Peggy Owen at Yorktown by Lucy Foster Madison
CHAPTER XVIII--UNDER THE LINDENS
"Snatch from the ashes of your sires, The embers of the former fires; And leave your sons a hope, a fame, They too will rather die than shame; For Freedom's battle once begun, Bequeathed by bleeding sire to son, Though baffled oft is ever won."
--"The Giaour," Byron.
"You are late," spoke Clifford Owen with anything but an amiableexpression when at length Peggy reached his bedside. "Methought you hadforgot that I lay here without breakfast?"
"Nay, my cousin," said the girl apologetically. "I started with thybreakfast some time since, but one of thy generals stopped me; and then,as the broth was cold, I tarried in the hospital kitchen to warm it."
"Is it the everlasting broth again?" queried the boy irritably. "Oddslife! I think that Yankee doctor is determined to keep me here allsummer. How can a fellow gain strength with naught but broth to eat?"
"Thee should not speak so of the good doctor," reproved Peggy gently."And to show thee that thee should not, know that that same Yankeedoctor said, when I was warming the broth, that thee was strong enoughto take something other than it. And he had me prepare, what does theethink? Why, a soft-boiled egg and a bit of toast. So there, my cousin!is not that a nice breakfast?"
"It isn't half enough," grumbled her cousin. "One little egg, and onepiece of toast that would scarce cover a half joe. Why, I could eat awhole ox, I believe. I tell you the fellow wants to keep me on a thindiet for fear that I will get strong enough to fight. I am going to haveone of the British surgeons look me over."
"Thee is cross, and hungry; which is vastly encouraging," commented themaiden sagely.
The youth looked up at her with the merest suspicion of a smile.
"If being cross and hungry are encouraging symptoms," he said somewhatgrimly, "I think I ought to get up right now. I'd like to tear this bedto pieces, I am so tired of it; and as for hunger----" He paused as thoughwords failed to express his feelings.
"Then thee had better fall to at once," suggested Peggy. "And thee istalking too much, I fear."
"No," he said. "The coming of the army hath put new life into me. I amno longer a prisoner, Mistress Peggy. That in itself is enough to cureone of any malady. Think! 'twill not be long ere I shall come and go atpleasure. Nor shall I be bound by a parole."
"But thee must be patient a little longer," advised the maiden, as heresigned the tray to her with a sigh of content. "Thee must not overdojust at this time, else thee will tax thy new-found strength too much.And I wish to thank thee again, my cousin, for thy kindness yesterday.Thy people have not molested us in any way, and thy friend, the officerwho spoke with thee, hath placed a guard about our house to ensure oursafety. Both Nurse Johnson and I appreciate thy thoughtfulness. We mighthave fared ill had it not been for thee."
"I like not to be beholden to any," he remarked. "'Twill serve to repayin part for your nursing. I see not yet why you should journey so far tocare for an unknown kinsman."
"Thee did not seem unknown to me, my cousin," returned Peggy quietly."Thy father stayed with us for nearly a year when he was upon parole inPhiladelphia. And I have been with Harriet for two years almostconstantly. Then, too, the dictates of humanity would scarce let usleave thee down here without any of thy kin near. That is all,Clifford."
And Peggy would discuss the matter no further. Her heart was very warmtoward her cousin, and she did not wish a repetition of the conversationof the day before. Seeing that he was inclined to converse too much shequietly withdrew, and busied herself in other parts of the hospital,winding bandages for the surgeons, or reading to the sick. She feared toreturn to the cottage lest she should again meet with General Arnold;and that, Peggy told herself, she could not bear. At length, however,just about sunset, which was her usual time for returning, she venturedforth.
The evening was a lovely one. The sun had sunk beyond the belts offorest lying to the westward of the town, leaving the sky rosy andbrilliant. The street was deserted, and breathing a sigh of relief themaiden hastened to the cottage. She found Mrs. Johnson awaiting her.
"You are late, child," she said with so distraught an air that Peggylooked up quickly. "I was beginning to fear that some ill might havebefallen you. What kept you so?"
"Friend nurse," answered Peggy with some agitation, "General Arnoldstopped me this morning when I went to the hospital with my cousin'sbreakfast. I feared lest I should meet with him again, so I waited untilthe street was clear."
"Arnold, the traitor?" exclaimed Nurse Johnson.
"The very same. I knew him in Philadelphia when he was our general. Iliked not to talk with him, but he would not let me pass. Friend nurse,does thee think the British will stay here long?"
"'Tis hard to tell, Peggy. I blame you not for not wanting to meet withhim, but 'tis a thing that will be unavoidable in this small town ifthey stay any length of time. I think he must be with General Phillipsat the palace. I wish," ended the good woman with the feeling that allAmericans held toward the traitor, "I wish that we might do something tocapture him. 'Tis said that His Excellency is most anxious to effectit."
"Yes; but naught can be done with an army back of him. But somethingworries thee, and I have done naught but speak of my own anxiety. Whatis it?"
"'Tis Fairfax," Nurse Johnson told her in troubled tones. "He is hidingin the forest, and wishes to come home for the night. I had a note fromhim. He tried to creep in to-day, but was deterred by seeing the guardin the yard. Of course, I knew that the militia must have fled to theforest, and the poor fellows are in want of food because the Britishhave ravaged all the plantations near. If the boy could get in withoutthe knowledge of the guard he could stay in the garret until thesoldiers leave. But how to accomplish it I know not. He will be in thepalace grounds to-night a little after sunset, he said. And he wished meto meet him there. But I promised the guard that I would cook themIndian cakes to-night, and so I cannot leave without arousing theirsuspicion. 'Tis time to go now, and to serve the cakes also. What to doI know not."
"Why could I not go to thy son, while thee stays and cooks the cakes?"asked Peggy eagerly.
"Why, child, that might do! I did not think of that; yet I like not tosend you out again so late."
"It is not late. The dark hath come only in the shadow, which will bethe better. And where will he be, friend nurse? The grounds are so largethat I might go astray if I did not know the exact spot."
"He will be in the great grove of lindens which lies on the far side ofthe grounds," the nurse told her. "Yet I like not----"
"Say no more, friend nurse," said Peggy quickly. "'Tis settled that I amto go. Now tell me just what thee wishes me to do."
After some further expostulation on the part of the nurse she consentedthat the girl should go to meet the lad, carrying some of his mother'sclothes which he should don, and so arrayed come back to the cottage.
"I wonder," mused Nurse Johnson, "if he knew that the English generalhath his headquarters in the palace. 'Tis a rash proceeding to ventureso near. If he is taken they will make him either swear allegiance tothe king, or else give him a parole. Fairfax will take neither, so itmeans prison for the boy. Foolish, foolish, to venture here!"
"But all will be well if we can but get him here unbeknown to theguard," consoled Peggy. "Friend nurse, cook many cakes, and regale themso bountifully that they will linger long over the meal; and it may bethat Fairfax can slip in unobserved."
"The very thing!" ejaculated the nurse excitedly. "What a wit you have,Peggy. I begin to think that we can get him here, after all."
She bundled up one of her frocks hastily, saying as she gave it to thegirl:
"Of course you must be guided by circumstances, my child, but come backas quickly as possible lest the guard be through with the meal. If theycan be occupied----"
"I will hasten," promised Peggy. "And now good-bye. Oh, I'l
"But I shall be," answered the nurse with a sigh. "Not only anentFairfax but you also."
Peggy passed out of the cottage quickly, and went toward the hospital.It was so usual a thing for her to go back and forth that the goingattracted no attention from the guards. Now the hospital had an entrancethat opened directly into the palace grounds, and Peggy availed herselfof this convenience.
The grounds were very large, and it was fortunate that she knew theexact situation of the grove of linden trees, else she must have becomebewildered. The lawns were in a sad state of neglect, overrun with vinesand wild growths; for, since Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor, hadleft, the mansion had held but an occasional tenant. So much ofunderbrush was there that it was a comparatively easy matter for Peggyto pass unobserved through the trees in the gathering dusk of thetwilight. A guard had been placed in the immediate vicinity of themansion, and the town itself was thoroughly picketed so that sentinelsin the remoter parts of the grounds were infrequent. And unobservedPeggy presently reached the great grove of lindens, the pride of theformer royal governor.
The moon was just rising through a bank of threatening clouds which hadgathered since the sunset. They obscured the moonlight at one moment,then swept onward permitting the full light of the orb to shine. Peggy'svoice trembled a little as she called softly:
"Friend Fairfax!"
"Mistress Peggy!" Fairfax Johnson rose slowly from the copse near thegrove, and came toward her.
"Is it thou?" asked Peggy in a low tone. Then as he drew closer: "Theeis to put on this frock, friend. 'Tis thy mother's. Then thee is to comeboldly back to the cottage with me, and enter while thy mother hath theguard in the kitchen regaling them with Indian cakes and honey. Bequick!"
The youth took the bundle silently, and retired a short distance fromher. The clouds cleared in the next few moments, discovering MasterFairfax arrayed in his mother's frock, which was a trifle long for him.He stumbled as he tried to approach Peggy, and grabbed at his skirtsawkwardly.
"Thee must not stride, friend," rebuked Peggy in a shrill whisper. "Theeis a woman, remember. Walk mincingly. So! Hold not thy skirt so high.Thy boots will betray thee. No woman had ever so large a foot. Oh, dear!I don't believe that thee will ever get by the guards. And thy mother isuneasy about thee."
"I'll do better," answered the youth eagerly. "Indeed, I will try to dobetter, Mistress Peggy. Show me just once more. Remember that I've neverbeen a woman before."
"'Tis no time for frivolity," chided the girl, laughing a littleherself. "There! 'tis a decided improvement, Friend Fairfax. I think wemay start now. And as we go thee may tell me why thee should be so rashas to venture into the town while the enemy is here. Thy mother wonderedanent the matter. Why did thee, friend?"
"Why, because the Marquis de Lafayette hath entered the state, and ismarching to meet the British," he answered. "The militia of Williamsburgis to join him. We march at daybreak. I wanted to see mother beforegoing, and to get something to eat. I have eaten naught since yesterdaymorning."
"Why, thou poor fellow," exclaimed Peggy. "No wonder thee would daregreatly. And 'tis venturesome, friend. Vastly so! And hath the Marquiscome from General Washington?"
"Yes; he hath twelve hundred regulars, and everywhere in tide-waterVirginia the militia are rising to join him. We must do all we can tokeep the old Dominion from being overrun by the enemy. The meeting placeis near the Richmond hills."
"Thank you for the information," came a sarcastic voice, and from out ofthe gloom there stepped a figure in the uniform of an English officer.The moon, bursting through the clouds at this moment, revealed the darkface of Benedict Arnold. Peggy gave a little cry as she recognized him.
"So this is your trysting place," he said glancing about the grove."Upon my word a most romantic spot for a meeting, but a trace too nearthe enemy for absolute security. You realize, do you not, that you areboth prisoners?"
"Sir," spoke Fairfax Johnson, "do with me as you will, but this maidenhath done naught for which she should be made a prisoner. She but cameto conduct me to my mother."
"And 'tis no trysting place," interposed Peggy with some indignation."The lad but ventured here to see his mother. He hath eaten nothingsince yesterday morning. The least, the very least thee can do is tofirst let him see his mother, and have a good meal."
"And then?" he questioned as though enjoying the situation. "Upon myword, Miss Peggy, you plead well for him. I have heard you plead foranother youth, have I not?"
"Thee has," answered she with spirit. "But then I pleaded with anAmerican officer, a gallant and brave man. Now----"
"Yes, and now?" he demanded fiercely. "Have I no bowels of compassion,think you, because I have changed my convictions? I will show you,Mistress Peggy, that I am not so vile a thing as you believe. Go! Youand this youth also. The information he hath so unwittingly given is offar more value than he would be as a prisoner. We had not yet beenadvised of Lafayette's whereabouts, and we were anxious to know them. Wehave tarried at this town for want of that very intelligence. Therefore,go! but take this advice: Hereafter, choose your meeting place at a spotother than the enemy's headquarters." He laughed sneeringly, and turningstrode off under the trees.
"I would rather he had taken me prisoner," observed the lad gloomily.
"Well, I am glad that he did not," answered Peggy. "Thy mother wouldhave grieved so. Come, Friend Fairfax! With such a man one knows not howlong his mood of mercy will last. Let us hasten while we may."
He followed her awkwardly. They reached the cottage without furthermolestation, and entered it unobserved.
On the morning following the drums beat assembly soon after the soundingof the reveille. The different commands filed out of their camps, and,forming into a column, took up the line of march out of the city.