Chapter Twenty.. Frontier Justice
I was not allowed long to enjoy the sweets of home. A few days after my arrival, I received an order to repair to Fort King, the Seminole agency, and head-quarters of the army of Florida. General Clinch there commanded. I was summoned upon his staff.
Not without chagrin, I prepared to obey the order. It was hard to part so soon from those who dearly loved me, and from whom I had been so long separated. Both mother and sister were overwhelmed with grief at my going. Indeed they urged me to resign my commission, and remain at home.
Not unwillingly did I listen to their counse I had no heart in the cause in which I was called forth; but at such a crisis I dared not follow their advice: I should have been branded as a traitor – a coward. My country had commissioned me to carry a sword. I must wield it, whether the cause be just or unjust – whether to my liking or not. This is called patriotism!
There was yet another reason for my reluctance to part from home. I need hardly declare it. Since my return, my eyes had often wandered over the lake – often rested on that fair island. Oh, I had not forgotten her!
I can scarcely analyse my feelings. They were mingled emotions. Young love triumphant over older passions – ready to burst forth from the ashes that had long shrouded it – young love penitent and remorseful – doubt, jealousy, apprehension. All these were active within me.
Since my arrival, I had not dared to go forth. I observed that my mother was still distrustful. I had not dared even to question those who might have satisfied me. I passed those few days in doubt, and at intervals under a painful presentiment that all was not well.
Did Maümee still live? Was she true? True! Had she reason? Had she ever loved me?
There were those near who could have answered the first question; but I feared to breathe her name, even to the most intimate.
Bidding adieu to my mother and sister, I took the route. These were not left alone: my maternal uncle – their guardian – resided upon the plantation. The parting moments were less bitter, from the belief that I should soon return. Even if the anticipated campaign should last for any considerable length of time, the scene of my duties would lie near, and I should find frequent opportunities of revisiting them.
My uncle scouted the idea of a campaign, as so did every one. “The Indians,” he said, “would yield to the demands of the commissioner. Fools, if they didn’t!”
Fort King was not distant; it stood upon Indian ground – fourteen miles within the border, though further than that from our plantation. A day’s journey would bring me to it; and in company of my cheerful “squire,” Black Jake, the road would not seem long. We bestrode a pair of the best steeds the stables afforded, and were both armed cap-à-pié.
We crossed the ferry at the upper landing, and rode within the “reserve”1. The path – it was only a path – ran parallel to the creek, though not near its banks. It passed through the woods, some distance to the rear of Madame Powell’s plantation.
When opposite to the clearing, my eyes fell upon the diverging track. I knew it wel I had oft trodden it with swelling heart.
I hesitated – halted. Strange thoughts careered through my bosom; resolves half-made, and suddenly abandoned. The rein grew slack, and then tightened. The spur threatened the ribs of my horse, but failed to strike.
“Shall I go? Once more behold her. Once more renew those sweet joys of tender love? Once more – Ha, perhaps it is too late! I might be no longer welcome – if my reception should be hostile? Perhaps – ”
“Wha’ you doin’ dar, Massr George? Daat’s not tha’ road to tha fort.”
“I know that, Jake; I was thinking of making a call at Madame Powell’s plantation.”
“Mar’m Powell plantayshun! Gollys! Massr George – daat all you knows ’bout it?”
“About what?” I inquired with anxious heart.
“Dar’s no Mar’m Powell da no more; nor hain’t a been, since better’n two year – all gone clar ’way.”
“Gone away? Where?”
“Daat dis chile know nuffin ’bout. S’pose da gone some other lokayshun in da rezav; made new clarin somewha else.”
“And who lives here now?”
“Dar ain’t neery one lib tha now: tha ole house am desarted.”
“But why did Madame Powell leave it?”
“Ah – daat am a quaw story. Gollys! you nebber hear um, Massr George?”
“No – never.”
“Den I tell um. But s’pose, massr, we ride on. I am a gettin’ a little lateish, an’ ’twont do nohow to be cotch arter night in tha woods.”
I turned my horse’s head and advanced along the main road, Jake riding by my side. With aching heart, I listened to his narrative.
“You see, Massr George, ’twar all o’ Massr Ringgol – tha ole boss2 daat am – an’ I blieve tha young ’un had ’im hand in dat pie, all same, like tha ole ’un. Waal, you see Mar’m Pow’ll she loss some niggas dat war ha slaves. Dey war stole from ha, an’ wuss dan stole. Dey war tuk, an’ by white men, massr. Tha be folks who say dat Mass’ Ringgol – he know’d more ’n anybody else ’bout tha whole bizness. But da rubb’ry war blamed on Ned Spence an’ Bill William. Waal, Mar’m, Powell she go to da law wi’ dis yar Ned an’ Bill; an’ she ’ploy Massr Grubb tha big lawyer dat lib down tha ribba. Now Massr Grubb, he great friend o’ Massr Ringgol, an’ folks do say dat boaf de two put tha heads together to cheat dat ar Indyen ’ooman.”
“How?”
“Dis chile don’t say for troof, Massr George; he hear um only from da black folks: tha white folks say diffrent. But I hear um from Mass’ Ringgol’s own nigga woodman – Pomp, you know Massr, George? an’ he say that them ar two bosses did put tha heads together to cheat dat poor Indyen ’ooman.”
“In what way, Jake?” I asked impatiently.
“Waal, you see, Massr George, da lawya he want da Indyen sign ha name to some paper – power ob ’turney, tha call am, I believe. She sign; she no read tha writin. Whuch! daat paper war no power ob ’turney: it war what tha lawyas call a ‘bill ob sale’.”
“Ha!”
“Yes, Massr George, dat’s what um war; an’ by dat same bill ob sale all Mar’m Pow’ll’s niggas an’ all ha plantation-clarin war made ober to Massr Grubb.”
“Atrocious scoundrel?”
“Massr Grubb he swar he bought ’em all, an’ paid for ’em in cash dollar. Mar’m Pow’ll she swar de berry contr’y. Da judge he decide for Massr Grubb, ’kase great Massr Ringgoh he witness; an’ folks do say Massr Ringgol now got dat paper in um own safe keeping an’ war at tha bottom ob tha whole bizness.”
“Atrocious scoundrels! oh, villains! But tell me, Jake, what became of Madame Powell?”
“Shortly arter, tha all gone ’way – nob’dy know wha. Da mar’m haself an’ dat fine young fellur you know, an’ da young Indyen gal dat ebbery body say war so good-lookin’ – yes, Massr George, tha all gone ’way.”
At that moment an opening in the woods enabled me to catch a glimpse of the old house. There it stood in all its grey grandeur, still embowered in the midst of beautiful groves of orange and olive. But the broken fence – the tall weeds standing up against the walls – the shingles here and there missing from the roof – all told the tale of ruin.
There was ruin in my heart, as I turned sorrowing away.