“But why? Why?” was Jackson’s agonized query.
Sevier rose and paced to the window and back, his brows wrinkled in perplexity. But when he halted at the table again, the furrows on his forehead were ironed out. Placing a hand on Jackson’s shoulder, he said:
“I think I have it. The Creek messenger brought a talk for Tonpit, a writing from McGillivray. Both McGillivray and Tonpit knew what the Legislature intended to do. Tonpit was here to be on the ground. His reward was to be great if he influenced the bulk of the settlers to submit peacefully to Spain’s rule. But McGillivray, in putting everything at stake, feared Tonpit would not stand firm. So, I believe, his message was to demand a hostage, a guarantee that Tonpit would see the matter through to the end. He demanded the girl as the hostage. Her father consented.”
“Good God! Impossible! His own daughter!” choked Jackson.
“Wait a bit. Alexander McGillivray is very much the gentleman. In case of an Indian war, the girl is safer with him than she is in Jonesboro. He won’t harm her. She remains his guest while her father carries out his end of the bargain. The messenger sent the writing to Tonpit through one of the tavern crowd—”
“Hester!”
“But, instead of turning and making tracks for home once the message was delivered, the Creek waited. He came stealthily and even avoided the Cherokee towns. Why should he invite discovery by hanging around on the edge of Jonesboro? Because he was waiting to guide Tonpit and the girl back to the Coosa River. I’ve been down and looked the ground over. He was killed while sitting in a clump of bushes. His slayer’s trail entered the woods from this settlement and then returned here. I followed it both ways until it was lost in the beaten path. Hubbard did it, all right.”
Jackson then rapidly told of his meeting with Thatch, the quarrel between Hester and Polcher and the latter’s bargain for a Cherokee scalp and Thatch’s substitution of the Creek’s hair.
Sevier heard him through in silence until he described the taking of the scalp. Then the borderer exclaimed aloud and cried—
“That’s more important than the disappearance of the girl!”