Books: Janice Meredith

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A more effectual interruption than that of the girl's prevented
Mr. Meredith from enlarging upon the theme, for
the bugle sounded in quick succession the "assembly" and
"boots and saddles."

"That calls me," announced Phil, with an air of importance.
"We ain't goin' ter give the runaways no rest, you see."

"But Phil," cried the squire, "ye'll not leave us to be
again--And they've stole Joggles and Jumper, and all my
hams and sides. Ye must--"

"I can't bide now," called back the cornet, hurriedly taking
his position just as the bugle called the marching order,
and the squadron moved off after the retreating Continentals.

Helpless to move, the Merediths sat on their coach while
an officer, accompanied by a file of soldiers and half a dozen
drummers, took station at the Town Hall. First a broadside
was posted on the bulletin-board, and the drums beat the
"parley" long and loudly. Then the drummers and the file
split into two parties, and marching down the village street in
opposite directions, the non-commissioned officers, to the beat
of drum, shouted summons to all the population to assemble
at the hall to take the oath of allegiance to "King George the
Third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland,
King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth."

The first man to step forward to take the oath, sign the
submission, and receive his pardon was the Hon. Joseph
Bagby, erstwhile member of the Assembly of New Jersey, but
now loudly declaring his loyalty to the crown, and his joy
that "things were to be put in order again." The second
signer was the publican; the third was Esquire Hennion; and
after him came all the townsmen, save those who had thrown
in their lot along with the parson that morning by marching
off with Washington.

Mr. Meredith descended from his seat and waited his turn
to go through what was to him a form, and during this time
the ladies watched the troops being ferried across the river.
Presently an officer rode up the river road, issuing orders to
the regiments, which promptly fell in, while the rider halted
at the tavern, announced the soon-to-be-expected arrival of
Generals Howe and Cornwallis, and bade the landlord prepare
his best cheer. While he spoke a large barge landed its
burden of men and horses on the shore, and a moment later
a dozen officers came trotting up to the tavern between lines
of men with their guns at "present arms."

"What ho! Well met, friend Meredith," cried one of the
new-comers, as the group halted at the tavern. "I was but
just telling Sir William that the king had one good friend in
Brunswick town, and now here he is!" Evatt, or Clowes,
swung out of the saddle and extended his hand.

Although the squire had just recovered the whip dropped
by Janice, he did not keep to his intention of laying it across
the shoulders of the would-be abductor, but instead grasped
the hand offered.

"Well met, indeed," he assented cordially. "'T is a glad
sight to us to see our good king's colours and troops."

"Sir William," called the baron, "thou must know Mr.
Lambert Meredith, first, because he's the one friend our king
has in this town, and next, because, as thy commissary, I forbid
thee to dine at the tavern on the vile fried pork or bubble
and squeak, and the stinking whiskey or rum thou'lt be served
with, and, in Mr. Meredith's name, invite thee and his Lordship
to eat a dinner at Greenwood, where thou'lt have the
best of victuals, washed down with Madeira fit for Bacchus."

"Ay," cried Mr. Meredith, "the rebels have done their
best to bring famine to Greenwood, but it shall spread its best
to any of his Majesty's servants."

"Here 's loyalty indeed," said Sir William, heartily, as he
leaned in his saddle to shake the squire's hand. "Damn
your rebel submissions and oaths, not worth the paper they 're
writ on; but good Madeira,--that smacks loyal and true on a
parched tongue and cannot swear false. Lead the way, Mr.
Meredith, and we'll do as much justice to your wine as later
we'll do to Mr. Washington, if we can ever come up with him.
Eh, Charles?"

The officer addressed, who was frowning, gave an impatient
movement in the saddle that seemed to convey dissent. "Of
what use was our forced march," he demanded, "if not to
come up with the fox before he finds cover?"

"Nay, the rebels are so little hampered by baggage that
they can outstrip all save our light horse. And because they
have the legs of us is no reason for our starving ourselves; the
further they run, the more exhausted they'll be."

"Well argued," chimed in Clowes. "And your Excellency
will find more at Greenwood than mere meat and drink.
Come, squire, name your dame and Miss Janice to Sir
William. In playing quadrille to win, man, we never hold
back the queens."

All the horsemen uncovered to the ladies, as they were
introduced, and Howe uttered an admiring epithet as his eyes
fixed on the girl. "The Queen of Hearts scores, and the
game is won," he cried, bowing low to Janice. "Ho, Charles,
art as hot for the rebels as thou wert a moment since?"

"I still think the light horse had best be pushed, and
should be properly supported by the grenadiers."

"Nay, wait till Knyphausen comes up, and then we'll--"

"'T is no time to play a waiting game."

"Tush! Lord Cornwallis," replied Sir William, irritably.
"The infantry have done their twenty miles to-day. I'll not
jade my troops into the runaway state of the rebels. What
use to kill our men, when the rebellion is collapsing of
itself?" During all his argument the commander-in-chief
kept his eyes fixed on Janice.

"I can't but think--" began the earl.

"Come, come, man," interjected Howe, "we must n't
let the Whigs beat us by starvation. Must we, eh, Mr.
Meredith?"

"'T would be a sad end to all our hopes," assented the
squire. "And while we have to do with the rebels, let me
point out to ye the two most malignant in this town. There
stand the precious pair who have done more to foment disloyalty
than any other two men in the county." It is needless
to say that Mr. Meredith was pointing at Squire Hennion and
Bagby, who, more curiously than wisely, had lingered at the
tavern.

"He lies!" and "'T ain't so! shrieked Bagby and Hennion
in unison, and each began protestations of loyalty, which were
cut short by Sir William, who turned to Cornwallis and ordered
the two under arrest, pending further information.

"Now we'll see justice," chuckled the master of Greenwood,
gleefully. "If ye'll not pay interest on your debts, I'll pay
interest on mine--ay, and with a hangman's cord belike."

"But I signed a submission and oath, and here 's my
pardon," protested Bagby, producing the paper, an example
that Hennion imitated.

"Damn Campbell's carelessness!" swore Howe. "He
deals pardons as he would cards at piquet, by twos, without so
much as a look at their faces. A glance at either would have
shown both to be rapscallion Whigs. However, 't is done, and
not to be undone. Release them, but keep eye on each, and
if they give the slightest cause, to the guardhouse with them.
Now, Mr. Meredith."

"I must ask your Excellency's assistance to horse my coach,
and his Majesty owes me a pair not easy to match, stole by
your troops this very morning."

"Make note of it, Mr. Commissary, and see to it that Mr.
Meredith has the two returned, with proper compensation. And,
Charles, if the theft can be fixed, let the men have a hundred
stripes apiece. Unless a stop can be put to this plundering
and raping, we'll have a second rebellion on our hands."

Cornwallis shrugged his shoulders and issued the necessary
orders. Then horses being secured for the carriage, the
squire and dames, accompanied by the generals, set out for
Greenwood.

It was long past the customary dining hour when the house
was reached, and though Mrs. Meredith and Janice joined
Sukey and Peg in the hurried preparation of the meal, it
was not till after three that it could be announced. As a
consequence, before the men had tired of the Madeira, dark
had come. One unfortunate of the staff was therefore despatched
to order the regiments to bivouac for the night.

"Tell the commissaries to issue an extra ration of rum,"
directed Sir William, made generously minded by the generous
use of the wine. "And now, friend Lambert, let 's have in the
spirits, and if it but equal thy Madeira in quality we'll sing a Te
Deum and make a night of it."

Janice, at a call from the host, brought in the squat decanters;
and the general insisted, with a look which told his
admiration, that his first glass should be mixed by the girl.

"Nay, nay," he cried, checking her as she reached for the
loaf sugar." "Put it to thy lips, and 't will be sweeter than
any sugar can make it. Take but a sip and give us a toast
along with it." And the general caught at the girl's free hand
and tried to put his other arm about her waist.

"Oh, fie, Sir William!" called Clowes, too flushed with wine
to guard his tongue. "What will Mrs. Loring think of such
talk?"

"Think! Let her think what she may," retorted the general,
with a laugh. "Dost thou not know that woman is never
sweeter than when she is doubtful of her empire?"

Janice, with heightened colour and angry eyes, eluded Howe's
familiarities by a backward step, and, raising the glass, defiantly
gave, "Success to Washington!" Then, scared at her own
temerity, she darted from the room, in her fright carrying
away the tumbler of spirits. But she need not have fled, for
her toast only called forth an uproarious burst of laughter.

"I always said 't was a rebellion of petticoats," chuckled
Sir William. "And small blame to them when they sought
to tax their only drink. 'Fore George, I'd rebel myself if
they went to taxing good spirits unfairly. Ah, gentlemen,
after we have finished with Mr. Washington next week, what
sweet work 't will be to bring the caps to a proper submission!
No wonder Cornwallis is hot to push on and have done with
the men."

The morrow found Sir William no less inclined to tarry than
he had been the day before, and, using the plea that they
would await the arrival of Knyphausen's force, he sent orders
to the advance to remain bivouacked at Brunswick, much to
the disgust of Cornwallis, who was little mollified by the consent
he finally wrung from his superior to push forward the
Light Horse on a reconnoissance,--a task on which he at
once departed.

Thus rid of his disagreeable spur, the general settled down
before the parlour fire to a game of piquet with Clowes, not
a little to the scandalising of card-hating Mrs. Meredith.
Worse still to the mother, nothing would do Sir William but
for Janice to come and score for him, and it is to be confessed
that his attention was more devoted to the black of her eyes and
the red of her cheeks than it was to the same colours on the
cards. Three times he unguarded a king in the minor hand,
and twice he was capoted unnecessarily. As a result, the
baron won easily; but the gain in purse did not seem to
cheer him, for he looked discontented even as he pocketed
his winnings. And as every gallant speech his commander
made the girl had deepened this look, the cause for the feeling
was not far to seek.

Dinner eaten, the general, without leaving the table, lapsed
into gentle, if somewhat noisy, slumber; and his superior thus
disposed of for the moment, Clowes sought Janice, only to
find that two young fellows of the staff, having abandoned the
bottle before him, had the longer been enjoying her society.
He joined the group, but, as on the preceding evening, Janice
chose to ignore his presence. What he did not know was
something said before his entrance, which had much to do
with the girl's determination to punish him.

"Who is this person who is so intimate with Sir William?"
she had asked the staff secretary.

McKenzie gave his fellow-staffsman a quick glance which,
manlike, he thought the girl would not perceive. "He 's
commissary-general of the forces," he then replied.

Janice shrugged her shoulders. "Thank you for enlightening
my ignorance," she said ironically. "Let me add in payment
for the information that this is a spinet."

Again McKenzie exchanged a look with Balfour. The latter,
however, after a glance at the door, said, in a low voice:
"He 's no favourite with us; that you may be sure."

"He--Is he--Is Baron Clowes his true name?" Janice
questioned.

"More true than most things about him," muttered
McKenzie.

"Then he has another name?" persisted the girl.

"A half-dozen, no doubt," assented Balfour. "There are
dirty things to be done in every kind of work, Miss Meredith,
and there are always dirty men ready to do them. I'd not
waste thought on him. Knaves go to make up a complete
pack as much as kings, you know," he finished, as Lord Clowes
entered the room.

Cornwallis returned at nightfall, with word of the junction
of reinforcements; but, despite the news, it required all the
urgence of himself and Clowes to induce the commander-in-chief
to give the marching order for the next morning. Nor,
when the hour of departure came, was Howe less reluctant,
lingering over his adieux with his host and hostess, and especially
with their daughter, to an extent which set the earl
stamping with impatience and put a scowl on Clowes' face.
Even when the general was in the saddle, nothing would do
him but he must have a stirrup cup; and when this had been
secured, he demanded another toast of the girl.

"You gave Mr. Washington your good wishes last time, Miss
Janice, runaway though he was. Canst not give a toast for the
troops that don't run?" he pleaded.

Janice, with a roguish look in her eyes that boded no good
to the British, took the glass, and, touching it to her lips, said:
"Here 's to the army which never runs away, and which
never--" Then she paused, and caught her breath as if
wanting courage.

"Out with it! Complete the toast!" cried the general,
eagerly.

"And which never runs after!" ended Janice.

XXVIII
THE EBB-TIDE

Clowes lingered behind for a brief moment after the
departure of Howe, in pretended desire to advise
Mr. Meredith concerning the British policy about
provisions and forage, but in truth to say a word of
warning which proved that he already regretted having secured
for his commander-in-chief the entree of Greenwood.

"I heard Sir William say he'd bide with ye on his return
from Philadelphia," the commissary told the squire in parting.
"Have an eye to your girl, if he does. Though a married
man, his Excellency is led off by every lacing-string that
comes within reach."

The master of Greenwood privately thought that the precautionary
advice as to his daughter might come with better
grace from some other source; but both guest and host, for
reasons best known to each, had tacitly agreed to ignore the
past, and so the squire thanked his counsellor.

"Ye'll not forget to seek out my horses!" he added, when
the commissary picked up his bridle.

"Assuredly not," promised Clowes. "How many didst
say ye lost?"

"Two. All the Whig thieves left to me of the nine I had."

"Fudge, man! Say nothing of the Whig thieves, but lay
them all to our account. We've plunderers in plenty in our
own force, let alone the dirty pigs of Hessians, and King
George shall pay for the whole nine."

"Nay, Lord Clowes, because I've been robbed, I'll not
turn--" began the squire.

[Illustration: "He'd make a proper husband."]

"What is more," went on the benevolently-inclined officer,
"I will tell ye something that will be worth many a pound.
'T was decided betwixt Sir William and myself that we should
seize all provisions and fodder throughout the province. But
I need scarce say--"

"Surely, man, thou wilt do nothing as crazy as that," burst
out Mr. Meredith. "Dost not see that it will make an enemy
of every man, from one end--"

"Which they are already," interrupted the baron, in turn.
"'T is our method of bringing punishment home to the scamps.
We'll teach them what rebellion comes to ere we have finished
with them. But, of course, such order does not extend to my
personal friends, and if ye have any fodder or corn, or anything
else ye can spare, I will see to it that his Majesty buys it at prices
that will more than make good to ye what ye lost through the
rebels."

The squire made a motion of dissent. "The Whig rascals
have swept my barn and storehouses so clean that I'll have to
buy for my own needs, and--"

"Then buy what ye can hereabout before we begin seizing,
and see to it that ye buy a good surplus which ye can sell to
us at a handsome advance. Our good king is a good pay-master,
and I'll show ye what it is to have a friend in the
commissariat." With this Clowes put spurs to his horse, confident
that he had more than offset any prejudice against him
that might still exist in Mr. Meredith's mind. None the less,
that individual stood for some moments on the porch with
knitted brows, gazing after the departing horseman and when
he finally turned to go into the house he gave a shake to his
head that seemed to express dissatisfaction.

Although Mr. Meredith did not act upon the commissary's
suggestion in securing a supply of provisions, there was quickly
no lack of food or forage at Greenwood. From the moment
that Brunswick was occupied by the British, every one of Mr.
Meredith's tenants, who for varying periods had refused to
pay rent, adopted a different course and wholly or in part
settled up the arrears owing. Most of them first endeavoured
to liquidate the claim in the Continental currency, now depreciated
through the desperation of the American cause to a
point that made it scarcely worth the paper on which its
pseudo-value was stamped. The squire, however, with many
a jeer and flout at each would-be payer for his folly in having
taken the money, and his still greater foolishness in expecting
to pay rent on leaseholds with it, declined to accept it. His
refusal of each tender, which indeed had been expected, was
usually followed by a second offer of payment in the form of
fodder or provisions, or "in kind," as the leases then expressed
it; and the moment the rumour went through the community
that the British were forcibly seizing provisions, every
farmer hastened to save his entire surplus by paying it to his
landlord.

Nothing better proved the hopeless outlook of the American
cause than the conduct of Esquire Hennion, for that worthy
rode to Greenwood, and after a vain attempt, like that of the
tenants, to pay in the worthless paper money the arrears of
interest on his mortgages, with a like refusal by Mr. Meredith,
he completely broke down, and with snivels and wails besought
his "dear ole friend" to be lenient and forbearing. "I made
a mistake, squire," he pleaded; "but I allus liked yer, an' Phil
he likes yer, an' naow yer're too ginerous ter push things too
far, I knows."

"Huh!" grunted the creditor. "I said I'd make ye cry
small, ye old trimmer. So it 's no longer to your interest to
pay principal, or your principle to pay interest, eh? No, I
won't push ye too far! I'll only turn ye out of Boxely and
let ye be farmed on the town as a pauper. If I had the dealing
with ye, ye'd be in the provost prison at York awaiting
trial as a traitor. And my generosity would run to just six
feet of rope."

Of the tide of war only vague rumours came back to the
non-combatants, until at noon, a week later, Sir William,
accompanied by two aides and an escort of dragoons, came
cantering up.

"In the king's name, dinner!" he cried cheerily, as he
shook the welcoming hand of the squire. "You see, Mr.
Meredith, we've forgot neither your loyalty nor your Madeira.
No, nor your dainty lass, either; and so we are here again to
levy taxation without representation on them all. 'T is to be
hoped, Mrs. Meredith, that 't will be met more kindly than
our Parliamentary attempt at the same game. Ah, Miss
Janice, your face is a pleasant sight to look at after the bleak
banks of the Delaware, at which we've been staring and
cursing for the last five days."

"We hoped to hear of ye as in Philadelphia before this,
Sir William," said the squire, so soon as they were seated at
the table.

"Ay, and so did we all; but Mr. Washington was too quick
and sharp for us. By the time we had reached Trenton, he
had got safely across the river, and had taken with him or
destroyed all the boats."

"Could ye not have forded the river higher up?"

"Cornwallis was hot for attempting something of the sort,
but sight of the ice-floes in the river served to cool him, so he
is going into winter quarters and will not stir from his cantonments
until spring, unless the river freeze strong enough for
him to cross on the ice."

"And what of the rebels?"

"'T is sudden gone so out of fashion there is scarce one
left. Washington has a few ragged troops watching us from
across the river; but, except for these, there 's not a man in
the land who will own himself one. How many pardons have
we issued in the Jerseys alone, Henry?" demanded the
general, appealing to his secretary.

"Nigh four thousand; and at Trenton and Burlington, Mr.
Meredith, the people are flocking in in such numbers that
over four hundred took the king's oath yesterday," responded
McKenzie.

"That shows how the wind holds, and what a summer's
squall the whole thing has been," answered the host, gleefully;
"I always said 't was a big windy bubble, that needed but the
prick of British bayonets to collapse."

"There'll be little left of it by spring, I doubt not," asserted
Howe. "In faith, we may take it as a providence
that we could not cross the Delaware, for a three-months will
probably put an end to all armed opposition, and we may
march into Pennsylvania with beating drums and flying colours.
Even Cornwallis himself confesses that time is playing our
game."

"Miss Meredith will be put to 't to find a new toast,"
suggested Balfour.

"Well spoke," laughed his superior. "What will it be, fair
rebel?"

"However," asserted Janice.

"Bravo!" vociferated the general. "Now indeed rebellion
is on its last legs. You make me regret I can tarry but the
meal, for when submission is so near 't is a pity not to stay
and complete it."

"Was that why you left the Delaware, your Excellency?"
asked Janice, archly.

The colour came flushing into Howe's cheeks, while both
father and mother spoke sharply to the girl for her boldness
and impertinence. But in a moment the general's good-nature
was once more in the ascendant, and he interfered to save her
from the scolding.

"Nay, nay," he interjected. "'T was but a proper retort to
my teasing. I left the Delaware, Miss Janice, because the
'Brune' frigate sails for England in three days, and there are
despatches to be writ and sent by her. And for the same
reason I can tarry here but another hour, much as I should
like to stay. Mr. Meredith, 't is a man's duty to aid a creditor
to pay his debts. May I not hope to see you and Mrs. Meredith
and Miss Janice at headquarters ere long? For if you
come not willingly, I'll put Miss Janice under arrest as an
arrant and avowed rebel, and have her brought to York under
guard."

The departure of these guests gave but a brief quiet to the
household, for two days later, at dusk, Clowes rode up, and his
coming was welcomed all the more warmly that his escort of
half a dozen dragoons led with them Joggles and Jumper.

"Have in, have in, man," cried the host, genially, "to where
there 's a fire and something to warm your vitals."

"Curse thy climate!" ejaculated the new-comer, as he
stamped and shook himself in the hallway, to rid his shoulders
and boots of their burden of snow. "The storm came on
after we started; and six hours it 's took us to ride from
Princeton, while the wind blew so I feared the cattle would
founder. But here 's warmth enough to make up for the
weather," he added, as he entered the parlour, all aglow with
the light of the great blazing logs, and of the brushwood and
corn-cobs which Janice had thrown on their top when the
horses had first been heard at the door. He shook Mrs.
Meredith's hand, and then extended his own to Janice, only
to have it ignored by her. In spite of this, and of an erect
attitude, meant to express both distance and haughtiness, her
flushed cheeks, and eyes that looked everywhere except into
those of the visitor, proved that the girl was not as unmoved as
she wished to appear.

"Where are thy manners, Jan?" reproved the father, who,
having declared an amnesty as regarded the past, forgot that
his daughter might not be equally forgiving.

"Give Mr.--Lord Clowes thy hand, child," commanded
her mother, sternly, "and place a seat for him by the fire."

Janice pulled one of the chairs nearer to the chimney
breast, and then returned to the quilting-frame, at which she
had been working when the interruption came.

"Didst hear me?" demanded Mrs. Meredith.

Janice turned and faced the three bravely, though her voice
trembled a little as she replied: "I will not shake his
hand."

"Yoicks! Here 's a kettle of fish!" ejaculated the commissary.
"What's wrong?"