“Well, my sweetheart,” replied Segwuna, “I shall pray to the Great Spirit to protect you from harm; but there can be only one interpretation of what you have told me,—it means that Mr. Barclugh is in love with you.”
A thunderstorm had arisen from the southwest, while the two girls were occupied in their heart to heart communion, and the two ran into the old mill for protection. The terrific wind and downpour of rain shook the old mill. When the sharp bolts of lightning and the heavy crash of thunder seemed very near, Mollie clutched Segwuna by the arm, and hung to her spasmodically, as fear seemed to multiply in her already much agitated breast.
When Segwuna turned at last to leave for her mother’s lodge, she kissed Mollie on the cheek, and whispered gently:
“Segwuna will pray to her Great Spirit to protect her sweetheart from all harm. Good night, darling.”
CHAPTER XXIX
Barclugh took his meals regularly at the Boar’s Head Tavern, and lived industriously attending to his plot, and to his speculations in privateering.
He was busy organizing his bank, the capital of which was mostly subscribed and whose charter was drawn and placed before the Council of Pennsylvania for legal authority to do business. The corporation was to be known as the Bank of North America; Thomas Milling was to be its first President. Every detail was copied as closely after the corporation of the Bank of England as possible; that was Barclugh’s plan.
If Barclugh had confined himself to his plot with Arnold and to his plans in financiering, he would have been better off. But the allurements of commerce had also attracted his attention.