WOOED BUT NOT WON.
Notwithstanding the fatigues of the day and night Spite did not seek
rest. Leaving the command of Orchard Camp with Hide, he went aboard the
"Fringe" and sailed over to the island. The boat was run in under the
willows, and at his own request Raft went with Spite to the lodge of
Dame Tigrina.
"You would be more welcome if you'd come at a respectable season," was
the greeting which the old creature gave her master.
"Well, well, mother, you must bear with me this time. It isn't often I
trouble you. And, you know, you never lose anything by serving me. How
are your new boarders? Asleep, I hope?"
"Asleep? not they! They have done nothing the whole night but weep, and
pray, and bemoan their condition."
"Poor things!" said Spite, "I suppose they are pining to see me, again!
Hey, mother?"
Dame Tigrina showed her fangs in what was intended for a grin, and led
the way into the "Brownie Bower," as Spite merrily called the place
where Faith and Sophia were confined.
"Good morning, my pretty birds," said the chief, as he entered the
chamber. "It is rather early for a call of ceremony on young ladies.
But, really, you must excuse me for once, as time is precious just now.
Besides, I come on business,--business of great importance. And that is
always a good excuse for untimely visits."
The Nurses rose as the Pixies entered the room. They stood with arms
clasped about each other, casting beseeching glances at their dread
enemy, but saying nothing.
"Come, Mistress Faith," continued Spite, "I have some private words to
speak to you. Now no scenes, please! If you want to be well treated act
sensibly. There, Sophie, you can go to the other side of the room. What
I have to say concerns Faith alone."
He loosened the clasped arms of the captives and led Faith aside. The
Brownie maiden shrank back from the Pixie's approach, drew herself up
and stood facing her persecutor. Her face was sad almost to despair, but
a quiet firmness in her eyes showed that although she thought best to be
silent, she had braced herself to resist or suffer to the utmost.
"I am a plain, rough-spoken person, Faith," began Spite, "and I shall
waste no words in telling you my wish and purpose. I love you. I want
you for a wife. I mean to marry you."
Faith started, shrank back yet further, drew herself up yet more, but
remained silent.
"I don't wish to marry in my own race, for reasons which I do not care
to explain. But I have long felt the need of some one to preside over my
household. I have chosen you to that honor. Are you ready to accept it
without more ado?"
Faith's cheeks blushed crimson at these words. Her eyes flashed as she
answered: "Spite, chief, Pixie, fiend!--whatever you call yourself, what
evil spirit could have devised such an unholy scheme? Faith ally herself
with you? Never! Do the worst you can do at once. I can die. I am not
afraid to die. Strike! But say no more of a matter the very thought of
which is revolting." She spoke quietly, but there were firmness and
fire in her tones before which even Spite quailed for a moment.
He was not long abashed. "That sounds very fine," he replied, "and I
suppose is the proper thing to say, and all that, in such cases. Let us
take all such high and virtuous stuff for granted, however, and come
straight to business. Now first, you have such an offer as no Brownie
ever yet dreamed of. You may be queen of the Pixies. You shall have a
palace--yes, a score of palaces if you like. Servants, honors, garments
of the richest silk, table luxuries from air and earth and
water--everything that heart could possibly wish of honor, riches and
comfort shall be yours. What have you to say to that?"
"That not all the kingdoms of this earth, could you bestow them on me,
would buy me to be a Pixie's bride."
"Then, second," continued Spite, not noticing the reply, "you will be in
a position to act as a mediator between your people and ours. You could
have many opportunities for doing good to your friends and kin. The
alliance which I propose would also give you a power for good over our
people. Even if you were asked to make a sacrifice, it would be your
duty to do so since thereby you would widen the sphere of your
influence. What do you say to that?"
"I say, as I have ever been taught, that it is not lawful to do evil
that good may come. It is a delusion and a snare to say that such a
wicked union as you ask could have any other than a disastrous end."
"Then, third," continued Spite with the same cool indifference to
Faith's indignant words, "third and last, you might as well submit
gracefully to your destiny. You can't help yourself. You are in my
hands. I shall marry you whether you like or no. You will only bring
sorrow and pain upon yourself and friends by your stubbornness, and will
do no good in the end. I have finished my business. I don't mean to
press it just now. Think over it carefully. If your good sense is equal
to your reputation, you will conclude to live queen of the Pixies, with
a good heart. The next time I come I shall expect to have your betrothal
kiss. I leave you now to refresh yourself with sleep. Good night!"
While Spite was thus addressing Faith, Sophia in the other end of the
room was approached by the smuggler.
"Oh, Sir," she cried, "you showed us kindness on the boat. I know you
must have a good heart, even if you are a Pixie. Have pity on us, and
save us from this horrible dungeon."
"Softly, softly, my pretty lass," responded Raft. "You are right enough
in thinking that I pity you. But it is not so easy always to indulge
one's self in that luxury. It would be a mighty costly one if I were to
carry it to the length you ask. But I have a proposal that may make it
all right. There, listen coolly. Don't cry, please! That quite unmans
me. You can get out of this trouble in an easy and pleasant way."
"Get out of this trouble?" repeated Sophia with hope and joy. "Quick,
tell me how!"
"So! I am ordered by Lieutenant Hide, who is second in command over the
Pixies, you know, to propose marriage to you in the name of his oldest
son Halfway."
"Oh! you are mocking me!" cried Sophia, clasping her hands, and her
countenance changing from hope to horror. "You cannot mean that?"
"No, certainly I am not mocking," said Raft mistaking her meaning; "he's
in dead earnest, I am sure, and will stand by his proposal. He means
just what he says. He wants a Brownie wife for his boy."
"O Sir," exclaimed Sophia quickly, "you misunderstand me. Nothing could
induce me to listen a moment to such a proposal. I would never, never
marry him!"
"Ah! that's the way the wind blows, hey? Well, there's no accounting for
tastes. Young Halfway is counted a likely chap, and the best match in
the country. There are scores of young Pixinees who would jump at such
an offer."
"Don't speak of it! It is an insult. I would die a thousand deaths
first. Never, never!"
"Well, well, you needn't go on so about it. I'm sure I meant you no
harm, and I've done my duty to my captain. Hide can't gainsay that."
Sophia sank upon a cushion and wept violently. Raft looked upon her
tenderly. At last he spoke:
"Look here, Miss Sophia, it may be that you'd take more kindly to a sea
life, now, than to one on shore. If you can't marry Halfway, what do you
say to Raft? You will be free as air to come and go, and be queen of the
"Fringe," the fastest yacht upon the waters. You shall have no captains
or lieutenants over you, nor anything else, but your own sweet will and
choice. You can visit your kin when you please, spend half the time with
them if you like. And, maybe, they would be willing to have me spend a
good deal of time with you in the Brownie camp. P'raps I might take to
Brownie ways, by and by, and turn out a sort of fairy myself. Who knows?
What say you, my pretty? Speak up and don't fear! If you'll give me the
right to call you my own, I can find the way out of this cave for you
and your friend Faith too, I'll be bound! Well, what is it?"
Sophia's amazement during this address was unbounded. She dropped her
hands upon her lap, lifted her face and with round wondering eyes gazed
in a bewildered way upon the smuggler. Her heart had been somewhat drawn
toward Raft on account of his kindness. The one glint of sunshine in all
the deep darkness and horror of their position, had been the rough
courtesy of this Pixie sailor. But to marry him? Oh! how could she
listen to such a proposal?
Yet she dared not stop Raft lest she should anger the only one who had
shown himself friendly. If she should speak out her whole heart, would
he not turn against her and Faith with bitterness? Then, for just one
brief moment--the thought of her helplessness flashed upon Sophia's
mind. All was lost to them. They were already as those who had gone down
among the tombs. Would it not be right for her to save Faith, at least,
by complying? Faith would be free!--Raft had promised it. She herself
might be delivered from the power of Spite and Hide, who would compel
her to marry Halfway. True, she would be a Pixie's wife. But how much
better Raft than Halfway! How much better to be free upon the Fringe,
than imprisoned in Dame Tigrina's halls? To be permitted to see home and
friends as often as she wished! Ought she not to make the sacrifice, and
save dear Faith?
The temptation flashed before her imagination for a moment--only for a
moment. With a shudder, and a blush of self-reproach that she had even
allowed the thought to rise, she put the temptation aside.
"O Sir," she exclaimed, bursting into tears, "I pray you say no more!
You have showed me some kindness; have pity on me now. I cannot do what
you ask. I am betrothed to Sergeant True. The laws of my race would not
allow a marriage with you or any other of your people. Such concord,
fellowship, and communion we may never hold with Pixies. We dare not be
thus unequally yoked together. Indeed, I would not offend you, but--"
"Tut, tut," exclaimed the smuggler interrupting her, "there's no offence
in particular. If you don't accept, it's your own look out. However, I
can do nothing for you in that case. If you were my wife now, I should
have a right to protect you and yours against all my kith and kin. I
would do it, too! But as you don't choose that, I must e'en stand by my
employer, and do the best I can for him. So, say no more about it.
There! the chief is ready to leave, I see, and so good-night!"
The two Pixies left the room, and Faith and Sophia were once more alone.
Their grief was pitiful to see. There was not a ray of hope for them. O
that they were dead! or, that they had never been born! So they moaned,
and wept in each other's arms for long, long hours, until Nature hushed
their anguish into the forgetfulness of sleep.
While the Pixie chief was off upon his mission of unrighteousness, the
Brownie captain had also gone upon a journey. Leaving the command to
MacWhirlie he started for the mansion with Blythe and True. The old
Dutch clock in the hall rang out the hour of four as they entered the
chamber window by the Virginia creeper that covered the side of the
house. Night was beginning to yield before the advance of coming day,
"And now Aurora, daughter of the Dawn,
With rosy lustre purpled o'er the lawn."
How sweet, fresh and still the old place looked after the trials,
fatigues and perils of the past day and night! But there was no time to
indulge pleasant sentiment. Many dear interests hung upon their haste.
They crept through the window blinds, and mounted the bed posts to the
coverlid close by the sleeping Governor.
Bruce spoke. Wille turned uneasily in his sleep, but made no answer.
Blythe touched his face with a sword handle. The Governor threw up his
hand, opened his eyes, plucked at the netting of the canopy and
muttered,
"I say, wife, the mosquitoes have got under the bar. It's very
annoying!" Then he lay down again to sleep.
Once more Bruce spoke, but more loudly, "Governor Wille, Wille, Wille!"
"Oh dear!" sighed the sleeping man, "I do think the everlasting singing
of those mosquitoes is worse than their bite. Couldn't you keep them
out, wife?"
"Come, come," cried Bruce impatiently, "It is we--the Brownies. Wake up!
Wake, and listen to us, if you have any love or pity for your old
friends."
Governor Wille was now aroused and sat up in his bed and looked down
sleepily upon his fairy friends. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Well,"
he began, "this is a strange visit, truly. What is wanted now, pray?"
Bruce briefly related the late events, and besought his aid to recover
the lost Nurses.
"But I don't see what I'm to do!" exclaimed Wille. "How can I bring back
the poor lasses? I don't know where they are, I am sure. What shall I do
about it? I say, wife--wife! Dido, wake up! Here are the Brownies. Spite
has captured Faith and Sophia. Dear me! can't you wake? You're a
precious sleepy head!"
Dido awoke in half the time that Wille had taken; but then gentlemen
look at those things so differently when it concerns their wives! Wille
and Dido held a short conference, which was interrupted by many yawns
from the Governor, and finally Dido announced the conclusion.
"Governor Willie has been up all night," she said; "He returned at a
late hour from Columbus, and is worn out with business, travel and loss
of sleep. He must rest now. After breakfast we will go out to the lake
and join you in the search after Faith and Sophia."
"When do you breakfast?" asked Blythe.
"It will be quite late to-morrow--ten o'clock at least, I suppose."
"And you will not be ready to help us before eleven or twelve, then?"
"I think that is quite likely."
"Cannot you come without the Governor?" suggested Blythe.
"No, I couldn't think of that. We never undertake such things
separately. Good morning, now."
Dido pulled up her night-cap, retied the strings, and laid her pretty
head upon the pillow. Her husband was already breathing heavily, off
asleep while Dido was talking.
"But, madam," said True earnestly, "twelve o'clock may be too late. You
are trifling with this thing! We ask you to pity us and help us. You
know the Golden Motto, 'Quickly done is twice done.' If you want to help
us at all you must make haste."
"Hush-sh!" said Bruce, taking the Sergeant by the arm and leading him
away. "Don't you see? They are both asleep already. We can do nothing
more now, I fear. Come, we must once more fall back upon our own
resources."
True left the bed unwillingly. He muttered and sent back reproachful
looks as he moved away. He may have been too much interested to judge
calmly, but he had decided opinions about the conduct of Wille and
Dido--sleeping while Faith and Sophia were in Pixie bonds! He spoke out,
too. But his words were unheard. The trio left the chamber and hastened
back to camp.