"In the name of the king, dinner," called Colonel Tarleton, loudly.
"Of course if you want dinner, I suppose that I"ll have to get it,"
Peggy heard the mistress of the dwelling reply, grumblingly. "But some of your people have already been here, and you know "tis against their principles to leave much."
A great laugh greeted this sally as the troopers dismounted, tying their horses to trees, or fences as was convenient.
"Get us what you have, my good woman, and be quick about it," Tarleton cried in answer. "We"ve come seventy miles in twenty-four hours, and must be in the saddle again in an hour"s time. Now be quick about that dinner."
The dragoons, seemingly too weary for anything but rest, flung themselves upon the gra.s.s to await the meal. Tarleton and one of his lieutenants stretched out upon the sward directly under the window of the room where Peggy was. For a time they lay there in silence, then the junior officer spoke:
"Will it be possible for us to reach Charlottesville to-night, colonel?"
"Charlottesville!" Peggy"s heart gave a great bound as she heard the name. Charlottesville was the place where the a.s.sembly was in session at that very time. But Colonel Tarleton was speaking:
"Not to-night, lieutenant. But to-morrow we"ll swoop upon the a.s.sembly and take it unawares. By St. George, "twill be rare sport to see their faces when they find themselves prisoners. Although I care more for Jefferson and Patrick Henry than all the others together. We"ll hang those two."
The girl wrung her hands as she listened. Jefferson, the governor of the state, the writer of the Declaration of Independence; and Patrick Henry, he who had been termed the Voice of the Revolution! Oh! it must not be!
But how, how could it be prevented? They should be warned.
"If I but knew where Charlottesville is," cried the girl anguished by her helplessness. "What shall be done? Oh, I"ll ask Fairfax."
Up to the garret she sped unnoticed by any one. The troopers were outside, the members of the household busily engaged in preparing the dinner.
"Friend Fairfax," she called.
"Yes," answered the lad rising from behind the boxes.
"Colonel Tarleton is after the a.s.sembly at Charlottesville. He wants especially to capture the governor and Patrick Henry."
"Why, they"ll hang them if they do," cried Fairfax excitedly. "How do you know, Mistress Peggy?"
"I heard him say so," answered Peggy. "Friend, what shall we do? They should be warned."
"Yes," he answered. "That is what I must do."
"Thee?" she cried, amazed. "Why, thee is weak and sick, Friend Fairfax.
Thee cannot go."
"I must. Oh," he groaned. "If I but had a horse. If I but had a horse I could get to Charlottesville before them."
"It might cost thee thy life," the girl reminded him. "Thee is too ill to go."
"What am I but one among many?" he said. "I must try to steal one of their horses."
"Thee need not run such risk. Thee shall have my own little Star," cried Peggy thrillingly. "We can go now to the room under the stairs, and while the troopers are at dinner, slip through the window and down to the grove where she lies hidden. Come, friend."
CHAPTER XXIII-A QUESTION OF COURAGE
"What makes a hero?-An heroic mind, Express"d in action, in endurance prov"d."
-Sir Henry Taylor.
As they reached the door of the room under the stairs, however, their hostess came into the hall. A frown contracted her brow at sight of Fairfax.
"This is folly," she exclaimed. "Boy, don"t you know that Tarleton"s troopers are outside?"
"Yes; and they plan to go to Charlottesville after dinner to capture the a.s.sembly," Peggy told her before the youth could reply. "Friend Fairfax is to slip away to warn them."
"Come in here," she said drawing them into the dining-room. "Now,"
speaking rapidly as she closed the door, "what is the plan? I may be able to help."
"We are going through the window of thy room to the grove where my horse is while thee gives them dinner," explained the maiden.
"Why, child, that won"t do at all. They will leave a guard outside, of course. You could not pa.s.s them. Let me think."
For a brief second she meditated while the boy and the girl waited hopefully.
"Are you able to do this?" she asked presently of Fairfax.
"Yes," he answered. "Only devise some way for me to leave quickly. Every moment is precious."
"You are right," she replied. "Now just a minute."
She left the room, returning almost immediately with two flowered frocks of osnaburg, and two enormous kerchiefs of the same stuff.
"These are what the mammies wear," she said arranging one of the kerchiefs about the lad"s head turbanwise. "There, my boy! you will pa.s.s for a mammy if not given more than a glance."
"Thee will make a good woman yet, Friend Fairfax," remarked Peggy smiling as she noted that the youth moved with some ease in the skirts.
"Yes," he a.s.sented sheepishly.
"Follow me boldly," spoke the hostess. "We will pa.s.s through the yard from the kitchen to the smoke-house. If any of the dragoons call, mind them not. Above all turn not your faces toward them. Go on to the smoke-house, whatever happens. There is a back door through which you can go down the knoll to the ravine. Follow the ravine westward to the grove which lies back of the mill where the horse is. If you keep to the ravine "twill lead you into the road un.o.bserved by any. Now if everything is understood we will go."
They followed her silently through the kitchen and out into the yard.
The hostess kept up a lively stream of talk during the pa.s.sage to the smoke-house.
"I reckon we"d better have another ham," she said in a voice that could be heard at no little distance. "There are so many of those fellows.
Aunt Betsy "low"d there were more than a hundred, and I reckon she"s right." There were in truth one hundred and eighty cavalrymen, with seventy mounted infantry. "A few chickens wouldn"t go amiss either. They might as well have them. The next gang would take them anyway." And so on.
From all sides came grunts of satisfaction, showing that the remarks had been overheard by many of the dragoons, which was intended. The smoke-house was reached in safety, and the good woman led them to the rear door.
"I"ll keep them here as long as I can," she said, "if I have to cook everything on the place. You shall have at least two hours" start, my boy. G.o.d bless you! It"s a brave thing you are doing, but those men must be warned."
"I know," he answered. "And now good-bye."