THE CHASE.
The railroad which passed through W---- was only a branch of the main
route leading to Charleston, and consequently there were but two
passenger trains each way per day; and as Mr. Delafield's great
object now was to reach Charleston before the boat in which Rose was
to sail should leave the landing, it seemed impossible for him to
wait until night, for not until then was the next train due.
Suddenly he remembered that the express train left Augusta about four
o'clock P.M. It was now ten, and he could easily reach it in time
for the cars, provided there had been no change in the time table.
To ascertain this, therefore, he hastened to the dépôt, where to his
dismay he learned that the train left Augusta at two.
But with him to will was to do. Flying rather than walking back to
his house, he called out Bill, his coachman, startling him with the
inquiry as to whether it would be possible, with his best horses, a
span of beautiful dappled grays, which were valued at a thousand
dollars, to drive to Augusta in less than four hours.
Besides being naturally lazy and unwilling for exertion of any kind,
_Bill_ was also remarkably tender of said grays, who were his pride,
and whom he had named _Fred_ and _Ferd_. On hearing his master's
inquiry, therefore, he looked perfectly aghast, and diving both hands
into his matted wool, by way of illustration undoubtedly, replied,
"Mighty tough scratching I can tell you, mars'r. Them ponies hain't
been driv, only what I've ex'cized 'em for health, for better'n a
month, and to run 'em as I'd hev to run 'em, would kill 'em stone
dead. No, mars'r, can't think on't for a minit," and as if this were
conclusive, and his word the law, Bill stuffed his hands into his
bagging trousers, and was walking quietly away, when Mr. Delafield
stopped him, saying, "I shall try it at all events. So get out the
carriage immediately, and mind you are not over five minutes doing
it. Ask some one to help you, if necessary--ho, Jack," and he called
to a ragged mulatto boy who was doing nothing, and bade him assist
Bill in harnessing the horses.
Rolling his white eyes in utter astonishment at what seemed to him
the folly of his master, Bill began to expostulate, "Lor, mars'r, you
kill"----
"Silence, and do as I bid you," said Mr. Delafield, in a tone which
Bill thought best to obey, and sauntering off to the stables, he
brought out the ponies, who pranced and pawed the ground, while he
admired their flowing manes and smooth shining coats.
Then seeing Jack standing near, ready to help, he haughtily ordered
him away, saying, "Nobody but myself is fit to tache these critters.
They'd know in a minit if a low-lived nigger like you came a near."
Nothing loath, Jack walked off, while Bill proceeded leisurely to
harness the beautiful animals, talking to them as if they were
intelligent beings, and telling them, "never to fear--they wan't a
gwine to be druv to Gusty in two hours, and no sich thing. Bill sot
on the box, and 'twas nothin' to mars'r, who was lollin' on the
cushions inside."
At this point he was startled by the voice of Mr. Delafield, who,
having hastily packed a few articles in his portmanteau, and written
a line to his sister, had come out to superintend in person the
movements of his servant, whose peculiarities he perfectly understood.
"So ho," said he, "you mean to cheat me do you?" at the same time
signifying his intention of having the horses go as fast as he liked.
"The Lord help Fred and Ferd then, for Bill can't," was the mental
ejaculation of the negro as he saw the fire in his master's eye and
knew he must be obeyed.
Still he managed to be as slow as possible, insisting that "Ferd
allus had to drink two buckets and a half, or he wan't wutha dime,"
adding in a conciliatory tone, that "with two buckets and a half in
him he'd run like lightnin'."
Very impatiently Mr. Delafield waited for the disappearance of the
requisite amount of water, consulting his watch, counting the
minutes, and at last remarking that it took Ferd a wonderful while to
drink.
"That's 'case he's sich a 'strordinary beast every way," answered
Bill, who for some little time had been holding an _empty_ bucket to
the horse's mouth.
He was going to replenish a third time when his master ordered him
back, telling him he could wait no longer; with another glance at his
watch, he entered the carriage, while Bill, loudly lamenting the half
bucket, without which Ferd would surely die, mounted the box, where
he spent quite a while in comfortably disposing of his long, lank
limbs and in adjusting his palmleaf hat.
"Go on, you rascal," shouted Mr. Delafield, beginning to lose his
temper; and gathering up the reins, Bill whistled to the spirited
animals, who dashed off at a far greater speed than their driver
thought was at all conducive to their well being.
"Hold on dar, Ferd! Stop dat foolin', will you, Fred! Easy dar,
both on you, for you come mighty nigh histin' me off de box!"
This last was said quite loud for the benefit of Mr. Delafield, who,
perceiving that their speed had slackened, for they were well trained
and readily obeyed Bill's voice, called out, "Drive faster, I tell
you. Give them the ribbons, and let them run."
"Lor' a'mighty," answered Bill, now coming to a dead halt in order
that his master might be better impressed with what he said. "You
don't understand hoss flesh. At this rate you kills 'em in less than
no time. Ferd never 'ill stan' it with them two buckets of water,
'case you see how shakin' him up dis way dey'll get bilin' hot and
nobody can live with boilin' water in 'em."
Provoked as he was, Mr. Delafield could not repress a smile at the
subterfuges of Bill to spare his horses, but he bade him drive on,
saying, however, that he need not drive them at the top of their
speed immediately, as they would be more likely to give out, "but
after a mile or two," he continued, "put them through with the whip
if necessary."
"Lor, mars'r," answered Bill from the box, without moving an inch, "I
never tache them with a whip in de world. Fred would jump clar out
of his skin. All dey want to make 'em kill deyselves is a loose rein
and a whistle--so."
Suiting the action to the word, he whistled long and loud, whereupon
the horses started forward as if a volley of artillery had been fired
at their heels, while mingled with the roll of the wheels, Mr.
Delafield heard the distressed Bill, saying, "Whoa, dar, Ferdinand,
can't you whoa when I tell you. Think of the bilin' water, and keep
easy. Come Frederic, you set him a 'xample. That's a good boy, no
'casion for all dis hurry, if we misses one train we catches another.
All de same thing. We ain't chasin' a runaway gal, as I knows of."
After a little he succeeded in stopping them, and for the next ten or
fifteen minutes they proceeded on rather leisurely, and Bill was
beginning to think his master had come to his senses, when he was
startled with the stern command, "Let them run now as fast as they
will. Don't check them at all until we reach the dépôt."
Accordingly, for a mile or so the horses rushed on at headlong speed,
Bill sympathizing with them deeply and mentally promising himself "to
tend 'em mighty keerful to pay for this."
At last, when he thought it safe to do so, he held them in, taking
the precaution, however to say aloud, "Get along dar, Ferd--none your
lazy tricks here when mars'r's in sich a hurry. Can't you get along
dar, I say. An' you, Fred, wake up yer bones to de merits of de
case."
But if in this way he thought to deceive the resolute man inside he
was mistaken. Perceiving that their speed was considerably
slackened, and hearing Bill loudly reproach the horses for their
laziness, Mr. Delafield softly opened the carriage door, and leaning
out, learned the cause of the delay. Bolt upright upon the box, with
his brawny feet firmly braced against the dash-board so as to give
him more power, sat Bill, clutching the reins with might and main,
for the horses' mettle was up and it required his entire strength to
keep them from running furiously! All this time, too, the cunning
negro kept chiding them for their indolence in moving so slowly!
"Bill," said Mr. Delafield, sternly, "stop the carriage instantly."
"Lord a massy, mars'r," exclaimed the frightened Bill. "You almost
skeered me off de box. Ferd won't get along nohow. I tells him and
I tells him how you're in de hurry--don't you mind how I keeps
telling him to get along, I reckons he wants dat t'other half bucket
of water."
"I understand you perfectly," said Mr. Delafield, alighting from the
carriage, and to the utter astonishment of Bill, mounting the box and
taking the reins in his own hands. "I understand your tricks, and
for the rest of the way I shall drive myself!"
Rolling his eyes wildly in their sockets, the crestfallen Bill folded
his arms and resigned the horses to their fate, saying mentally, "I
shall war mournin' for 'em, I shall, and he may help hisself."
Over rough and stony places--over smooth and sandy roads--over hills,
over plains--through the woods, through the swamps, and through the
winding valleys, on they sped like lightning, the excited horses
covered with foam, their driver stern, silent and determined, while
poor Bill, with the perspiration streaming down his shining face,
kept up a continued expostulation, "Now, mars'r, for de dear Lord's
sake, stop 'em 'fore dey draps down dead. Look at de white specks
all over Ferd's back--he'll never stan' it without dat t'other half
bucket. You kills 'em sartin, and dar goes a thousand dollars, smack
and clean."
But Bill's entreaties were all in vain, and his distress was at its
height, when fortunately his thoughts were diverted in another
channel. At a sudden turn of the road a gust of wind lifted the old
palmleaf from his woolly head, and carried it far away. "Now, dear
Mars'r," said Bill, laying his hand on that of Mr. Delafield, "you'll
sartin let 'em breathe while I picks up my hat, 'case you see how'll
you look gwine into town wid a bareheaded nigger. In de Lord's name,
stop," he continued, as he saw in his master no signs of relenting.
Glancing over his shoulder Mr. Delafield saw the hat away over the
fields, and quietly taking a bill from his pocket and placing it in
the negro's hand, he replied: "That will buy you five such hats."
"Yes, but de hosses, lor' a mighty, de hosses!" exclaimed Bill almost
frantically. "Don't you see Ferd is gwine to gin out?"
Mr. Delafield feared so, too, and more to himself than to his
servant, he said, "perhaps the cars will be behind time, they usually
are."
Without considering the consequences, Bill answered, "No, they won't;
case I hear how they hired a tarin' Yankee for an _engine_, and he
drives all afore him--gits ahead of de time and all dat."
The next minute he repented a speech whose disastrous effects he
foresaw, and he was about to deny it as a fabrication of his own
brain, when his master, who really saw signs of lagging in the
nervous, fiery Ferd, said, "Bill, you have a peculiar whistle with
which you spur up the horses--make it now; Ferd has run himself
almost down."
"De Lord have massy on us," groaned Bill, wiping away a tear; then,
as Mr. Delafield repeated his order, he said, in a whining tone,
"Can't, mars'r, nohow; case you see my throat is dreffle sore, ridin'
barheaded so in the breeze which you kicks up--can't, nohow."
"But you must," persisted Mr. Delafield.
Bill still refused, until at last, as they approached the town, they
heard a heavy, rumbling sound. It was the roll of cars in the
distance, and starting up, Mr. Delafield seized the negro by the
shoulder and in thunder tones called out, "Whistle!"
"Lord, mars'r, I will, I will," gasped Bill, terrified at the fiery
gleam of his master's eye, and from his mouth there issued a most
unearthly sound, which, mingled with the shriek of the fast coming
engine, urged on the jaded horses to one more desperate effort.
A few more mad plunges and they reached the dépôt, covered with foam
and frothing at the mouth, just as the train was moving slowly away.
With one pitying farewell glance at his dying grays, Mr. Delafield
exclaimed, "Cut the harness instantly," and then with a bound sprung
up. on the platform, which he reached just as Bill called after him
in mournful accents, "Ferd's dead, mars'r, Ferd is," while, mingled
with the roar of the machinery he caught the faint echo of something
about "t'other half bucket of water!"
But little cared he for that. Rosa Lee was to be overtaken, and to
accomplish this, he would willingly have sacrificed every horse of
which he was owner, even were they twice as valuable as the dappled
grays.
So, wishing him a successful journey, and leaving him on the same
seat with a Yankee pedler, who saw him when he came up and "_guessed_
he was after a runaway nigger," we return for a moment to Bill, who
with tears streaming from his eyes, watched the struggles of Fred
until the noble animal was dead, bringing him water which he vainly
coaxed him to drink, while the bystanders, who crowded around, asked
him innumerable questions as to why they drove so fast and where his
master was going.
To the first Bill could not reply, but to the last he promptly
answered, as he patted the remains of the departed Ferdinand, "Gwine
to the _devil_, in course! Whar you spect a white man to go, what
treats hosses in dis kind of style, won't let 'em hev all the water
dey wants and drives 'em till dey draps dead in der tracks."
The story of the half bucket was duly rehearsed, Bill firmly
believing that if Ferd had drank it, he would undoubtedly have lived
"dis minit and been as spry as a cricket." "But now he's dead and
Fred, too," continued the negro, as the latter ceased to move. "Sich
another span of hosses, thar ain't in all Georgy," and laying his
black face upon the neck of the insensible Ferd, the negro cried like
a child.
"There is one comfort, at least, my boy," said a gentlemanly looking
man, who stood near and who knew Mr. Delafield, "your horses didn't
suffer, for they were too much excited."
This in a measure consoled Bill, who, wiping his eyes, asked what he
was to do with them, saying he "never could dig thar grave."
"My negroes shall do it for you," answered the stranger, and in a
short time several stalwart men were busy in an adjacent field making
a grave for the dappled grays, which they carefully buried, while on
a stump, with his head resting on his knees, sat Bill as chief
mourner.
"I wish I knew a pra'r," he whispered to himself, "for if ever hosses
'sarved it they do;" but the rude African had never prayed since he
was a little child, and thinking himself too old to begin now, he
rose up from the stump, just as his companions, having finished their
task, were beginning to ridicule his bare head, telling him he must
have an unkind master, judging from his own appearance and the sad
fates of the horses, while one of them advised him to run away.
This was touching Bill in a tender point, for though he had loved the
horses much, he loved his master more, and he would not hear him
censured; accordingly he retorted petulantly that thar warn't a
better master in all Georgy than mars'r Dick, nor a richer one
neither,--and 'twan't nobody's business if he killed five hundred
horses--he could afford it--'twan't as though he was poor and owned
nothin' but a few _low trash_ like the "'Gusty niggers!"
This insinuation the "'Gusty niggers," chose to resent as an insult,
and a regular negro fight ensued, in which Bill, being the weaker
party, came off rather badly beaten, his face being scratched in
several places, while his pants received a huge rent, which in no
wise tended to improve his personal appearance. Matters being at
last amicably adjusted, the victorious party returned home, while
Bill, who had frequently been in Augusta with his master, wended his
way to a hatter's shop, where he soon made himself the owner of a
second-hand beaver, which at his request was ornamented by a weed of
crape as a badge of mourning for his favorite steeds. Then seeing
that the carriage was safely stowed away, he started on foot for
home, stopping at the negro quarters of almost every plantation to
relate his wonderful adventures. As he was perfectly trusty and
faithful, he was always allowed to carry a pass by his good-natured
master and thus he found no difficulty in his journey, which he took
quite leisurely, never reaching Sunny Bank until the close of the
second day after the one on which he had left it.
In the meantime Mr. Delafield, with closely knit brows and compressed
lip, his usual look when he was in deep thought, sat musing of the
time when Rosa Lee would be his wife, while at his side the Yankee
pedler, with his basket of essence carefully stowed under the seat,
was casting curious glances at his companion, whose history he was
desirous of knowing. But there was something in Mr. Delafield's
appearance which forbade familiarity, so for once the loquacious
Yankee was silent.
They were now about half way between Augusta and Charleston and going
at great speed, when suddenly at a short curve there was a violent
commotion--the passengers were pitched forward and backward, while
the engine plunged down a steep embankment, throwing the train from
the track and dragging after it the baggage car, which in some way
became detached from the rest. The new "Yankee engineer" was a
darling, reckless fellow, who at the North had been discharged for
carelessness, and had come to try his fortune at the South.
Fortunately no one was seriously hurt except Mr. Delafield, whose
injuries were simply _mental_, as he knew this accident would
probably detain them for many hours. In a perfect storm of
excitement he stalked up and down the track, asking the conductor
every few minutes how long it would probably be before they could go
on, and at last growing so dark in his face that the Yankee, after
looking over his essence basket and finding but few of his bottles
broken, ventured to say, "Now, _Squire_, don't git mad at a feller
for askin' a sassy question, but I raley du want to know if there
ain't a little atom of black blood in you?"
"Very likely," answered Mr. Delafield; while the Yankee, now that the
ice was broken, continued to ply him with questions, which, though
very annoying to the haughty Southerner, tended to relieve in a
measure the tediousness of waiting.
The sun had long been set and the stars were shining brightly ere
they were able to proceed, and it was after midnight when they at
last reached Charleston. Driving immediately to the landing, Mr.
Delafield to his great joy found that the steamer bound for New York
still lay at the wharf and would not start until morning. But was
Rosa Lee on board? That was a question which puzzled him, and as
there was no way of satisfying himself until morning, he sat down in
one of the state-rooms and rather impatiently awaited the dawn of day.
* * * * * *
The hurry--the confusion--and the excitement of starting was over.
We were out upon the deep blue sea, and from the window of my
state-room I watched the distant shore as it slowly receded from
view, and felt that I was leaving the land of sunlight and of
flowers. Notwithstanding the fatiguing journey of the previous day,
I was better this morning than I had been for many months before, for
I had slept quietly through the night.
An hour or two after breakfast Charlie came to me with a very
peculiar expression on his face and asked me to go upon deck, saying
the fresh breeze would do me good. I consented willingly, and
throwing on my shawl and a simple Leghorn flat which had been of much
service to me at Cedar Grove, and which Mr. Delafield had often said
was very becoming, I went out with Charlie, who led me to the rear of
the boat, where he said we were not so liable to be disturbed.
Seating me upon a small settee he asked to be excused for a few
moments, saying I should not be long alone. The motion of the boat
produced a slight dizziness in my head, and leaning my elbow upon the
arm of the settee I shaded my eyes with my hand and sat lost in
thought until I heard the sound of a footstep.
"It was Charlie," I said, so I did not look up, even when he sat down
by my side and wound his arm around me, wrapping my shawl closer
together, oh, so gently! "Charlie is very tender of me since my
sickness," I thought, and much I loved that he should thus caress me.
It thrilled me strangely, bringing back to my mind the night when I
sat in the vine-wreathed arbor, where I should never sit again.
For a moment there was perfect silence and I could hear the beating
of Charlie's heart. Then leaning forward and removing my hand from
my eyes, he pressed a kiss upon my lips and whispered as he did so,
"_My own Rose!_"
Once, when I was apparently dying, the sound of that voice had called
me back to life, and now with a cry of joy I sprang to my feet and
turning round, stood face to face with _Richard Delafield_, who,
stretching his arms towards me, said, "Come to my bosom, Rose.
Henceforth it is your resting-place."
The shock was too much for me in my weak state. A faintness stole
over me, and if I obeyed his command, it was because I could not help
it!
When I returned to consciousness, Richard's arms were around me, and
my head was resting upon his bosom, while he whispered to me words
which I leave to the imagination, as I dare not give them to the
world, lest he (_Uncle Dick_ I call him) should be angry in his way,
and I have learned to be a very little afraid of him since that
morning when on board the steamer Delphine we sat and talked together
of the past.
Wonderingly I listened while he told me how long he had loved me--how
once he had thought to tell me of his love, but the manner in which I
answered his leading question disheartened him, for he feared his
affection was not returned--how it had filled his heart with bitter
grief when he saw me about to marry another--how his sister had
deceived him or he should have spoken to me then--and how in a moment
of temptation when he stood over my pillow he had asked that I might
die, for he would far rather that death should be his rival than a
fellow man. Then as he thought how near I had been to the dark
valley he shudderingly drew me closer to his side and told me how he
had wondered at Dr. Clayton's leaving me so abruptly, and how
sometimes when a ray of hope was beginning to dawn upon him, it had
been chilled by my manner, which he now understood.
"You cannot conceive," said he in conclusion, "what my feelings were
yester morn when I bade you adieu, nor yet can you comprehend the
overwhelming delight I experienced when I read that letter and felt
that you would at last be mine."
When he had ceased to speak I took up the story and told him of all
my own feelings, and that nothing would ever have induced me to think
for a moment of becoming Dr. Clayton's wife, but the belief that he
was engaged to Ada, a story which I told him his sister affirmed when
I went to her for counsel.
"And so Angeline played a double part," said he, sighing deeply; "I
never thought she could be guilty of so much deception, though I have
always known she was averse to my marrying any one."
Of Ada he said that never for a moment had he been engaged to her.
"She is to me like a sister," said he, "and though I know she has
many faults, I am greatly attached to her, for we have lived together
many years. She was committed to my care by her father and I shall
always be faithful to my trust. And if, dear Rose, in the future,
circumstances should render it necessary for her to live with us,
shall you object? She cannot harm you now."
He had talked to me much of his love, but, not a word before had he
said of my sharing his home at Sunny Bank, so I rather coquettishly
answered, "You talk of my living with you as a settled matter, and
still you have not asked me if I would."
A shadow for a moment darkened his face, and then with a very
quizzical expression he made me a formal offer of himself and
fortune, asking me pointedly if I would accept it--and--and, well, of
course, I did what my readers knew I would do when I first told them
of the _dark man_ at the theater--I said _yes_, and promised to
return with him to Sunny Bank as soon as my health would permit,
which he was positive would be in a very few weeks, for he should be
my daily physician, and "love, he said, would work miracles."
Thus you see we were engaged--_Richard and I_!