“A coward and traitor always seeks for some excuse for his baseness!” said Vale.
“He is a spy, for he calls me traitor. Soldiers, you are armed—will you take him, or shall he be allowed to escape? I have reason to fear he is not alone on these premises. Off to the guard-house with him, quick!” said Tim, white with rage and fear.
Two soldiers stepped forward to seize him. Two pistols flashed in their faces, and the men fell back, wounded and stunned.
In an instant a half-dozen men were on the patriot, and, bearing him to the floor, secured him after a struggle which proved how great was the strength and will of the young boy.
In the melee, Turner escaped; and when John arose to his feet, with his arms bound behind him, his eyes sought in vain for the traitor.
“Your friend ’as concluded to ’elp hus,” remarked Blanchard, rather humorously inclined, “by making tracks for the lines. The ’ole garrison will soon be here; so come along young chap, hand we’ll show you the hinterior of has good a bake-hoven as you hever grinned hover.”
And amid the laughs and jeers of the crowd, John was forced away to the guard cells.
CHAPTER XI.
THE CAPTOR AND THE CAPTIVE.
Two days have passed since Catherine was made a prisoner. She has seen no one but the old negress. Her room was only lighted by a lamp, every ray of the sun having been carefully shut out. Several times she had thought of attempting to overpower the negress, but, though old, that personage promised no easy victory; and then, though no other person had entered the room, yet the steps of some one were always heard accompanying the colored woman on her journey up the stairs. If Kate should even be successful in the attempt to overpower the negress, she knew not whom she might meet in her flight from the room. Environed by guards, her only resource was to place herself in the hands of Providence and await the end.
Seated by the table, her head resting upon her arms, her mind absorbed in its own misery, Kate scarce heard the noise made by the opening of her door. The sharp click of the bolt as it was shot back to its place by the turning of the key, however, startled her; and when her eyes, all red and swollen from weeping, were raised, they fell upon the form of a man, standing by the door with the key in his hand. At the first glance she did not recognize him, for he was clad in a long cloak, while his hat was drawn down over his eyes; but, when he threw back his cloak, and removed his hat, she exclaimed, in the agony of her surprise, “Captain Preston!”