SOME OF THE GRAIN MRS. WELCH REAPED
The difference in the attitude of their neighbors toward them was felt
deeply by Major and Mrs. Welch. Even Dr. Cary’s wonted cordiality had
given place, when he met Mrs. Welch, to grave and formal courtesy.
Toward Major Welch the formality was less marked, while toward Ruth
there was almost the same warmth and friendliness that had existed
before Mrs. Welch’s letters were seen. Ruth received quite as many
invitations as before, and when she met her neighbors they were as
cordial to her as ever. She was conscious that this difference in her
case was intentional, that the old warmth toward her was studied, and
that they meant her to feel that the change in their attitude did not
extend to her. Ruth, however, was far too loyal to her own to accept
such attentions; so far from accepting, she resented the overtures
made her, and was not slow in letting it be understood. There were
one or two exceptions to this general attitude. For Blair Cary her
liking deepened. Blair was sweeter than ever to her, and though Ruth
felt that this was to make up to her for the coolness of others, there
were a real warmth and a true sympathy in Blair, and a delicacy and
charm about her manner of showing them that touched Ruth, and she was
conscious that day by day she became drawn more and more closely to
her. She felt that Blair understood her and sympathized with her, and
that, if she ever chose to speak, she had in her a friend on whose
bosom she could fling herself and find consolement. Such friendships
are rare. The friend with whom one does not have to make explanations
is God-given.
With her other neighbors Ruth stood on her dignity, in armed
guardfulness. She carried her head higher than she had ever done in her
life, and responded to their advances with a coldness that soon gained
her a reputation for as much pride as she could have desired, if not
for a good deal of temper. Mrs. Dockett attempted a sympathetic manner
with her, and if subsequent rumors were any indication, that redoubted
champion did not come off wholly unscathed.
“The little minx has got her mother’s tongue,” sniffed the offended
lady. “Why, she actually snubbed me—_me_! Think of her daring to
tell me, when I was giving her to understand that we knew she was
not responsible for any of the insulting things that had been said
about us, that she always agreed with her mother and father in
everything!—Which I’ll wager she doesn’t, unless she’s different from
all the other girls I know! And away she marched with her little mouth
pursed up and her head held as high as Captain Allen’s. She’ll know
when I try to be civil to her again! She’s getting her head turned
because Captain Allen said she had some pretension to good looks.”
It must be said, though, on behalf of Mrs. Dockett, that after the
first smart of the rebuff she had received was over, she liked Ruth
none the less, and after a little while used to tell the story of
Ruth’s snubbing her, with a very humorous take-off of Miss Welch’s
air and of her own confusion. And long afterward she admitted that
the first time she really liked Ruth Welch was when she resented her
condescension. “It takes a good woman—or man either—to stand up to
me, you know!” she said, with a twinkle of pride and amusement in her
bright eyes.
Mrs. Dockett was not by any means the only one to whom the young lady
showed her resentment. Ruth felt her isolation keenly, though she did
not show this generally, except in a new hauteur. She not only gave up
visiting, and immersed herself in the home duties which devolved upon
her in consequence of her mother’s absorption in her philanthropical
work, but she suddenly began to take a much deeper interest than ever
before in that work itself, riding about and visiting the poor negroes
in whom her mother was interested, and extending her visits to the
poorer whites as well. She was surprised at the frequency with which
she met Mrs. Gray and Blair, or, if she did not meet them, heard of
their visits to the people she was attending. Once or twice she met
Miss Thomasia, also, accompanied by old Peggy as her escort. “I heard
that the fence was going to be put up between us and old Mrs. Granger,”
explained Miss Thomasia, “and I am such a poor hand at climbing fences,
I am trying to see her as often as I can before it is done. I do hope
the old woman will die before it is put up.” She saw the astonished
look on Ruth’s face and laughed heartily. “You know what I mean, my
dear, I am always getting things wrong. But, are you alone, my dear?”
Ruth said she was alone.
“I don’t think it quite right,” said Miss Thomasia, shaking her head.
“Steve, I am sure, would be very glad to accompany you on any of your
visitations, and so would Jacquelin.” She was perfectly innocent, but
Ruth was incensed to find herself blushing violently.
It happened that on these visitations, more than once, Ruth fell in
with Captain Allen. She treated him with marked coldness—with actual
savageness, Steve declared afterward, but at the time, it must be said,
it appeared to have little apparent effect upon that gentleman. Indeed,
it appeared simply to amuse him. He was “riding about on business,”
he explained to her. He seemed to have a great deal of business “to
ride about on” of late. Ruth always declined, with much coolness, his
request to be allowed to escort her, but her refusal did not seem to
offend him, and he would turn up unexpectedly the next time she rode
out alone, cheerful and amused. (One singular thing was that she
rarely saw him when she was accompanied by her father.) Still she did
not stop riding. She did not see why she should give up her visits
of philanthropy, simply because Captain Allen also happened to have
business to attend to. She began to be conscious that sometimes she
even felt disappointed if on her rides she did not see him somewhere,
and she hated herself for this, and took to disciplining herself for
it by riding on unfrequented roads. Yet even here, now and then,
Captain Allen passed her, and she began to feel as if he were in some
sort doing it to protect her. On one occasion when he found her on a
somewhat lonely road, he took her to task for riding so much alone, and
told her that she ought not to do it. She was secretly pleased, but
fired up at his manner.
“Why?” She looked him defiantly in the eyes.
He appeared confused.
“Why—because—Suppose you should lose your way, what would you do?”
She saw that this was not his reason.
“I should ask someone,” she answered, coolly.
“But whom would you ask? There is no one—except one old woman, my
old Mammy Peggy who lives down in this direction—who lives anywhere
between the old road that is now stopped up and the creek, and farther
back is a through-cut to the Bend, which you crossed, along which some
of the worst characters in the County travel. They do not come this
side of the creek, for they are afraid; I assure you that it is not
safe for you to be riding about through the woods in this way at this
time of the evening, by yourself.”
“Why, I see this path—someone must travel it?” Ruth said. She knew
that somewhere down in that direction was the old hospital-place,
which the negroes said was haunted, and which was rumored to be the
meeting-place of the Ku Klux. Steve looked a little confused.
“Yes——”
“And if no one is down here, there cannot any harm come to me.” She
enjoyed her triumph.
“Yet—but you don’t understand. People pass this way going backwards
and forwards from—from the Bend—and elsewhere, and—” He broke off.
“You must trust me and take my word for it,” he said, firmly. “It is
not right for you; it is not safe.” He was so earnest that Ruth could
not help feeling the force of what he said, and she was at heart
secretly pleased, yet she resented his attitude.
“Whom should I be afraid of? Of the Ku Klux?” She was pleased to see
him flush. But when he answered her he spoke seriously:
“Miss Welch, there are no Ku Klux here—there never were any—except
once for a little while,” he corrected himself, “and there is not one
in the County or in the South who would do you an injury, or with whom,
if you were thrown, you would not be as safe as if you were guarded by
a regiment.”
Ruth felt that he was telling the truth, and she was conscious of the
effect he had on her. Yet she rebelled, and she could not resist firing
a shot at him.
“Thank you,” she said, mockingly. “I am relieved to know they will not
murder ladies.” Steve flushed hotly, and, before he could answer, she
pressed her advantage with delight.
“Could you not persuade them to extend their clemency to other poor
defenceless creatures? Poor negroes, for example? You say there never
were any Ku Klux in this County; how about that night when the State
militia were raided and their arms taken from them, and when poor
defenceless women were frightened to death. Were the men who did that
really ghosts?”
She looked at Steve and was struck with a pang that she should have
allowed herself to be carried so far. She had meant only to sting him
and revenge herself, but she had struck deeper than she had intended.
The look on Steve’s face really awed her, and when he spoke the tone
in his voice was different from any she had ever heard in it.
“Miss Welch, I did not say there had never been any Ku Klux in this
County—you misunderstood me. I said there had never been any but once.
I myself organized a band of Ku Klux regulators—‘a den,’ as we called
it, in this County—and we made one raid—the raid you speak of, when
we took the arms from the negroes. I led that raid. I organized it and
led it, because I deemed it absolutely necessary for our protection
at the time—for our salvation. No one was seriously hurt—no women
were frightened to death, as you say. It is true that some women were
frightened, and, no doubt, frightened badly, at the pranks played
that night. We meant to frighten the men; if necessary we should have
killed them—the leaders—but never to frighten the women. Under the
excitement of such an occasion, where there were hundreds of young men,
some full of fun, others wild and reckless, some unauthorized acts were
committed. It had been attempted to guard against them, but some men
overstepped the bounds and there were undoubtedly unjustifiable acts
committed under cover of the disguise adopted. But no lives were taken
and no great violence was done. The reports you have heard of it were
untrue. I give you my word of honor as to this. That is the only time
there has been a raid by Ku Klux in this County—and the only time
there will be one. We accomplished our purpose, and we proved what we
could do. The effect was salutary. But I found that the blackguards and
sneaks could take advantage of the disguise, and under the disguise
wreak their private spite, and by common consent the den was disbanded
soon after that night. There have been ruffianly acts committed since
that time by men disguised as Ku Klux; but not one of the men who were
in that raid, so far as I know, was concerned in them or has ever worn
the disguise since then. They have sworn solemnly not to do so. At
least only one—I am not sure as to one,” he said, almost in reverie;
“but he is an outsider. The place where they met is the old plantation
down here on the river; this path leads to it, and at the top of the
next hill I can show you the house. It is only a ruin, and was selected
by me because the stories connected with it protected it from the
curiosity of the negroes, and in case of invasion the woods around,
with their paths, furnished a ready means of escape.
“I have told you the whole story and told you the truth absolutely, and
I hope you will do me the honor to believe me.” His manner and voice
were so grave that Ruth had long lost all her resentment.
“I do,” she said, “and I beg your pardon for what I said.”
He bowed. They had reached the crest of the hill.
“There is the house.” He held a bough aside and indicated a large
rambling mansion below them, almost concealed on one side by the dense
growth, while the other side appeared to be simply a ruin. It lay in a
cleft between two wooded hills around the base of which ran the river,
and seemed as desolate a place as Ruth had ever seen.
“My showing it to you is a proof that ‘the den’ is broken up. Now we
will go back.”
“I did not need it,” she said, “and I will never tell anyone that I
have ever seen it.”
To this Captain Allen made no response.
“I must see you safely back to the main road,” he said, gravely.
Ruth felt that she had struck him deeply, and as they rode along she
cast about in her mind for some way to lead up to an explanation. It
did not come, however, and at the main road, when her gate was in
sight, Captain Allen pulled in his horse and lifted his hat.
“Good-by.”
“Good-evening. I will think of what you said,” she began, meaning what
he had said about her riding out alone.
“I would at least like you to think of me as a gentleman.” He bowed
gravely, and lifting his hat again, turned and rode slowly away.
Ruth rode home, her mind filled with conflicting emotions. Among them
was anger, first with herself and afterward with Captain Allen.
Miss Welch, on her arrival at home that evening, was in a singular
frame of mind, and was as nearly at war with everyone as it is possible
for a really sweet-tempered girl to be. Dr. Washington Still had
called in her absence and proffered his professional services for any
of her patients. She broke out against him vehemently, and when her
mother, who was in a mollified state of mind toward the young man,
undertook to defend him, Ruth attacked the whole Still family—and
connections—except Virgy, whom she admitted to be a poor little
kind-hearted thing, and shocked her mother by denouncing warmly the
stories of the Ku Klux outrages and declaring openly that she did not
believe there had ever been any Ku Klux in the County, except on the
one occasion when they had disarmed the negro militia—and that she
thought they had done exactly right, and just what she would have had
them do.
Mrs. Welch was too much shocked to do anything but gasp.
“Oh! Ruth, Ruth,” she groaned. “That ever my daughter should say
such things!” But Miss Ruth was too excited for control just then.
She launched out yet more warmly and shocked her mother by yet more
heretical views, until suddenly, moved by her mother’s real pain, she
flung herself into her arms in a passion of remorse and tears, and
declared that she did not mean half of what she had said, but was a
wicked, bad girl who did not appreciate the best and kindest of mothers.
A few days afterward, the man known as the trick-doctor, who called
himself “Doctor Moses,” came to Major Welch’s and told a pitiful story
of an old woman’s poverty. Mrs. Welch gave him some sugar, coffee, and
other things for her, but he asked the ladies to go and see her. She
lived “all by herself, mostly, and hones to see the good white folks,”
he said.
“Ef my young Mistis would be so kind as to go and see her some evenin’
I will show her de way.” He looked at Ruth, with a low bow and that
smile and uneasy look which always reminded her of a hyena in a cage.
They promised to go immediately, and he undertook to describe the road
to them.
It was too bad to drive a carriage over—you had to ride on horseback;
but his young Mistress would find it, she was such a good rider.
Ruth could never bear the sight of the negro; he was the most repulsive
creature to her that she had ever seen. Yet it happened, that from his
description of the place where the old woman lived and of the road that
led there, she was sure it was the same old woman whom Captain Allen
had mentioned to her, that afternoon, as having been his mammy, and
as the one person who lived on the deserted plantation. And this, or
some other reason—for the writer by no means wishes to be positive in
assigning a woman’s reason—determined Ruth to go and see her. She had
expected her father to accompany her, as he frequently did so, but it
happened that day that he was called away from home, and as her mother
received another urgent call that morning to go and see a sick child,
Ruth had either to postpone her visit or go alone. She chose the latter
alternative, and as soon as the afternoon had cooled a little, she
started off on horseback.
Ever since her interview with Captain Allen, she had been chafing under
the sense of obeying his command that she should not ride through the
woods alone. It was less a request than a command he had given her.
She had not ridden out alone since that evening—at least, she had
not ridden through the wood-roads; she had stuck to the highways, and
she felt a sense of resentment that she had done so. What right had
Captain Allen to issue orders to her? She would now show him that they
had no effect on her. She would not only go against his wishes, but
would go to the very place he had especially cautioned her against. She
would see that old woman who had once belonged to him, and perhaps the
old woman would some time tell him she had been there.
Ruth had no difficulty in finding her way. She knew the road well as
far as the point where the disused road led off from the highway, and
she had a good idea of direction. There she turned into the track that
took her down toward the abandoned plantation, and crossed the zigzag
path that she knew cut through the pines and led down to the Bend. She
remembered Captain Allen’s pointing it out to her that afternoon, and
as she approached the path she galloped her horse rapidly, conscious of
a feeling of exhilaration as she neared it. A quarter of a mile farther
on, the thought occurred to her that it was cowardice to ride rapidly.
Why should she do so? And though there was a cloud rising in the west,
she pulled her horse down to a walk. The woods were beautiful and were
filled with the odors of grape-blossoms; the path was descending, which
assured her that she was on the right track. A little farther on, as it
had been described to her, it should cross a stream; so she was pleased
to see below her, at the bottom of a little ravine, the thicket through
which the stream ran. She rode down into the ravine and to the stream.
To her surprise the path appeared suddenly to stop at the water’s
edge. There was no outlet on the other side; simply a wall of bushes.
Suddenly her horse threw up his head and started violently. At the
same moment a slight noise behind her attracted Ruth’s attention. She
turned, and in the path behind her stood the negro, Moses.
The blood deserted Ruth’s face. He had always made her flesh creep, as
if he had been a reptile. She had often found him on the side of the
road as she passed along, or had turned and seen him come out of the
woods behind her, but she had never been so close to him before when
alone. And now to find herself face to face with him in that lonely
place made her heart almost stop. After regarding her for a moment
silently, the negro began to move slowly forward, bowing and halting
with that peculiar limp which always reminded Ruth of a species of
worm. She would have fled; but she saw in an instant that there was no
way of escape. The bushes on either side were like a wall. The same
idea must have passed through the man’s mind. A curious smirk was on
his evil face.
“My Mistis,” he said, with a grin that showed his yellow teeth and
horrid gums.
“The path seems to end here,” said Ruth, with an effort commanding her
voice.
“Yes, my Mistis; but I will show you de way. Old Moses will show you de
way. He-he-he.” His voice had a singular feline quality in it. It made
Ruth’s blood run cold.
“No—thank you—I can find it—I shall go back up here and look for
it.” She urged her horse back up the path to pass him. But the negro
stepped before the horse and blocked the way.
“Nor’m—dat ain’t de way. I’ll show you de way. Jes’ let Doctor Moses
show you.” He gave his snicker again, moved closer and put his hand on
her bridle.
This act changed the girl’s fear to anger. “Let go my bridle,
instantly!” Her voice rose suddenly. The tone of command took the negro
by surprise and he dropped his hand; the next second, however, he
caught her bridle again, so roughly that her horse reared and started
back, and if Ruth had not been a good rider she would have fallen from
the saddle.
“I’m _gwine_ to show you.” His tone was now different. He clung to the
bridle of the frightened horse. His countenance had changed.
Raising her riding-whip, Ruth struck him with all her might across the
face.
“Let go my bridle!” she cried.
He gave a snarl of rage and sprang at her like a wild beast; but her
horse whirled and slung him from his feet and he missed her, only
tearing her skirt. It seemed to Ruth at that moment that she heard the
sound of a horse galloping somewhere, and she gave a scream. It was
answered instantly by a shout back over the hill on the path along
which she had come, and the next moment was heard the swift rush of a
horse tearing along on the muffled wood-path back in the woods.
The negro caught the sound, as he turned to seize Ruth’s bridle again,
stopped short and listened intently, then, suddenly wheeling, plunged
into the bushes and went crashing away. That same instant, the horseman
dashed over the crest of the hill and came rushing down the path,
scattering the stones before him. And before Ruth could take it in,
Steve Allen, his face whiter than she had ever seen it, was at her side.
“What is it? Who was it?” he asked.
“Nothing. Oh! He frightened me so,” she panted.
“Who?” His voice was imperious.
“That negro.”
“What negro?”
“The one they call Moses—Doctor Moses.”
The look that came into Steve’s face was for a second almost
terrifying. The next moment, with an effort, he controlled himself.
“Oh! it was nothing,” he said, lightly. “He is an impudent dog, and
must be taught manners; but don’t be frightened. No one shall hurt
you.” His voice had suddenly grown gentle and soothing, and he led Ruth
from the subject, talking lightly, and calming her.
“I told you not to come here alone, you know?” he said, lightly.
His manner reassured Ruth, and she almost smiled as she said:
“I thought that was a woman’s revenge.”
“I did not mean it for revenge; but I want you to promise me now you
will never do it again. Or if you will not promise me, I want you to
promise yourself.”
“I will promise you,” said Ruth. She went on to explain why she came.
“The old woman you speak of wants nothing,” he said, “and you have
passed the path that leads to her house. That negro misled—you did not
take the right road to reach her place. You should have turned off,
some distance back. It was a mere chance—simple Providence, that I
came this way and saw your track and followed you. If you wish to see
my old Mammy I will show you the way. It is the nearest house, and the
only one we can reach before that storm comes, and we shall have to
hurry even to get there.”
Ruth looked over her shoulder, and was frightened at the blackness
of the cloud that had gathered. There was a dense stillness, and the
air was murky and hot. Almost at the moment she looked, a streak of
flame darted from the cloud and a terrific peal of thunder followed
immediately, showing that the storm was close on them.
“Come,” he said, and, catching her bridle, Captain Allen headed her
horse up the hill. “Mind the bushes. Keep him well in hand; but put him
out.”
Ruth urged the horse, and gave him the rein, and they dashed up the
hill, Steve close at her horse’s flank. It was to be a close graze,
even if they escaped at all; for the rising wind, coming in a strong
blast, was beginning to rush through the woods, making the trees bend
and creak. The bushes swept past her, and dragged Ruth’s hat from her
head. “Keep on! I’ll get it!” called Steve, and leaning from his saddle
he picked it from the ground, and in a moment was up with her again.
The thunder was beginning to crash just above their heads, and as they
dashed along, the air was filled with flying leaves and small boughs,
and big drops were beginning to spatter on them as if driven from a
gun. Ruth heard Steve’s voice, but could not, in the roar of the
wind, tell what he said. The next instant he was beside her, his hand
outstretched to steady her horse. She could not distinguish his words;
but saw that he meant her to pull in, and she did so. The next second
they were at a path which led off at an angle from that they were on.
Steve turned her horse into it, and a moment later there appeared a
small clearing, on the other side of which was an old cabin. That
instant, however, the cloud burst upon them, and the rain came in a
sheet. Before Ruth could stop her horse at the door, Steve was on the
ground and had lifted her down as if she had been a child.
“Run in,” he said, and it never occurred to her to oppose him. Holding
both horses with one hand, Steve reached across and pushed open the
door, and put her in. An old negro woman, the only occupant, was facing
her, just as she had risen from her chair by the fire, her small black
eyes wide with surprise at the unexpected entrance. The next moment she
advanced toward Ruth.
“Come in, Mistis. Is you wet?” she asked.
“Thank you—why, yes—I am rather—But—” Ruth turned to the door. She
was thinking of her companion, who was still out in the storm that was
driving against the house.
“Yes, to be sho’ you is. I’ll shet de do’.” The old negress moved to
push it closer to.
“No, don’t!” cried Ruth. “He is out there.”
“Who? Don’t you go out dyah, Mistis.”
She restrained Ruth, who was about to go out again. But the door was
pushed open from the outside, and Steve, dripping wet, with a pile of
broken pieces of old rails in his arms and Ruth’s saddle in his hand,
came in.
“Marse Steve! My chile! Fo de L—d!” exclaimed the old woman. “Ain’t
you mighty wet?” She had left Ruth, and was feeling Steve’s arms and
back.
“Wet? No, I’m as dry as a bone,” laughed Steve. “Here—make up a good
fire.” He threw the wood on the hearth and began to pile it on the
fire, which had been almost extinguished by the rain that came down the
big chimney. “Dry that young lady. I’ve got to go out!” He turned to
the door again.
“No—please! You must not go out!” cried Ruth, taking a step toward him.
“I have to go to see after the horses. I must fasten them.”
“Please don’t. They are all right. I don’t want you to go!” She faced
him boldly. “Please don’t, for my sake!” she pleaded.
Steve hesitated, and looked about him.
“I shall be wretched if you go out.” Her face and voice proved the
truth of her assertion.
“I must go. I am already soaking wet; but I’ll come back directly.” His
voice was cheerful, and before Ruth could beg him again, with a sign to
the old woman he was gone, and had pulled the door close to behind him.
“Heah, he say I is to dry you,” said the old Mammy, and she set a chair
before the fire and gently but firmly put Ruth in it, and proceeded
to feel her shoes and clothing. “Dat’s my young master—my chile,”
she said, with pride, and in answer to Ruth’s expostulations. “You’re
’bliged to do what he say, you know. He’ll be back torectly.”
Ruth felt that the only way to induce Captain Allen to come in out of
the storm was to get dried as quickly as possible; so she set to work
to help the old woman. Steve did not come back directly, however, nor
for some time, and not until Ruth sent him word that she was dry, and
he must come in or she would go out. Then he entered, laughing at the
idea that a rain meant anything to him.
“Why, I am an old soldier. I have slept in such a rain as that, night
after night, and as soundly as a baby. I enjoy it.” His face, as
he looked at Ruth sitting before the fire, showed that he enjoyed
something. And as the girl sat there, her long hair down, her eyes
filled with solicitude, and the bright firelight from the blazing,
resinous pine shining on her and lighting up the dingy little room,
she made a picture to enjoy.
Old Peggy, bending over her and ministering to her with pleased
officiousness, caught something of the feeling. A gleam of shrewdness
had come into her sharp, black eyes.
“Marse Steve, is dis your lady?” she asked, suddenly, with an admiring
look at Ruth, whose cheeks flamed.
“No—not—” Steve did not finish the sentence. “What made you think
so?” He looked very pleased.
“She so consarned about you. She certainly is pretty,” she said, simply.
Ruth was blushing violently, and Steve said:
“I’m not good enough, Mammy, for any lady.”
“Go ’way, Marse Steve! You know you good ’nough for anybody. Don’t you
b’lieve him, young Mistis. I helt him in dese arms when he wa’ n’t so
big;” she measured a length hardly above a span, “and I knows.”
Ruth thought so too just then, but she did not know what to say.
Fortunately Steve came to her rescue.
“Mammy, you’re the only woman in the world that thinks that.”
“I know better ’n dat!” declared the old woman, emphatically. “You does
too, don’t you, my Mistis?” At which Ruth stammered, “Why, yes,” and
only blushed the more. She looked so really distressed that Steve said:
“Come, Mammy, you mustn’t embarrass your young Mistress.”
“Nor, indeed—dat I won’t. But you see dyah, you done call her _my_
young Mistis!” laughed the old woman, enjoying hugely the confusion of
both her visitors.
“It was time to go,” Steve said. So as the storm had passed, they
came out and he saddled Ruth’s horse and handed her into the saddle.
He spoke a few words to the old woman, to which she gave a quick
affirmative reply. As they rode off, she said, “You mus’ come again,”
which both of them promised and doubtless intended to do.
The woods were sparkling with the raindrops, and the sky was as if it
had just been newly washed and burnished, and the earth was covered
with water which shone in the light of the setting sun, like pools of
crystal.
Steve bade Miss Welch good-by at her gate. He had scarcely gotten out
of sight of her when he changed his easy canter to a long gallop, and
a look of grim determination deepened on his face. At the first byway
he turned off from the main-road and made his way by bridle-paths back
to the point where he had rescued Miss Welch. Here he tied his horse
and began to examine the bushes carefully. He was able at first to
follow the track that the negro had made in his flight; but after a
little distance it became more difficult. The storm had obliterated the
traces. So Steve returned to the point where he had left his horse,
remounted and rode away. He visited Andy Stamper’s and several other
plantations, at all of which he stopped, but only for a few moments to
speak a word or two to the men at each, and then galloped on to the
next, his face still grim and his voice intense with determination.
That night a small band of horsemen rode through the Bend, visiting
house after house. They asked for Moses, the trick-doctor. But Moses
was not there. He had left early the morning before, their informants
said, and had not been back since. There was no doubt as to the truth
of this. There was something about that body of horsemen, small though
it was, riding in pairs, that impressed whomever they accosted, and
it was evident that their informants meant to tell the truth. If,
on the first summons at a door, the inmates peered out curious and
loud-mouthed, they quieted down at the first glance at the silent
horsemen outside.
“What you want with him?” asked one of the men, inquisitively. Almost
instantly, as if by machinery, two horsemen moved silently in behind
him and cut him out from the group behind. “You know where he is? Come
along.” Their hands were on his collar.
“Nor, suh, b’fo’ Gord I don’t, gentmens,” protested the negro, almost
paralyzed with fright. “I didn’t mean nuttin’ in the worl’, gentmens.”
At a sign from the leader he was released, and was glad to slip back
into obscurity behind the rest of the awe-struck group, till the
horsemen rode on.
It was, no doubt, well for the trick-doctor that his shrewdness had
kept him from his accustomed haunts that night. He visited the Bend
secretly a night or two later; but only for a short time, and before
morning broke he was far away, following the woodland paths, moving at
his swift, halting pace, which hour by hour was placing miles between
him and the danger he had discovered. Thus the County for a time, at
least, was rid of his presence, and both white and blacks breathed
freer.