With crestfallen air the youth led Star from the rude stable, and without further conversation they started for the house.
CHAPTER XXVI—TIDE-WATER AGAIN
| “Now all is gone! the stallion made a prey, The few brood mares, and oxen swept away; The Lares,—if the household shrine possessed One little god that pleased above the rest; Mean spoils indeed!” —“Juvenal,” 8th Satire. |
A cry of horror broke from Peggy’s lips as they came in sight of the house. The barns, granaries, smoke-houses, and other dependencies were in flames. Clothing and even furniture were being carted from the dwelling by the soldiery; that which could be carried easily being appropriated by them, and the rest consigned to the fires. At some little distance from the dwelling, pale but composed, bearing herself with the fortitude of a Roman matron, stood Mrs. Weston, surrounded by a group of wailing slaves, her little boy clinging to her skirts. She beckoned the girl to her side when she caught sight of the cousins.
“They are leaving nothing, absolutely nothing,” she whispered. “How we shall sustain life, if that is left us, is a problem I dare not face. They found the cows.”
“Oh,” breathed Peggy. “What shall thee do? And Fairfax?”
“Is undiscovered so far. If the house is not burnt he may remain so. The boy wanted to fight this whole force. I had hard work to convince him of the folly of such a course. And you, Peggy? You will go with your cousin, will you not?”
“Why, how did thee know ’twas my cousin?” queried Peggy in surprise.
“’Tis plain to be seen that he is kin, child. The resemblance is very strong. Perhaps I did wrong, but when he came this afternoon to look over the place as a possible site for some of the army to camp I thought at once that it must be your British cousin. When he told me that his lordship was to make his headquarters at Tilghman’s Ordinary at Hanover Court House, and that the whole of the army would have to be quartered in the near vicinity, I knew what that meant. So I took it upon myself to tell him at once where you were, and sent him in search of you. Go with him, Peggy. The safest place in the state at the present time is in the enemy’s lines. ’Tis the wisest thing to do. And oh, my dear! My dear! don’t start out again alone so long as this awful war continues. Go with your cousin.”
“I fear me that I must,” said the maiden sadly. “But if I do what hope is left me of getting home? After these troops pass on, the road will be clear, will it not? Then what would be the risk for me to start forth? If I could get to our own lines thee knows that all would be well. Surely our army is somewhere near.”