The Purchase Price; Or, The Cause of Compromise Read online

  E-text prepared by Al Haines

  THE PURCHASE PRICE

  OR, THE CAUSE OF COMPROMISE

  By

  EMERSON HOUGH

  AUTHOR OFTHE MISSISSIPPI BUBBLE54-40 OR FIGHT

  WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY

  M. LEONE BRACKER AND EDMUND FREDERICK

  1910

  TO

  HON. ALBERT J. BEVERIDGEA PROGRESSIVE IN THE CAUSE OFACTUAL FREEDOM

  CONTENTS

  Chapter I A LADY IN COMPANY II THE GATEWAY AND SOME WHO PASSED III THE QUESTION IV THE GAME V SPOLIA OPIMA VI THE NEW MASTER VII A CONFUSION IN CHATTELS VIII THE SHADOW CABINET IX TALLWOODS X FREE AND THRALL XI THE GARMENTS OF ANOTHER XII THE NIGHT XIII THE INVASION XIV THE ARGUMENT XV THE ARBITRAMENT XVI THE ADJUDICATION XVII THE LADY AT TALLWOODS XVIII ON PAROLE XIX THE ENEMY XX THE ART OF DOCTOR JAMIESON XXI THE PAYMENT XXII THE WAY OF A MAID XXIII IN WASHINGTON XXIV IN THE NAME OF ALTRUISM XXV THE ARTFUL GENTLEMAN PROM KENTUCKY XXVI THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN FROM NEW YORK XXVII A SPLENDID FAILUREXXVIII IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT XXIX IN OLD ST. GENEVIEVE XXX THE TURNCOAT XXXI THE SPECTER IN THE HOUSE

  CHAPTER I

  A LADY IN COMPANY

  "Madam, you are charming! You have not slept, and yet you smile.No man could ask a better prisoner."

  She turned to him, smiling faintly.

  "I thank you. At least we have had breakfast, and for such mercy Iam grateful to my jailer. I admit I was famished. What now?"

  With just the turn of a shoulder she indicated the water front,where, at the end of the dock on which they stood, lay the goodship, _Mount Vernon_, river packet, the black smoke already pouringfrom her stacks. In turn he smiled and also shrugged a shoulder.

  "Let us not ask! My dear lady, I could journey on for ever withone so young and pleasant as yourself. I will give you my promisein exchange for your parole."

  Now her gesture was more positive, her glance flashed more keenlyat him. "Do not be too rash," she answered. "My parole runs onlywhile we travel together privately. As soon as we reach coach orboat, matters will change. I reserve the right of any prisoner tosecure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I shallendeavor, believe me--and in my own way."

  He frowned as she presently went on to make herself yet more clear."It was well enough when we traveled in our own private express,from Washington here to Pittsburgh for then there was no chance forescape. I gave my parole, because it pleased you and did notjeopardize myself. Here my jailer may perhaps have some troublewith me."

  "You speak with the courage and fervor of the true leader of acause. Madam," he rejoined, now smiling. "What evil days arethese on which I have fallen--I, a mere soldier obeying orders!Not that I have found the orders unpleasant; but it is not fair ofyou to bring against mankind double weapons! Such is not the usageof civilized warfare. Dangerous enough you are as woman alone,without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problemswhich men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves."

  "Arrogate is quite the right word. It is especially fit for ajailer."

  This time the shaft went home. The florid countenance of youngCaptain Carlisle flushed yet ruddier beneath its tan. His lips setstill more tightly under the scant reddish mustache. With agesture of impatience he lifted his military hat and passed a handover the auburn hair which flamed above his white forehead. Hisslim figure stiffened even as his face became more stern. Clad inthe full regimentals of his rank, he made a not unmanly figure ashe stood there, though hardly taller than this splendid woman whomhe addressed--a woman somewhat reserved, mocking, enigmatic; but,as he had said, charming. That last word of description had beeneasy for any man who had seen her, with her long-lashed dark eyes,her clear cheek just touched with color, her heavy dark hairimpossible to conceal even under its engulfing bonnet, her whollyexquisite and adequate figure equally unbanished even by the tryingcostume of the day. She stood erect, easy, young, strong, fit tolive; and that nature had given her confidence in herself wasevidenced now in the carriage of head and body as she walked to andfro, pausing to turn now and then, impatient, uneasy, like somecaged creature, as lithe, as beautiful, as dangerous and aspuzzling in the matter of future conduct. Even as he removed hiscap, Carlisle turned to her, a man's admiration in his eyes, agentleman's trouble also there.

  Carlisle turned, a man's admiration in his eyes]

  "My dear Countess St. Auban," said he, more formally, "I wish thatyou might never use that word with me again,--jailer! I am onlydoing my duty as a soldier. The army has offered to it all sortsof unpleasant tasks. They selected me as agent for yourdisappearance because I am an army officer. I had no option, Imust obey. In my profession there is not enough fighting, and toomuch civilian work, police work, constable work, detective work.There are fools often for officers, and over them politicians whoare worse fools, sometimes. Well, then, why blame a simple fellowlike me for doing what is given him to do? I have not liked theduty, no matter how much I have enjoyed the experience. Now, withpuzzles ended and difficulties beginning, you threaten to make myunhappy lot still harder!"

  "Why did you bring me here?"

  "That I do not know. I could not answer you even did I know."

  "And why did I come?" she mused, half to herself.

  "Nor can I say that. Needs must when the devil drives; and HisMajesty surely was on the box and using his whip-hand, two daysago, back in Washington. Your own sense of fairness will admit asmuch as that."

  She threw back her head like a restless horse, blooded, mettlesome,and resumed her pacing up and down, her hands now clasped behindher back.

  "When I left the carriage with my maid Jeanne, there," she resumedat length; "when I passed through that dark train shed at midnight,I felt that something was wrong. When the door of the railwaycoach was opened I felt that conviction grow. When you met me--thefirst time I ever saw you, sir,--I felt my heart turn cold."

  "Madam!"

  "And when the door of the coach closed on myself and my maid,--whenwe rolled on away from the city, in spite of all I could do orsay--, why, then, sir, you were my jailer. Have matters changedsince then?"

  "Madam, from the first you were splendid! You showed pure courage.'I am a prisoner!' you cried at first--not more than that. But yousaid it like a lady, a noblewoman. I admired you then because youfaced me--whom you had never seen before--with no more fear thanhad I been a private and you my commanding officer."

  "Fear wins nothing."

  "Precisely. Then let us not fear what the future may have for us.I have no directions beyond this point,--Pittsburg. I was to takeboat here, that was all. I was to convey you out into the West,somewhere, anywhere, no one was to know where. And someway,anyway, my instructions were, I was to lose you--to lose you.Madam, in plain point of fact. And now, at the very time I amindiscreet enough to tell you this much, you make my cheerful taskthe more difficult by saying that you must be regarded only as aprisoner of war!"

  Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatevershowing in her dark eyes. The clear light of the bright autumnmorning had no terrors for youth and health like hers. She putback a truant curl from her forehead where it had sought egress tothe world, and looked him full in the face now, drawing a deepbreath which caused the round of her bosom to lift the lace at herthroat. Then, woman-like, she did the unlocked for, and laughed athim, a low, full ripple of wholesome laughter, which evoked again awave of color to his sensitive face. Josephine St. Auban was aprisoner,--a prisoner of state, in fact, and such by orders notunderstood by herself, although, as
she knew very well, a prisonerwithout due process of law. Save for this tearful maid who stoodyonder, she was alone, friendless. Her escape, her safety even,lay in her own hands. Yet, even now, learning for the first timethis much definitely regarding the mysterious journey into whichshe had been entrapped--even now, a prisoner held fast in somestern and mysterious grasp whose reason and whose nature she couldnot know--she laughed, when she should have wept!

  "My instructions were to take you out beyond this point," went onCarlisle; "and then I was to lose you, as I have said. I have hadno definite instructions as to how that should be done, my dearCountess." His eyes twinkled as he stiffened to his full heightand almost met the level of her own glance.

  "The agent who conveyed my orders to me--he comes from Kentucky,you see--said to me that while I could not bow-string you, it wouldbe quite proper to put you in a sack and throw you overboard.'Only,' said he to me, 'be careful that this sack be tightly tied;and be sure to drop her only where the water is deepest. And forGod's sake, my dear young man,' he said to me, 'be sure that you donot drop her anywhere along the coast of my own state of Kentucky;for if you do, she will untie the sack and swim ashore into myconstituency, where I have trouble enough without the Countess St.Auban, active abolitionist, to increase it. Trouble '--said he tome--'thy name is Josephine St. Auban!'

  "My dear lady, to that last, I agree. But, there you have myorders. You are, as may be seen, close to the throne, so far as wehave thrones in this country."

  "Then I am safe until we get below the Kentucky shore?" she queriedcalmly.

  "I beg you not to feel disturbed,--" he began.

  "Will you set me down at Louisville?"

  "Madam, I can not."

  "You have not been hampered with extraordinary orders. You havejust said, the carte blanche is in your hands."

  "I have no stricter orders at any time than those I take from myown conscience, Madam. I must act for your own good as well as forthat of others."

  Her lip curled now. "Then not even this country is free! Evenhere there are secret tribunals. Even here there are hired bravos."

  "Ah, Madam, please, not that! I beg of you--"

  "Excellently kind of you all, to care so tenderly for me--andyourselves! I, only a woman, living openly, with ill will fornone, paying ray own way, violating no law of the land--"

  "Your words are very bitter, Madam."

  "The more bitter because they are true. You will release me thenat Cairo, below?"

  "I can not promise, Madam. You would be back in Washington by thefirst boats and trains."

  "So, the plot runs yet further? Perhaps you do not stop this sidethe outer ways of the Mississippi? Say, St. Louis, New Orleans?"

  "Perhaps even beyond those points," he rejoined grimly. "I make nopromises, since you yourself make none."

  "What are your plans, out there, beyond?"

  "You ask it frankly, and with equal frankness I say I do not know.Indeed, I am not fully advised in all this matter. It wasimperative to get you out of Washington, and if so, it is equallyimperative to keep you out of Washington. At least for a time I amobliged to construe my carte blanche in that way, my dear lady.And as I say, my conscience is my strictest officer."

  "Yes," she said, studying his face calmly with her steady dark eyes.

  It was a face sensitive, although bony and lined; stern, though itsowner still was young. She noticed the reddish hair and beard, theflorid skin, the blue eye set deep--a fighting eye, yet that of avisionary.

  "You are a fanatic," she said.

  "That is true. You, yourself, are of my own kind. You would killme without tremor, if you had orders, and I--"

  "You would do as much!"

  "You are of my kind, Madam. Yes; we both take orders from our ownsouls. And that we think alike in many ways I am already sure."

  "None the less--"

  "None the less, I can not agree to set you down at Cairo, or at anyintermediate point. I will only give my promise in return for yourown parole. That, I would take as quickly as though it were theword of any officer; but you do not give it."

  "No, I do not. I am my own mistress. I am going to escape as soonas I can."

  He touched his cap in salute. "Very well, then. I flatteredmyself we had done well together thus far--you have made it easy.But now--no, no, I will not say it. I would rather see you defiantthan to have you weaken. I love courage, and you have it. Thatwill carry you through. It will keep you clean and safe as well."

  Her face clouded for the first time.

  "I have not dared to think of that," she said. "So long as we camein the special train, with none to molest or make me afraid--afraidwith that fear which a woman must always have--we did well enough,as I have said; but now, here in the open, in public, before theeyes of all, who am I, and who are you to me? I am not yourmother?"

  "Scarcely, at twenty three or four." He pursed a judicial lip.

  "Nor your sister?"

  "No."

  The _Mount Vernon_]

  "Nor your wife?"

  "No." He flushed here, although he answered simply.

  "Nor your assistant in any way?"

  His face lighted suddenly.

  "Why not?" said he. "Can't you be my amanuensis,--that sort ofthing, you see? Come, we must think of this. This is where myconscience hurts me--I can't bear to have _my_ duty hurt _you_.That, my dear Countess, cuts me to the quick. You will believethat, won't you?"

  "Yes, I believe that. Jeanne," she motioned to her maid who stoodapart all this time, "my wrap, please. I find the air cool. Whenthe body is weak or worn, my dear sir, the mind is not at its best;and I shall need all my wits."

  "But you do not regard me as your enemy?"

  "I am forced to do so. Personally, I thank you; professionally, Imust fight you. Socially, I must be--what did you say,--youramanuensis? So! We are engaged in a great work, a treatise on ourriver fortifications, perhaps? But since when did army officersafford the luxury of amanuenses in this simple republic? Does yourVehmgerichte pay such extraordinary expenses? Does your carteblanche run so far as that also?"

  "You must not use such terms regarding the government of thiscountry," he protested. "Our administration does not suit me, butit has pleased a majority of our people, else it would not be inpower, and it is no Vehmgerichte, The law of self preservationobtains in this country as with all nations, even in Europe. Butwe have planned no confiscation of your property, nor threatenedany forfeiture of your life."

  "No, you have only taken away that which is dearer than anythingelse, that which your government guarantees to every human being inthis country--liberty!"

  "And even that unconstitutional point shall remain such no longerthan I can help, Madam. Do not make our journey longer by leavingit more difficult. God knows, I am beset enough even as it is now.But be sure our Vehmgerichte, as you are pleased to call it, shallnever, at least while I am its agent, condemn you to any situationunsuited to a gentlewoman. A very high compliment has been paidyou in holding you dangerous because of your personal charm. It istrue, Madam, that is why you were put out of Washington--becauseyou were dangerous. They thought you could get the ear of anyman--make him divulge secrets which he ought to keep--if you justasked him to do it--for the sake of Josephine St. Auban!" Hejerked out his sentences, as though habitual reticence and lack ofacquaintance with women left it difficult for him to speak, eventhus boldly.

  "Oh, thank you, thank you!" She clapped her hands together,mockingly.

  "Before now, women less beautiful than you have robbed men of theirreason, have led them to do things fatal as open treason to theircountry. These men were older than you or I. Perhaps, as youwill agree, they were better able to weigh the consequences. Youare younger than they, younger than I, myself; but you arecharming--and you are young. Call it cruel of me, if you like, totake you by the hand and lead you gently away from that sort ofdanger for just a few days. Call me jailer, if
you like. None theless it is my duty, and I shall call it in part a kindness to youto take you away from scenes which might on both sides bedangerous. Some of the oldest and best minds of this country havefelt--"

  "At least those minds were shrewd in choosing their agent," sherejoined. "Yes; you are fanatic, that is plain. You will obeyorders. And you have not been much used to women. That makes itharder for me. Or easier!" She smiled at him again, very blithefor a prisoner.

  "It ought to have been held down to that," he began disconsolately,"I should have been all along professional only. It began wellwhen you gave me your parole, so that I need not sit nodding andblinking, over against you also nodding and blinking all nightlong. Had you been silly, as many women would have been, you couldnot this morning be so fresh and brilliant--even though you tell meyou have not slept, which seems to me incredible. I myself sleptlike a boy, confident in your word. Now, you have banished sleep!Nodding and blinking, I must henceforth watch you, nodding--andblinking, unhappy, uncomfortable; whereas, were it in my power, Iwould never have you know the first atom of discomfort."

  "There, there! I am but an amanuensis, my dear Captain Carlisle."

  He colored almost painfully, but showed his own courage. "I onlyadmire the wisdom of the Vehmgerichte. They knew you weredangerous, and I know it. I have no hope, should I become too muchoppressed by lack of sleep, except to follow instructions, and castyou overboard somewhere below Kentucky!"

  "You ask me not to attempt any escape?"

  "Yes."

  "Why, I would agree to as much as that. It is, as you say, amatter of indifference to me whether I leave the boat at Cairo orat some point farther westward. Of course I would return toWashington as soon as I escaped from bondage."

  "Excellent, Madam! Now, please add that you will not attempt tocommunicate with any person on the boat or on shore."

  "No; that I will not agree to as a condition."

  "Then still you leave it very hard for me."

  She only smiled at him again, her slow, deliberate smile; yet therewas in it no trace of hardness or sarcasm. Keen as her mindassuredly was, as she smiled she seemed even younger, perhaps fouror five and twenty at most. With those little dimples now ripplingfrankly into view at the corners of her mouth, she was almostgirlish in her expression, although the dark eyes above,long-lashed, eloquent, able to speak a thousand tongues into shame,showed better than the small curving lips the well-poised woman ofthe world.

  Captain Edward Carlisle, soldier as he was, martinet as he was,felt a curious sensation of helplessness seize upon him as he mether, steady gaze, her alluring smile; he could not tell what thisprisoner might do. He cursed the fate which had assigned such aduty, cursed especially that fate which forced a gallant soldier tomeet so superb a woman as this under handicap so hard. For almostthe first time since they had met they were upon the point ofawkwardness. Light speech failed them for the moment, the gravityof the situation began to come home to both of them. Indeed, whowere they? What were they to the public under whose notice theymight fall--indeed, must fall? There was no concealing face andfigure of a woman such as this; no, not in any corner of the world,though she were shrouded in oriental veil. Nay, were she indeedtied in a sack and flung into the sea, yet would she arise to maketrouble for mankind until her allotted task should be complete!How could they two answer any question which might arise regardingtheir errand, or regarding their relations as they stood, here atthe gateway of the remoter country into which they were departing?How far must their journey together continue? What would be saidregarding them?

  Carlisle found it impossible to answer such questions. She herselfonly made the situation the more difficult with her high-headeddefiance of him.

  Hesitating, the young officer turned his gaze over the wide dock,now covered with hurrying figures, with massed traffic, with theconfusion preceding the departure of a river boat. Teamsthundered, carts trundled here and there, shoutings of many minorcaptains arose. Those who were to take passage on the packethurried forward, to the gangway, so occupied in their own affairsas to have small time to examine their neighbors. The veryconfusion for the time seemed to afford safety. Carlisle was uponthe point of drawing a long breath of relief; but even as he turnedto ask his companion to accompany him aboard the boat he caughtsight of an approaching figure which he seemed to recognize. Hewould have turned away, but the keen-witted woman at his sidefollowed his gaze and paused. There approached these two now, hatin hand, a gentleman who evidently intended to claim acquaintance.

  This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemedstriking. In complexion fair, and with blue or gray eyes, he wastall as any Viking, as broad in the shoulder. He was smooth-faced,and his fresh skin and well-developed figure bespoke the man ingood physical condition through active exercise, yet well contentwith the world's apportionment. His limbs were long, his handsbony and strong. His air, of self-confident assurance, seemed thatof a man well used to having his own way. His forehead was highand somewhat rugged. Indeed, all his features were in large mold,like the man himself, as though he had come from a day when skingarments made the proper garb of men. As though to keep up thisair of an older age, his long fair hair was cut almost square, lowdown on the neck, as though he were some Frank fresh from theancient forests. Over the forehead also this square cut wasaffected, so that, as he stood, large and confident, not quite_outre_, scarce eccentric, certainly distinguished in appearance,he had a half-savage look, as though ignorant or scornful of thetenderer ways of civilization. A leader this man might be, a poorfollower always.

  Yet the first words he uttered showed the voice and diction of agentleman. "My dear Captain," he began, extending his hand as heapproached, "I am indeed charmed! What a delight to see you againin our part of the world! I must claim the pleasure of having metyou once--two years ago, in St. Louis. Are you again on your wayto the frontiers?"

  The tone of inquiry in his voice was just short of curious, indeedmight have been called expectant. His gaze, admiring yet polite,had not wholly lost opportunity to list the attractions of thislady, whose name had not yet been given him.

  The gentleman accosted declined to be thus definite; adding only,after the usual felicitations, "Yes, we are going down the river alittle way on the Vernon here."

  "For some distance?"

  "For quite a distance."

  "At least, this is not your first journey down our river?"

  "I wish it might be the last. The railway is opening up a newworld to us. The stage-coach is a thing of the past."

  "I wish it might be, for me!" rejoined the stranger."Unfortunately, I am obliged to go West from here over the NationalRoad, to look at some lands I own out in Indiana. I very muchregret--"

  There was by this time yet more expectancy in his voice. He stillbowed, with respectful glances bent upon the lady. No presentationcame, although in the easy habit of the place and time, suchcourtesy might perhaps have been expected. Why this stiffnessamong fellow travelers on a little river packet?

  He still bowed, with respectful glances.]

  The tall man was not without a certain grave audacity. A look ofamusement came to his face as he gazed at the features of theother, now obviously agitated, and not a little flushed.

  "I had not known that your sister--" he began. His hand thusforced, the other was obliged to reply: "No, the daughter of an oldfriend of mine, you see--we are _en voyage_ together for thewestern country. It has simply been my fortune to travel incompany with the lady. I present you, my dear sir, to Miss Barren.My dear Miss Barren, this is State Senator Warville Dunwody, ofMissouri. We are of opposite camps in politics."

  The tall man bowed still more deeply. Meantime, Josephine St.Auban in her own way had taken inventory of the new-comer. Hercompanion hastily sought to hold matters as they were.

  "My dear Senator Dunwody," he said, "we were just passing down tothe boat to see that the luggage is aboard. With you, I regre
tvery much that your journey takes you from us."

  The sudden consternation which sat upon Dunwody's face was almostamusing. He was very willing to prolong this conversation. Intohis soul there had flashed the swift conviction that never in hislife had he seen a woman so beautiful as this. Yet all he could dowas to smile and bow adieu.

  "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, asthey parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him onin Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now againstMr. Benton out there. A strong man--a strong one; and a heedless."

  "Of what party is he?" she inquired, as though casually.

  "What a man's party is in these days," was his answer, "issomething hard to say. A man like Dunwody is pretty much his ownparty, although the Bentonites call him a 'soft Democrat.' Hardlysoft he seems, when he gets in action at the state capital ofMissouri yonder. Certainly Dunwody is for war and tumult. None ofthis late weak-kneed compromise for him! To have his own way--thatis Dunwody's creed of life. I thank God he is not going with usnow. He might want his own way with you, from the fashion of hisglances. Did you see? My word!" Young Carlisle fumed a shademore than might have seemed necessary for military reasons.

  Josephine St. Auban turned upon him with her slow smile, composedlylooking at him from between her long, dark lashes.

  "Why do you say that?" she inquired.

  "Because it is the truth. I don't want him about."

  "Then you will be disappointed."

  "Why do you say that? Did you not hear him say that he was goingWest by coach from here?"

  "You did not give him time. He is not going West by coach."

  "What do you mean?"

  "He will be with us on the boat!"