"I was in the army, but served out my time and was discharged a few months ago and came to Washington to see where they make the government--yes? I am going to South America. Is it Peru? Yes; there will be a revolution."
He paused, and Armitage met his eyes; they were very blue and kind,--eyes that spoke of sincerity and fidelity, such eyes as a leader of forlorn hopes would like to know were behind him when he gave the order to charge. Then a curious thing happened. It may have been the contact of eye with eye that awoke question and response between them; it may have been a need in one that touched a chord of helplessness in the other; but suddenly Armitage leaped to his feet and grasped the outstretched hands of the little soldier.
"Oscar!" he said; and repeated, very softly, "Oscar!"
The man was deeply moved and the tears sprang into his eyes. Armitage laughed, holding him at arm"s length.
"None of that nonsense! Sit down!" He turned to the door, opened it, and peered into the hall, locked the door again, then motioned the man to a chair.
"So you deserted your mother country, did you, and have borne arms for the glorious republic?"
"I served in the Philippines,--yes?"
"Rank, t.i.tles, emoluments, Oscar?"
"I was a sergeant; and the surgeon could not find the bullet after Big Bend, Luzon; so they were sorry and gave me a certificate and two dollars a month to my pay," said the man, so succinctly and colorlessly that Armitage laughed.
"Yon have done well, Oscar; honor me by accepting a cigar."
The man took a cigar from the box which Armitage extended, but would not light it. He held it rather absent-mindedly in his hand and continued to stare.
"You are not dead,--Mr.--Armitage; but your father--?"
"My father is dead, Oscar."
"He was a good man," said the soldier.
"Yes; he was a good man," repeated Armitage gravely. "I am alive, and yet I am dead, Oscar; do you grasp the idea? You were a good friend when we were lads together in the great forest. If I should want you to help me now--"
The man jumped to his feet and stood at attention so gravely that Armitage laughed and slapped his knee.
"You are well taught, Sergeant Oscar! Sit down. I am going to trust you.
My affairs just now are not without their trifling dangers."
"There are enemies--yes?" and Oscar nodded his head solemnly in acceptance of the situation.
"I am going to trust you absolutely. You have no confidants--you are not married?"
"How should a man be married who is a soldier? I have no friends; they are unprofitable," declared Oscar solemnly.
"I fear you are a pessimist, Oscar; but a pessimist who keeps his mouth shut is a good ally. Now, if you are not afraid of being shot or struck with a knife, and if you are willing to obey my orders for a few weeks we may be able to do some business. First, remember that I am Mr. Armitage; you must learn that now, and remember it for all time. And if any one should ever suggest anything else--"
The man nodded his comprehension.
"That will be the time for Oscar to be dumb. I understand, Mr. Armitage."
Armitage smiled. The man presented so vigorous a picture of health, his simple character was so transparently reflected in his eyes and face that he did not in the least question him.
"You are an intelligent person, Sergeant. If you are equally discreet--able to be deaf when troublesome questions are asked, then I think we shall get on."
"You should remember--" began Oscar.
"I remember nothing," observed Armitage sharply; and Oscar was quite humble again. Armitage opened a trunk and took out an envelope from which he drew several papers and a small map, which he unfolded and spread on the table. He marked a spot with his lead-pencil and pa.s.sed the map to Oscar.
"Do you think you could find that place?"
The man breathed hard over it for several minutes.
"Yes; it would be easy," and he nodded his head several times as he named the railroad stations nearest the point indicated by Armitage. The place was in one of the mountainous counties of Virginia, fifteen miles from an east and west railway line. Armitage opened a duly recorded deed which conveyed to himself the t.i.tle to two thousand acres of land; also a curiously complicated abstract of t.i.tle showing the successive transfers of ownership from colonial days down through the years of Virginia"s splendor to the dread time when battle shook the world. The t.i.tle had pa.s.sed from the receiver of a defunct shooting-club to Armitage, who had been charmed by the description of the property as set forth in an advertis.e.m.e.nt, and lured, moreover, by the amazingly small price at which the preserve was offered.
"It is a farm--yes?"
"It is a wilderness, I fancy," said Armitage. "I have never seen it; I may never see it, for that matter; but you will find your way there--going first to this town, Lamar, studying the country, keeping your mouth shut, and seeing what the improvements on the ground amount to. There"s some sort of a bungalow there, built by the shooting-club.
Here"s a description of the place, on the strength of which I bought it.
You may take these papers along to judge the size of the swindle."
"Yes, sir."
"And a couple of good horses; plenty of commissary stores--plain military necessities, you understand--and some bedding should be provided. I want you to take full charge of this matter and get to work as quickly as possible. It may be a trifle lonesome down there among the hills, but if you serve me well you shall not regret it."
"Yes, I am quite satisfied with the job," said Oscar.
"And after you have reached the place and settled yourself you will tell the postmaster and telegraph operator who you are and where you may be found, so that messages may reach you promptly. If you get an unsigned message advising you of--let me consider--a shipment of steers, you may expect me any hour. On the other hand, you may not see me at all. We"ll consider that our agreement lasts until the first snow flies next winter.
You are a soldier. There need be no further discussion of this matter, Oscar."
The man nodded gravely.
"And it is well for you not to reappear in this hotel. If you should be questioned on leaving here--"
"I have not been, here--is it not?"
"It is," replied Armitage, smiling. "You read and write English?"
"Yes; one must, to serve in the army."
"If you should see a big Servian with a neck like a bull and a head the size of a pea, who speaks very bad German, you will do well to keep out of his way,--unless you find a good place to tie him up. I advise you not to commit murder without special orders,--do you understand?"
"It is the custom of the country," a.s.sented Oscar, in a tone of deep regret.
"To be sure," laughed Armitage; "and now I am going to give you money enough to carry out the project I have indicated."
He took from his trunk a long bill-book, counted out twenty new one-hundred-dollar bills and threw them on the table.
"It is much money," observed Oscar, counting the bills laboriously.
"It will be enough for your purposes. You can"t spend much money up there if you try. Bacon--perhaps eggs; a cow may be necessary,--who can tell without trying it? Don"t write me any letters or telegrams, and forget that you have seen me if you don"t hear from me again."
He went to the elevator and rode down to the office with Oscar and dismissed him carelessly. Then John Armitage bought an armful of magazines and newspapers and returned to his room, quite like any traveler taking the comforts of his inn.