Chapter 25

To Harry and Dave, Dane Grey�s absence was merely a mystery�to Erskine it brought foreboding and sickening fear. General Dale�s wound having opened afresh, made travelling impossible, and Harry had a slight bayonet-thrust in the shoulder. Erskine determined to save them all the worry possible and to act now as the head of the family himself. He announced that he must go straight back at once to Kentucky and Captain Clark. Harry stormed unavailingly and General Dale pleaded with him to stay, but gave reluctant leave. To Dave he told his fears and Dave vehemently declared he, too, would go along, but Erskine would not hear of it and set forth alone.

Slowly enough he started, but with every mile suspicion and fear grew the faster and he quickened Firefly�s pace. The distance to Williamsburg was soon covered, and skirting the town, he went on swiftly for Red Oaks.

Suppose he were too late, but even if he were not too late, what should he do, what could he do? Firefly was sweeping into a little hollow now, and above the beating of her hoofs in the sandy road, a clink of metal reached his ears beyond the low hill ahead, and Erskine swerved aside into the bushes. Some one was coming, and apparently out of the red ball of the sun hanging over that hill sprang a horseman at a dead run�black Ephraim on the horse he had saved from Tarleton�s men. Erskine pushed quickly out into the road.

�Stop!� he cried, but the negro came thundering blindly on, as though he meant to ride down anything in his way. Firefly swerved aside, and Ephraim shot by, pulling in with both hands and shouting:

�Marse Erskine! Yassuh, yassuh! Thank Gawd you�se come.� When he wheeled he came back at a gallop�nor did he stop.

�Come on, Marse Erskine!� he cried. �No time to waste. Come on, suh!�

With a few leaps Firefly was abreast, and neck and neck they ran, while the darky�s every word confirmed the instinct and reason that had led Erskine where he was.

�Yassuh, Miss Barbary gwine to run away wid dat mean white man. Yassuh, dis very night.�

�When did he get here?�

�Dis mawnin�. He been pesterin� her an� pleadin� wid her all day an� she been cryin� her heart out, but Mammy say she�s gwine wid him. �Pears like she can�t he�p herse�f.�

�Is he alone?�

�No, suh, he got an orficer an� four sojers wid him.�

�How did they get away?�

�He say as how dey was on a scoutin� party an� �scaped.�

�Does he know that Cornwallis has surrendered?�

�Oh, yassuh, he tol� Miss Barbary dat. Dat�s why he says he got to git away right now an� she got to go wid him right now.�

�Did he say anything about General Dale and Mr. Harry?�

�Yassuh, he say dat dey�s all right an� dat dey an� you will be hot on his tracks. Dat�s why Mammy tol� me to ride like de debbil an� hurry you on, suh.� And Ephraim had ridden like the devil, for his horse was lathered with foam and both were riding that way now, for the negro was no mean horseman and the horse he had saved was a thoroughbred.

�Dis arternoon,� the negro went on, �he went ovah to dat cabin I tol� you �bout an� got dat American uniform. He gwine to tell folks on de way dat dem udders is his prisoners an� he takin� dem to Richmond. Den dey gwine to sep�rate an� he an� Miss Barbary gwine to git married somewhur on de way an� dey goin� on an� sail fer England, fer he say if he git captured folks�ll won�t let him be prisoner o� war�dey�ll jes up an� shoot him. An� dat skeer Miss Barbary mos� to death an� he�p make her go wid him. Mammy heah�d ever� word dey say.�

Erskine�s brain was working fast, but no plan would come. They would be six against him, but no matter�he urged Firefly on. The red ball from which Ephraim had leaped had gone down now. The chill autumn darkness was settling, but the moon was rising full and glorious over the black expanse of trees when the lights of Red Oaks first twinkled ahead. Erskine pulled in.

�Ephraim!�

�Yassuh. You lemme go ahead. You jest wait in dat thicket next to de corner o� de big gyarden. I�ll ride aroun� through de fields an� come into the barnyard by de back gate. Dey won�t know I been gone. Den I�ll come to de thicket an� tell you de whole lay o� de land.�

Erskine nodded.

�Hurry!�

�Yassuh.�

The negro turned from the road through a gate, and Erskine heard the thud of his horse�s hoofs across the meadow turf. He rode on slowly, hitched Firefly as close to the edge of the road as was safe, and crept to the edge of the garden, where he could peer through the hedge. The hall-door was open and the hallway lighted; so was the dining-room; and there were lights in Barbara�s room. There were no noises, not even of animal life, and no figures moving about or in the house. What could he do? One thing at least, no matter what happened to him�he could number Dane Grey�s days and make this night his last on earth. It would probably be his own last night, too. Impatiently he crawled back to the edge of the road. More quickly than he expected, he saw Ephraim�s figure slipping through the shadows toward him.

�Dey�s jus� through supper,� he reported. �Miss Barbary didn�t eat wid �em. She�s up in her room. Dat udder orficer been stormin� at Marse Grey an� hurryin� him up. Mammy been holdin� de little Missus back all she can. She say she got to make like she heppin� her pack. De sojers down dar by de wharf playin� cards an� drinkin�. Dat udder man been drinkin� hard. He got his head on de table now an� look like he gone to sleep.�

�Ephraim,� said Erskine quickly, �go tell Mr. Grey that one of his men wants to see him right away at the sun-dial. Tell him the man wouldn�t come to the house because he didn�t want the others to know�that he has something important to tell him. When he starts down the path you run around the hedge and be on hand in the bushes.�

�Yassuh,� and the boy showed his teeth in a comprehending smile. It was not long before he saw Grey�s tall figure easily emerge from the hall-door and stop full in the light. He saw Ephraim slip around the corner and Grey move to the end of the porch, doubtless in answer to the black boy�s whispered summons. For a moment the two figures were motionless and then Erskine began to tingle acutely from head to foot. Grey came swiftly down the great path, which was radiant with moonlight. As Grey neared the dial Erskine moved toward him, keeping in a dark shadow, but Grey saw him and called in a low tone but sharply:

�Well, what is it?� With two paces more Erskine stepped out into the moonlight with his cocked pistol at Grey�s breast.

�This,� he said quietly. �Make no noise�and don�t move.� Grey was startled, but he caught his control instantly and without fear.

�You are a brave man, Mr. Grey, and so, for that matter, is�Benedict Arnold.�

�Captain Grey,� corrected Grey insolently.

�I do not recognize your rank. To me you are merely Traitor Grey.�

�You are entitled to unusual freedom of speech�under the circumstances.�

�I shall grant you the same freedom,� Erskine replied quickly��in a moment. You are my prisoner, Mr. Grey. I could lead you to your proper place at the end of a rope, but I have in mind another fate for you which perhaps will be preferable to you and maybe one or two others. Mr. Grey, I tried once to stab you�I knew no better and have been sorry ever since. You once tried to murder me in the duel and you did know better. Doubtless you have been sorry ever since�that you didn�t succeed. Twice you have said that you would fight me with anything, any time, any place.� Grey bowed slightly. �I shall ask you to make those words good and I shall accordingly choose the weapons.� Grey bowed again. �Ephraim!� The boy stepped from the thicket.

�Ah,� breathed Grey, �that black devil!�

�Ain� you gwine to shoot him, Marse Erskine?�

�Ephraim!� said Erskine, �slip into the hall very quietly and bring me the two rapiers on the wall.� Grey�s face lighted up.

�And, Ephraim,� he called, �slip into the dining-room and fill Captain Kilburn�s glass.� He turned with a wicked smile.

�Another glass and he will be less likely to interrupt. Believe me, Captain Dale, I shall take even more care now than you that we shall not be disturbed. I am delighted.� And now Erskine bowed.

�I know more of your career than you think, Grey. You have been a spy as well as a traitor. And now you are crowning your infamy by weaving some spell over my cousin and trying to carry her away in the absence of her father and brother, to what unhappiness God only can know. I can hardly hope that you appreciate the honor I am doing you.�

�Not as much as I appreciate your courage and the risk you are taking.�

Erskine smiled.

�The risk is perhaps less than you think.�

�You have not been idle?�

�I have learned more of my father�s swords than I knew when we used them last.�

�I am glad�it will be more interesting.� Erskine looked toward the house and moved impatiently.

�My brother officer has dined too well,� noted Grey placidly, �and the rest of my�er�retinue are gambling. We are quite secure.�

�Ah!� Erskine breathed�he had seen the black boy run down the steps with something under one arm and presently Ephraim was in the shadow of the thicket:

�Give one to Mr. Grey, Ephraim, and the other to me. I believe you said on that other occasion that there was no choice of blades?�

�Quite right,� Grey answered, skilfully testing his bit of steel.

�Keep well out of the way, Ephraim,� warned Erskine, �and take this pistol. You may need it, if I am worsted, to protect yourself.�

�Indeed, yes,� returned Grey, �and kindly instruct him not to use it to protect you.� For answer Erskine sprang from the shadow�discarding formal courtesies.

�En garde!� he called sternly.

The two shining blades clashed lightly and quivered against each other in the moonlight like running drops of quicksilver.

Grey was cautious at first, trying out his opponent�s increase in skill:

�You have made marked improvement.�

�Thank you,� smiled Erskine.

�Your wrist is much stronger.�

�Naturally.� Grey leaped backward and parried just in time a vicious thrust that was like a dart of lightning.

�Ah! A Frenchman taught you that.�

�A Frenchman taught me all the little I know.�

�I wonder if he taught you how to meet this.�

�He did,� answered Erskine, parrying easily and with an answering thrust that turned Grey suddenly anxious. Constantly Grey man�uvred to keep his back to the moon, and just as constantly Erskine easily kept him where the light shone fairly on both. Grey began to breathe heavily.

�I think, too,� said Erskine, �that my wind is a little better than yours�would you like a short resting-spell?�

From the shadow Ephraim chuckled, and Grey snapped:

�Make that black devil���

�Keep quiet, Ephraim!� broke in Erskine sternly. Again Grey man�uvred for the moon, to no avail, and Erskine gave warning:

�Try that again and I will put that moon in your eyes and keep it there.� Grey was getting angry now and was beginning to pant.

�Your wind is short,� said Erskine with mock compassion. �I will give you a little breathing-spell presently.�

Grey was not wasting his precious breath now and he made no answer.

�Now!� said Erskine sharply, and Grey�s blade flew from his hand and lay like a streak of silver on the dewy grass. Grey rushed for it.

�Damn you!� he raged, and wheeled furiously�patience, humor, and caution quite gone�and they fought now in deadly silence. Ephraim saw the British officer appear in the hall and walk unsteadily down the steps as though he were coming down the path, but he dared not open his lips. There was the sound of voices, and it was evident that the game had ended in a quarrel and the players were coming up the river-bank toward them. Erskine heard, but if Grey did he at first gave no sign�he was too much concerned with the death that faced him. Suddenly Erskine knew that Grey had heard, for the fear in his face gave way to a diabolic grin of triumph and he lashed suddenly into defense�if he could protect himself only a little longer! Erskine had delayed the finishing-stroke too long and he must make it now. Grey gave way step by step�parrying only. The blades flashed like tiny bits of lightning. Erskine�s face, grim and inexorable, brought the sick fear back into Grey�s, and Erskine saw his enemy�s lips open. He lunged then, his blade went true, sank to the hilt, and Grey�s warped soul started on its way with a craven cry for help. Erskine sprang back into the shadows and snatched his pistol from Ephraim�s hand:

�Get out of the way now. Tell them I did it.�

Once he looked back. He saw Barbara at the hall-door with old Mammy behind her. With a running leap he vaulted the hedge, and, hidden in the bushes, Ephraim heard Firefly�s hoofs beating ever more faintly the sandy road.