AT CROSS PURPOSES
It could not be considered an unpleasant place of imprisonment, yet it
was useless for me to contrive any plans of immediate escape, for the
door was securely locked, and two heavily armed dragoons sat within eying
me rather malevolently. My attempt at approaching the window was
instantly checked by a threatening gesture, and I sat down in the reading
chair to await developments. They could not muffle my ears, however, and
I heard the swift hoof-beats of an approaching horse being ridden
furiously up the gravel driveway. At the door he was hastily checked, and
a voice spoke peremptorily:
"Here you, take the rein!"
The fellow came up the steps hurriedly, almost ignoring the sentry at the
door.
"I haven't time to stand here, you fool," he exclaimed roughly. "My
uniform is pass enough. I wish to see Colonel Mortimer at once--at once."
There was a pause, and then the same voice, and I recognized it now as
Grant's beyond a doubt. "Ah, Colonel, what in God's name has happened
here? I heard that you were out hunting us at Farrell's blacksmith shop,
and came back as swiftly as I could ride. But I never suspected this. Who
were the miscreants?"
"That is a question not yet answered, Captain Grant," replied Mortimer
slowly. "It looks like the work of Pine Robbers. Do you recognize this
fellow?"
"Ay," and from the muffled tone he must have been bending over the body,
"that is 'Tough' Sims, a lieutenant of 'Red' Fagin; there's one more
devil gone to hell. But when did the attack occur? We left here after
dark, and all was quiet enough then. Claire--"
"She was here then? I hardly believed it possible."
"I talked with her--quarrelled with her, indeed. Perhaps that was why she
refused to accompany us to Philadelphia. But what did you mean, Colonel,
when you said you hardly believed it possible she was here? Did some one
tell you?"
"Yes; we caught a fellow in the house when we arrived. He had no time for
escape--rough-looking miscreant, claiming to be a Continental. We have
him under guard in the library."
"He confessed to the whole story?"
"Not a word; claimed to know nothing except that Claire was here. Said he
saw you, and then went away, not getting back again until this morning."
"The fellow is a liar, Colonel. Let me see him; I'll lash the truth out
of his lips. Where did you say he was--in the library?"
I had barely time to rise to my feet when he entered. His eyes swept
across the guard, and then centred upon me. Instantly they blazed with
excitement, although I noticed he took a sudden step backward in the
first shock of surprise, his hand dropping to the butt of a pistol in his
belt.
"By all the gods!" he exclaimed sharply. "If it isn't the spy! I miss the
red jacket, but I know the face, Mister Lieutenant Fortesque."
"Major Lawrence, if you please," I returned quietly.
"We'll not quarrel over the name. I've had occasion to know you under
both; bearing one you was a spy, beneath the other a leader of banditti.
I'll hang you with equal pleasure under either." Suddenly he seemed to
remember where we were, and his face flushed with newly aroused rage.
"But first you'll explain what you are doing here at Elmhurst. Do you
know whose home this is?"
"Most assuredly," determined not to lose my temper, or to be moved by his
threats. "It is the property of Colonel Mortimer, of the Queen's
Rangers."
"And--and you--you came here to again see--the daughter?" he questioned,
as though half regretting the indiscretion of such a suspicion.
"Oh, no, Captain; you do the lady a grave injustice. I came here a
prisoner, very much against my will, not even aware whose plantation this
was. I had no suspicion that Mistress Mortimer was outside Philadelphia
until I overheard your conversation with her."
"Overheard! You! In God's name, where were you--"
"In this room; with both doors ajar it was impossible not to hear. You
spoke somewhat angrily, you may remember, not finding the lady as
gracious in her reception as expected."
The sarcasm in my tone stung him, but the surprise was so great that he
could only rip out an oath.
"I thought you would have also enjoyed swearing at that time," I
continued coolly, "only you scarcely dared venture so far. You had
previously boasted to me of your engagement to the lady, and it naturally
was a surprise to observe how lovingly she greeted you--"
"Hell's acre!" he burst out. "Did the minx know you were there?"
"If you refer to Mistress Mortimer, I presume she suspected it. At least
she came to me shortly thereafter."
"Then I understand better what troubled the girl. But, in God's name! how
did you ever escape me? I was in every room of the house."
I smiled pleasantly. There was nothing for me to gain, or lose, by
goading him, yet it was rather enjoyable.
"That, of course, I must naturally refuse to answer, Captain. I might
need to resort to the same methods again."
"There will be small chance of your having opportunity. Mortimer will
hang you fast enough when I tell my tale. Don't look for mercy at his
hands, for he's prouder than Lucifer of his family honor."
He was out of the door, striding down the hall, bent on carrying out his
purpose. I heard his voice asking where the Colonel was to be found; then
the guard closed the barrier between us. Very well, of the two I would
rather leave my fate to Mortimer than to him, and felt profoundly
grateful that the Captain was not in command. Had he been I should
doubtless have been hung without the slightest formality of trial, but
Mortimer would at least hear my version first; indeed I could hardly
believe he would issue so stringent orders without listening also to his
daughter's story. I was an officer of rank; the consequences might prove
rather serious were I to be executed summarily, and without proper trial.
No matter how hot-headed Colonel Mortimer might be, on an occasion like
this he would certainly require more convincing evidence than Grant's
unsupported statement, before pronouncing such a sentence. In truth Grant
possessed no facts, merely suspicions. He had reasons to believe me a
spy, but there was not a paper on my body to confirm that suspicion, and
my having been in apparent command of the minute men in their attack on
Delavan's foragers was no license for hanging. That was an incident of
war, and might have occurred in the direct performance of a soldier's
duty. Altogether I was satisfied that Mortimer would merely hold me
prisoner, reporting the affair to Clinton.
I had scarcely reasoned this out, however, when a corporal threw open the
door, ordering my guard to conduct me into the Colonel's presence. I was
taken to the parlor, where the furniture had been somewhat rearranged,
and found myself confronting Mortimer, the officer I had heard addressed
as Seldon, and Grant. The latter was speaking vehemently:
"I tell you, Colonel, this has got to be done; he is a spy, and here for
some infamous purpose."
"Well, I've sent for the fellow, Grant; what more do you want? I'll give
him five minutes in which to explain, and that is all. Seldon, have the
men go on ahead along the trail."
"Yes, sir, they are off already."
"Very well. Have our horses outside; we can catch up within a mile or
two." He wheeled sharply about, and looked at me sternly. "Well, sir, I
have very little time to waste on you at present, but I advise truthful
answers. What is your name?"
"Allen Lawrence."
"You claim to be in the Continental service--what rank?"
"Major in the Maryland Line, Maxwell's Brigade."
"Dressed hurriedly, probably, and forgot your uniform."
"I have lately been serving with the Jersey militia, sir, as Captain
Grant can testify," I answered civilly.
"And Captain Grant is only too anxious," broke in that officer
impatiently. "If you will listen to me, Colonel, I'll tell you what I
know in two minutes or less. It will settle this fellow's status."
Mortimer glanced from my face to that of the speaker, evidently attracted
by the vindictiveness of the voice.
"All right, Grant, go on," he said shortly, "only I shall pass judgment
as a soldier, and not because of any personal quarrel. What is it you
know?"
"That this man came into Philadelphia three days ago dressed as an
officer of British Infantry. He claimed to be Lieutenant Fortesque, of
the 42nd Foot, with despatches from New York. Howe vouched for him, and
furnished him with a pass and orderly. He put in the whole day studying
the positions of our troops, and in the evening was a guest at the
Mischianza--André gave him a card, I heard--and danced there with your
daughter. I doubted the man from our first meeting, and later picked up
certain rumors which convinced me he was a spy. Some words passed between
us on the dancing floor, and as a consequence I asked the man to meet me
below. Some one either told him he was suspected, or else he had the
heart of a coward, for he failed to appear."
"Did you intend to fight him?"
"No; we planned an arrest. I reported to MacHugh what I had heard, and he
had Carter close at hand with a squad of the guard."
"A very pretty trick on mere suspicion," commented the Colonel in some
disgust. "But go on with your story."
Grant sucked in his breath quickly, evidently surprised at the remark.
"Claire was waiting for me upstairs in the dining-room, but after Carter
had scattered his men to the outposts, I took a turn about the grounds in
hope of thus running across the fellow. Luck favored me, but, damn him,
he jumped into me like a fighting cock, struck me in the face, and
taunted me into meeting him there and then."
"Good boy! the right stuff, eh, Seldon?"
"I supposed it all a bluff," went on Grant, paying no heed to the
interruption, although his cheeks flushed, "but we went at it, behind the
pavilion, and I had pricked him twice, when the guard came up and
separated us. At that the fellow took to his heels, and, by Gad! got
away--swam the Delaware, while we were beating the west shore. The next I
saw of him he was in command of those ragamuffins who attacked us out
yonder. Now he shows up here looting this house on the trail of 'Red'
Fagin. I'd hang him offhand if it was me."
Mortimer looked across at me earnestly, but with an expression of doubt
in his eyes. As for myself I hardly knew what to say, or do. Grant had no
corroborative proof for his assertions, unless I was returned to
Philadelphia. I could emphatically deny that I was the man, insist on my
right to a fair trial. But how could I account in any reasonable way for
my presence at Elmhurst, or even successfully sustain my claim to being a
Continental officer. I could not tell Colonel Mortimer that I had been
taken prisoner by his daughter, masquerading as a lieutenant of dragoons.
Apparently he knew nothing of this escapade, and she would scarcely
forgive me for exposure; besides, for all I knew to the contrary, the
girl might have thus been attempting to serve the Colonies, and a word of
betrayal might seriously injure our cause. Of course this was merely
conjecture, a wild guess, although there was one fact I could not ignore
in this connection--she had twice defended me from capture, and I dare
not bring any suspicion upon her. Then Grant had barely mentioned her
name, in no way involving her in my escape. Whatever the result my lips
were sealed. All this flashed over me before Mortimer spoke.
"Have you any proofs, sir, that you are an officer of Maxwell's brigade?"
"Not here," and I glanced down at my rough clothing, "yet with a little
delay that could be easily ascertained."
"On what service are you in the Jerseys?"
"I must decline to answer."
"Were you in Philadelphia, wearing British uniform three days ago?"
"If I should say no, it would be merely my word against Captain
Grant--you would doubtless prefer to believe him."
Grant whispered in his ear, the Colonel listening quietly.
"I am informed that you have already acknowledged being concealed in this
house yesterday."
"I have, sir."
"Did any one know of your presence here?"
"I was brought here--a prisoner."
"What!" in decided surprise. "Prisoner to whom?"
"I was captured by three men, dressed as Queen's Rangers, on a road some
miles to the west. They made no explanation, although I have some reason
to believe I was mistaken for another. I was held in a strong room in the
basement overnight."
"You were not there when I searched the house," broke in Grant hoarsely.
"No," and I turned and smiled at him. "I had been brought upstairs before
you arrived."
"Then you saw your captors by daylight?"
"Two of them, yes--a man called Peter, and an Irish fellow, with chin
beard."
"What!" and Mortimer started forward. "Peter and Mike in uniform! This is
beyond belief. Were they alone?"
"They were apparently under the orders of a young lieutenant--the same
who had command of Delavan's advance guard. I was unable to distinguish
the lad's face."
"Delavan's advance guard!" and the Colonel turned toward Grant. "What do
you know about this, sir? Who was he?"
The Captain hesitated, shifting uneasily on his feet.
"I--I do not know, sir," he explained finally, driven to answer. "I
merely had a glimpse of the boy when I first joined the column. I--I
thought I recognized him, but was not sure."
"Who did you suppose him to be?"
"Your son, Eric, sir."