| OCR Text |
Show II A Novel oflhAmerican Spirit I C4--4-0 Of Kl P"ll t SSal Copyright 1909 by The Bobbs-Merrill Co. J8 JL. k-J JL JL- JL 9iBK -SL . fm I. CHAPTER X. Mixed Duties. Most women forpivc a liberty, rnthcr than a slight. Cotton. When I crossed the While house Grounds and found my wny to the spot where I had lefL my liorae, I dlne.ove.rofI niv darlcy boy lylnp on his bade, font nslcp under a tree, the bridle reins hooked over his upturned foot. I wakened wak-ened him, took the reins and was nuoul in mount, when at the moment 1 heard my name calico. Tiirnlnj-;. I saw emerge from the door of Gfintier'p little citfo, across the street. Hi" tall flsnro of an erstwhile friend of mine, Jack Dandrldije of Tennessee, ci edited with bobi? tbc youngest member mem-ber in Ihc IIouso of Representatives at Washington and credited with little els. Dandrldgo had been taken up by friends of Jackson and Polk and carried Into congress without much plan pr oli- Jnction on either side. Since his arrival ar-rival at the capital he had been present pres-ent at few roll-calls, and had voted on fewer measures His life was given up In the main to one specialty, to wit: the compounding of a certain beverage, invented in-vented hv himseir. the constituent parts of which were Bourbon whisky, absinthe, ab-sinthe, square-faced gin and a dash of can do vie. , , , .lack Dandridge. it may bs said, was originally possessed of a splendid constitution, con-stitution, Nearly six feet tall, his full nnd Homcwhat protruding o.vo was as yet onlv a. trifle watery, his wido lip onlv a. triflo loose, his sLrong Ugurc only n triflo portly. Socially he had been well received in our city, nnd during his stay east of the mountains lie had found occasion to lay desperate suit to the hand of none other than Miss l-.lisa-bnth Churchill. We had been rlva s. although al-though not enemies; for Jack, finding which way the vind sat for him, withdrew with-drew Hka a man, and cherished no ill will. When 1 saw him now, a sudden ida came to me. so that I crossed the street at his invitation. ... "Jack,"' I exclaimed, grasping him by ho shoulder, "you arc ilic man I want. You arc the friend that I need the very """Certainly certainly," he said, "but piratic do not disarrange my cravat. Will von have a dream wilii me? t I construct them now with three additional squirts of the absinthe.'' He iocked arms ""You "may have a dream," said 1, but for me. T need nil my head today. In short. I need both our heads as well." Jack was already rapping with the head of his cRne upon the table, to call an attendant, but he turned to me. "What i? the matter? Lady, this time?" "Two of them." Indeed? One apiece, eh?" um "N'oiie npleee, porhaps. In any ca3e, 19 ' tin lose." MMU "Thru i he names or at least one? I flashed a bit in spite of myself, I "Ymi know .Miss Elisabeth Churchill?" MM Hi- nodded gravely. "And about the WM oilier lady?" Mm "I cm not tell you much about lior. WM sn'd 1, "I have but little knowledge my- sclf. I mean the Baroness von mtn. I muni bo rjuiclc. I have In my possession on the bureau in my little room at my quarters in Brown's hotel a slipper which the baroness gave mc last night a white satin slipper " Jack finished t.h" remainder of his glass at a gulp. "Good God!" he remarked. re-marked. "Quite right."' I retorted hotly. "Accuse "Ac-cuse me! Anything you like! But go to my fiuarlors. get that slipper, go to this address with It" I scrawled on a piece of paper and thrust it ai him 'then get a carriage nnd hasten to Elmhursl drive, where It turns in at the hoad. Wall for me there Just before G." lie sot looking at ino with amusomrnt nnd amazement both upon his face as I went on: "Listen to what T am to do In the meantime. First l go post haste to "Mr. Calhoun's office. Then J am lo take his message, whloh will send mo to Canada, tonight. After I have my orders I hurry baok""lo Brown's and dress for my wedding." The glass in his hand dropped to the floor in splinters. "Your wedding?" "Yes. Miss Elisabeth nnd I concluded tills very morning not to wait. I would ask you to help mo as my best man, if I dare." "You do dnrc." said he. "You're nil a-fluster. Go on: I'll get a purson how'll Doctor Ilnlford do? and I'd take care of the license for you if 1 could Gad! sorry It's not my own." "You are the finest fellow In the world, Jack. I have only one thing more to ask" I pointed to the splintered glass upon the floor "Don't got another." "Of course not. of course not!" he expostulated. ex-postulated. His voice was Just a trifle thickened. "Wo lert now together for the license clerk and I Intrusted the proper document in my friend's hands. An Instant In-stant later I was outside, mounted, and off for Calhoun's office at his residence In Georgetown. At last, as for the fourth time I flung down the narrow walk and looked down the street. 1 snw I1I3 well known form approaching, lie walked slowly, somewhat some-what stooped upon his cane. Mc raised a hand as T would have begun to speak "You will take the railway train at S-You S-You will be Joined by Doctor Samuel Ward, who will give you a sealed paper, which wjll contain your Instructions, and the proper moneys. Ho goes ns far as Baltimore." . "You would bo- the better agent." lie added presently. "If this love silliness were out of your hoad. 11 is not myself you are serving, nnd not my party. It is this country you are serving." "But. sir " I began. His long, thin hand was Imperative. "Go on. then, with your wedding, if you will and If you can, but sec Huh you do not miss the train at S!" CHAPTER XI. Who Giveth This Woman? Woman Is a, miiucle of divine contradictions. contra-dictions. Jules Ailclielet. On my return to my quarters at Brown's I looked at the top of my bu reau. It was empty. "My friend Dandridge Dan-dridge hud proved faithful. Tho slipper of this baroness was gone! So now, hurriedly. hur-riedly. I began my tullct for that occasion occa-sion which to any gentleman should bo the. one most exacting, the most important impor-tant of his life's events. Elisabeth deserved better than this unseemly un-seemly haste. J lor sweetness and dignity, dig-nity, hor adherence to the forms of life, her acquaintance with the elegancies, tho dignities nnd conventions of the best of our society, bespoke for her ceremony more milted to hor class and mine. I told none about my quartern anything any-thing of my plans, but arranged for my portmanteaus to ho sent to the railway station for that evening's train north. I hurried to Bond's jewelry place and secured a ring two rings. Indeed; for. in our haste, betrothal and wedding ring needed their first use nt tho same day and hour. J found a -waiting carriage which served my purpose, and into it J flung, urging the driver to carry mo at top speed into Elmhursl road. As wo swung down the road J leaned forward, studying with Interest the dust cloud of an approaching carriage. As It came near. I called to my driver. The two vehicles paused almost wheel to wheel. It was my friend Jack Dandridge who sprawled on the rear scat of the carriage! That Is to sny. tin; fleshly portion of Jack Dandridge. JTIs mind, his memory and all else were gone. I sprang Into his carl rage and caught nlin roughly by the arm. I felt In all his pockets, looked on the carriage floor, on 1 lie aeat. and pulled up the dust rug. At last 1 found the license. "Did you sue the baroness?" 1 asked, then. At this he beamed upon me with a wide smile. 'Did I?" said he. with gravity pulling down his long hulT waistcoat. "Did IV Mos ndml'ble woman In all tbc woiT! Of course. Miss 'Lio'beth Churchill also mos' adml'ble woman In the woiT." lit-added lit-added politely, "but I didn't sec her." The sudden sweat broke out upon my forehead. "Tell me, what havo you done 'with the slipper?" lie shook his head sadly. "Mishlaken. my friend! I gave mos' adml'blo slipper In the woiT. Just ash you said. Just as bnroness said, to Miss Elisabeth Churchill Church-ill mos' admi'blc woman In the worP!" "Did you seo her?" I gasped. "Did you see her father any of her family?" "God blesh me, no!" rejoined this young statesman. "Feelings delicacy prevented. "Vvashn't In fit condition to approach family mansion. Alwnysh mos' delicate. Sent paekazh in by servant, from gate turned round drove off found you.'' My only answer was to spring from his carriage into my own and to order my driver to go on at a run. At last I readied the drivewny of Elmhursl. my carriage wheels cutting the gravel as we galloped up lo the front door. My approach was noted. Even as 1 hurried up tho steps the tall form of none other than M.r. Dan-lei Dan-lei Churchill appeared to greet mc. 1 extended ex-tended my hand. ITe did not notice it. I began to speak. He bade mo pause. "To what may I attribute this visit,-Mr. visit,-Mr. TrisL?" He asked me, with dignity. "Since you ask me. and seem not to know," , I replied. "I may say that I am hero to marry your daughter, Miss Elisabeth! Elis-abeth! I presume that the minister of the gospel Is already here?" "The minister Is here," ho answered. "There lacks one thing the bride." "What do you nicanV" IIo put out his arm across the door, "1 rcgrot that J must bar my door to you. But you must take my word, as coming from my daughter, that you arc not to come hero tonight " 1 looked at him, my eyes staring wide. I could not believe what ho said. "Why," I began, "how utterly monstrous!" mon-strous!" A step sounded in the hall behind him, and he turned back. Wc were Joined by the tall clerical flguro of the Reverend Doctor Ilnlford, who had. it accmed, been at least one to keep his nppolntrnent ns made. He raised his hand as if to silence me, nnd held out to mo a certain object. It was tho slipper of the Baroness Helena von Bitz white, delicate, dainty, berlb-boned. berlb-boned. "Miss Elisabeth docs not prelend to understand why your gift should take this form; but as the slipper evidently has been worn by some one, sho suggestes you may perhaps be in error In sending it at all." He spoke In evon. Icy tones. "Let me Into this house!" 1 demanded. "I must sco her!" There were two tall figures now, who stood side by side In the wido front door. "But don't you sec. there lias been a mistake, a horrible mistake?" I demanded. de-manded. Doctor Ilnlford, in his grave and quiet way, assisted himself to snuff. "Sir," lie said, "knowing both families. I agreed to this haste and unceremoniousness, much against my will. Had thorc been no objection upon either side. I would havo undertaken to go forward with the wedding ceremony. Bui ivever in my life have I. and never shall I. Join two In wedlock wed-lock when cither Is nol in that state of mind and soul consonant with that holy hour." All at. once "I felt a swift revulsion. Thorc came over rne tho reaction, an icy calm. "Gentlemen." salt I slowly, "what you tell me is absolutely Impossible and absurd. ab-surd. But if Miss Elisabeth really doubts mo on evidence such as this, I would be tho last man in the world to ask her hand. I have no time to arguo now. Good -by!" They looked at mc with grave faces, but made no reply. I descended the steps, l lie dainty, beribboncd slipper still In my hand, got Inio my carriage and started back lo the city. CHAPTER XII. THc Marathon. As if two gods should play some heavenly heav-enly match, and on this wager lay two earthly women. Shakespeare. An automaton, scarcely thinking. 1 gained the platform of the station. There was a sound of hissing steam, a roiling cloud of sulphurous smoke, a shouting of railway captains, a creaking of the wheels. Without volition of my own. I was on my northward Journey. Presently I looked around and found seated at my side the man whom I then recollected 1 was to meet Doctor Samuel Ward. "What's wrong. Nicholas," he asked. "Trouble of any kind?" So. briefly, 1 told him what ill lie 1 Itncw of the events of the last hour. I told liim of the shame and humiliation of it nil. He pondered for n minute and asked mc at length if I believed Miss Elisabeth sucpectcd anything of my errand er-rand of the night before. "Mow could she?' I answered." "So fains fai-ns I can recollect I never mentioned the nnmo of the Baroness von ftltz." Then, all at once. J did recollect! I did remember that I had mentioned the name of the baroness thai very morning to Elisabeth, when tho baroness passed us In tho east room! Dr. Ward was keen enough to see tho sudden confusion on my fnce. but he made no comment beyond saying that he doubted not time would clear it all up; that ho had known many such affairs. "But mind you one thing," he added; "keep those two women apart." "Then why do you two doddering old Idiots, you and John Calhoun, with life outworn and the blood dried in your veins, send me. since you doubt mo so much, on an errand of this kind? You see what it has done for me. 1 am done willi John Calhoun. Ho may get some other fool for his. service." " Where do you propose going, then, friend?" "West." 1 answered. "West to tho Hookies " Dr. Ward calmly produced a torloise shell snuff-box from his left-hand waistcoat waist-coat pocket, and deliberately took snuff. "You are going to do nothing of tho kind," said lie calmly. "You are going to keep your promise to John Calhoun and to nuv Believe me, the business in hand is vital." "I care nothing for that," I answered bitterly. "Bui you are the agent of your country. coun-try. You are cnllcd lo do your country's urgent work. All life Is only trouble vanquished. van-quished. I nslc you now to bo a man: I not only expect it. but demand it of you1" His words carried weight in spite of .myself. I began to listen. I took from his hand the package, looked at it. examined ex-amined It Finally, as he sat silently regarding re-garding mc. 1 broke tho seal. "Now. Nicholas Trlst." resumed Dr. Ward presently, "there is to be at Montreal Mon-treal at the dale named In these papers a meeting of the directors of the Hudson Hud-son Bay company of England. There will bo big men there the blggesl their country can produce: leaders of the Hudson Hud-son Bay company, many public men even of England. It Is rumored that a brother broth-er of Lord Aberdeen of tho British ministry, min-istry, will attend. Do you begin to understand?" un-derstand?" Ah. did 1 not? Here. then, was further fur-ther weaving of those complex plots which at that time hedged in all our history his-tory as a republic. Now I guessed the virtue of our knowing somewhat of England's Eng-land's secret plans, as she surely did of ours. 1 began to feci behind mc the Impulse Im-pulse of John Calhoun's swift energy. :'Il is Oregon1" I exclaimed at last Dr. Ward nodded, "Very ponolbly. 11 has seemed lo Mr. Calhoun very likely that we mny lienr something of great Importance icgardlng the far northwest. A missed cog now may cost this country si thousand miles of territory, a Hundred vert ra of history." In spite of myself. I began to feel the stimulus of a thought like this. It was my salvntlon aa a man. I began to set aside mvself and my own troubles. "You arc therefore," lie concluded, "to go to Montreal, and find your own way into the" meeting of the directors of the Hudson Bay company. There is a bare chance thai In this intrigue Mexico w 111 havo an emissary on the ground as well. There is reason to suspect her hostility to all oiir plans of extension, southwest and northwest. Naturally. It is the card of Mexico to bring on war, or accept it if we urge; bul only In case she lias England as her ally. England will get her pny by taking Texas, and what is more, bv taking California, whloh Mexico does not value. She owc3 England largo sums now. That would leave England owner of the Pacific coast; for. once sho gets California, she will fight us then for all of Oregon. It Is your duly lo learn all of these matters who Is there, what Is done, nnd to do this without making known your own Identity." 1 sat for a moment In thought. "It is an honor," said t finally, "an honor so largo thai under it 1 feel small." "Now," sold Dr. "Ward, plaoing a gnarled hand on my shoulder, "you begin be-gin to talk like a Mnrylander. it's a race, mv boy, a race across this continent. conti-nent. There are two trails one north and one mid-continent. On these paths two nations contend In file greatest Marathon Mar-athon of nil tho world. England or the United Slates monarchy or republic aristocracy or humanity?" "Goodby." he said, as wo steamed Into In-to Baltimore station. I turned, and he was gone. CHAPTER XIH. On Secret Service. if the world was lost through woman, she alone can save it. Louis de Beaufort. Beau-fort. In the days of which I write, our civilization civ-ilization was. as 1 may say. so embryonic, embry-onic, that it is difficult for us now to realize the conditions which then obtained. ob-tained. We had several brokon railway systems sys-tems north and south, but there wore not then more than flvo thousand miles of railway built 5n America. All things considered. I feit lucky when we reached Now York less than twenty-four hours out from Washington. Up the Hudson I took the crack steamer Swallow, tiic same which Just one year later was sunk while trying to heal her own record of nine hours and two minutes from New York to Albany. She required eleven hours oji our trip. L'nder conditions then obtaining, it took me a day and a half more to reach Inke Ontario. Here, happily, I picked up a frail steam craft, owned by an adventurous adven-turous soul who was not unwilling to risk his life and that of others on tho uncertnin arid lcc-fllui m tarlo. With lilin t tm with oil, ? do smt One delay ntw !!5W machinery, tack VfnihcrW what not, required time ere I readied 2 ,m I could norim ca;Y,f.rtl spy. yet none tin- lcS I hi6 W recognized hero in u jm over-cnrlous. l ,,, ,. cm I "mi of an Innocent to" l western fur country r PBF was able, from mv W to anawer any qucition. Fort Hall or butfnln 1 1 or the Bed Tin" JSM ' about all the p bile xM t nnd Imipeclcd with jv c 5?J '( tercst all Its ,30lnl3 "fflSSB ) As I movco abnni ' making such VfiE IntanHt a found in the nl? a ffift?J and expectation TliHSSiMw were, wero packed. ffiWH were noisy, the prlvatn ' Gradually ihe towi and half savage. arrived by stetmersJ whose expanse lav bOaV, Jf bound for EiiKland-or fo?W land's colonics. The JtM yot removed to Ottawa.' M Ontario was then Iiouma!:, Chateau Bamczay, hunt for the French governor Here. I hnd reaHon to SmiT established no less a noiSStY George Simpson, govern07mY Bay company. Rumor hnrt Vl that Lord Aberdeen of was nt Montreal. That inli I establlohed without dSBf brother really was tliriSBl Lieutenant William Pep I MM k of Sir Robert Peel, EnMJ 1 lstcr. 'BV I was not a week In MoJfc learned that my inaster-iO information, had been corMW was on for Oregon. BT All fhe.se thlngn, 1 auf'Ml about me. Yet in truth mm 1' workings of thlH 1 COum mil actual Information. I smtf. ships, but It was not toMw't whether they were to ttirnWl the Horn. I saw CanaJM but they might be only oBfj Journey, and might go nMli their accustomed posts inl Fronchlown and EngUshllP common soldiers, voyascijHlf and merchants, I wandT than one day and felt rnyflk That is to say. such trajW lucre came to iny aid tJl all allies, Chance iji |
