ROBBERS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
Do not be afraid,' Roland replied. 'I am certain that there is
nobody within ear-shot.'
'Ah! well, these dark waters have closed over many an unhappy head,
even since my entry into this hell of crime.'
'The Lifter told me of the minister's fate.'
'I am thinking now of a young girl who was once like myself. She was
the daughter of a wealthy farmer, beautiful and gifted. The horrible
chief saw her one day riding past the swamp, and the sight of her
filled him with a hideous desire. When next she rode that way he
sprang out of the bush and seized her; and then dragged her almost
lifeless to his lair. Ah, my God, how my heart went out in pity for
the sweet young creature; but what could I do. The villain had his
way; and all night long his victim wailed in a way to melt a heart of
stone. They became alarmed at her constant crying; and one dreary
night the old woman and Silent Poll dragged her to the edge of the
pond. Tying a stone to her neck they threw her in. She lies there,'
pointing to a spot about twenty yards distant, near a steep part of
the bank; 'and the water is three fathoms deep.
'But she is not the only victim. At a class-leader's house Jud Sykes
made the acquaintance of a beautiful girl of eighteen. On a certain
Saturday afternoon Marguerite, for that was the girl's name, set out,
on foot; from her own house, to pass the Sunday with her aunt. The
Rev. Mr. Jonas, who had spent the preceding night at her father's
house, was aware of the visit; and he was posted in the bush close to
the road-side as the girl came along.
'"Good afternoon, Miss Marguerite," he exclaimed; "I was gathering
these beautiful wild flowers, and heard a step. Guess my surprise, my
pleasant surprise, at seeing you, my dear. How bountiful God is to
give us all those beautiful wild sprays of beauty. Do you know, my
dear, that I think I get half my inspiration from the flowers; not so
much from those which we pamper in our gardens, as from those which
grow in wild, sweet places with only His hand to tend them."
'"How very beautiful your ideas always are," the poor girl said, as
she looked admiringly at her gifted and pious friend.
'"Ah, my child, I am but a very unworthy instrument in God's hand.
But come with me into this sombre wood--you have a full hour to
spare--and we shall find a bouquet for your good aunt. Give her my
blessing when you see her. This way, my dear Marguerite; this way. If
we could reach a beautiful lake, which lies about a mile distant
through this wood, I think that I could find you some lilies there--some
sisters for you. When first I saw you, my dear Marguerite, you
reminded me of a lily."
'The poor girl blushed deeply at these compliments; and she thought
that it was so good of this gifted man to bestow them upon a poor,
simple girl like herself.
'"But this is the horrid swamp, Mr. Jonas, where they say the
robbers live. Lots of men have come in here, and never came out
again. Do you not feel afraid?"
'"I feel no alarm, my timid child. I have wandered many a day
through the aisles of this sombre wood. The boughs grow so heavy and
the trees so close as you advance, that you will find that 'dim
religious light' whereof the gifted poet writes."
'"Oh, if you are not afraid, Mr. Jonas, why should I be?" and this
poor unsuspecting dove followed the monster toward the snare.
'I will not harrow your feelings by describing the bewilderment,
horror and despair that fell upon that beautiful maid when the naked,
odious, hellish truth was put before her. The Reverend Mr. Jonas, of
course, claimed her as his prey; and no one gainsayed his right. Ah,
it was very horrible. A week later, through some means or another,
the poor girl made her escape from the den, but the old woman and
Silent Poll speedily followed. A short way from the road they
overtook her; and when the fugitive saw the wretches she screamed
murder, and appealed for help. But her cries were soon ended; for the
old woman knocked her senseless with a club; and the two together
accomplished the murder. That night she was buried beneath the roots
of a great pine tree; and I often go there and sit and think; and
watch the violets that I planted upon her grave.'
When the girl ended there was a speechless horror in our hero's
face; and two or three times tears glistened in the eyes of Nancy as
she hurried through with the horrible recital.
'I do not understand what motive the chief could have had this
morning in tolerating your rebellious attitude. Nobody has ever dared
to cross him except Joe, who once or twice while intoxicated forgot
himself. But he is too good a man to put aside. I am sure that the
chief must have made up his mind that you shall aid him in some
desperate enterprise which he has in mind. He speaks much of some
beautiful girl whom he is bent on capturing. I believe that he
expects your assistance in the enterprise.'
'He and his hellish crew shall rob me of my last drop of life-blood
before I will so much as raise a finger to aid either him or them in
any work of infamy or crime. He knows, that; and I do not think that
he will try any more persuasion.'
'Do not be too certain. If he did not expect to make use of you, you
would have been put to death this morning as coolly as if you had
been a dog.'
'Well, to make that matter easy, more than the chief would have been
needed at the killing.'
'Ah, you know not his giant, brutal strength. I fear that he could
crush you like an infant.'
'I have no such fear. I dread him not, either with or without arms;
and I rather concluded this morning that the fellow is as much coward
as bully.'
'Well; it may be so. But your safety is by no means assured. Lying
as you did in a doorless room last night, you were at the mercy of
Murfrey's knife. And I well know what a stealthy murderer that is.
Your danger to-night would be two-fold, for you have made of the old
woman a deadly enemy; and of silent Poll the same.
'You will require to be unceasingly on your guard against treachery;
and it will be never safe for you by night or day if you have not
your knife or pistol at your hand. I would recommend both.'
'Then what is to be my safeguard in the night? I must sleep
sometimes; and I shall surely be murdered.'
'I am glad to say that the chief this morning ordered that you
should have an inner room, to which there is a sturdy door. This will
be locked upon you every night from the outside. I believe that the
captain is half afraid you will attempt to escape because you said
this morning that you would give yourself up to justice rather than
stain your honour. You will be able to sleep without alarm therefore;
but lest an attempt should be made by the old woman or by Joe to open
your door from the outside, you had better barricade it from the
inside. You have done well in making a friend of The Lifter, for he
is very much devoted to myself; and bitterly jealous of Murfrey whom
he detests. To me, therefore, you must appear as to Silent Poll; and
henceforth I shall be more discreet than I was last night.'
'And why were you indiscreet? Why did you drink so much of that
fiery spirit?'
'I hardly know; but I think it was the pleasure that I felt at
seeing such a face as yours, one so noble, frank, and honourable, at
the table.'
'But drinking in that way, it becomes impossible for you to preserve
yourself unsullied, as you say you have done.'
Here the poor girl blushed again.
'I grant that appearances are much against me; but I have told the
truth. Seldom since coming here have I indulged so freely &a you saw
me do last night. But even last night I had full control of my
reason.'
'Ah! brandy is accursed stuff, my poor girl. Shun it as you would a
deadly poison. I perceive by your face that your drinking habit is a
stronger one than you yourself suppose. I have therefore a favour to
ask. It is this: that whatever comes, you drink no more spirits.'
She looked into his face, and the tears started to her eyes.
'Oh! this indeed is something that I had never expected. It is like
a voice speaking out of the tomb of Hope. But what would be the use
of this unless you have some hope for my future. I have none. Have
you, oh! _have_ you any hope for me?' Her voice was piteous,
passionate, pleading.
'And why should I not hope for you? I cannot see that you have been
an accomplice in the crimes of these horrible people. A victim you
are, and naught else that I can see. Of course it cannot hut seem
strange, inexplicable indeed, that you should so mutely accept your
doom; that you have never made any attempt at escape.'
'Because I was afraid. They have often told me that _voluntary
residence_ among them makes me criminal equally with themselves.
And oh, I was afraid to face the world's pure and honest face. How
could I? to think what I have lived through, all that I have seen,
these fearful years.' And she put her hands upon her beating temples.
'That is the talk of despair; and is utterly unworthy of any man or
woman. As to your guilt because of "voluntary residence," that is not
true. Besides, it would be difficult to show that it is voluntary;
especially when they found it necessary to raise these fears in your
mind in order to retain you here.
'Now _I_ have hope; and why should you despair. Suppose we seal
a compact between us to have as our highest aim our escape from this
den? Think you not that we could in good time accomplish it?'
'Oh, do not raise these hopes in me. Should they grow in my heart
and then be crushed again, I know not what should become of me. _I
could not live._'
'Well, this is my programme: To tarry here as best I may until the
spring. It would not be safe for me to venture away any sooner, for
the sleuth hounds are on my track. But the law's ire will have cooled
by that time; and together we should be able to make our way to the
American Republic.' The girl threw herself upon her knees and turned
her streaming eyes to heaven. Never before did more hearty prayer of
gratitude ascend before the throne of God. Then taking our hero's
hand she kissed it; then arose and became calm. They spoke no more
about the matter; but their escape was henceforth the great aim of
their lives. A minute later The Lifter joined them.
'I suppose you have been haveen a jaw together,' he said. 'I hope
she told you about the lake and why the Capteen won't eat the fish
there. They're too fat for his likeen.'
Nancy's air was so serious, for she had within the past hour become
a changed girl, that The Lifter could not help noticing it.
'I suppose you are lamenteen because your sweetheart is away to-day?'
'I am not, Lifter. I feel just as happy with you as with him. But
mind do not tell him that I said so.'
'Oh, you need not trouble about that. I am too cunneen to run risks
with Joe.'
Then the party ascended the stream, and found several still pools of
water varying from myrtle to coffee brown in colour. Each such piece
of still water had a congregation of foam bubbles; and no sooner was
the cast made than the float went down like a stone.
In the delightful excitement Roland frequently forgot the perils
that surrounded him; was often quite oblivious to the fact that he
was in the toils of a den of robbers. Strange to say he had come to
think less of the blood upon his own hands since hearing the history
of Markham Swamp, and finding himself a prisoner among the horrible
fiends.
Having caught five or six dozen speckled trout the party returned to
the lair. That evening the chief and Joe returned, the face of each
dark and threatening. There was no hilarity, and supper was eaten in
silence. Then the robbers smoked for an hour, while the girls
repaired torn garments. Nancy did not raise her eyes from her work;
but there was in her face a new light, the light of Hope.