第20章

The major turned quickly; but Thankful's eyes were gazing thoughtfully forward, and scarcely glanced at him."I would prefer," she said timidly and hesitatingly, "that this interview should not take place under the roof where--where--where--my father lives.Half-way down the meadow there is a barn, and before it a broken part of the wall, fronting on a sycamore-tree.HE will know where it is.Tell him I will see him there in half an hour."A smile, which the major had tried to make a careless one, curled his lip satirically as he bowed in reply."It is the first time,"he said dryly, "that I believe I have been honored with arranging a tryst for two lovers; but believe me, Mistress Thankful, I will do my best.In half an hour I will turn my prisoner over to you."In half an hour the punctual Mistress Thankful, with a hood hiding her pale face, passed the officer in the hall, on the way to her rendezvous.An hour later Caesar came with a message that Mistress Thankful would like to see him.When the major entered the sitting-room, he was shocked to find her lying pale and motionless on the sofa; but as the door closed she rose to her feet, and confronted him.

"I do not know," she said slowly, "whether you are aware that the man I just now parted from was for a twelvemonth past my sweetheart, and that I believed I loved him, and KNEW I was true to him.If you have not heard it, I tell you now, for the time will come when you will hear part of it from the lips of others, and Iwould rather you should take the whole truth from mine.This man was false to me.He betrayed two friends of mine as spies.Icould have forgiven it, had it been only foolish jealousy; but it was, I have since learned from his own lips, only that he might gratify his spite against the commander-in-chief by procuring their arrest, and making a serious difficulty in the American camp, by means of which he hoped to serve his own ends.He told me this, believing that I sympathized with him in his hatred of the commander-in-chief, and in his own wrongs and sufferings.Iconfess to my shame, Major Van Zandt, that two days ago I did believe him, and that I looked upon you as a mere catch-poll or bailiff of the tyrant.That I found out how I was deceived when Isaw the commander-in-chief, you, major, who know him so well, need not be told.Nor was it necessary for me to tell this man that he had deceived me: for I felt that--that--was--not--the--only reason--why I could no longer return--his love."

She paused, as the major approached her earnestly, and waved him back with her hand."He reproached me bitterly with my want of feeling for his misfortunes," she went on again: "he recalled my past protestations; he showed me my love-letters; and he told me that if I were still his true sweetheart I ought to help him.Itold him if he would never call me by that name again; if he would give up all claim to me; if he would never speak, write to me, nor see me again; if he would hand me back my letters,--I would help him." She stopped: the blood rushed into her pale face."You will remember, major, that I accepted this man's love as a young, foolish, trustful girl; but when I made him this offer--he--he accepted it.""The dog!" said Major Van Zandt."But in what way could you help this double traitor?""I HAVE helped him," said Thankful quietly.

"But how?" said Major Van Zandt.

"By becoming a traitor myself," she said, turning upon him almost fiercely."Hear me! While you were quietly pacing these halls, while your men were laughing and talking in the road, Caesar was saddling my white mare, the fleetest in the country.He led her to the lane below.That mare is now two miles away, with Capt.

Brewster on her back.Why do you not start, major? Look at me.Iam a traitor, and this is my bribe;" and she drew a package of letters from her bosom, and flung them on the table.

She had been prepared for an outbreak or exclamation from the man before her, but not for his cold silence."Speak," she cried at last, passionately."Speak! Open your lips, if only to curse me!