Phoebe Deane (39 page)

As soon as he had ceased speaking David and Marcia stepped up with congratulations.

There was a little stir among the guests; the guilty ones melted away faster than they had gathered, each one anxious to get out without being noticed.

The Bristol coach, drawn by two white horses, with coachman and footman in livery, drew up before the door, Nathaniel lianded Phoebe in and they were driven away in triumph, the guests that they passed shrinking out of sight into their vehicles as far as possible.

Albert and Emmeline looked into each other's dazed faces; then turned to the old housekeeper, and the row of little Greens, their faces abnormally shining from unusual contact with soap and water, and asked in concert:

"But where is Hiram?"

Miranda, as she rode guilelessly in the carryall with Mrs. Spafford, answered the same question from that lady, with:

" Whar d' you s'pose ? I let him in the spring-house airly this mornin'! "

Then David Spafford laid down upon his knee the reins of the old gray horse, and laughed, loud and long; could not stop laughing; and all day long it kept breaking out, as he remembered Miranda's innocent look, and thought of Hiram Green, wrathful and helpless, shut in his own spring-house while his wedding went on without him.

There was a wedding breakfast elaborate and giiy at Judge Bristol's, presided over by Janet, who seemed as happy as though she had planned the match herself, and whose smiling wishes were carried out immediately by Martin Van Kensselaer.

There was one more duty for Nathaniel to perform before he took his bride away to a happier home. He must find and face Hiram Green.

So, leaving Phoebe in the care of Mrs. Spafford and his cousin Janet, and himself accompanied by his uncle, Martin Van Rensselaer, and Lemuel Skinner in the capacity of village constable, he got into the family carryall and drove out to Hiram's farm.

Now Nathaniel had not been idle during the Sabbath which intervened between his coming back to the village and his marriage. Aside from the time he spent at the morning church service, he had been doing a Sabbath day's work which he felt would stand well to his account.

He had carefully questioned several of the best known gossips in the village with regard to the story about Phoebe. He had asked keen questions that gave him a plain clue to the whole diabolical plot.

His first act had been to mount his fast horse, and ride out to Ann Jane Bloodgood's, where he had a full account of Phoebe's visit together with a number of missionary items which would have met with more of his attention at another time. Possessed of several valuable facts he had gone pretty straight to most of the houses which Hiram had visited on the first afternoon when he scattered the seed of scandal, and facing the embarrassed scandal-mongers, Nathaniel had made them tell just who had been the first to speak to them of this. In every case after a careful sifting down each owned that Hiram himself had told them the first word. If Nathaniel had not been a lawyer, and keen at his calling, he might not have been able so well and so quickly to have followed the story to its source, as he did. Possibly his former encounter with Hiram Green, and his knowledge of many of his acts, helped in unravelling the mystery.

The old housekeeper and the little Greens had not been at home long when the carryall drew up in front of the door, and the four men got out.

" I been everywhere but to the spring-house," said the housekeeper, shaking her head dolefully, "an' I can't find trace of him nowhar. 'Tain't likely he'd be in the spring- house, fer the door is shet an' fastened. I ken see the button from the buttery winder. It's the way I allus tell when he's comin' in to breakfast. It's my 'pinion he's clared out 'cause he don't want to marry that gal, that's what I think."

" When did you last see Mr. Green ?" questioned the Judge, sternly.

" Why, I seen him take the milk pails an' go down towards the barn to milk, an' I aint' seen him sence. I thought 'twar queer he didn't come eat his breakfast, but he's kinder on- certain thet way, so I hurried up an' got off to he'p Mis' Deane."

" Have the cows been milked ? " The Judge's voice ignored the old woman's elaborate explanations.

" The hired man, he says Bo. I ain't ben down to look myself."

"Where are the milk pails?"

" Well, now, I ain't thought to look."

"What does he usually do with the milk? He surely has not taken that with him. Did he bring it in? That ought to give us a clue."

" He most gen'rally takes it straight to the spring-house " began the old woman.

" Let us go to the spring-house," said Nathaniel.

" I don't see what business 'tis o' yourn," complained the old woman, but they were already on the way, so after a moment's hesitation she threw her apron around her shoulders and went after them. The row of little Greens followed, a curious and perplexed little procession, ready for any scene of interest that might be about to open before them, even though it involved their unloving father.

It was Lemuel Skinner, with his cherry lips pursed importantly, who stepped forward by virtue of his office, turned the wooden button, drew out the peg, pulled off the hasp, and threw the heavy door open.

Out stumbled Hiram Green, half blinded by the light, and rubbing his eyes.

" Mr. Green, we have called to see you on a matter of importance," began Lemuel apologetically, quite as if it were the custom to meet householders on the threshold of their spring-houses.

" Sorry I can't wait to hear it," swaggered Hiram, blinking, and trying to make out who these men were. " I got 'n engagement. Fact is, I'm goin' to be married, an' I'm late a'ready. I'll hev to be excused, Lem!"

" It's quite unnecessary, Mr. Green," said Lemuel, putting out a detaining hand excitedly; " quite unnecessary, I assure you. The wedding is all over. You're not expected any more."

Hiram stood back and surveyed Lemuel with contempt.

" Gosh Ninety! " he sneered. " How could that be when I wan't thar ? I guess you didn't know I was goin' to marry Phoebe Deane. I'm right sure there wouldn't no one else marry her."

Nathaniel stepped forward, his face white with indignation.

" You are speaking of my wife, Mr. Green," he said, and his voice was enough to arrest the attention of even the self- complacency of a Hiram Green. " Let me never hear you speak of her in that way again. She did not at any moment in her life intend to marry you. You know that well, though you have tried to weave a web of falsehood about her that would put her in your power. The whole thing is known to me from beginning to end, and I do not intend to let it pass lightly. My wife's good name is everything to me; though it seems you were willing to marry one whom you had yourself defamed."

" I have come here this morning, Mr. Green, to give you your choice between going to jail or going with me at once and taking back all the falsehoods you have told about my wife."

Hiram, in sudden comprehension and fear, glanced around the group, took in the fact of the presence of Judge Bristol; remembered Nathaniel's threat of the year before about bringing him up before his uncle, remembered that Lemuel Skinner was constable; and was filled with consternation.

With the instinct of a coward and a bully he made a sudden lunge forward towards Nathaniel, his fists clenched, and his whole face expressing the fury of a wild animal brought to bay.

" You lie! " he hissed.

But the next instant he lay sprawling at Nathaniel's feet, with Lemuel bustling over him like an excited old hen.

It was Martin Van Rensselaer who had tripped him up just in time.

"Now, gentlemen, gentlemen, don't lefs get excited," cackled Lemuel, laying an ineffective hand on the prostrate Hiram.

" Step aside, Mr. Skinner," said Nathaniel, towering over Hiram; " let me settle this matter first. Now, sir you may take your choice. Will you go to jail and await your trial for slander or will you come with us to the people before whom you scattered this outrageous scandal, and take it all back?"

" You've made a big mistake," blustered Hiram. " I never told no stories 'bout Phoebe Deane. It's somebody else 's done it 'ef 'tain't true—I was goin' to marry her to save her reputation."

" How did you think that would save her reputation ? " questioned Judge Bristol, and somehow his voice made cold chills creep down Hiram's spine.

" Why, I—I was goin' to deny everythin' after we was married."

" Your stories don't hang very well together," remarked the Judge, dryly.

" You will be obliged to deny them now," said Nathaniel, wrathfully. " Take your choice at once. I'm not sure after all but the best way would be to house you in jail without further delay. It is almost a crime to let such a low-lived scoundrel as you walk at large. No one's reputation will be safe in the hands of a villain like you. Take your choice at once. I will give you two minutes to decide."

Nathaniel took out his watch.

There was silence over the meadow behind the spring- house, but a little bird from a tree up the road called: " Phoe-bee! Phoe-bee! " insistently, and a strange tender light came into Nathaniel's eyes.

" The time is up," said Nathaniel.

"What do you want me to do?" asked the captive, sullenly.

"I want you to go with me to every house that you visited the day you started this mischief and take it all back. Tell them it was untrue, and that you got it up out of whole cloth for your own evil purposes."

" But I can't tell a lie," said Hiram, piously.

" Can't you ? Well, it will not be necessary. Come, which will you choose? Do you prefer to go to jail?"

" Gentlemen, I'm in your hands," whined the coward. " Remember I have little children."

" You should have remembered that yourself, and not brought shame upon them and other innocent beings." It was the Judge who spoke these words, like a sentence in court.

"Where hev I got to go?"

Nathaniel named over the places.

Hiram looked black, and swallowed his mortification.

" Well, I s'pose I've got to go. I'm sure I don't want to lose my good name by goin' to jail."

They set him upon his feet, and the little posse moved slowly up the slope to the house and thence to the carryall.

After they were seated in the carryall, Hiram in the back seat with Lemuel and Martin on either side of him, Nathaniel turned to Hiram.

" Now, Mr. Green, we are going first to your aunt's house, and then around to the other places in order. You are to make the following statement and nothing else. You are to say: ' I have come to take back the lies which I told about Miss Phoebe Deane, and to tell you that they are none of them true. I originated them for my own purposes."

Hiram's face darkened. He looked as if he would like to kill Nathaniel. He reached out a long arm again as if he would strike him but Lemuel clutched him convulsively, while Martin threw his whole weight upon the other side and he subsided.

" You can have from now until we reach the jail to think about it, Mr. Green. If you prefer to go to jail instead you will not be hindered. Mr. Skinner is here to arrest you on my charge if you will not comply with these conditions."

Sullen and silent sat Hiram. He did not raise his eyes to see the curious passers-by as he rode through town.

They looked at Nathaniel and the Judge, driving with solemn mien as if on some portentous errand; they noted the stranger and the constable on either side of the lowering Hiram; and they drew their own conclusions, for the news of the wedding had spread like wild-fire through the village. Then they stood and watched the carryall out of sight, and even followed it to see if it stopped at the jail.

As they drew near the jail Nathaniel turned around once more to Hiram:

" Shall we stop and let you out here, or are you willing to comply with the conditions ? "

Hiram raised his eyelashes and gave a sideways glance at the locality, then lowered them quickly as he encountered the impudent gaze of a small boy and muttered:

"Drive on."

Hiram went through the distasteful ordeal sullenly. He repeated the words which Nathaniel insisted upon, after one or two vain attempts to modify them in his own favor, which only made it worse for him in the eyes of his listeners.

"Ton my word," said Aunt Keziah Dart in a mortified tone. " T I'd uv told fibs like that I'd 'a' stuck to 'em, an' never giv ina no matter what. I'm 'shamed to own I'm kin to sech a sneak, Hiram Green. Wan't there gals 'nough 'round the country 'thout all that to do ? "

At the Duzenberrys Susanna rendered Hiram the sympathy of silently weeping in the background, while the Widow Duzenberry stood coldly in the foreground acting as if the whole performance were a personal affront. She closed the interview by calling after Hiram from her front door.

" I'm sorry to see yeh in trouble, Mister Green. Remember you'll always find a friend here," and Hiram brightened up some. Nevertheless, there was very little of his old conceit left when he had gone over the whole ground and was finally set free to go his way to his own home.

Then Nathaniel and Phoebe hastened away in the family coach towards Albany to begin their long life journey together.