"Give 'em hell, ye little blue devils!" he yelled; and there was
all evidence that they understood him.
Then, again, every man of us opened his window and fired a volley
at the scurrying mass.
One horse, rearing and leaping on his hind legs, came down across
the back of another, and the two fell heavily in a rolling,
convulsive heap. One, as if blinded, bumped a tree, going over on
his withers, all fours flashing in the air. Some tore off in the
thickets, as unmanageable as the wild moose. More than half threw
their riders. Not a man of them pulled a trigger: they were busy
enough, God knows. Not one of them could have hit the sky with any
certainty. I never saw such a torrent of horsehair and red caps.
"Whut! Been on the back o' one o' 'em hosses?" said D'ri, telling
of it a long time after. "'D ruther o' been shet up 'n a barrel
with a lot o' cats 'n' rolled downhill. Good deal better fer my
health, an' I 'd 'a' luked more like a human bein' when I come out.
Them fellers--they did n't luk fit t' 'sociate with nuthin' er
nobody when we led 'em up t' the house--nut one on 'em."
Only one Britisher was brought down by our bullets, and he had been
the mark of D'ri: with him a rifle was never a plaything. Five
others lay writhing in the grass, bereft of horse, deserted by
their comrades. The smudges were ready, and the nets. D'ri and I
put on the latter and ran out, placing a smudge row on every side
of the Hermitage. The winged fighters were quickly driven away.
Of the helpless enemy one had staggered off in the brush; the
others lay groaning, their faces lumpy and one-sided. A big
sergeant had a nose of the look and diameter of a goose-egg; one
carried a cheek as large and protuberant as the jowl of a porker's
head; and one had ears that stuck out like a puffed bladder. They
were helpless. We disarmed them and brought them in, doing all we
could for their comfort with blue clay and bruised plantain. It
was hard on them, I have often thought, but it saved an ugly fight
among ladies, and, no doubt, many lives. I know, if they had taken
us, D'ri and I would never have got back.
I have saved myself many a time by strategy, but chose the sword
always if there were an even chance. And, God knows, if one had
ever a look at our bare bodies, he would see no sign of shirking on
either D'ri or me.
X
The shooting and shouting and the tramp of horse and man had roused
everybody in the big house. Even the general came down to know
what was the matter. The young ladies came, pale and frightened,
but in faultless attire. I put an armed guard by the prisoners at
the door, under command of D'ri. Then I had them bare the feet of
the four Britishers, knowing they could not run bootless in the
brush. We organized a convoy,--the general and I,--and prepared to
start for the garrison. We kept the smudges going, for now and
then we could hear the small thunder of hornet-wings above us.
There is a mighty menace in it, I can tell you, if they are angry.
"Jerushy Jane Pepper!" said D'ri, as he sat, rifle on his knee,
looking at his prisoners. "Never thought nobody c'u'd luk s'
joemightyful cur'us. Does mek a man humly t' hev any trouble with
them air willy-come-bobs." He meant wasps.
I had had no opportunity for more than a word with the young
ladies. I hoped it might come when I went in for a hasty breakfast
with the baroness, the count, the general, and Mr. Parish. As we
were eating, Louison came in hurriedly. She showed some agitation.
"What is the trouble, my dear?" said the baroness, in French.
"Eh bien, only this," said she: "I have dropped my ring in the
brook. It is my emerald. I cannot reach it."
"Too bad! She has dropped her ring in the brook," said the
baroness, in English, turning to me.
"If she will have the kindness to take me there," I said to the
hostess, rising as I spoke, "I shall try to get it for her."
"M'sieur le Capitaine, you are very obliging," said she. Then,
turning to Louison, she added in French: "Go with him. He will
recover it for you."
It pleased and flattered me, the strategy of this wonderful young
creature. She led me, with dainty steps, through a dewy garden
walk into the trail.
"Parbleu!" she whispered, "is it not a shame to take you from your
meat? But I could not help it. I had to see you; there is
something I wish to say."
"A pretty girl is better than meat," I answered quickly. "I am
indebted to you."
"My! but you have a ready tongue," said she. "It is with me a
pleasure to listen. You are going away? You shall not
return--perhaps?"
She was trying to look very gay and indifferent, but in her voice I
could detect a note of trouble. The flame of passion, quenched for
a little time by the return of peril and the smoke of gunpowder,
flashed up in me.
"It is this," she went on: "I may wish you to do me a favor. May I
have your address?"
"And you may command me," I said as I gave it to her.
"Have a care!" she said, laughing. "I may ask you to do desperate
things--you may need all your valor. The count and the
baroness--they may send us back to France."
"Which will please you," I remarked.
"Perhaps," she said quickly. "Mon Dieu! I do not know what I
want; I am a fool. Take this. Wear it when you are gone. Not
that I care--but--it will make you remember."
She held in her fingers a flashing emerald on a tiny circlet of
gold. Before I could answer she had laid it in my hard palm and
shut my hand upon it.
"Dieu!" she exclaimed, whispering, "I must return--I must hurry.
Remember, we did not find the ring."
I felt a great impulse to embrace her and confess my love. But I
was not quick enough. Before I could speak she had turned away and
was running. I called to her, but she did not turn or seem to hear
me. She and my opportunity were gone.
We stowed the prisoners in the big coach at the baroness, behind a
lively team of four. Then my horse and one for D'ri were brought
up.
"Do not forget," said the baroness, holding my hand, "you are
always welcome in my house. I hope, ma foi! that you will never
find happiness until you return."
The young ladies came not to the step where we were, but stood by
the count waving adieux. Louison had a merry smile and a pretty
word of French for me; Louise only a sober look that made me sad,
if it did not speak for the same feeling in her. The count was to
remain at the Hermitage, having sent to the chateau for a squad of
his armed retainers. They were to defend the house, if, by chance,
the British should renew their attack. Mr. Parish and his footman
and the general went with us, the former driving. D'ri and I rode
on behind as the coach went off at a gallop.
He was a great whip, that man David Parish, who had built a big
mansion at Ogdensburg and owned so much of the north country those
days. He was a gentleman when the founders of the proud families
of to-day were dickering in small merchandise. Indeed, one might
look in vain for such an establishment as his north of Virginia.
This side the Atlantic there was no stable of horses to be compared
with that he had--splendid English thoroughbreds, the blood of
which is now in every great family of American horses. And, my
faith! he did love to put them over the road. He went tearing up
hill and down at a swift gallop, and the roads were none too smooth
in that early day. Before leaving home he had sent relays ahead to
await his coming every fifteen miles of the journey: he always did
that if he had far to go. This time he had posted them clear to
the Harbor. The teams were quickly shifted; then we were off again
with a crack of the whip and a toot of the long horn. He held up
in the swamps, but where footing was fair, the high-mettled horses
had their heads and little need of urging. We halted at an inn for
a sip of something and a bite to eat.
"Parish," said the general, rising on stiffened legs, "I like your
company and I like your wine, but your driving is a punishment."
D'ri was worn out with lack of sleep and rest, but he had hung
doggedly to his saddle.
"How do you feel?" I asked him as we drew up on each side of the
coach.
"Split t' the collar," said he, soberly, as he rested an elbow on
his pommel.
We got to headquarters at five, and turned over the prisoners. We
had never a warmer welcome than that of the colonel.
"I congratulate you both," he said as he brought the rum-bottle
after we had made our report. "You've got more fight in you than a
wolverene. Down with your rum and off to your beds, and report
here at reveille. I have a tough job for you to-morrow."