Headquarters, August 16, 1781.
Sir,--Should you have already taken steps looking to the
discovery and seizure of those concerned in the late robbing of the
mails, you will hold all such proceedings in abeyance until further
orders. For military reasons it is even desired that the post-bag
which will be sent through to-morrow should fall into the hands
of the enemy, and you will act accordingly. I have the honour
to be,
Yr. Obedt. hble Servt.
Go. Washington.
To Colonel Brereton,
Commanding the 3rd. New Jersey Regt.,
Stationed at Chatham.
Jack whistled softly, then smiled, "Joe will have a long
wait," he chuckled. "I wonder what 's up."
He knew three days later, for orders came to him to put his
regiment in motion and march for Philadelphia, and the
bearer of the despatch added that the united forces of Washington
and Rochambeau were already across the Hudson and
would follow close upon his heels.
"We've made Sir Henry Clinton buy the information
that we intend to attack New York," the aide told him, "and
now we are off to trap Cornwallis in Virginia."
LX
THE SPINNING OF THE WEB
Owing to the impossibility of the horses of Tarleton's
and Simcoe's legions being ferried on the small
boats which transported the foot troops from Portsmouth
to Yorktown, they had been left behind the
rest of the army, with directions to put themselves on board
the frigate and sloops of war and effect a landing at Hampton
or thereabouts. This gave the commissary still more time
free from the presence of Major Hennion, but he had little
reason to think it of advantage to him. At meal hours, since
they had but one table, Janice could not avoid his company,
but otherwise she very successfully eluded him. Much of each
day she spent with her mother, who was ailing, and kept her
room, and she made this an excuse for never remaining in those
shared by all in common. When she went out of doors, which,
owing to the August heats, was usually towards evening, she
always took pains that the baron should not be in a position to
join her, or even to know of her having sallied forth. With
the same object, she generally, as soon as she left the house,
hurried through the little village and past the rows of tents of
the encampment on the outskirts and the lines of earthworks
upon which the soldiery and negroes were working, until she
reached the high point of land to the east, which opened on
Chesapeake Bay, where, feeling secure, she could enjoy herself
in the orchard of the Moore house, in the woods to the
southward, or with sewing or a book, merely sit on the extreme
point gazing off at the broad expanse of water.
She was thus engaged on the afternoon of the 28th of
August, when the rustle of footsteps made her look up from
her book, only to find that her precautions for once were
futile, as it was the commissary who was hastening toward
her.
"I needed this," he began, "to prove to me that you were
not a witch, as well as a bewitcher, for, verily, I had begun to
think that by some black art ye flew out of your window at
will. Nay," he protested, as Janice, closing her book, rose,
"call ye this fair treatment, Miss Meredith? Surely, if ye
have no gratitude yourself, ye should at least remember what
I am doing for your father and mother, and not seek to shun
me as if I were the plague, rather than a man nigh mad with
love for ye."
"'T is that very fact, Lord Clowes," replied Janice, gravely,
"which has forced avoidance of you upon me. Surely you
must understand that, promised now as I am to another, both
by my father's word and by my own, your suit cannot fail to
distress me?"
"Is 't possible that, to please others, thee intends, then, to
force thyself to marry this long-legged dragoon?" protested
Clowes. "Hast thy father not told thee of thy own loss of
Greenwood and of his undoubted loss of Boxely?"
"Our loss of property, my Lord, but makes it all the more
important that we save our good name; and if our change of
circumstance does not alter Major Hennion's wishes, as I am
certain it will not, we shall keep faith with him."
"Even though Lord Clowes offers ye position, wealth, and
a home for your parents, not a one of which he can give?"
"Were I not promised, Lord Clowes, nothing could induce
me to marry you."
"Why not?" questioned the baron, warmly.
"Methinks, if you but search the past, sir, you cannot for
an instant be in doubt. Obligations you have heaped upon
us at moments, for every one of which I thank you, but never
could I bring myself to feel respect, far less affection for
you."
The commissary, with knitted brows, started to speak, but
checked himself and took half a dozen strides. Returning,
he said:--
"Miss Meredith, 't is not just to judge the future by the
past. Can ye not understand that what I did in Philadelphia,
ay, every act of mine at which ye could take offence in our
whole acquaintance, has been done on heated impulse? If
ye but knew a man's feelings when he loves as I love, and
finds no response to his passion in the object of it, ye would
pardon my every act."
"'T is not alone your conduct to us, Lord Clowes, but as
well that to others which has confirmed me in my conviction."
"Ye would charge me with--"
"'T is not I alone, my Lord, that you have deceived or
injured, and you cannot plead for those the excuse you plead
to me."
"'T is the circumstances of my parole of which ye speak?"
demanded the baron.
"Of that and other things which have come to my knowledge."
Again the suitor hesitated before saying, with a suggestion
of glibness: "Miss Meredith, every ounce of blame ye put
upon my conduct I accept honestly and regretfully, but did ye
but know all, I think ye would pity rather than judge me in
that heart which seems open to every one but me. From the
day my father died in the debtor's prison and I was thrown
a penniless boy of twelve upon the world, it has been one
long fight to keep head above water, till I got this appointment.
The gentlemen of the army have told ye that I was a
government spy, I doubt not. I wonder what they would
have been in my straits! Think ye any man is spy by choice?
Am I worse than the men who hired me to do the work, and
who gained praise and rewards, even to the blue ribbon, by
the information I had got for them, while only scorn and
shame was my portion? Think ye a life given to indirection
and worming, to prying and scheming, is one of self-choice?
Hitherto I have done the dirty work of ministers,--ay, of
kings; but from the day I leave this country, that is over and
done with for ever, and their once tool, now rich, will take his
place among the very best of England's peers, for money will
buy a man anything in London nowadays. 'T is not alone
that I love ye nigh to desperation that I beg your love; 't is
that your love will help to make me the honest-living man
I ambition to be. But grant the longing of my life, and I'll
pledge ye happiness. Ye shall write your own marriage settlement,
a house, carriages, jewels--"
"Indeed, Lord Clowes, even were my feelings less strong,
you ask for what is now impossible."
"Because your father, with a short-sightedness that is wellnigh
criminal, has tied ye to this fellow! Can't ye perceive
that the greatest service ye can render him will be to relieve
him of the promise he has not the courage to end? In a six-months
he'll bless ye for the deed, if ye will but do it."
Almost as if he had come to protect his rights, the voice of
Major Hennion broke in upon them. "Everywhere have I
sought you for upwards of an hour," he said, as he hurried
toward them, "and began to fear that some evil had befallen
you." He caught Janice's hand eagerly and kissed it.
"But when did you arrive?" exclaimed the girl.
"The legions were landed at Hampton Road this morning
and reached camp an hour gone," explained the major. Still
retaining her hand, he turned to Clowes and said, "If I
understood you aright, my Lord, you told me you knew not
where Miss Meredith was to be found?"
"And Miss Meredith will bear me out in the statement,
sir, though I am quite willing that my word should stand by
itself," retorted the commissary, tartly. "Nor am I in the
habit of having it questioned by colonial striplings," he added
insultingly.
"Nor am I--" began Philemon, heatedly; but Janice
checked him by laying her free hand on his arm.
"'T is naught to take umbrage at, Phil," she said dissuadingly,
"and do not by quarrelling over a foolish nothing spoil
my pleasure in seeing you."
"That I'll not," acceded the major, heartily. "Ah,
Janice," he cried, unable to contain himself even before the
baron, "if you knew the thrill your words give me. Are
you truly glad to see me?"
"Yes, Phil, or I would not say so," answered the girl,
ingenuously.
Lord Clowes, a scowl on his face, turned from the two, to
avoid sight of Hennion's look of gladness. This brought him
gazing seaward, and he gave an exclamation. "Ho! What 's
here?"
The two faced about at his question, to see, just appearing
from behind the curve of the land to the southward, a full-rigged
ship, one mass of canvas from deck to spintle-heads,
and with a single row of ports which bespoke the man-of-war.
"'T is a frigate," announced Clowes, "and no doubt sent
to convoy the transports we have been awaiting. Yes; there
comes another. 'T is the fleet, beyond question," he continued,
as the first vessel having opened from the land, the
bowsprit of a second began to appear.
The three stood silent as the two ships towering pyramids of
sails, making them marvels of beauty, swept onward with slow
dignity across the mouth of the York River, at this point
nearly three miles wide, toward the Gloucester shore. Before
they had gone a quarter of a mile, a third and larger vessel
came sweeping into view, her two rows of ports showing her
to be a line-of-battle ship. Barely was she clear of the land
when a string of small flags broke out from her mizzen rigging,
and almost as if by magic, the yard arms of all three vessels
were alive with men, and royals, top gallants, and mainsails
with machine-like precision were dewed up and furled, and
each ship, stripped of all but its topsails, rounded to, with its
head to the wind.
"That is a strange manoeuvre," remarked Philemon. "Why
stop they outside, instead of sailing up the river?"
"They've hove to, no doubt, to wait a pilot, being strangers
to the waters," surmised Clowes, wheeling and looking up the
river townwards. "Ay, there goes some signal from the 'Charon's'
truck," he went on, as the British frigate anchored off the
town displayed three flags at her masthead.
Janice, thankful for the diversion the arrivals had caused,
said something to Philemon in a low voice, and they set out
toward the town. Not noticing the obvious attempt to escape
from his society, or to outward appearance perturbed, the
baron put himself alongside the two, and walked with them
until the custom-house was reached.
"Will you come in, Philemon, and see dadda and mommy?"
questioned the girl, as the three halted at the doorway.
As she spoke, an orderly, who a moment before had come
out of headquarters, made towards the major, and, saluting,
said, "Colonel Tarleton directs that you report at headquarters
without delay, sir."
"My answer is made for me, Janice," sighed Philemon.
"I fear me 't is some vidette duty, and that once
again we are doomed to part, just as I thought my hour had
come. Many more of such disappointments will turn me
from a soldier into a Quaker. However, 't is possible his
Lordship wants but to put some questions, and, if so, I'll be
with you shortly." He crossed the street and entered the
Nelson house.
Shown by the orderly to the room where Cornwallis was, he
found with him his colonel and a man in the uniform of a
naval officer.
"Ah, here he is," said the British general. "Major Hennion,
the three ships which have taken station at the mouth
of the river pay no heed to the 'Charon's 'signals, nor are theirs
to be read by our book, so 't is feared that they are French
ships. As 't is impossible to believe they would thus boldly
venture into the bay if alone, we wish to know if there are
others below. Furnish Lieutenant Foley with a mount, and,
with an escort of a troop, guide him over the road you came
to-day to some spot where a view of the roadstead at Old
Point Comfort is to be commanded." Speaking to the naval
officer, he enjoined, "You will carefully observe any shipping
there may be, sir, and of what force, and report to me with
the least possible delay."
It was a little after ten o'clock on the following day when a
troop of hot and weary-looking horses and men clattered
along the main street of the town and drew up in front of
headquarters. Throwing himself from the saddle, Major
Hennion hurried into the house. The moment he was in the
presence of Cornwallis, he said: "'T is as you surmised,
general. Between thirty and forty sail stretch from Lynnhaven
Bay to the mouth of the James, and though 't was difficult to
exactly estimate their force, they are mostly men of war, and
some even three-deckers."
"Beyond question 't is the French West India fleet," burst
from Cornwallis. For a moment he was silent, then sternly
demanded, "Where is Lieutenant Foley?"
"The gentlemen of the navy, sir, are more used to oak than
to leather, and we set him such a pace that twelve miles back
he could no longer sit his saddle, and we left him leading his
horse, thinking this information could not be brought you too
soon."
"It but proves the old saying that 'Ill news has wings,'"
replied the earl, steadily, as he walked to the window and
looked out into the garden. Here he stood silently for so
long that finally Hennion spoke.
"I beg your pardon, general," he said, "but am I
dismissed?"
All the reply Cornwallis made him was to ask, "When you
first came amongst us, major, you spoke with the barbaric provincialism
and nasal twang of your countrymen, but in your
years with us you have lost them. Could you upon occasion
resume both?"
"Indeed, my Lord," replied the officer, smiling, "'t is even
yet a constant struggle to keep from it."
"The word you bring must be got to Clinton without question
of fail and with the least possible delay. Are you willing
to volunteer for a service of very great risk?"
"Does your Lordship for a moment question it?"
"Not I. To-night we will try to steal a small sloop out of
the river with a despatch for Clinton; but we must not place
our whole dependence on this means, and a second must be
sent him overland. Get you a meal, sir, and a fresh horse,
and from some civilian or negro procure such clothes as are
fitting for a travelling peddler. I will order you a pack and a
stock of such things as are appropriate from the public stores,
and you shall at once be rowed across the river and must
make your way as best you can northward to New York.
Dost understand?"
"Ay, my Lord," replied Major Hennion, his hand already
on the door-latch.
Left alone, Cornwallis stood for a moment, his lips pressed
together, then summoning an aide, he gave him certain
directions, after which, going to his writing-desk, he pulled
out a drawer and from it took quite a batch of Continental
and State currency. Seating himself at his desk, he laid one
of the notes upon it, and taking his penknife he very neatly
and dexterously split the bill through half its length. Taking
from his pocket a wallet, he drew from it a sheet of paper
covered with numbers and syllables, which was indorsed,
"Cipher No. I." Writing on a scrap of paper a few words,
he then alternately looked at what he had penned and at the
cipher, taking down on one of the inner surfaces of the bill a
series of numbers. Scarcely had he done his task when a
knock came at the door, and in response to his summons a
negress entered.
"'Scuse me, your Lordship," she said with a bob. "De
captain, he say youse done want a leetle flour gum."
"Yes. Give it to me and leave the room," answered the
earl.
Touching his finger in the saucer she had brought, Cornwallis
rubbed it inside the split along the three edges, and
then laying the bill on his desk, he patted the edges where
they had been split, together, wiping them clean with his
handkerchief. Running over the pile of currency, he sorted
out some fifty notes, then taking a sheet of paper, he began a
letter.
Before the earl had finished what he was writing, he was
again interrupted, and the new-comer proved to be Major
Hennion, clothed in an old suit of butternut-coloured linen.
And as if in laying aside his red coat, shorts, and boots he had
as well laid aside military rank, he seemed to have already
reverted to his old slouch.
"Good," exclaimed Cornwallis, as he rose. "Are your
other preparations all made?"
"Every one, general; and my horse and pack are already
at the river-side."
The earl took the pile of sorted bills from his desk and
handed them to Hennion. "There is the money to pay your
way," he said, "all Continental Loan office or Virginia currency,
save one of North Carolina for forty shillings, which on
no account are you to part with, even if any one in the States
to the northward will accept it, for I have split it open and
written within it to Sir Henry Clinton the news I have to tell.
Say to him that a few moments in water will serve to part the
edges where they have been gummed together. I give you
the note, that if you are caught, you may still find some means
to send it on. But lest by mischance it should be lost or
taken from you, and you should yet be able to reach New
York, I have here the words I have written in cipher within
the bill. Have you a good memory?"
"For facts, if not for words, my Lord."
The general took up from his desk the little memorandum
he had written before using his cipher and read out: "An
enemy's fleet within the Capes. Between thirty and forty
ships of war, mostly large." "Spare not your speed, sir, yet
take no unnecessary risk," ended the earl, as he held out his
hand.
As Hennion took it, he said: "I will endeavour not to fail
your Lordship in either respect; in going, however, I have one
favour to crave of you. I leave behind me my promised
bride, Miss Meredith; and I beg of you that she shall not
want for any service that your Lordship can render her, or that
I could do were I but here."
"'T is given," promised the earl, and on the word Hennion
hurried from the room. Crossing the street, he knocked at
the custom-house, and of the servant inquired, "Is Miss
Meredith within?"
"No, sir," replied the soldier.