Books: Hardscrabble
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John Richardson >> Hardscrabble
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"One that I have long designed for your perusal. It was
written a few days after the events at the farm, and I
have since then frequently determined to place it in your
hands in order that, in the sacredness of solitude, you
might indulge in the bitter tears its few pages will
wring from you; but too selfish--yes, selfish, and severely
am I punished for it--to suffer the joy of the hour to
be broken in upon by sadness, I have hitherto delayed
putting you in possession of that which, if only
communicated a day earlier, would have spared us this
painful scene. But I hear footsteps approaching. They
must be those of Mrs. Elmsley and the doctor, with
Catherine. Be not surprised, dearest, if I leave you soon
after they enter, for I have something to do this evening
which will require my presence in the Fort. Early in the
morning, however, I shall be here."
"I understand well what demands your presence elsewhere,"
she returned with a look of deep gratitude and love. "Oh!
Ronayne, whatever may happen," and the tears streamed
down her pale face, as she pointed to her mother--"hear
me declare that whatever you may ask of me one month
hence, I shall not consider myself justified in refusing."
Scarcely had he time to impress upon her lips his deep
but chastened sense of happiness, when the party expected,
entered the room--Von Vottenberg immediately applying
himself to an examination of the patient, whose condition,
it was evident from his unusually grave look, he conceived
to be highly critical.
Dreading to hear his opinion pronounced in the presence
of his betrothed, and the more so, because he had in some
degree been its cause, the young officer, after having
warmly shaken hands with Mrs. Elmsley, whom he thanked
for her prompt attention, urged her to do all in her
power to soothe Maria, to whom, at parting, he also
offered his hand, while his eye was eloquent with the
feelings he could not well openly express.
He first directed his course towards the rose-bush, and
approached it with a feeling almost similar to what would
have been experienced by him, had he been the actual
murderer of Mr. Heywood. Loup Garou was sitting crouched
near the head and was so far recovered as to growl rather
fiercely at him, as he approached. On hearing the voice
of his master, not in anger but in conciliation, he arose,
slightly wagged his tail, and came forward slowly and
crouching, as if in dread of further punishment, his lip
uncurled, showing all his upper teeth, and with a short,
quick sneeze, peculiar to his half-wolf-blooded race.
Calling gently to the animal, he preceded him to the
gate, desiring him to wait there until he returned--an
injunction evidently understood by the dog, which,
crouching down in his accustomed posture, ventured not
to move. With the small spud, already alluded to, and
then near the rose-tree, he put back in small quantities
the displaced earth, until the ghastly face, indistinctly
seen in the star-light, was again wholly hidden from
view. This done, he approached the bank of the river,
followed by the dog, and gave a shrill whistle, which,
without being answered, speedily brought over the boat
in which he now embarked for the opposite shore.
His first care was to seek Elmsley, who, as officer of
the guard, was up accoutred for duty, and was now looking
over an old "Washington Intelligencer," that had been
read at least a dozen times before, while he smoked his
pipe and sipped from a bowl of whisky punch, which Von
Vottenberg had just finished brewing, when so suddenly
summoned to the cottage.
After Ronayne had detailed to his friend the occurrences
of the evening, and communicated his views, they both
issued forth to the guard-room, where Sergeant Nixon
happened to be upon duty. With the latter, a brief
conversation was held by Ronayne, ending with an injunction
for him to come to Lieutenant Elmsley's quarters and
announce to him (the former), when certain arrangements
which had been agreed upon, were completed.
Returned to the abode of the latter, the young officer
required no very great pressing to induce him to join
his superior in the beverage, to which anxiety of mind
not less than fatigue of body had so much disposed him,
yet of which both partook moderately. While so employed,
and awaiting the appearance of the sergeant, Ronayne,
who had now no motive for further mystery or concealment,
detailed at the request of his friend, but in much more
succinct terms than he had done in the paper he had handed
to Maria Heywood, the circumstances connected with his
absence from the Fort, on the night of the attack upon
the farm, and the means taken by him to attain the object
in which he had been thwarted by Captain Headley.
CHAPTER XII.
"You dam Yankee, stop Injin when him go wigwam," commenced
Ronayne, rising at the same time and imitating the action
of one unsteady from intoxication. "'Spose tell him
gubbernor?"
"Ah! you horrid wretch--I see it all now, yet could I
have been so imposed upon? You then were the pretended
drunken Indian I let out that night? Upon my word, Master
Ronayne. I never will forgive you for that trick."
"Yes you will, old fellow. It was the only way to save
you from a scrape, but I confess I have often since
laughed in my sleeve at the recollection of the manner
in which I deceived you."
"Hang me if you didn't play your part to admiration, but
the best of the jest is, that on reporting the circumstance
to Headley, on the following morning, he said I had acted
perfectly right; so had you known this when you had that
scene on the parade, you might have pleaded his sanction.
However, all that is over. Now then for your adventure."
"The tale is soon told," began Ronayne. "On the evening
when you and Von Vottenberg were so busy, the one in
concocting his whisky-punch--the other in cutting up the
Virginia, I was sacking my brain for a means to accomplish
my desire to reach the farm, where I had a strong
presentiment, from the lateness of the hour, without
bringing any tidings of them, the fishing-party were,
with Mr. Heywood and his people, in a state of siege,
and I at length decided on what seemed to me to be the
only available plan. I was not sorry to see you leave
after taking your second glass, for I knew that I should
have little difficulty in sewing up the doctor, whose
tumbler I repeatedly filled, and made him drink off after
sundry toasts, while he did not perceive--or was by no
means sorry if he did--that I merely sipped from my own.
When I thought he had swallowed enough to prevent him
from interfering with my project, I bade him good night
and left him, knowing well that in less than ten minutes
he would be asleep. Instead, however, of going to bed,
I hastened at once to preliminaries, having first got
rid of my servant whom I did not wish to implicate, by
making him acquainted with my intended absence. But tell
me, did you examine my room at all the next day?"
"I did."
"And found nothing missing?"
"Nothing. I scouted everywhere, and found only yourself
wanting--the bed unrumpled, and everything in perfect
bachelor order."
"And that leather dress, my dear fellow, in which I once
paid a visit to the camp of Winnebeg, from whose squaw,
indeed, I had bought it. You know it generally hangs
against the wall at the foot of my bed."
"Ah! now I recollect, that was not there certainly,
although I did not notice its absence then--so then, that
was the dress you went out in, and I such a goose as not
to remark it."
"Because you know that I had had the precaution to throw
a blanket over it in the most approved Pottawattamie
style, while my features were colored with gambouge and
Indian ink."
"Well, say no more about that--I am ashamed to have been
so taken in by a Johnny Raw. We will now suppose you
kicked out of the Fort. Did I not kick you out," he added
humorously, "and say, begone, you drunken dog, and never
show your ugly face here again!"
"On the contrary," returned his junior in the same mocking
strain, "you were but too glad to be civil when I threatened
you with the 'gubbernor!'"
"Once out of the Fort," he gravely continued, "my course
was plain. I immediately went to the wigwam of Winnebeg,
whom I found seated, with his toes almost in the embers
of an expiring fire, and smoking his last pipe previous
to wrapping himself up for the night in his blanket. You
may imagine his surprise, when, after some little
difficulty, he recognized in that garb, and at that hour,
particularly after the events of the day, with which he
had been made acquainted by Mr. Frazer, before the latter,
with his family, took refuge in the Fort. Still, true to
the dignified reserve of his race, he concealed as much
as possible what was passing in his mind, and made me
sit by his side, near which, I have omitted to say, was
an extremely handsome young Indian, whom he presented to
me as his son, and then bade me tell him the object of
my visit.
"Of course I knew enough of Indian etiquette to be
satisfied that I should gain by not attempting to hurry
matters, and I accordingly suppressed my own impatience
while taking a few whiffs from the pipe he courteously
offered to me. Winnebeg then received it back, and while
he sat with his eyes fixed intently on the fire, puffed
away in an attitude of profound attention which encouraged
me to proceed.
"When he had heard all I had to say in regard to the
fears I entertained for the absent party--for I did not
confine my profession of interest to ONE--my vain
application to the commandant, and my strong reliance
upon him to send a party of his young men with me to the
farm, his eye suddenly kindled--his countenance assumed
a more animated expression, and removing the pipe from
his lips, and puffing forth a more than usual volume of
smoke, he cordially shook my hands, saying something in
Indian to his son, who immediately sprang to his feet,
and disappeared from the tent.
"After a lapse of time which seemed to me as an age, the
youth re-appeared with a dozen young warriors, all armed
and decked in their war paint. They remained grouped
round the entrance for a few minutes, while Waunangee
changed his own dress, and Winnebeg provided me with a
rifle, tomahawk and scalping-knife. Thus accoutred I took
the lead with the former, and after cautiously creeping
through the encampment, passed along the skirt of the
wood that almost overhung the river. We moved off at a
quick walk, but soon our pace increased to a half-run,
so anxious were we all to get to the farm.
"We had not proceeded more than half-way when we saw a
small boat, which I immediately distinguished as that
belonging to the fishing-party, slowly descending the
river. The Indians simultaneously, and as if governed by
one common instinct, dropped flat on the ground, as I
supposed to remain unseen until the boat should come
opposite to them, while I, uncertain by whom it was
occupied, and anxious to ascertain, after whispering a
few words to Waunangee, moved cautiously in advance along
the shore. When I had crept up about fifty yards, I could
distinctly see that it was one of our men, and I immediately
hailed to know who he was, and where the remainder of
the party were.
"Scarcely had he answered 'Collins,' and commenced a few
words of explanation of the cause of his being there and
alone, when the forms of two Indians, which I fancied I
had before detected creeping along the shore, regulating
their stealthy progress by that of the boat, started into
full height, and silently bounded towards me--one a little
in advance of the other. The moment was critical. They
were not twenty paces from me, and I have often since
wondered at the presence of mind I preserved. It occurred
to me that they would not commit the imprudence of using
firearms so near the Fort, and that steel only would be
resorted to by them. This suggested my own course. Throwing
my rifle upon the beach in order that Collins, who was
now pulling for the shore, might seize and use it as
occasion should require, I grasped the scalping-knife in
my left hand, and with my tomahawk in my right, did not
wait for the attack, but rushed upon the foremost Indian,
for I knew that my only chance of success lay in the
killing or disabling of one before his comrade could come
up. At the same time, both to apprise Waunangee of my
position, and to daunt my adversaries, I uttered one of
these tremendous yells, you know I so well can imitate,
and receiving the blow of his tomahawk upon my own, thrown
up in true military guard, plunged my knife into his body
with such suddenness and force, that on examining it
afterwards, I found that at least half an inch of the
tapering handle had followed the blade. The savage fell
dead without uttering a groan, a sight which, instead of
checking the advance of his companion, rather urged him
to revenge his fall. He had now come up with me, brandishing
his tomahawk, when I put myself again on my guard,
purposing to use my knife as I had done before, but at
the very moment when the descent of his weapon was expected
by me, he was suddenly seized from behind, raised from
his feet, and thrown upon the ground. This was the act
of Collins, who had gained the shore just after the first
Indian fell, and had flown to my assistance.
"At the same moment, Waunangee, who, with his warriors
had started up on hearing my loud yell of defiance, came
quickly to the spot, and they were not a little astounded
to see an Indian, whom they instantly pronounced to be
a Winnebago, lying motionless at my feet, nor was their
respect for me at all lessened, when on handing my
scalping-knife from one to the other, they perceived what
a proficient I was in the use of their own favorite weapon.
"Of course I was not silly enough to detract from my own
glory, by admitting that it was as much the result of
accident as of design. They made signs for me to scalp
him, but having no particular desire to possess this
trophy of my successful hand to hand encounter, one of
the young men asked me to waive my right in his favor.
This I did, and the scalp of the Winnebago was soon
dangling from his waist. The other spoils I did not
object to, and his rifle, tomahawk, and knife are now
in Winnebago's tent, until there offers a favorable
opportunity of bringing them to my quarters. But to
proceed.
"So much time had been passed in the examination of the
body of the slain Winnebago, that his comrade had found
ample time to escape. The Pottawattamies had not seen
him, and Collins, after having temporarily disabled him,
had run up to afford me further assistance, on seeing
advancing in the rear, those whom he took to be of the
same hostile party. Thus left unwatched, the savage had
managed to creep away into the wood, and when attention
was at length drawn to him, he was not to be seen.
"When Collins had explained the position of the party at
the farm, whose danger, on finding himself of no service
there, he was then on his way to report, I proposed to
Waunangee that half of his warriors should ascend by
land, while the remainder with himself, accompanied me
in the boat. We accordingly separated, and made what
haste we could to our destination--the party on shore
regulating their progress by that of the boat. During
the descent my anxiety was very great, for my whole soul
was bent upon the attainment of one object--that of
restoring Mr. Heywood unharmed to his family. But the
absence of all sound indicating conflict was by no means
favorable, and I had already begun to fear that the
silence which prevailed, was but the result of victory
on the part of the hostile band who had departed, when
suddenly the loud, fierce yell of disappointment which
burst from them, as I have since understood, when a ladder
by which they attempted to enter was thrown from the roof
by Nixon, rang encouragingly upon my ear, and urged me
to increased exertion. Our progress, however, was by no
means proportioned to my anxiety, for somehow or other,
only two oars were in the boat, and, as the Indians did
not much care or know how to pull in time, the task
devolved wholly upon Collins and myself. At length, just
as the day was beginning to dawn, we reached the farm-house,
about a hundred yards beyond which we put in and landed,
making a detour by the barn, so as to meet the remainder
of our little force in the rear, and thus to place the
enemy, if actually surrounding the house, between two
fires.
"After waiting, however, some little time, and finding
every thing quiet, my apprehensions increased, for,
although not the sign of a Winnebago could be seen, so
profound was the stillness within, that I began to think
the whole of the party had been either captured or
murdered. Suddenly, however, while hesitating as to the
course to be pursued--for I feared that if the party were
all right, and the enemy departed, they might fire upon
us as we approached--I saw a man in American undress
uniform, whom I had no difficulty in recognizing as
Corporal Nixon, issue from the back of the house with a
basket in his hands, and turning the corner with an
appearance of much caution, make hastily for the river.
Directing Waunangee, whose two bands had now joined, and
were then lying closely concealed in the barn, to enter
the house as cautiously and noiselessly as possible, I
hastened after Nixon, from whom, after recovering from
his first fright at finding himself unarmed, and in the
power of one whom he naturally took for one of his recent
assailants, I received a brief account of all that had
occurred. On entering the house with him, shortly
afterwards, what a contrast was present--on the one hand
the ludicrous--the horrible on the other.
"Close within the doorway lay the dead body of Mr.
Heywood--"
"The dead body of Mr. Heywood!" exclaimed Elmsley, starting
from his chair in almost dismay at the intelligence. "How
comes it, Ronayne, that you have never spoken of this
before?"
"No interruption, Elmsley--hear me to the close--close
within the doorway, I repeat, lay the dead body of Mr.
Heywood--his face much disfigured--and his large frame
almost rigid in a pool of clotted blood. Imagine what a
sight this was to me, whose sole object and hope it had
been to restore the father in safety to the daughter,
although at intervals during the route, I had more than
once dreaded something of the sort. Stupefied at the
spectacle, I felt my heart to sicken, as the idea of the
grief by which Maria would be overwhelmed when this sad
tale should be revealed to her, rose to my imagination.
But even then my presence of mind did not desert me, and
I already determined on what was to be done. In some
degree consoled by this, I raised my glance from the body
to observe what further atrocity had been committed.
Three or four Indians were grouped around, evidently
regarding the corpse with deep interest, for Mr. Heywood
had often hunted with them, and given them refreshments
when stopping to rest at his place, while on their way
to the Fort laden with game. Further on the great body
of Waunangee's people were standing leaning on their
rifles, and enjoying the mistake of three of our fellows,
who naturally taking them, from the great resemblance of
dress, to be their enemies who had obtained an entrance,
were holding aloft, in an attitude of defiance--one a
huge poker thrust through the carcass of an enormous
bird, and two others a blackened leg and wing, evidently
belonging to the same animal, which they ever and anon
brandished over their heads, while their eyes were rivetted
on the dusky forms before them. The wooden partition
sustained their muskets, from which the interposing
Indians had cut them off, and against the front door of
the house, which was closed and barred, leaned the only
armed man of the party, deprived, however, of all power
of action."
"What a scene for some American Hogarth!" interrupted
the lieutenant, "and how graphically you have described
it. I can see the picture before me now."
"I confess," answered Ronayne, "I could not even, amid
all my own painful feelings, suppress a smile at its
extreme absurdity, for the appearance of three men seeking
to defend themselves from what they believed to be fierce
and blood-thirsty enemies, with the burnt carcass and
limbs of an old turkey-cock, was such a burlesque on the
chivalrous, that, knowing as I did how little their
supposed enemy was to be dreaded, I could not suppress
thoughts which, while they forced themselves upon me, I
was angry at allowing myself to entertain. To understand
the scene fully, you must have looked on it yourself.
Had I recounted this to you yesterday, or even this
morning, I could have filled up the picture more
grotesquely, and yet not less truly. But now I have too
great a weight on my spirits to give more than a simple
sketch.
"At the announcement of my name and purpose, the statue
at the door became suddenly disenchanted--the legs and
wings fell--a man dropped lightly from the loft, musket
in hand, and Cass only, with his gaze intently fixed on
the mocking savages before him, of whom he took me indeed
to be one, continued his defensive attitude with the
poker, nor was it until I had advanced and taken his
weapon from him, amid the loud laughter of the young
Indians, that he finally came to his senses. And yet,
after all, poor devil, his distrust was but natural.
"No time was to be lost. While some of the men were,
according to my instructions, wrapping in a blanket the
body of Mr. Heywood, after removing from it what blood
they could, and the others bore to the boat the unfortunate
Le Noir, whom I had not at first distinguished, so
completely had he been covered over by his dog and walnut
blossoms, I took the corporal aside, and explained to
him how important it was that nothing should be known at
the Fort of the fate of Mr. Heywood. On his asking what
he should say if questioned, I desired him (with some
hesitation, I confess, for I knew I was setting a bad
example to the men, which only the peculiar circumstances
of the case could justify), to give an evasive answer,
and say that the Indians had carried him off with them,
which indeed would be the fact, as I intended him to be
borne away by the party I had brought. I told him,
moreover, that at a fitting opportunity, I would explain
every thing to Captain Headley, and take all the
responsibility upon myself.
"On his promptly saying that he would, I added that the
men of his party should be made acquainted with my wish,
and asked if I might depend upon their secrecy. He replied
that there was not a man among them who did not so love
Miss Heywood, as to run the risk of any punishment, rather
than utter one word that could be the means of giving
her pain, and that while on the way down he would take
care to warn them.
"Elmsley, I was touched at this--almost to tears--for it
was a source of proud yet tender pleasure to me--much
more so than I can express--to know that Maria was so
great a favorite with these rude-hearted fellows. Assured
that every thing was right, I told the corporal to embark
his men immediately, and pull for the Fort, while I, with
Waunangee and his Indians proceeded by land with the body
of Mr. Heywood.
"'Don't you think, sir,' said the corporal, hesitatingly,
as he prepared to execute my orders--'don't you think it
would be well for the ladies' sake that they should not
be reminded of the name of this place, more than can be
helped?'
"'Undoubtedly, Nixon, but what do you mean?'
"'Why, sir, I mean that as poor Mr. Heywood never can be
here again, it would be better nothing should be left to
remind them of the bloody doings of yesterday.'
"'And what other name would you give it?' I asked.
"'If it was left to me, Mr. Ronayne,' replied the corporal;
'I would call it HARDSCRABBLE, on account of the hard
struggle the fellows must have had with Mr. Heywood,
judging from his wounds and his broken rifle, before they
mastered him.'
"'Then, HARDSCRABBLE be it,' I said, 'not that I can
really see it will make much difference in calling the
thing to mind, yet it would scarcely be fair to deny to
you, who have so bravely defended the place, the privilege
of giving it a new name, if the old one is to be abandoned.'
"'Thank you, sir,' returned Nixon, 'but if you hadn't
come to our assistance, I don't know what the upshot
might have been, I suspect that fellow whose comrade you
killed, sent them off sooner than they intended.'
"'No more of that, Nixon--and now do you remember what
you are to say when you get back to the Fort?'
"'I do, sir, and every man shall be told to say as I
do--but about the new name, Mr. Ronayne,' he pursued,
returning, after he had gone a few paces, 'do you think,
sir, Mrs. Heywood will consent to it?'
"'My good fellow,' I answered, 'recollect that Mrs.
Heywood must know nothing about it--at least for the
present. I will settle all that later. In the mean time,
as you have called it HARDSCRABBLE, so let it remain.'
"And HARDSCRABBLE that scene of blood is called to this
hour.
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