“But she is mine now, thank Heaven! and nothing shall take her from me,” he exclaimed aloud, unmindful of the presence of the negroes, who, confirmed in their impression of his insanity, looked curiously after him as he went down the stairs, down the walk, and out into the street, proceeding with rapid strides towards the dépôt.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE CHASE.
The railroad which passed through W—— was only a branch of the main route leading to Charleston, and consequently there were but two passenger trains each way per day; and as Mr. Delafield’s great object now was to reach Charleston before the boat in which Rose was to sail should leave the landing, it seemed impossible for him to wait until night, for not until then was the next train due. Suddenly he remembered that the express train left Augusta about four o’clock P. M. It was now ten, and he could easily reach it in time for the cars, provided there had been no change in the time table. To ascertain this, therefore, he hastened to the dépôt, where to his dismay he learned that the train left Augusta at two.
But with him to will was to do. Flying rather than walking back to his house, he called out Bill, his coachman, startling him with the inquiry as to whether it would be possible, with his best horses, a span of beautiful dappled greys, which were valued at a thousand dollars, to drive to Augusta in less than four hours.
Besides being naturally lazy and unwilling for exertion of any kind, Bill was also remarkably tender of said greys, who were his pride, and whom he had named Fred and Ferd. On hearing his master’s inquiry, therefore, he looked perfectly aghast, and diving both hands into his matted wool, by way of illustration undoubtedly, replied, “Mighty tough scratchin’, I can tell you, mars’r. Them ponies hain’t been driv, only what I’ve ex’cized ’em for health, for better’n a month, and to run ’em as I’d hev to run ’em, would kill ’em stone dead. No, mars’r, can’t think on’t for a minit,” and as if this were conclusive, and his word the law, Bill stuffed his hands into his bagging trousers, and was walking quietly away, when Mr. Delafield stopped him, saying, “I shall try it at all events. So get out the carriage immediately, and mind you are not over five minutes doing it. Ask some one to help you, if necessary—ho, Jack,” and he called to a ragged mulatto boy who was doing nothing, and bade him assist Bill in harnessing the horses.
Rolling his white eyes in utter astonishment at what seemed to him the folly of his master, Bill began to expostulate, “Lor, mars’er, you kill”——
“Silence, and do as I bid you,” said Mr. Delafield, in a tone which Bill thought best to obey, and sauntering off to the stables, he brought out the ponies, who pranced and pawed the ground, while he admired their flowing manes and smooth shining coats.
Then seeing Jack standing near, ready to help, he haughtily ordered him away, saying, “Nobody but myself is fit to tache these critters. They’d know in a minit if a low-lived nigger like you came a near.”
Nothing loth, Jack walked off, while Bill proceeded leisurely to harness the beautiful animals, talking to them as if they were intelligent beings, and telling them, “never to fear—they wan’t a gwine to be druv to Gusty in two hours, and no sich thing. Bill sot on the box, and ’twas nothin’ to mars’r, who was lollin on the cushions inside.”
At this point he was startled by the voice of Mr. Delafield, who, having hastily packed a few articles in his portmanteau, and written a line to his sister, had come out to superintend in person the movements of his servant, whose peculiarities he perfectly understood.