"But why should Claire have been here," he asked, as though dazed, "unless she came to meet her brother? I supposed her safe in the city."
"I do not pretend to understand the cause of her presence. But if you listen to my story you may know what to do." I paused an instant to get a grip on my thoughts. I need not tell all, confess my ident.i.ty, or mention my personal relations with the daughter. "I am a soldier, Colonel Mortimer, in Maxwell"s Brigade, of Washington"s army. What brought me here has nothing to do with the present story. I was in the fight over yonder near Mount Laurel night before last when we captured Delavan"s forage train--"
"What!" burst in the dragoon officer. "Was Delavan defeated, then? Hadn"t Grant joined him?"
"Yes to both questions, sir. Delavan was killed, and Grant surrendered.
He and his men were paroled, and started for Philadelphia last evening from here."
"From here!" incredulously. "That must be a lie, Colonel, for Mount Laurel is between here and the city."
"Nevertheless, it is no lie," I retorted promptly, looking the young fool in the eyes. "I was hiding here for reasons of my own when they came tramping in along that road about the middle of the forenoon yesterday.
There was near a hundred Hessians and Rangers, with two German officers, and Grant. I heard them tell Mistress Mortimer this was the nearest place where they were sure of finding provisions, and that they intended to remain until night. I don"t know what happened after that, except that the officers went inside, and the men marched around to the back to eat their breakfast."
"What became of you?"
"Oh, I had other business, and never got back along here until just at daylight this morning. Then I found things this way."
"You don"t know what occurred, then?"
"No more than you do. But I"ve got my opinion. It"s this--Grant and his fellows must have left as soon as it was dark, taking the west road, which was the cause of your missing them. It is likely from this man Mike"s body, that your daughter and her party were still in the house. It couldn"t have been much later when these others got here and made the attack. Mike must have fought them at the front door, but that was all the fight made; there"s no sign of any struggle inside."
"Then they never got Claire," declared Mortimer positively. "That"s a certainty, Seldon."
"She would have fought, sir?"
"Like a tiger. I know my little girl. And, besides, Peter would have died before the hand of one of those villains was ever laid upon her."
"But," I protested, "I have searched the house, Colonel."
"I imagine your acquaintance with the house is somewhat limited," he replied coldly, turning away. "Seldon, place this fellow under guard in the library here. We will learn later what his business might be in the Jerseys."
CHAPTER XX
AT CROSS PURPOSES
It could not be considered an unpleasant place of imprisonment, yet it was useless for me to contrive any plans of immediate escape, for the door was securely locked, and two heavily armed dragoons sat within eying me rather malevolently. My attempt at approaching the window was instantly checked by a threatening gesture, and I sat down in the reading chair to await developments. They could not m.u.f.fle my ears, however, and I heard the swift hoof-beats of an approaching horse being ridden furiously up the gravel driveway. At the door he was hastily checked, and a voice spoke peremptorily:
"Here you, take the rein!"
The fellow came up the steps hurriedly, almost ignoring the sentry at the door.
"I haven"t time to stand here, you fool," he exclaimed roughly. "My uniform is pa.s.s enough. I wish to see Colonel Mortimer at once--at once."
There was a pause, and then the same voice, and I recognized it now as Grant"s beyond a doubt. "Ah, Colonel, what in G.o.d"s name has happened here? I heard that you were out hunting us at Farrell"s blacksmith shop, and came back as swiftly as I could ride. But I never suspected this. Who were the miscreants?"
"That is a question not yet answered, Captain Grant," replied Mortimer slowly. "It looks like the work of Pine Robbers. Do you recognize this fellow?"
"Ay," and from the m.u.f.fled tone he must have been bending over the body, "that is "Tough" Sims, a lieutenant of "Red" f.a.gin; there"s one more devil gone to h.e.l.l. But when did the attack occur? We left here after dark, and all was quiet enough then. Claire--"
"She was here then? I hardly believed it possible."
"I talked with her--quarrelled with her, indeed. Perhaps that was why she refused to accompany us to Philadelphia. But what did you mean, Colonel, when you said you hardly believed it possible she was here? Did some one tell you?"
"Yes; we caught a fellow in the house when we arrived. He had no time for escape--rough-looking miscreant, claiming to be a Continental. We have him under guard in the library."
"He confessed to the whole story?"
"Not a word; claimed to know nothing except that Claire was here. Said he saw you, and then went away, not getting back again until this morning."
"The fellow is a liar, Colonel. Let me see him; I"ll lash the truth out of his lips. Where did you say he was--in the library?"
I had barely time to rise to my feet when he entered. His eyes swept across the guard, and then centred upon me. Instantly they blazed with excitement, although I noticed he took a sudden step backward in the first shock of surprise, his hand dropping to the b.u.t.t of a pistol in his belt.
"By all the G.o.ds!" he exclaimed sharply. "If it isn"t the spy! I miss the red jacket, but I know the face, Mister Lieutenant Fortesque."
"Major Lawrence, if you please," I returned quietly.
"We"ll not quarrel over the name. I"ve had occasion to know you under both; bearing one you was a spy, beneath the other a leader of banditti.
I"ll hang you with equal pleasure under either." Suddenly he seemed to remember where we were, and his face flushed with newly aroused rage.
"But first you"ll explain what you are doing here at Elmhurst. Do you know whose home this is?"
"Most a.s.suredly," determined not to lose my temper, or to be moved by his threats. "It is the property of Colonel Mortimer, of the Queen"s Rangers."
"And--and you--you came here to again see--the daughter?" he questioned, as though half regretting the indiscretion of such a suspicion.
"Oh, no, Captain; you do the lady a grave injustice. I came here a prisoner, very much against my will, not even aware whose plantation this was. I had no suspicion that Mistress Mortimer was outside Philadelphia until I overheard your conversation with her."
"Overheard! You! In G.o.d"s name, where were you--"
"In this room; with both doors ajar it was impossible not to hear. You spoke somewhat angrily, you may remember, not finding the lady as gracious in her reception as expected."
The sarcasm in my tone stung him, but the surprise was so great that he could only rip out an oath.
"I thought you would have also enjoyed swearing at that time," I continued coolly, "only you scarcely dared venture so far. You had previously boasted to me of your engagement to the lady, and it naturally was a surprise to observe how lovingly she greeted you--"
"h.e.l.l"s acre!" he burst out. "Did the minx know you were there?"
"If you refer to Mistress Mortimer, I presume she suspected it. At least she came to me shortly thereafter."
"Then I understand better what troubled the girl. But, in G.o.d"s name! how did you ever escape me? I was in every room of the house."
I smiled pleasantly. There was nothing for me to gain, or lose, by goading him, yet it was rather enjoyable.
"That, of course, I must naturally refuse to answer, Captain. I might need to resort to the same methods again."
"There will be small chance of your having opportunity. Mortimer will hang you fast enough when I tell my tale. Don"t look for mercy at his hands, for he"s prouder than Lucifer of his family honor."