nothing as to whether
Sebastian and Murray took advantage of their opportunity to sound the
schoolmaster; and I now very much doubt if the self-sufficient young
prig can be drawn into our schemes. However, showing the address to
Gilcrest this morning did my own personal cause a good turn. Now, how
to follow up this advantage? I wonder if I could counterfeit
Sebastian's peculiar chirography." From an inner locked drawer of his
escritoire he took a small metal box, and from a number of papers
contained therein he selected a letter which he examined closely.
"No use to try imitation, when the original document will serve my
purpose as well or better," he finally concluded. "The initials fit
perfectly; and, thanks to Sebastian's cunning and to our cipher code,
this letter is so obscurely worded that Gilcrest can gain from it no
knowledge of our plans. But I'll have to wait some time yet in order to
tell him a plausible tale. In the meanwhile, it would be well to try my
skill at counterfeiting Dudley's writing. His precise, schoolmasterly
hand would surely be easier to imitate than Sebastian's queer, crabbed
characters, and there's no telling how or when my skill may be of use
to me. But how to get more material to work upon? This short note to
Sebastian isn't enough. Couldn't I get Dudley to copy some law papers
for me?" He rose and paced the floor in deep thought. Finally he
succeeded in elaborating a plan which would suit his purpose.