USA > Kentucky > Livingston County > Chronicles of a Kentucky settlement > Part 18
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By the time the four horsemen dismounted, several townsmen had gathered around, and reported that Rudolph and Coffield had arrived safely the evening before, and that Walter Gowan was safe in jail.
When in the bar-room an invitation to "step up" was extended to all present, and all of them " believed they would," and all of them took " somethin' " with "sugar in it." Then, there were many questions asked, and rather hurried answers given by our four friends ; for, somehow or other, notwithstanding the liquor, they did n't feel like talking then. "Another time," they said, and soon the crowd dispersed.
Adair, as he walked from the room with Duncan, said : " I must now go and see sister and the children, but after supper I will come down to the shop, and, if you are not too much fatigued by your ride and your loss of sleep last night, I would like to hear the con- clusion of your story."
"All right !" responded Duncan. "I am anxious to resume, for I have yet to come to the point, about which I want your opinion and advice."
When Duncan and Adair were alone in the latter's room over the shop :
" Well," said Duncan, on resuming his story, "I left off where Colonel Lovell, having left me with the
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ladies, was engaged in an earnest conversation with Mingo.
" On the Colonel's return to the house he asked me, in the presence of the ladies, if I had received a note from him, and, on receiving an affirmative answer, said : 'Then I must explain to you that I received a note from Miss Wilson, by the hand of Mingo, request- ing me to write to you as I did ; and saying that you were in some danger, and that Mingo would explain. I then learned of Mingo's efforts to serve you, by his young mistress' command. And no one, I think, could serve you better, for he is sagacious, faithful, and untiring. We are glad to serve Miss Wilson, whom we esteem, and glad to give you shelter and protection and aid so far as we can.'
" I at once saw that there were no secrets in that household, and that the wife and sister-in-law were expected to hear any explanations I desired to make. I did not hesitate, after presenting the note of intro- duction Squire Howard had given me, to tell so much of my story as I thought necessary or of interest to them, and especially did I dwell upon the part Miss Wilson had enacted. The ladies appeared deeply inter- ested, and the Colonel was an attentive listener. He thanked me 'for speaking so freely ' ; asked me a few leading questions about the men I had come in contact with at the Cave and at Wilson's house ; and con- gratulated me on having taken Miss Wilson into my confidence. as otherwise my plan of operations would probably not only have been useless but hazardous. He concluded by saying, he hoped and believed my brother was alive and would be found, and that he would try to aid me.
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" The Colonel was so quiet and undemonstrative in his few words that I could but wonder if it were true that the man before me had ever been, as I had heard, a soldier noted for his daring and intrepidity-the one man who, in that neighborhood of outlaws, could afford me protection. After supper I had an hour or two of pleasant conversation with the Colonel and the ladies ; and then-just before bedtime-came family prayers. First, the Colonel read, very impressively, a chapter from the Bible, then a hymn was sung-and sung so sweetly, so feelingly, by Miss Howard, that I was astonished and enraptured by turns ; never heard I more entrancing melody, and the words seemed exactly adapted to cheer me in my desolate condition. The hymn ended, a short and simple prayer was offered up by the Colonel. It did not sound like an ordinary prayer, but as if he, Andrew Lovell, was standing face to face with his heavenly Father and thanking Him plainly and earnestly for past blessings, and asking for protection and guidance for the future-for all of us, for me, for my brother, for all who were in trouble. And hardened sinner though I have been and anı, the mem- ory of the worship around that family altar often comes to me like the echo of my dead mother's prayer for her living son.
" Three days passed away. Each day the Colonel was absent from home most of the day. He came and went and said little ; but his wife-brimming over with love and confidence in her husband-several times said to me, 'Andrew is at work for you,' as if that were sufficient to satisfy any reasonable mortal that all was being done that human agency could accomplish.
" On the morning of the fourth day, about an hour
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after an early breakfast, Miss Wilson was seen riding rapidly down the road. The ladies, the Colonel, and I went out to the gate to meet her. There was a hurried hand-shaking, and Miss Wilson was introduced to Miss Howard, whom she had never met before. Miss Wilson soon took Colonel Lovell's arm, and as they walked towards the house were for a few minutes in earnest conversation, at the close of which the Colonel's face lit up a little, and he turned to us and said :
. "' Kitty has come to tell me that Ben Cain, one of the crew who went down on the flat boat, has returned home, has the chills again, and is very sick ; so Mingo learned last night. And, Harriet '-addressing his wife, -' get me my small case of medicines, and I will ride over to see Ben.'
" After the Colonel had left, Mrs. Lovell told me that, once before, this Ben Cain, who had a bad char- acter, was very ill, and in want not only of medicine but of food for himself and family ; that 'Andrew' had supplied his wants and had assisted in nursing the man ; and that she had no doubt Ben could and would tell ' Andrew' where the prisoners on the flat boat were landed.
" When Mrs. Lovell had finished speaking, Miss Howard threw her arm around Miss Wilson, and say- ing, 'Come with me,' led her away. When they had left the room Mrs. Lovell, with an animated smile, said to me : 'Kitty will find a sympathetic friend in Laura, and soon learn to trust and love her.' And truer pre- diction was never uttered, as I can testify, for I have since had abundant proofs.
" An hour later I saw the two young ladies walking side by side, each with an arm around the other's waist,
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up and down a little path in the forest close to the house. It was a glorious November day, the glare of the sun softened and subdued by the hazy atmosphere which seemed to have fallen asleep ; the forest trees were parting, one by one, with their wealth of leaves, but those that still clung to the parent stem were in holiday attire-displaying every color that could be ex- tracted from a ray of light, and every tinge that could be imparted by wind and weather. But the love and sympathy that were in the hearts of those guileless girls, . as they walked to and fro along that forest path, were flowers of richer hue than ever grew on tree, or shrub, or vine.
"Soon after the return of the young ladies to the house, Miss Howard entered the room, where I was seated, and said : 'Mr. Duncan, Miss Wilson wishes to have some conversation with you before she leaves ; will you walk into the next room where she is ? '
" Need I tell you, Adair, that I arose to follow Miss Howard with a sensation about my heart I had felt once before, but in a milder form-for then, it had come upon me by such slow and gentle stages, that I was scarcely aware of its presence until it was revealed to me by the pang of separation-but now, it had come with almost an overmastering rush, and I felt dizzy and tremulous as I entered the room where Miss Wil- son was seated near a window and alone.
" As I entered she arose slowly, and evidently with some embarrassment in her manner ; but, extending her hand, she asked me to be seated. She was the first to speak, and, in a faltering voice, said : ‘ Mr. Duncan, I have been glad to learn of your rapid recor- ery. Colonel Lovell has told you where he is going.
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I believe his mission will be successful, and that he will learn where your brother was landed. If so, you will doubtless leave here at once. I may, therefore, never see you again.' And her lips quivered as she said this, but, with an effort, she resumed with some composure. ' What part,' she said, 'if any, my father may have had in causing you such loss, trouble, and anxiety, I know not. You can perhaps only think of him with distrust, suspicion, perhaps anger. But I would beg you not to visit the reputed sins of the father upon the daughter. I thank you for the confidence you reposed in me when you first met me. I was sorry for you ; admired the love and courage that induced you to risk your life to find your brother, and I have, so far, done all I could to aid you. But I would do more. You have been robbed, and are nearly penniless-have a journey before you, and how long and costly it may be none can tell. Besides, you may find your brother in want, and, therefore, take this' (holding out a purse) ; ' and that you may find your brother ; that peace and contentment may be your portion in this life is, and ever will be, my sincere desire. And now,' she added, rising from her seat, 'I must bid you-'
" 'No,' said I, rising from my seat, and holding the purse in my hand, 'not yet-sit down. Now hold this purse,' I said, placing it in her lap, 'and hear what / have to say. I have told you who and what I am, and all I have told you is true. There is, how- ever, one thing more I wish to tell you before I go ; for if, as you think, Colonel Lovell is successful in his mission, love and duty command me to make all haste to find my brother, for he, too, suffers, not knowing what has befallen me. Then, too, life is,
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at best, uncertain, and it may so happen that I can never see you again. Our most earnest efforts may be unavailing. The one thing, to which I have referred, is this ! When I was an orphan boy, I found a good home where there was but one child, a sweet little girl, one year younger than myself. We played and studied and grew up together, until she was blooming into womanhood. Then death entered that household, and the father was taken away. Soon the widowed mother prepared to return, with her daughter, to old Scotland, her native land. When about to be parted, dear Jen- nie and I discovered how much we loved each other. Our troth was plighted. I went earnestly to work, hoping, that by the time I had arrived at man's estate, I would be able to go to iny native land, claim my bonnie bride, and bring her back with me. But, again, fell death divided us. There came to me a letter ; it told of a cold, a cough, and then a quick consumption ; that the bonnie lass I loved so well had gone to join her father. Of my sorrow I would not speak. Three years have since elapsed. You have asked me not to visit the reputed sins of the father upon the daughter, and have thanked me for the confidence reposed in you when first we met. And now, when about to part, I would again show my confidence in you, by declaring that not only will I not visit the reputed sins of the father upon the daughter, but with a warmth, an ardor, that surprises myself, I-love-that-daughter. But listen ! You must not mistake me ! I am, as you have surmised, poor ; and have a long journey before me. that will take me I know not where, nor how long. It may be years, and it may never be that I can offer a home to her I love, without which, I would not, in ordi-
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nary circumstances, let my love be known. But you have told me of your isolation, and all the sympathy in my nature went out to you ; and your great kindness to me, your face, your mind, and your heart have completed the work, and-won-my-love ! It may, therefore, cheer and comfort you to know that, as you have won one heart, be it ever so poor and humble, so you may win others, and the future prove much brighter than you have perhaps hoped for. I neither ask nor expect you to love me, for it would be unwise for you to centre your love, if you could, upon a stranger and so poor a wanderer as you know me to be. And now, as regards your purse ! I honor the motive which induced you to offer me assistance ; but I am young and strong, and so is my brother ; and, therefore, I neither require nor can I accept it, for I have had proofs enough of your kindness.'
" Miss Wilson remained seated while I spoke, scarcely moved, and, with her face averted, uttered no sound. When I ended, she slowly arose and looked up at me. There were traces of tears, her face was pale, her lips tightly compressed, her bosom heaving. It was several moments before she spoke, and then, slowly and with great earnestness, she asked :
"' And can you love the daughter of such a man as you have had reason to think my father to be ? '
" ' It is no longer a question of can I, for, as I have told you, I do love her.'
"' Would you prefer to have your love returned by esteem and admiration, or by a love-sincere ? '
"'By a love-sincere, if I could but protect and defend so great a treasure.'
"' But if I offered to protect that treasure by garner- 18
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ing it in my own heart until you choose to come and claim it ? '
"'Then I would labor earnestly to speed the day when I might come and take the treasure into my own keeping.'
"'But if an angry father should say that I should not give up that treasure into your keeping ? '
" ' It would then be for you to give it up, or withhold it from me, as you might elect.'
" 'But if you received not the treasure on demand, would you not feel that I had wronged you ?'
"' That I would deeply regret my loss is certain ; but I could never think of you as withholding what was mine by right, but only as retaining that which was your own to give or keep.'
"' But such a treasure linked to such a name as mine ! Have you thought of it ? Might it not prove a sore burden and drag you down, although intended for your support ? '
"' My name would be your new name, and love can never prove a burden to drag one down.'
"'Then, in return for the confidence you have twice reposed in me, I would show my' confidence in you by declaring that my heart-my love-are yours-and only yours. And, oh, listen !' she exclaimed, and her voice and mien were intensely earnest and pathetic, ' I have so longed-and, would you believe it, even prayed-for some one to love and to love me ! Some one in whom I could trust and confide ; and, when I first saw you-when you told me, a stranger, and the daughter of the man you had reason to suspect and dread, your secret, from that moment I loved you, but- without-hope. But oh ! how-how bright this day has been ! I am now sure we can trace and find your
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brother ; and I have found a friend-a tender, sym- pathetic female friend of my own age, who whispered to me such words of hope and comfort ! But for her I should not have sought this interview, but should have shunned you-should have mounted my horse, waved you an adieu, and gone back to a life of doubt, dis- trust, and misery. And then ! to find that you, an honest, brave, and kind-hearted man, love me! Oh, George Duncan ! '
"But further is sacred ground. It is enough to say we arranged .to correspond. My letters to Miss Wilson were to be sent under cover to Miss Laura Howard, and thence through Mrs. Lovell to their destination.
" Colonel Lovell was successful. He found out that my brother was landed, in good health, near the mouth of the Ohio, and was supposed to have gone to St. Louis. Early the next morning, I bade good-by to my kind friends-the Colonel and his wife, and Miss Howard-and left for Smithland. Finding no letters there for me, I went on to Fort Massac, on a flat boat, and from there walked to St. Louis. After a short search I found my brother. The meeting between us I leave you to imagine. He told me he thought Cap- tain Lumley had been murdered, but that the other four men of our boat's crew had been spared ; that the stammering companion who was on the boat, a pris- oner with himself, was still detained on board when he, John, was put ashore ; that, before leaving the Cave. he had been told that no harm had been done me ; and that, having been released where he was, he made his way to St. Louis hoping to find me there.
" We soon found employment in St. Louis : I at my trade, and John with a large dealer in furs, a Mr.
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Benoist. We worked hard for a year : and Mr. Benoist was so much pleased with John that he not only con- sented to give him the hand of his beautiful daughter in marriage, but he admitted him as a partner in the business. Jolin offered me employment and assistance, but I was bent on returning here.
" I wrote to Miss Wilson as soon as I had found my brother. Three months elapsed before I received her answer. Her letter was all I could desire, being well written, frank and affectionate. She told me that her father had recently been very anxious and depressed ; that several men, supposed to be members of the reputed gang, had become alarmed, and had moved away or had mysteriously disappeared ; that her father had, she thought, found out a good deal about me, and attributed to me and my friends the fresh suspicions which had been aroused against himself ; that if, in his present temper, he should find out her love for me it might go hard with her, but that she had no fears and would face any danger for my sake ; that she would advise me to remain away for some time ; and, finally, that now that she knew my address she would write as often as she could. In a postscript she wrote : 'Our good friends, the Colonel and his wife, are well ; and the more I know of Laura the more I admire and love her. How I bless the day I first met the dear girl! and on that same blessed day you told me and I told you- (we know).'
Here Duncan was interrupted by a knock at the door ; and Adair, on answering it, found Mr. Henry Rudolph seeking admission. After a few words had passed be- tween Adair and his visitor, the former said, "Keep your seat, Duncan, I will be back in a few minutes," and, closing the door, went out with Rudolph.
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CHAPTER XIX.
Duncan's Story Ended-Adair Questions Duncan about Ru- dolph-Duncan Volunteers Advice-Duncan and Billy Wilmot-Adair's Confession to Duncan-Adair and the Lion's Den.
A DAIR was absent from his room longer than he expected, and on re-entering he said to Duncan : " I am sorry we were interrupted. Rudolph detained me longer than I supposed he would ; but now, on with the story."
" My story," Duncan replied, " is about at a close. It only remains for me to tell you that, a few weeks before you came to Salem, I returned here a compara- tive stranger to every one excepting Squire Howard and his family, to whom I am indebted for unvarying kindness. Since my return I have seen Miss Wilson thrice : twice at the residence of Colonel Lovell, and once at that of Squire Howard ; where she was, for several days, on a visit to her friend, Miss Laura. The more I have seen of Miss Wilson the more I respect, admire, and love her. She is indeed a good and true woman. We are engaged to be married. Since you admitted me as a partner, we have done well in our business, and now, thanks to you, I feel that I am able to maintain a wife. I wish to make my
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brother and his wife a short visit ; and, as soon as possible after my return, to offer my Kitty not only a heart but a home."
" Amen !" ejaculated Adair. " And, first, I con- gratulate you on having won the heart of such a woman. I, further, approve your purpose to marry as soon as possible, and you may count on my assistance in any and every possible way, if required. And now as to your story. It has interested mne greatly : not only so far as it related to your early life and love, to your brother, to Wilson, to your adventures, and especially to your Kitty, but it strangely wound itself around until it embraced the two families-those of Squire Howard and Colonel Lovell-with whom I have been more intimately associated than any others in this county, and for whom I have a warmer regard than for almost any others on earth. And not only so, but you have favorably mentioned the negro man Mingo, the husband of my cook, Viney, both of whom have soon to be sold; and Viney has been at me to buy not only her, but Mingo, whom I have never seen."
" Buy them, Adair, buy them by all means !" said Duncan. "Such servants would be a treasure for any man to be proud of. Not only would you be bringing a husband and wife together, but / am deeply interested in Mingo -- deeply indebted to him, as I have told you ; and I certainly think him the most prudent, faithful, and intelligent negro I have ever known. If you do not feel able to make such a purchase, count on me for my ' pile,' for what I have is at your service. Besides, your credit is now so established that you can easily borrow money from any of our rich farmer friends at six per cent. interest, and Mingo and Viney would pay
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you more than double that on their cost. But how comes it that Mingo is for sale ? " he anxiously asked, for he was thinking of the faithful servant Miss Wilson would lose.
" Viney tells me," answered Adair, "that Mingo does not, as you have supposed, belong to Jim Wilson, but to the estate of a son of his, Penn Wilson, who recently died, and hence Mingo has to be sold. I had almost made up my mind to buy both Mingo and Viney, but now, after what you have told me, I will no longer hesitate, and will do so as soon as I can. And, I'm sure, when I tell Viney about it, her spectacles will be so bedimmed that she will have to rub them very often. She is a good servant, and it will afford me real pleasure to see her and Mingo together."
" And now, Adair," said Duncan, " about this trip of mine to see my brother ! Green has been unfortu- nate in his speculations in ' yearlings,' and his farming operations having proven nearly a failure, he is, so he says, about 'strapped,' and he wants us to give him employment. What think you of getting him to take my place while I am away ? "
"Green will doubtless do very well," answered Adair, " and it would, I think, be almost a charity to give him employment ; however, I leave this entirely to you. But, Duncan, reverting to your story, do you hope to obtain Wilson's consent to your marrying his daughter ? And if not, how do you propose to over- come the difficulty ? "
" I have some hope," Duncan answered, "that the old man will give his consent. Whatever else he may be, he is fond, yea, even proud, of his daughter ; and, since he seems to regard his life as in jeopardy, he is
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doubtless anxious to see his daughter married. He may be prejudiced against me, but I trust to his daugh- ter's powers of persuasion and influence over him to surmount this difficulty. In the event of his positive opposition, I have no plan matured ; it will be time enough for this when I return, and after consultation with Miss Wilson, for she is the one to decide the mat- ter. In any event, I will want you, Adair, to stand by me-be my best man when the marriage takes place. If we are unopposed, and can have such a wedding as we hope for, I know that Miss Wilson will desire to have Miss Laura Howard as her bridesmaid. And I suppose," Duncan added with a pleasant smile, and a rather quizzical look, "you would have no objections to standing up with Miss Howard ? "
"Oh, I'm at your service," answered Adair, with the slightest perceptible embarrassment, "bridesmaid or no bridesmaid. Of course I would be delighted to have Miss Howard for my partner, provided it would be agreeable to her, in supporting you and your Kitty through the trying ordeal."
"That it will be agreeable to Miss Howard I '11 guarantee," replied Duncan, empliatically.
"By the bye, Duncan," said Adair, "how comes it that you have known the Howards so well, and yet the fact remain a secret to me until now ? "
"Easily enough explained," responded Duncan. " I requested them to keep my secret, which they have done, and I have delayed mentioning the fact ' until I could tell you 'my story' in full, and give you all the whys and wherefores. Besides, Adair, you are by no means an inquisitive man. You never, I believe, ask questions, as many do, for the mere purpose of
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learning about other people's affairs. Many persons come to you and tell you their 'stories,' as I have done, but it's because they want your advice or assist- ance ; and thus you are, I have sometimes feared, some- what burdened with other people's troubles, and don't look out sharp enough for number one-yourself-in some matters." -
"Out with it, Duncan," said Adair, jocularly, "out with it ! I'm sure you want to say something to me that you fear will be disagreeable, but never mind that. You 've complimented me more than I deserve ; and I'm now ready for a scolding."
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