Sarah Dillard's Ride: A Story of the Carolinas in 1780 Read online

  CHAPTER II.

  THE TORY'S PURPOSE.

  Until the moment when Ephraim Sowers had revealed his true self bycoming into the British camp as a spy, neither Nathan nor Evan hadfelt any grave anxiety regarding the future.

  They knew full well that the redcoats were not given to being friendlyin their intercourse with the so-called rebels, and that such personsas they took were treated with roughness, if not absolute harshness.

  Such treatment as had previously been dealt out to captured Americansthe boys could endure without a murmur, therefore there was no painfulanxiety regarding the outcome of the matter; but when Ephraim Sowersappeared, the situation of affairs seemed to be decidedly changed.

  Now that he had been recognized by these two, the news that he was aTory and in league with the Britishers would be carried to all thatcountry roundabout where he lived, whenever Nathan and Evan were setfree.

  It was only reasonable to suppose he had some slight degree ofinfluence in the camp, having served Major Ferguson as a spy, andthese two lads might safely count on his doing whatsoever was in hispower to have them held prisoners, even if worse did not follow, andit was evident Nathan feared this last possibility, for he said in alow tone to his comrade, when the young Tory had walked away with aswagger in the direction of Major Ferguson's tent:

  "No good will come to us through having seen that villain."

  "On such a point there need be little discussion, for I am of the samemind, and it will be exceedingly fortunate if he leaves thisencampment without having worked us some harm, although I cannot sayin what way it might be done."

  "For his own safety, should he ever count on returning home, we mustbe silenced, Evan, and I am thinking Ephraim Sowers knows in thisencampment enough of his own kidney who would aid him in thus doing."

  "Do you mean that he would dare to kill us?" and now Evan looked up inalarm.

  "He would dare do anything when there was no danger of his receivingbodily injury. But don't let me play upon your fears, for there is noreason why we should look abroad for trouble when we have sufficientof it close around us. We will trust to the chances that that youngTory is powerless, or too much occupied just at present, to give evilheed to us."

  "The last is what we should not take into consideration, for howeveractively engaged he may be it is necessary for his own safety, shouldhe ever return among his neighbors, to prevent us from telling what wehave just learned."

  "If you refuse such comfort as I try to give, then we will put it thathe will be content so long as we are held prisoners here, and whoshall say that we may not soon find an opportunity for escape?Captives while on the march are not like to be kept under overlystrict guard."

  "Where did the Tory go? I was so bewildered both by seeing him hereand realizing what his coming might mean, as to be almost in a dazewhile he was making his threats."

  "I fancied I saw some one nearabout Major Ferguson's tent beckoningfor the scoundrel, and he hurried away as if bent on visiting thecommander. I venture to predict we shall see him again before heleaves this locality."

  Then the lads fell to speculating as to how long young Sowers had beenengaged as a British spy; what might be the result of MajorFerguson's march through the mountains, and in other ways discussingthe situation as if they were to be spectators rather thanparticipants in whatever might occur.

  When half an hour had passed, much to their surprise, for the boys hadcome to believe they would not be given food that night, rations wereserved out to them, and they were partaking of the limited meal withsuch keenness of appetite and eagerness as to be unaware of EphraimSowers' return until he stood close beside them.

  "Well, have you finished giving Major Ferguson all the information hedesired?" Nathan asked curtly, only glancing toward the newcomersufficiently to discover his identity.

  "I may have told him some things that wouldn't be pleasant for you tohear," the Tory replied surlily.

  "Of that I have no question, for it is easy to guess that you havedone all the injury to your neighbors of which your tongue wascapable."

  "I have given the major such a good account of you two that he won'tbe likely to part company with you for some time to come."

  "We are not surprised, because it was only what might have beenexpected after we found you were playing the part of spy," Evan said,determined to so far hide his fears that this vicious enemy should notsuspect what was in his heart.

  "I am ready to do whatsoever I can against the enemies of the king,"Evan replied, assuming what he intended should be a dignifiedattitude.

  "His majesty must rest content now, if he knows that you stand readyto aid his officers by playing the spy upon those who have befriendedyou when you were in need."

  Nathan spoke distinctly and deliberately, in a tone so loud that allmight hear, and Ephraim's face crimsoned with mingled rage and shame,for he knew full well that but for the aid afforded him by Nathan'suncle during the previous winter his sufferings might have been greatindeed.

  "I shall do all in my power to overthrow the wicked plans of therebels, and more particularly will I exert myself against the MountainMen," he cried, in a fury of passion, whereat Evan added quietly:

  "We can well fancy that, for Master Isaac Shelby is a Mountain Man,and but for him you would have starved. Let me see: vipers have beensupposed to be the only living things that would sting the hand whichfeeds them."

  "I shall sting you even worse than I have already done!" Ephraimcried, shaking his clinched hand in impotent rage, and so threateningwas his attitude that the soldier on guard seized him, as if fearingthe boy would strike the helpless prisoners.

  "Take your hands off!" Ephraim cried, literally trembling withpassion. "I am not to be treated as a prisoner in this camp after allI have done."

  "Very true," the soldier replied quietly. "You shall not be deprivedof your liberty save when it becomes necessary to prevent you fromstriking helpless captives, and that I would not allow my own comradeto do."

  "I had no idea of touching them."

  "Your actions told a different story, and even though these two ladsbe rebels, they shall be treated decently while I am on guard overthem."

  "I will see them hanged, and that before long!" Ephraim screamed.

  The soldier released his hold of the infuriated Tory, but took theprecaution of stepping directly in front of Nathan and Evan, as if toafford protection; while Ephraim, standing a few paces away, pouredout a flood of invective, during the course of which muchinformation was gained by those whom he menaced.

  "Take your hands off! I am not to be treated as a prisoner," Ephraim cried.--Page 32.]

  "I didn't come to this place empty-handed!" he cried, "nor will myvisit be of little concern to the rebels! I brought Major Fergusoninformation that Clarke and his men are in camp at Greene's Spring,and to kill and capture them all will be a simple matter for thistroop."

  "You have dared bring the enemy down upon your mother's own cousin,"Evan cried in astonishment.

  "He is no cousin of mine once he raises his hand against the king."

  "I'll venture to say there will be little desire on his part to claimrelationship after he knows the part you have been playing," Nathanreplied with a laugh, which yet further increased the Tory's wrath."But have a care, Ephraim Sowers. The men in this colony are noteasily whipped into submission, nor do they readily forget an enemy,and if it should so chance, as it has many times since '76, that theking's forces were driven out of the Carolinas, your life would not bean enviable one."

  "If anything of that kind should happen, and I am ready to wager all Ipossess it never will, you won't be here to know what comes to me, forbefore then I will take good care you are put where all rebels shouldbe--under the sod."

  "If the king's officers will commit, or permit, murder at yourrequest, then must they give up all claim to the name of soldiers,"and now Evan was rapidly becoming as excited as the Tory. "It may beyou can succeed in having us killed; but the reckonin
g will come,Ephraim Sowers, and the longer it is deferred the more must you pay."

  "I will settle with you first after my own fashion, and when that hasbeen done we will see what your ragamuffin friends are able to doabout it."

  Ephraim would doubtless have indulged in further threats, but just atthat instant a soldier came up from the direction of Major Ferguson'stent, and the vindictive lad was summoned to the commander's quarters.

  "It seems that his footing here is not so secure that he can give histongue free rein many minutes at a time," Nathan said in a tone ofrelief as the spy walked reluctantly away, literally forced so to doby the messenger who had come in search of him.

  "It is not his words which trouble me," Evan said mournfully. "Justnow he is in a position to work us great injury, and by yet furtherprovoking his wrath we have made of him even a more bitter enemy thanhe naturally was."

  "I question if that could be possible."

  "Yet you cannot dispute his power to work us harm."

  "Neither do I. If he be willing, as it appears he has shown himself,to betray the whereabouts of Colonel Clarke's forces, knowing fullwell that this troop can readily cut them down, it is certain we standa good show of learning how great is his power for mischief."

  "For myself I have little concern at this moment, because of theknowledge that our friends are in such peril."

  "And yet there is nothing we can do to aid them."

  "Unless it might be we could escape." Evan said suddenly, lowering hisvoice to a whisper lest the sentinel should overhear his words.

  "It is only needed that you look about in order to see how much hopethere is of such a possibility," Nathan said despondently. "Eventhough we were fresh, instead of so weary that I question if we couldtravel a single mile further, and if we might so far elude thesentinel as to gain the cover of the thicket, it would be impossibleto continue the flight two miles, for the Tories in this troop knowthe country as well, if not better, than we."

  "I was not so foolish as to believe that escape might be possible, butonly spoke because my thoughts were with those who are threatened, andmy desire is to aid them."

  "I wish it might be done," Nathan replied with a long-drawn sigh, andthen the two fell silent, each occupied with his own gloomy thoughts.

  An hour passed, and nothing more had been seen or heard of the Toryspy.

  Even though they were in such desperate straits, the boys beganunconsciously to yield themselves up to slumber, and after a time,bound as they were, both were reclining upon the green turf in atleast partial repose.

  When morning came they ached in every limb, with arms so benumbed thatit was as if those useful members had been paralyzed. They had sleptfitfully, and were hardly more refreshed than when the halt was calledafter the day's march.

  Scanty rations were served out to them, and to the intense relief ofboth the lads a captain, more humane that his commander, ordered thatthe bonds be taken from their arms.

  They were to be tied together in such manner that any attempt atflight would be useless, and yet the labor of marching would be muchlightened.

  The prisoners had expected another visit from the Tory before thetroop started; but in this they were happily disappointed, and whenthe march was begun they almost believed Ephraim Sowers had been leftbehind, until shortly before noon they saw him riding with the mounteddetachment.

  "He is most likely guiding the force to Greene's Spring," Nathan saidbitterly. "He counts on seeing those who have played the part offriends to him shot down, and even though their blood will be upon hishead, he is well pleased."

  To the relief of both the boys, their enemy did not come near wherethey were, and it was reasonable to suppose Major Ferguson, althoughnot prone to be overcareful of the feelings of his "rebel" prisoners,had given Sowers orders to put a check upon his tongue.

  When noon came the detachment of foot soldiers arrived at MartinDrake's plantation, where the cavalry had already halted and wereactively engaged in wantonly destroying property.

  Outbuildings were torn down, lambs, chickens, and geese were beingslaughtered although they were not needed for food, and the householdfurniture which, rude though it was, represented all that went to makeup the interior of the home, was thrown about the grounds, or choppedinto kindlings, from sheer desire to work destruction.

  The horsemen could not have been at this place more than an hour whenthe foot soldiers came up, and yet in that short time they hadcompletely wrecked the dwelling portion of the plantation, and causedsuch a scene of devastation as would lead one almost to believe that adesperate conflict had raged at that point.

  "All this must be pleasing to Ephraim Sowers," Evan said bitterly,"for it was Martin Drake's wife who tended him when he was ill withthe fever, and this may be a satisfactory way of requiting her."

  "Have you seen him since we halted?"

  "No, and I am hoping he has gone ahead with the advanced detachment,for it seems certain all of the horsemen are not here."

  Although Master Blake's live stock had been slaughtered in suchquantities that there was treble the amount of food the troop couldconsume, the boys were given nothing more than cornbread for dinner,and hardly so much of that as would suffice to satisfy their hunger.

  Not until everything portable had been destroyed, the doors torn fromthe house, and the windows shattered, was the march resumed, and thenthe prisoners heard the Tory who was acting as guide say that atnightfall they would camp on Captain Dillard's plantation.

  There was in this information a ray of hope, so far as warning ColonelClarke's men of what threatened, for Captain Dillard was in hiscommand, and if information could be conveyed to the mistress of thehouse it was possible she might send a message ahead.

  This much in substance Nathan had suggested to his comrade; but Evanfailed to see any possibility that good might be effected so far asthe friends of the cause were concerned.

  "Even though Mrs. Sarah Dillard can be told all that we know, it isnot likely she will have an opportunity of sending a messenger fromthe plantation. Ephraim Sowers knows full well where the captain maybe found, and will warn Major Ferguson against permitting any personto leave the place."

  "If Dicey Langston, a girl only sixteen years old, could baffleCunningham's band, who gave themselves the name of the Bloody Scouts,as she did on that night when alone she crossed the Ennoree, swollenthough the waters were, what may Sarah Dillard do when she knows herhusband's life hangs in the balance?"

  "It is not a question of what she would do, but of what she can," Evanreplied gloomily. "Thanks to Ephraim Sowers, the commander of thisforce will know only too well how eager she must be to send news aheadof his whereabouts, and will take precautions accordingly."

  "That is as may be. We can at least hope for the best," Nathan repliedbravely, and then word was given for the troop to resume the march.

  During the afternoon the British soldiery came upon two plantations,the buildings of which they utterly wrecked, shooting from sheerwantonness the live stock that could not be run down without too muchlabor, and seeming eager in every way to mark their trail bydestruction.

  It was an hour before sunset when the boys saw in the distance thebuildings of the Dillard plantation, and knew that the time was nearat hand when, if ever, they must get word to that little band whoselives were in such deadly peril.

  Ephraim Sowers was nowhere to be seen; but slight comfort could bederived from this fact, for it seemed reasonable to suppose he wasmaking himself obnoxious in the dwelling of those people whom he hadonce claimed as his friends, but was now visiting as their bitterestenemy.

  "Keep your wits about you for the first opportunity to gain speechwith Sarah Dillard," Nathan whispered to his comrade, and Evan sighedas he nodded in reply, for it seemed to him there was little chancethey would be permitted to hold a conversation with any acquaintance,because of the probable fact that Ephraim Sowers would guard againstsuch a proceeding.

  The prisoners were marched directly up
to the dwelling, and there,with the windows and doors flung wide open, they had a full view ofthe entire interior, but their enemy was nowhere to be seen.

  This, to Evan, unaccountable absence, troubled him not a little, forhe believed it betokened yet more mischief on the part of thevindictive Tory, but Nathan was not so ready to take alarm.

  "It may be that he is keeping out of sight, hoping Sarah Dillard willstill look upon him as a friend, and, in case the captain shouldsucceed in escaping, confide the secret of his whereabouts to him."

  The mistress of the house was doing all in her power to satisfy theexacting demands of the officers who had quartered themselves uponher, as the boys could see while they remained halted near thedoorway.

  It appeared that such servants as she had were not sufficient innumbers to please these fastidious red-coated gentlemen, and they hadinsisted that Mrs. Dillard should perform her share of waiting uponthem. Now one would call out some peremptory order, and then follow itwith a demand that the mistress of the house give it her especialattention, while, despite such insolence, Sarah Dillard moved withdignity here or there, as if it were pleasure rather than necessitywhich caused her to so demean herself.

  On the outside roundabout the soldiers were engaged in their customarydiversion of killing every animal which came within range of theirguns, and a huge bonfire had been built of the corncribs, near which ascore or more of men were preparing the evening meal.

  A spectator would have said that the dwelling itself was spared onlybecause in it the officers had taken up their quarters, and once theywere ready to depart it would be demolished as the other structuressurrounding it had been.

  During half an hour or more the boys stood close by the door underclose guard, and then one of the officers appeared to have suddenlybecome conscious of their existence, for he called in a loud tone toMrs. Dillard:

  "We desire of you, madam, some apartment which will serve as a prisonfor two rebel cubs that we have lately taken. Can the cellar besecurely fastened?"

  "There is only a light lattice-work at the windows, which mightreadily be broken out if your prisoners made an effort at escape,"Mrs. Dillard replied.

  "But surely you have some apartment which will answer our purpose? Ifnot, the men can speedily nail bars on the outside of one of thechamber windows."

  "There is a room above, the window of which is already barred, thatmay serve your purpose," Mrs. Dillard said, as she glanced toward theboys with a certain uplifting of the eyes, as if to say that theyshould not recognize her as an acquaintance.

  "Show it to me and we will soon decide if that be what is required, orwhether we shall call upon our troopers to turn carpenters," theofficer said with a laugh, as if believing he had given words to somewitticism, and in silence Mrs. Dillard motioned one of the servants tolead the way to the floor above.

  The brief survey which he made appeared to satisfy the Britisher, foron his return he said to Major Ferguson, who was seated at the head ofthe table, giving his undivided attention to the generous supply offood which the mistress of the house had been forced to bring out:

  "There is but one window in the room of which our fair hostess spoke,and that overlooks the stable-yard; it is barred on the outside withoaken rails stout enough to resist the efforts of any three of ourtroopers, I should say. The door can be not only bolted, but locked onthe outside, and in my opinion there should be no need of a sentinelstationed inside the building."

  "If such is the case, why spend so much breath in describing thedungeon," Major Ferguson said with a laugh. "It is enough for ourpurpose if the lads cannot break out, and the sooner they are lodgedwithin the sooner you will be ready to hold your peace, thus giving mean opportunity of enjoying this admirable game pie. Put the rebelsaway and sit down here, for it may be many days before another suchchance presents itself."

  Word was passed to the soldier who had the prisoners in charge for himto take them to the upper floor, and this trifling matter having beenarranged, the gallant British officers turned their attention oncemore to converting their hostess into a servant.