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and listeners to bookish preaching--think you, woman, that holy Paul had notes
in his hand to propound the word to the believers.
My presence disturbs you, said Miss Peyton, rising; I will leave you with
my nephew, and offer those prayers in private that I did wish to mingle with
his.
So saying, she withdrew, followed by the landlady; who was not a little
shocked and somewhat surprised by the intemperate zeal of her new
acquaintance. For although the good woman believed that Miss Peyton and her
whole church were on the high road to destruction, she was by no means
accustomed to hear such offensive and open avowals of their fate.
Henry had with difficulty repressed the indignation excited by this
unprovoked attack on his meek and unresisting aunt; but as the door closed on
her retiring figure he gave way to his feelings, and exclaimed with heat--
I must confess, sir, that in receiving a minister of God, I thought I was
admitting a Christian; and one who, by feeling his own weaknesses, knew how to
pity the frailties of others. You have wounded the meek spirit of that
excellent woman, and I acknowledge but little inclination to mingle in prayer
with so intolerant a spirit.
The minister stood erect, with grave composure, following with his eyes in a
kind of scornful pity, the retiring spinster, and suffered the expostulation
of the youth to be given as if unworthy of his notice--A third voice, however,
spoke--
Such a denunciation would have driven many women into fits; but it has
answered the purpose well enough as it is.
Who s that? cried the prisoner, in amazement, gazing around the room in
quest of the speaker--
It is me, Captain Wharton, said Harvey Birch, removing the spectacles, and
exhibiting his piercing eyes shining under a pair of false eye-brows.
Good Heavens!--Harvey!
Silence! said the pedlar solemnly; tis a name not to be mentioned, and
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least of all, here, within the heart of the American army. Birch paused, and
gazed around him for a moment, with an emotion exceeding the base passion of
fear-- and then continued in a gloomy tone, There are a thousand halters in
that very name, and little hope would there be left me of another escape,
should I be again taken. This is a fearful venture that I now am making; but I
could not sleep in quiet, and know that an innocent man was about to die the
death of a dog, when I might save him.
No, said Henry, with a glow of generous feeling on his cheek; if the risk
to yourself be so heavy, retire as you came, and leave me to my fate.
Dunwoodie is making, even now, powerful exertions in my behalf, and if he
meets with Mr. Harper in the course of the night, my liberation is certain.
Harper! echoed the pedlar, remaining with his hands raised, in the act of
replacing the spectacles; what do you know of Harper? and why do you think he
will do you service?
I have his promise;--you remember our recent meeting in my father s
dwelling, and he then gave an unasked promise to assist me.
Yes--but do you know him--that is--why do you think he has the power? or
what reason have you for believing he will remember his word?
If there ever was the stamp of truth, or simple, honest, benevolence, in the
countenance of man, it shone in his, said Henry; besides, Dunwoodie has
powerful friends in the rebel army, and it would be better that I take the
chance where I am, than thus to expose you to certain death, if detected.
Captain Wharton, said Birch, looking guardedly around, with habitual
caution, and speaking with impressive seriousness of manner, if I fail you,
all fail you. No Harper or Dunwoodie can save your life; unless you get out
with me, and that within the hour, you die to-morrow on the gallows of a
murderer--yes, such are their laws; the man who fights, and kills, and
plunders, is honoured; but, he who serves his country as a spy, no matter how
faithfully, no matter how honestly, lives to be reviled, or dies like the
vilest criminal.
You forget, Mr. Birch, said the youth, a little indignantly, that I am not
a treacherous, lurking spy, who deceives to betray; but am innocent of the
charge imputed to me.
The blood rushed over the pale, meager features of the pedlar, until his face
was one glow of fire; but it passed away as quickly, and he replied--
I have told you. Cæsar met me, as he was going on his errand this morning,
and with him I have laid the plan, which, if executed as I wish, will save
you--otherwise, you are lost; and I again tell you, that no other power on
earth, not even Washington, can save you.
I submit, said the prisoner, yielding to his earnest manner, and goaded by
the fears that were thus awakened anew.
The pedlar beckoned him to be silent, and walking to the door, opened it,
with the stiff, formal air, with which he had entered the apartment.
Friend, let no one enter, he said to the sentinel, we are about to go to
prayer, and would wish to be alone.
I don t know that any will wish to interrupt you, returned the soldier,
with a waggish leer of his eye; but, should they be so disposed, I have no
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power to stop them, if they be of the prisoner s friends; I have my orders,
and must mind them, whether the Englishman goes to heaven or not.
Audacious sinner! said the pretended priest, have you not the fear of God
before your eyes? I tell you, as you will dread punishment at the last day, to
let none of the idolatrous communion enter to mingle in the prayers of the
righteous.
Whew--ew--ew--what a noble commander you d make for sergeant Hollister;
you d preach him dumb in a roll-call. Hark ee, I ll just thank you not to make
such a noise when you hold forth, as to drown our bugles, or you may get a
poor fellow a short horn at his grog, for not turning out to the evening
parade: if you want to be alone, have you no knife to stick over the
door-latch, that you must have a troop of horse to guard your meeting-house?
The pedlar took the hint, and closed the door immediately, using the
precaution suggested by the angry dragoon.
You overact your part, said young Wharton, in constant apprehension of a
discovery; your zeal is too intemperate.
For a foot soldier and them eastern militia, it might be, said Harvey,
turning a bag upside down that Cæsar now handed him; but these dragoons are
fellows that you must brag down. A faint heart, Captain Wharton, would do but
little here; but come, here is a black shroud for your good-looking
countenance, taking at the same time, a parchment mask and fitting it to the
face of Henry. The master and the man must change places for a season.
I don t tink he look a bit like me, said Cæsar, with disgust, as he
surveyed his young master with his new complexion.
Stop a minute, Cæsar, said the pedlar, with the lurking drollery that at
times formed part of his manner, till we get on the wool.
He worse than ebber now, cried the discontented African. A tink coloured
man like a sheep. I nebber see sich a lip, Harvey; he most as big as a
sausage.
Great pains had been taken in forming the different articles used in the
disguise of Captain Wharton, and when arranged under the skilful
superintendance of the pedlar, they formed together a transformation that
would easily escape detection from any but an extraordinary observer.
The mask was stuffed, and shaped in such a manner as to preserve the
peculiarities, as well as the colour, of the African visage, and the wig was
so artfully formed of black and white wool, as to imitate the pepper-and-salt
colour of Cæsar s own head, and to extract plaudits from the black himself,
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