Peggy Owen and Liberty Part 4

Peggy gave a startled glance at the sand, where telltale traces of her cousin's presence were plainly in evidence. From the entry door to the kitchen were tracks of snow, and on the sand in the kitchen there were wet spots where the snow had melted. Clearly they must be obliterated.

"I'll fix the floor, Sukey," she said, beginning to brush up the wet sand. "Sally, bring some dry sand from the box, please, and we will have this fixed in a jiffy. Thee must not expect thy floor to keep just so, Sukey, when there is so much company."

Presently, the floor resanded and the entry way swept, the two girls started for the sitting-room. Peggy was thoughtful and Sally too, for the nonce, was silent.

"Clifford will be all right where he is for a short time," mused Peggy. "If he has to stay there for any length of time, though, 'twill be most uncomfortable. I wonder if it would not be best to consult with mother? Perchance she could think of some way out of the difficulty."

She brightened at the thought, and just then Sally opened the door of the sitting-room. Mr. Owen was in his great easy chair with his wife, and Mrs. Johnson sitting near, interested listeners to some narrative.

The young people had withdrawn to the far side of the apartment and formed a little group by themselves, of which Betty was the center.

She was giving an animated account of a recent a.s.sembly, and the youths were so absorbed in the recital that they did not hear the two girls approach. A smile came to Peggy's lips.

"Why, Betty is in truth a belle, Sally," she whispered. "How pretty she hath grown! That gown doth indeed become her as thee said. It may be that we tease her too much, for she is of a certainty entertaining.

I have never seen Fairfax so interested."

Betty caught sight of them before Sally could reply.

"Have ye come at last?" she cried. "I thought thee was never coming, Peggy. It is not treating us right to leave us alone so long. And what does thee think? Sally talks of going home. Has she told thee?"

"Oh, Sally!" uttered Peggy reproachfully. "Thee can't mean it? Why, mother and I expect all of you to stay the night. Beside, 'tis too cold for thee to go out."

"The very thing I told her," exclaimed Betty. "And she said," and a note of indignation quavered into Betty's voice, "that if it were warm enough to need a fan it was warm enough to go out."

"But, Betty, why do you use a fan in such weather?" questioned Robert Dale laughing. "Here it is so cold that we can scarce keep warm, and Mistress Owen hath called Sukey twice to attend the fire. Yet there you sit and wave that fan. I have wished to ask you about it all day."

"Why, Robert, does thee not know that a fan is to a woman what a gun is to a soldier--a weapon of offense and of defense?" explained Betty airily. "When one is conversing should a pause occur in the conversation one may offset any embarra.s.sment by fanning slowly. So!"

She plied the fan to and fro as she explained.

"And do you need it often, Betty?" he asked slyly.

"Now that is mean, Robert. I would not have thought it of thee,"

pouted Betty. "I shall tell no more secrets anent the use of the fan, sir. Thee would not insinuate anything so ungallant, would thee, Captain Johnson?"

"No," answered the youth blus.h.i.+ng deeply at being so appealed to, and speaking with difficulty. "I would not, Mistress Betty. You--you mean--there would be no pause, would there?" He stopped short as a burst of merriment in which even Betty joined broke from the others.

"What did I say?" he asked in alarm. "What is it?"

At this moment there came the sound of many feet in the hallway, and Sukey's voice was heard protesting loudly:

"Dar ain't n.o.body heah but de fambly, Mistah Officah. De fambly and der company. 'Tain't no mannah ob use disturbin' dem. Der ain't no Britisher 'roun' heah nohow."

"Why, what does this mean?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr. Owen, rising and going to the door. "What is the matter, Sukey?" he asked as he threw it open.

CHAPTER IV

THE SEARCH

"Like bloodhounds now they search me out,-- Hark, to the whistle and the shout!

If farther through the wilds I go, I only fall upon the foe; I'll couch me here till evening gray, Then darkling try my dangerous way."

--_Sir Walter Scott._

Sukey was standing before the entrance valiantly trying to keep the half dozen men who stood in the hall from entering. She turned toward her master with relief.

"Dese men dey sayin' dat dere's a Bristisher 'roun' heah," she explained. "Dey would come in. I dun my bes' ter keep dem from 'sturbin' yer."

"That is all right, Sukey," he said kindly. "Perhaps these friends have good reason for coming."

"That we have, Mr. Owen," cried one stepping forward. "I am William Will, Sheriff of the city and county of Philadelphia. With me is Mr.

Ledie, Commissioner of Prisoners. We are on the track of some prisoners who have escaped from Lancaster. One hath been traced to this house. We have reason to believe that he is in hiding somewhere about the premises. I am sorry to disturb you, sir, but 'tis my duty to make a thorough search of the dwelling."

"Thou art quite welcome to make the search, Friend Will," returned Mr.

Owen courteously. "I think thee will find thyself mistaken about any one being in hiding here unless he hath concealed himself in the barn.

I have neither seen nor heard anything of any one."

"Then with your permission we will begin right away," said the sheriff. "Do two of you take the barns and outbuildings; two others the gardens and orchard, while Mr. Ledie and I will make a thorough investigation of the house. We will begin with this room, Mr. Ledie,"

he continued stepping inside the sitting-room. "Your pardon, ladies.

Knowing that every well affected inhabitant of the county will cheerfully a.s.sist in the apprehension of an escaped prisoner my presence, I trust, will be excused. These seem to be good American citizens, Mr. Owen," with a keen glance about that embraced every member of the company. "Your wife and daughter I know by sight, and these two young ladies also. This gentleman's uniform speaks for itself, and this young man is without doubt an American."

"Yes; he hath served with the militia in Virginia against the enemy, and hath recently obtained a captain's commission in the regular troops of New Jersey," explained David Owen. "He is Captain Johnson, who with his mother will stop with us until after the storm hath pa.s.sed."

"I see," remarked the sheriff, pa.s.sing into the dining-room.

"Everything seems to be all right in these two rooms, Mr. Ledie. Now,"

addressing the company collectively, "there is one thing more: Does each one of you affirm that you have not seen any one who might be an escaped prisoner?"

Peggy's heart beat so wildly at this that she feared it could be heard. She had risen at the sheriff's entrance, and stood with pale face waiting the discovery that she was afraid was imminent. She said nothing as the sheriff asked his question. The others had spoken quickly disclaiming any knowledge of such person, and she hoped the fact that she had made no reply would escape notice. To her relief Sally spoke up:

"Will thee let us see him if thee finds him, Friend Will? Especially if he be good looking."

"Oh, yes, Friend Will," broke in Betty. "Do let us have a look at him if thee catches him."

"Now, now," protested the officer, "I'm not going to grant any indulgences to further an Englishman's enjoyment. I know your s.e.x, Miss Sally. If the fellow is good looking I'll have all of you girls on my back to let him off. And the temper of the people won't permit such things at present. Well, there is nothing to be gained here. We will take the up-stairs now."

"I think I shall accompany you," spoke Mr. Owen. "I like not to think of any prowlers about. I wonder where he escaped from, and if there is but one?"

"Suppose we go too," said Robert Dale, addressing Fairfax. "We might be of a.s.sistance to the sheriff."

The three left the room, and the women and the girls drew close together while overhead, in every room, and without in the barn and other buildings the search was prosecuted. Nurse Johnson s.h.i.+vered as the sounds of the hunt came to them.

"A man hunt is always such a dreadful thing," she remarked. "And whether it be for a slave or an enemy, I find my sympathy going with the hunted. I hope they won't find this poor fellow. Yet I have no love for the English."

"Thee is like the rest of us," replied Mistress Owen. "A good hater of the enemy in the aggregate, but a commiserator of one who happens to be in a plight. Peggy, how restless thee is!"

"I am, mother," answered Peggy rising, and going to the window. "This hath upset me."

"It is in truth a most unpleasant ending to an otherwise pleasant day," commented her mother.