EAVESDROPPING.
Both supposed that they heard the footsteps of Lena-Wingo and Jo
Minturn; but a habit taught by the hard experience of the last few days
caused them to cease speaking and to listen. Only a second was needed to
tell them that strangers were approaching them, although, fortunately
they were not heading in a direct line for the place where the lovers
were sitting. Had it been otherwise, it is hard to see how they could
have escaped observation. The men were issuing from the wood and making
for the shore of the river, aiming at a point a few yards above where
Ned and Rosa were stationed. They were walking at a leisurely gait,
evidently with no suspicion that any white persons were within earshot.
Judging from the sound of feet upon the leaves, a half dozen persons
were proceeding without any caution at all, talking as freely as if
together at their own homes.
The feelings of Rosa Minturn, when she recognized the voice of the Tory
colonel, Butler, may be imagined. He was accompanied by another white
man, probably one of his officers, and several Indians, and he was
talking more freely. In the stillness of the summer night, while they
were so close at hand, it was as easy to distinguish every word uttered
as if the speech was intended for the ears of the eavesdroppers.
"We have heard so much of the smartness of that Mohawk scout that I
began to think there was something in him," said the principal member of
the party, Rosa identifying him as the detested Butler. "But I have
never seen anything myself that showed up very well on his part. Here he
is on this side of the Susquehanna, when he ought to have been at
Wilkesbarre before daylight this morning."
"We ought to have been there before that time, even," replied his
companion. "I am sure we could have played the deuce with that place, a
confounded sight better than with Wyoming, for they were so scared that
they were on the run and that's just the time to strike, you know,
colonel."
"Yes; we might have done something if we had gone over at once, but it
was some time before we learned what was going on."
"I hear they are not much better yet, and it seems to me that it is not
too late to slip our men across and clean 'em out."
But Colonel Butler was too wily to consent to any such project, although
there was reason to believe that it might have succeeded, even though
deferred till that rather late hour.
"It isn't worth our while. There's only one more of the rebels that I
want to lay hands on. Let me get that one and the rest may go."
"I think I know who it is, colonel."
"No doubt you do," was the prompt reply. "Any one who has heard me speak
within the last twenty-four hours has found it out. I tell you, captain,
that you don't often see as pretty a rebel as that young Minturn. She
slipped off last night because she found I admired her so much that I
couldn't keep my eyes from her."
"You're right there, colonel, when you speak of her beauty, for I have
never seen one that could surpass her; I wonder that she don't turn the
heads of all she meets. Perhaps she does, though, and, if you hadn't
foreclosed there, I would be tempted to make a claim myself."
"It will be dangerous for any man to interfere with me."
The individual whom he addressed as a captain was heard to laugh at the
words of his superior officer, and he replied:
"I am sure there is no fear of my trying to intrude myself in that
direction, for I am opposed to the thing on principle."
"I am aware of that," replied the colonel, the party having halted on
the edge of the river, as if awaiting the coming of some one. "Of course
I had no reference to _you_ when I spoke, but I feel especially angry
toward Red Jack, or Lena-Wingo, and I will give a good deal for his
scalp. He has played the mischief with our plans more than once, and
now, when everything is going along just as I want it to, he comes in
and walks off with the prize."
"But don't you suppose he was set up to do it?"
"Certainly; and Colonel Denison was the man who put it into his head. I
can see it all now, though I didn't suspect it at the time."
"Why don't you shoot him?"
"I was mad enough to do that; and I believe that if I had met him last
night, after the Mohawk escaped so narrowly being cut through by my
sword, I would have done it. But I have thought the matter over to-day,
and made up my mind that it won't pay. There have already been some
things about this Wyoming business that will make trouble. The Indians
ought to have killed every rebel that wasn't shot down in battle; but
they let so many get away that they will tell all sorts of stories about
us, and when they get to England, they may interfere with some little
plans of my own."[A]
"Well, if you catch the bird that flew away, you can afford to forgive
the well-intended schemes; for when she is once in your hands, what care
you for others? You tell me, colonel, that the Mohawk did not reach
Wilkesbarre with her to-day?"
"No. I had word from there at sunset, and they had not been seen
anywhere in the neighborhood; and, as the Mohawk was observed on this
side of the stream near noon to-day, he must still be here."
"It has been dark quite awhile, and he may have slipped across since the
sun went down."
"He may, it is true, but it is hardly likely, for the redskins, as a
rule, don't like to do their work until the latter part of the night.
People are too apt to be wide awake in the earlier portion of the
evening; and I am quite sure Red Jack will wait till beyond midnight
before he makes a move in the business."
"The night promises to be dark, so that when he undertakes to paddle to
the other shore, he will be pretty apt to do it."
"It isn't likely we could hinder him, if he was on the watch, as I
suppose he will be," growled Butler, reluctant to concede to the redskin
the skill and prowess that he knew properly belonged to him. "But I have
figured on the supposition that he will get safely across with the girl,
so it won't make much difference whether he does set foot on the other
shore or not. If he _does_ get there, though, he will find there is more
than one lion in the path between him and Wilkesbarre. I have some of
the best runners and scouts of the Iroquois on the hunt for the couple,
and it is scarcely possible that they can fail. I go across myself, so
as to be ready to take charge of matters the minute a competent guiding
hand is needed."
"And you want me to go with you?"
"You may as well, for matters are dull behind us, and are likely to stay
so for the few days that we shall yet remain. Come along with us,
Captain Bagley, and you will be likely to see some sport before you get
back."
"That reminds me," said the officer, whose name was just spoken, "that I
heard somewhere from some one that this pretty rebel has an ardent
admirer and lover in the person of a young soldier of Denison's forces,
and that he and a brother of the girl fought like the very deuce in the
battle--"
"And was killed?" struck in the Tory, with an eagerness that showed how
intense was his hate for the one who dared to love with a pure and holy
affection her whom he had selected as the object of his sinful
admiration.
"I am sorry to say I cannot give you that information," said the
captain, with a half-laugh at the colonel's eagerness. "Both young men,
I have been told, managed to get through the battle without a scratch,
and are probably somewhere in the valley at this moment--perhaps trying
to help the young lady to get to Wilkesbarre."
Colonel Butler broke in with an imprecation, as he recalled the
accounts he had received of the affair at the settler's house that same
day, and which left no doubt in his mind that the two young rebels
referred to were acting in concert with the Mohawk scout, Lena-Wingo.
[Footnote A: After the Revolution, Colonel Butler tried hard to obtain
the honor of knighthood from the King of Great Britain, but failed.]