Early in the fresh April morning, the party at Riverside manor were
congregated in the hall, doing full justice to Aunt Nancy's substantial
breakfast.
"Oriana," said Beverly, as he paused from demolishing a well-buttered
batter cake, and handed his cup for a second supply of the fragrant
Mocha, "I will leave it to your _savoir faire_ to transform our friend
Arthur into a thorough southerner, before we yield him back to his Green
Mountains. He is already half a convert to our institutions, and will
give you not half so much trouble as that obstinate Harold Hare."
She slightly colored at the name, but quietly remarked:
"Mr. Wayne must look about him and judge from his own observation, not
my arguments. I certainly do not intend to annoy him during his visit,
with political discussions."
"And yet you drove Harold wild with your flaming harangues, and gave
him more logic in an afternoon ride than he had ever been bored with in
Cambridge in a month."
"Only when he provoked and invited the assault," she replied, smiling.
"But I trust, Mr. Wayne, that the cloud which is gathering above our
country will not darken the sunshine of your visit at Riverside manor.
It is unfortunate that you should have come at an unpropitious moment,
when we cannot promise you that perhaps there will not be some cold
looks here and there among the townsfolk, to give you a false impression
of a Virginia welcome."
"Not at all, Oriana; Arthur will have smiles and welcome enough here at
the manor house to make him proof against all the hard looks in
Richmond. I prevailed on him to come at all hazards, and we are bound to
have a good time and don't want you to discourage us; eh, Arthur?"
"I am but little of a politician, Miss Weems," said Arthur, "although I
take our country's differences much at heart. I shall surely not provoke
discussion with you, like our friend Harold, upon an unpleasant
subject, while you give me _carte blanche_ to enjoy your conversation
upon themes more congenial to my nature."
She inclined her head with rather more of gravity than the nature of the
conversation warranted, and her lips were slightly compressed as she
observed that Arthur's blue eyes were fixed pensively, but intently, on
her face.
The meal being over, Oriana and Wayne strolled on the lawn toward the
river bank, while the carriage was being prepared for a morning drive.
They stood on the soft grass at the water's edge, and as Arthur gazed
with a glow of pleasure at the beautiful prospect before him, his fair
companion pointed out with evident pride the many objects of beauty and
interest that were within view on the opposite bank.
"Are you a sailor, Mr. Wayne? If so, we must have out the boat this
afternoon, and you will find some fairy nooks beyond the bend that will
repay you for exploring them, if you have a taste for a lovely
waterscape. I know you are proud of the grand old hills of your native
State, but we have something to boast of too in our Virginia scenery."
"If you will be my helmswoman, I can imagine nothing more delightful
than the excursion you propose. But I am inland bred, and must place
myself at the mercy of your nautical experience."
"Oh, I am a skillful captain, Mr. Wayne, and will make a good sailor of
you before you leave us. Mr. Hare will tell you that I am to be trusted
with the helm, even when the wind blows right smartly, as it sometimes
does even on that now placid stream. But with his memories of the
magnificent Hudson, he was too prone to quiz me about what he called our
pretty rivulet. You know him, do you not?"
"Oh, well. He was Beverly's college-mate and mine, though somewhat our
senior."
"And your warm friend, I believe?"
"Yes, and well worthy our friendship. Somewhat high-tempered and
quick-spoken, but with a heart--like your brother's, Miss Weems, as
generous and frank as a summer day."
"I do not think him high-tempered beyond the requisites of manhood," she
replied, with something like asperity in her tone. "I cannot endure
your meek, mild mannered men, who seem to forget their sex, and almost
make me long to change my own with them, that their sweet dispositions
may be better placed."
He glanced at her with a somewhat surprised air, that brought a slight
blush to her cheek; but he seemed unconscious of it, and said, almost
mechanically:
"And yet, that same high spirit, which you prize so dearly, had, in his
case, almost caused you a severe affliction."
"What do you mean?"
"Have you not heard how curiously Beverly's intimacy with Harold was
brought about? And yet it was not likely that he should have told you,
although I know no harm in letting you know."
She turned toward him with an air of attention, as if in expectation.
"It was simply this. Not being class-mates, they had been almost
strangers to each other at college, until, by a mere accident, an
argument respecting your Southern institutions led to an angry dispute,
and harsh words passed between them. Being both of the ardent
temperament you so much admire, a challenge ensued, and, in spite of my
entreaty and remonstrance, a duel. Your brother was seriously wounded,
and Harold, shocked beyond expression, knelt by his side as he lay
bleeding on the sward, and bitterly accusing himself, begged his
forgiveness, and, I need not add, received it frankly. Harold was
unremitting in his attentions to your brother during the period of his
illness, and from the day of that hostile meeting, the most devoted
friendship has existed between them. But it was an idle quarrel, Miss
Weems, and was near to have cost you an only brother."
She remained silent for a few moments, and was evidently affected by the
recital. Then she spoke, softly as if communing with herself: "Harold is
a brave and noble fellow, and I thank God that he did not kill my
brother!" and a bright tear rolled upon her cheek. She dashed it away,
almost angrily, and glancing steadily at Arthur:
"Do you condemn duelling?"
"Assuredly."
"But what would you have men do in the face of insult? Would you not
have fought under the same provocation?"
"No, nor under any provocation. I hold too sacred the life that God has
given. With God's help, I shall not shed human blood, except in the
strict line of necessity and duty."
"It is evident, sir, that you hold your own life most sacred," she said,
with a curl of her proud lip that was unmistakable.
She did not observe the pallor that overspread his features, nor the
expression, not of anger, but of anguish, that settled upon his face,
for she had turned half away from him, and was gazing vacantly across
the river. There was an unpleasant pause, which was broken by the noise
of voices in alarm near the house, the trampling of hoofs, and the
rattle of wheels.
The carriage had been standing at the door, while Beverly was arranging
some casual business, which delayed him in his rooms. While the
attention of the groom in charge had been attracted by some freak of his
companions, a little black urchin, not over five years of age, had
clambered unnoticed into the vehicle, and seizing the long whip, began
to flourish it about with all his baby strength. The horses, which were
high bred and spirited, had become impatient, and feeling the lash,
started suddenly, jerking themselves free from the careless grasp of the
inattentive groom. The sudden shout of surprise and terror that arose
from the group of idle negroes, startled the animals into a gallop, and
they went coursing, not along the road, but upon the lawn, straight
toward the river bank, which, in the line of their course, was
precipitous and rocky. As Oriana and Arthur turned at the sound, they
beheld the frightened steeds plunging across the lawn, and upon the
carriage seat the little fellow who had caused the mischief was
crouching bewildered and helpless, and screaming with affright. Oriana
clasped her hands, and cried tearfully:
"Oh! poor little Pomp will be killed!"
In fact the danger was imminent, for the lawn at that spot merged into a
rocky space, forming a little bluff which overhung the stream some
fifteen, feet. Oriana's hand was laid instinctively upon Arthur's
shoulder, and with the other she pointed, with a gesture of bewildered
anxiety, at the approaching vehicle. Arthur paused only long enough to
understand the situation, and then stepping calmly a few paces to the
left, stood directly in the path of the rushing steeds.
"Oh, Mr. Wayne! no, no!" cried Oriana, in a tone half of fear and half
supplication; but he stood there unmoved, with the same quiet, mournful
expression that he habitually wore. The horses faltered somewhat when
they became conscious of this fixed, calm figure directly in their
course. They would have turned, but their impetus was too great, and
they swerved only enough to bring the head of the off horse in a line
with Arthur's body. As coolly as if he was taking up a favorite book,
but with a rapid movement, he grasped the rein below the bit with both
hands firmly, and swung upon it with his whole weight. The frightened
animal turned half round, stumbled, and rolled upon his side, his mate
falling upon his knees beside him; the carriage was overturned with a
crash, and little Pompey pitched out upon the greensward, unhurt.
By this time, Beverly, followed by a crowd of excited negroes, had
reached the spot.
"How is it, Arthur," said Beverly, placing his hand affectionately on
his friend's shoulder, "are you hurt?"
"No," he replied, the melancholy look softening into a pleasant smile;
but as he rose and adjusted his disordered dress, he coughed
painfully--the same dry, hacking cough that had often made those who
loved him turn to him with an anxious look. It was evident that his
delicate frame was ill suited to such rough exercise.
"We shall be cheated out of our ride this morning," said Beverly, "for
that axle has been less fortunate than you, Arthur; it is seriously
hurt."
They moved slowly toward the house, Oriana looking silently at the grass
as she walked mechanically at her brother's side. When Arthur descended
into the drawing-room, after having changed his soiled apparel, he found
her seated there alone, by the casement, with her brow upon her hand. He
sat down at the table and glanced abstractedly over the leaves of a
scrap-book. Thus they sat silently for a quarter hour, when she arose,
and stood beside him.
"Will you forgive me, Mr. Wayne?"
He looked up and saw that she had been weeping. The haughty curl of the
lip and proud look from the eye were all gone, and her expression was of
humility and sorrow. She held out her hand to him with an air almost of
entreaty. He raised it respectfully to his lips, and with the low,
musical voice, sadder than ever before, he said:
"I am sorry that you should grieve about anything. There is nothing to
forgive. Let us forget it."
"Oh, Mr. Wayne, how unkind I have been, and how cruelly I have wronged
you!"
She pressed his hand between both her palms for a moment, and looked
into his face, as if studying to read if some trace of resentment were
not visible. But the blue eyes looked down kindly and mournfully upon
her, and bursting into tears, she turned from him, and hurriedly left
the room.