"Don't lose hope, lad," said the squire, his hand on Phil's shoulder. "Once the parson has drawn the deeds, I'll see Washington himself; and we'll save ye yet." Then he hurried away towards the parsonage.
During this dialogue other occurrences had been taking place, which very much interested yet mystified the crowd of spectators.
When the conference between the general and major had ended, Brereton walked to the doctor's house and entered it.
The major meantime went over to the constable, and in response to something he said, the town official took out his keys, and unlocked the stocks, a proceeding which set both soldiers and townsfolk whispering curiously.
"Free the prisoner Bagby's hands and feet, Corporal Cox, and set him in," commanded the major.
"What in the 'nation is comin'!" marvelled one of the observers. "Of all rum ways o' treatin' a suspect, this 'ere is the rummiest."
Another pause followed, save for a new outburst from Joe, concerning the kinds of vengeance he intended to shortly inaugurate; but presently Brereton and the doctor came across the green, the latter carrying a bottle and spoon in his hand.
"This is the one," said the general; and then, as the doctor stepped forward and poured the spoon full from the bottle, he ordered, "Open your mouth, Mr. Bagby."
"This is tyranny," shrieked Joe, "and I won't do no such thing." He shut his mouth with a snap and set his jaws rigidly.
"Hold his head," commanded Brereton; and the corporal took it firmly and bent it back so that the helpless man looked skyward. "Snuff," said Jack, and a second officer, pulling out a small box, stepped forward, and placed a pinch in Bagby's nose.
"A-chew!" went Joe, and as his mouth flew open, the officer inserted the barrel of his pistol, so that when he tried to close his jaws again they only bit on steel. Instantly the spoon was put to his lips, and the contents emptied down his throat.
"How long will it take?" the general asked.
"The lobelia ought to act in about five minutes," replied the doctor.
Silence ensued, as soldiers and crowd stared at the immovable Joseph, whose complexion slowly turned from ruddy to white, and from white to greenish yellow, while into his eyes and mouth came a hang-dog look of woebegone misery and sickness.
LXV PEACE IN SIGHT
The occupants of Greenwood were still at breakfast that same morning, when word was brought to the commander-in-chief that Mr. Meredith desired speech with him.
"Set another place, Billy, and bid him to come in," ordered the hostess.
"I'll tell him, Lady Washington," cried Janice, springing up, and after she had nearly throttled her father on the porch, he was led in.
"My thanks to ye, Lady Washington," said the squire, once the introduction was made, "but I have broken fast already, and have merely come to intercede with his Excellency on a sad matter." In the fewest possible words he explained Philemon's situation. "The lad assures me that he came but to serve me, and with never a thought of spying," he ended.
"I trust therefore that ye'll not hold him as one, however suspiciously it may appear."
"The matter shall have careful consideration at my hands, Mr. Meredith," replied Washington.
"All the more, I trust, that ye are good enough to take an interest in my Jan, who is his promised bride."
Both Washington and his wife turned to the girl, and the former said,--
"What, Miss Janice, is this the way thou hast kept thy promise to me to save thy smiles and blushes for some good Whig?"
"Janice Meredith! you are the most ungrateful creature that ever I knew!" asserted Mrs. Washington, crossly.
The girl only looked down into her lap, without an attempt at reply, but her father took up the cudgels.
"Nay!" he denied, "many a favor we owe to Mr. Hennion, and now he has topped them all by signing deeds within the hour that gives to the girl both Greenwood and Boxely."
Janice looked up at her father. "'T is like him," she said, chokingly. "Oh, General Washington, will you not be merciful to him?"
"What is done must depend wholly on General Brereton's report, Miss Janice," answered Washington, gravely.
"Oh, not on him!" besought the girl. "He has reason to dislike Major Hennion, and he is capable of such bitter resentments."
"Hush, child, have you no eyes?" cried Mrs. Washington, and Janice faced about to find Brereton standing behind her.
Not a feature of Jack's face showed that he had heard her, as he saluted and began,--
"The manoeuvre was executed last night, your Excellency, and I have the honour to hand you my report."
Washington took the document and began an instant reading of it, while the new arrival turned to give and receive a warm greeting with the hostess. "You'll eat some breakfast, Jack," she almost begged, with affectionate hospitality.
"Thank you, Lady Washington, I--I--some other morning,"
answered the officer.
An awkward silence fell, yet which no one attempted to break, as the commander-in-chief slowly conned each page of the report. Once finished, he turned to the squire, and said, "I must ask, Mr. Meredith, that you go into the parlour, where later I will see you. I have certain questions to put to General Brereton." Mr. Meredith gone, he asked,--
"What was the paper you recovered from this Bagby?"
"'T was a slip of tissue silk, which proves beyond doubt that he has been supplying the British with information, though unluckily there is nothing to show from whom in our army he received his information."
"'T is unfortunate, for we have long known that a leak existed in our very councils. However, 't is something gained to have broken the channel of communication, and to have brought one traitor to the gallows. You will deliver the prisoners into the hands of the provost-marshal, sir, and be at headquarters at two this afternoon, prepared to give your testimony and papers to the court I shall order."
Brereton saluted, and made a movement of departure, but Washington spoke again,--
"In this report, sir, you speak of having taken Lieutenant Colonel Hennion a prisoner of war. Under the circumstances in which he was captured 't is a strange definition to give to his footing."
Jack's bronzed face reddened slightly. "I so stated it, your Excellency, because I overheard the colonel tell his father that he had but stolen within our lines to do Mr.
Meredith a service, and having myself read the letter that induced him to take the risk, I had every reason to believe that he spoke nothing but the truth. Yet I knew that no court-martial would take such a view, and so gave him that quality in my report, to save him from a fate he does not merit."
"Once, sir, you were guilty of a deceit," said Washington, sternly, "and the present conditions are enough similar to make me suspicious. Are you certain that the fact that Miss Meredith's happiness is concerned in this officer's fate, has had nothing to do with the quality you have given to his status?"
Despite the tan, General Brereton's cheeks paled. "My God, your Excellency!" he burst out. "It has been one long struggle from the moment I found him my prisoner, until my report was safe in your hands not to--not to send him to the gallows, as I could by mere silence so easily have done. That I reported so promptly was due to the fact that I dared not delay, lest the temptation should become too strong."
Washington's eye had never left Brereton during his outbreak, and at the end he said: "You will remain at headquarters, and report to me again, sir, in half an hour, after I have duly considered the facts."
Making no reply, Jack saluted, and passed out of the room.
As he reached the doorway, Janice, who had risen, said:
"I pray you, General Brereton, to forgive me the grave wrong I have just done you in both thought and speech."
Silently Jack bowed, and closed the door.
"I should think thee 'd be well ashamed of thyself; miss,"
declared Mrs. Washington, fretfully.