Dorothy turned white to her lips, and caught hold of the chair nearest to her, while her voice died away in her throat; and Anne, turning, saw at once the effect of her thoughtless words. “Why, Dorothy,” she cried, going straight to her and putting her hands on her shoulders, “you didn’t think I was in earnest—I was joking, of course. You know there’s no danger way off here, and Bobbie is as safe as I am. For heaven’s sake, don’t look like that!” Dorothy smiled faintly, and the color came slowly back to her face. “I don’t know what is the matter, but I have the most curious feeling that something is going to happen—what—what was that?” she cried nervously, catching Anne by the arm. “I’m sure I don’t know,” answered Anne; “but I must say going to get married is having a curious effect on you; now do hurry and get into the wedding garments,” she went on, kissing her hurriedly, “while I go and see who’s arrived. I don’t doubt Bobbie has ‘hollered’ at every house in the neighborhood as he passed by—now hurry, do,” and Anne ran hastily down-stairs, her heart beating a little faster than usual at the noises she heard outside. It was only the Rev. Dr. Miles and family, however, and Colonel and Mrs. Tayloe, with Dr. Trevillian, were welcoming them in hearty, hospitable fashion when she reached the door. “Where is Bobbie?” she called out, almost before speaking; “Didn’t he come with you?” “No; he went on to the court-house,” answered Mrs. Miles, brushing the snow carefully from her best silk gown; “and if poor old Mr. Turpin is in his usual Christmas condition it will take some time to make out what Bobbie wants.” Anne saw the uneasiness Mrs. Tayloe was trying so hard to conceal, and knew that to keep everybody from crying everybody must laugh, and she began in her own inimitable way to start the ball rolling. The Rutherfoords had gotten over, Bobbie having called to them, they said, also Mrs. Trent and her daughter; and Colonel Tayloe and the Doctor were besieged by the women for news of the war. Every household in the county had one or more members in the army, and every item of the life, with all its hardships and its every exciting detail, was eagerly sought after.
Dorothy was still up in her room, now fully dressed for the ceremony. Like a quaint, sweet picture of a day gone by, she stood in her mother’s wedding gown waiting for Bobbie.
Anne Carter held her off at arm’s length and surveyed her critically, from the two provoking little curls that wouldn’t lie smooth under the beautiful veil to the tiny satin slippers that restlessly slipped out now and then under the gown, and then she kissed her hastily. “I never knew before exactly how wickedly good-looking you were, Dorothy Trevillian—it’s a shame to be married with nobody but dear old Dr. Miles and his family, and old Mrs. Rutherfoord and her maidens three, and pious Mrs. Trent and that proper daughter of hers, to see you. Not a man down-stairs except the two fathers. Heigho! what’s that?” In a flash she was gone, and Dorothy, left standing at the open door, listened.
The parlor doors were thrown wide open, and Sallie Tom rushed wildly in. “Gord A’mighty!” she cried hoarsely, clutching first at the Colonel and then at the Doctor, “Gord A’mighty, get out o’ heah, Mars’ Robert, and tek de Doctor wid you—dey done come. Peter Black seen six of ’em down de road whar he gone to look fur Mars’ Bobbie; dey on dere way heah—he heah’d dem talkin’ ’bout how to git heah. For Gord’s sake, hurry up in de loft, top o’ de garret, and I’ll manage so dey won’t fine you. Dey got orders to ’rest you all, and mos’ special Mars’ Bobbie, whar got some papers. Peter Black heah’d ’em say so. Move long, all o’ you, and help put out dese lights and shet dese rooms up, so dey won’t ketch on to nothin’ special. You mus’ tell ’em,” she said, turning to Mrs. Tayloe, who, white as a sheet, was sitting perfectly limp in her chair, “you mus’ tell ’em de parson is a goin’ to tek his Christmas supper wid you, and dese heah friends, too. Go ’long in de libr’y and shet up dis heah part de house.”
Every hand was instantly at work, and in a minute or two only the smoldering fires gave evidence of the rooms having been used. Colonel Tayloe and the Doctor had exchanged a few hurried words. They mortally hated to hide in the loft, but it was their only resource. If found, it would mean new anxiety and disaster to the women. They must take Sallie Tom’s advice.
It took but a minute to reach the garret, and there through an opening she thrust them into a side loft and closed the door, drawing a line filled with old and long-disused garments across it, so that, unless closely inspected, the door was not apt to be seen.
Down-stairs the utmost confusion reigned supreme. Mrs. Tayloe’s chief thought was Bobbie, but by a superhuman effort she managed to conquer herself, and think what was best to be done. The Miles children were crying, but were ordered by Anne to keep quiet, and if they dared speak a word the soldiers would eat them alive.
Quickly the dining room was dispossessed of all the wedding paraphernalia, and only the necessities of a ministerial tea remained.
Dorothy had heard the confusion, and before Anne could reach her the wedding garments were off, and she, in her usual quiet dress, was hurriedly putting them back in the trunks. “They will search the entire house,” she said in answer to Anne’s look of astonishment, “and they must see nothing that would give them an idea of anything unusual going on.”
Dorothy was herself now, quiet and brave, and ready for whatever might await her. The last thing had hardly been put away, the room straightened and the lights lowered, before they heard the muffled sound of horses’ hoofs upon the snow outside, and soon a thunderous knock at the door. Through the blinds they had seen several horsemen, one of whom seemed to be giving directions to the others.