After Segwuna read the letters of John Anderson that had been brought
from New York by the Swedish fisherman, she could not bear the sight
of Roderick Barclugh. The thought of Mollie Greydon ever loving this
man who was visiting General Clinton and Major Andre, and conspiring
with General Arnold and at the same time visiting the Greydon family,
was repulsive to her. She did not yet possess knowledge positive
enough about Barclugh to inform Mollie of its nature; nor did she yet
really know that Mollie was in love with Mr. Barclugh. Still she fully
intended to devote her attentions to this conspiracy and expose its
operations, if possible.
As Segwuna lay on her couch of mats in her mother’s lodge, on the day
that she had been invited to ride in the carriage with Mollie and Mr.
Barclugh, she went over and over again all that she had learned:
“I first saw Mr. Barclugh after Mollie had met him at the dinner party
given by Robert FitzMaurice. Every day that I went to Philadelphia
I found Mr. Barclugh at the office of Milling & FitzMaurice or at
General Arnold’s. In watching him I followed him to the office of
General Arnold on the night before he visited Dorminghurst. I learned
that he was going to New York to visit General Clinton and get a
commission for General Arnold in the British army if Arnold turned over
West Point. The next morning he stopped at Dorminghurst and visited
my friends. I could not inform any one of what I knew for fear of
implicating my friends, for I did not know what the relations were
between Dr. Greydon and Mr. Barclugh.
“Now, it is all clear to me. Dr. Greydon does not know anything about
Mr. Barclugh’s business. Mr. Barclugh pretends to favor independence,
but he is striving to overthrow it. When I followed him to New York, I
suspected more; when I heard his exclamations in the delirium of fever,
I was convinced. The letters brought by the fisherman have shown that
he is in communication with the English.
“Segwuna must not rest night nor day until this spy is foiled in his
designs; if I should inform anybody, suspicion might fall upon my
friends at Dorminghurst who have befriended Mr. Barclugh and saved his
life. That course would never do, so the duty falls upon Segwuna alone
to overthrow the spy’s work and save her friends!”
She set about her task of thwarting Barclugh with much zeal. She walked
to Philadelphia and went immediately to Front Street near Barclugh’s
lodgings. The first thing that met her eyes was the departure of
General Arnold from the office of the British agent.
Segwuna kept her own counsel, but she was alert and active. She went
to the Halls of Congress and watched for any news that might be of
importance to her task. She heard Mr. Livingston talking to General
Schuyler about West Point, so she stopped to listen.
The conversation was about the report of the committee on army affairs,
and Mr. Livingston stopped General Schuyler in front of Carpenter’s
Hall.
“General Schuyler, have you done anything on your committee about
Arnold’s assignment?” asked Mr. Livingston. “I have written to the
Commander-in-Chief and asked him to assign Arnold to West Point. His
wounded knee will not allow him to ride a horse and that fact unfits
him for active service in the field.”
“Yes, you are right, Mr. Livingston,” replied General Schuyler,
“Arnold is a valuable man. The soldiers admire him. We will assign him
to post duty and recommend giving him West Point, if he declines to
take the field. The Commander-in-Chief wishes him to be active in the
coming campaign, but if Arnold insists upon garrison duty, he may get
whatever he wishes.”
This settled the matter in the mind of Segwuna, for she knew that
Arnold desired West Point. Now Segwuna must determine what she ought
to do to keep her eyes on Arnold and Barclugh at the same time. She
learned from the fish-vender, Sven Svenson, another point that put her
on her guard.
Sven was ambling along Market Street with his fish cart, when Segwuna
stopped him and said:
“Good morning, Sven, what is the news in town?”
“Val, I hap gude news, Miss Segwuna; Ganral Arnold has pade me up tan
pound starling an’ sax pance,” answered Sven as he showed the guineas
and smiled blandly at Segwuna.
“He vas going to da army to vark. I gass he vaants Vast Point. My
saster who varks for Mistrees Arnold, she tald mee so mach.”
“Do you think that he will get it, Sven?” asked Segwuna.
“Ah! He gats vat he vants,” retorted Sven, smiling more than ever.
“Thank you, Sven,” replied Segwuna knowingly, as she started on up the
street.
Philadelphia’s streets contained little knots of men and women
discussing the latest news, and everybody had it on his tongue that
General Arnold was about to leave town, and no one was sorry, for his
cold and overbearing manners had disgusted even his friends with him.
His extravagance and debts had brought unsavory gossip upon himself
and household. As Segwuna went through the market-place where two old
women,--seasoned gossips of the town,--stood and regaled each other,
she paused to hear their chatter:
“Have you heard about General Arnold and his spouse?” quizzed the first.
“What? About paying off his debts?” questioned the second.
“I wonder where he got the money? I heard that he sold merchandise to
the enemy,” continued the first one.
“No, he went to Connecticut last month and has just returned. He must
have had property there and sold it,” argued the second one.
“Have you heard what they named their boy?”
“No, what is it?”
“It’s Edward Shippen.”
“What? That old Tory?”
“Yes, that’s it. Those Shippens have turned Ben Arnold’s head. He’s not
the same since he became mixed up with that lot.”
“Well, Ben Arnold used to be a fine soldier before he knew those
Shippens. Now he doesn’t want to fight, he wants to lie around and play
the dandy.”
“Yes, I heard that General Washington wanted him to join the army, but
his wife is afraid that he will be shot. That’s a pretty pass. I wonder
if she’s better than any of the rest of us? We have husbands and sons
fighting.”
“I wonder where they will put him? I heard that he wanted to go to West
Point.”
“Yes, if I were General Washington, I wouldn’t do anything like that.
There must be some fire where there is so much smoke. He doesn’t want
West Point for any good purpose.”
“Well, I believe Ben Arnold is all right at heart if those Shippens
didn’t have a noose around his neck.”
“Poor man! I feel sorry for him.”
“But, do you know that I started to go to market, and here I am talking
yet.”
“Yes, that’s my case too, I must go.”
“Come over to see me.”
“Yes, I will.”
“Good-bye.”
* * * * *
Segwuna came into Philadelphia every few days. She kept close watch
on the movements of General Arnold. She knew that as soon as he got
stationed at West Point, matters would begin to move between him and
Major Andre. Accordingly, she learned when Arnold left Philadelphia.
She also heard about ten days thereafter that he had taken command at
West Point, August 3.
There was nothing for Segwuna to do when she had learned that Arnold
was stationed at West Point except to be on the ground where she knew
the dealings between Arnold and Andre would take place. The next move
that she made was to get her affairs at home all arranged, and tell her
mother that she was going to New York.
She could meet Major Andre and advise him against his plot. If that
plan failed, she could make her way to General Washington and advise
him of the advance of the British troops. Thus her friends would have
no suspicions cast upon them for their intimacy with Barclugh. Then
when the plot had been foiled, she could return to Philadelphia and
advise Dr. Greydon about Barclugh’s participation in the plot.
Mollie Greydon was sitting on the portico at Dorminghurst just after
a visit from Mr. Barclugh one warm afternoon in the latter part of
August. She had just been receiving the most marked attentions from her
lover. He never missed paying his respects to her at least three or
four times a week.
On this afternoon, Segwuna came tripping down the avenue of hemlocks,
and before she got to the portico, Mollie put down her needle-work, and
ran to greet her.
“Why, Segwuna,” she said, “you have been so mysterious of late, I have
not seen you for over two weeks. What has been the matter? I have
something to tell you, my dear.”
“I have come, my sweetheart, to tell you that Segwuna is going away.”
“Going away?” cried Mollie. “What for?”
“I am going to New York for General Washington,” replied Segwuna. “His
enemies are conspiring to defeat his plans and Segwuna’s duty calls
her to go. I have studied out what my duty is and I have worked to get
ready to go now. But before I go, I thought that I would come and tell
you.
“You must not let any one know where I am going, not even your father,”
cautioned Segwuna.
“Very well, Segwuna. Now I must tell you a secret of mine,” returned
Mollie. “Do you know, Mr. Barclugh has asked me to marry him?”
“Have you promised him?” demanded Segwuna impulsively, as her face
became the picture of solicitude.
[Illustration: Mollie put down her needle-work and ran to meet her.]
“Why do you look so eager and ask me that question?” asked Mollie
impatiently.
“But tell me, have you promised? If you have, I know that you would
have told me,” argued Segwuna.
“No, I have not promised. I asked a month to consider.
“I also wish to learn about his family and his business. I believe that
he loves me, and I believe that I could love him. He is so handsome,
and a perfect gentleman,” continued Mollie.
“Very true, my dear Mollie. I know that he loves you. He may be very
rich too, but you must know all about his business. He has been in
Philadelphia less than a year. He was introduced by Benjamin Franklin,
but his business is unsettled. Privateering is very precarious,” argued
Segwuna.
“Now, my dear Mollie, Segwuna’s life is devoted to yours. Promise me
just one thing. Do not give your consent until Segwuna returns. If you
promise him in this moon, your life may be unhappy. Wait until the next
moon and everything will be clear.”
“I believe that your advice is good. I must be certain that he loves me
and that I could make him happy, before I consent. Because, when I once
promise, my lot is cast,” reasoned Mollie, as Segwuna kissed her, and
walked sprightly down the avenue of hemlocks.
Mollie was resigned to wait. The wisdom of the Quaker character was
sufficiently grounded in her to cause her to be sure of her step before
she made one, and there were so many things to be considered before she
could promise.
Segwuna looked a perfect picture of nobility of character this evening,
when she left Mollie at Dorminghurst. Her tall, lithe figure and
elastic step, her dark hair hanging in a braid upon her back, her
long, oval face, firm mouth, deep-set eyes, aquiline nose, bare head
and olive complexion combined to produce a distinguished presence. Her
dress consisted of a tunic of buckskin, a short skirt, leggings and
moccasins of the same material. She wore no ornaments and the only
thing that encumbered her on her journey was a bag or knapsack made
of fine buckskin suspended on her back by means of a strap over her
shoulders and breast.