The Tory Maid | Page 7

way back to the inn, and when I crawled to my room once
more and into bed, Dick Ringgold raised himself on his arm and said in
a sleepy voice: "What's up, Frisby?"
"Oh, nothing," I replied; "go to sleep." And I soon followed my own
advice.
CHAPTER IV
THE RED COCKADE
The stirring notes of the bugle made us spring up in the morning, to
find, when we were again downstairs, that every one was talking of the
disappearance of Charles Gordon of the Braes.
Master Richard marvelled much at the disappearance of the Tory, and,
though I knew it was of the Tory maid he was thinking, I said not a
word, but went on with my duties; and manifold they were for many
days to come. The drilling of the raw recruits, who, though they were
full of fire and élan, were not used to the strict obedience of orders, was
at first very difficult. But soon there came the spirit and the pride that
were to make them the best drilled troops, the dandies and macaronies
of the army. And so, with the drilling of recruits and assisting Captain
Ramsay in the formation of the regiment, a week passed by before a
day came when Dick and I found a few spare hours on our hands. And
having certain plans and purposes in view, and not wishing them to be
known to Dick, I sat and watched for an opportunity to slip away.

Master Richard, it was evident, had also some plans on foot, for after
moving from the chair to the top of a box and then back again, he
stretched his arms above his head, and, yawning, said: "I believe I will
take a little canter down the south road; come along?"
"No," I replied; "I am going to ride a short distance down the east
road."
"All right," said he, and springing from his chair, he went to order his
horse. I soon followed, and, having seen Dick well on his way, rode for
a short distance on the east road, then turned, rode back, and entered
the road which runs along the bank of the Elk, by which we had entered
the town on our journey from Kent. As I rode, I hummed a jovial
hunting-song and touched Toby with the spur, for I was quite jubilant
at having got rid of Dick and so well on the road to my adventure.
My time was short and it was good twelve miles to the Braes, but
Toby's sire was a son of old Ranter, and I knew he could do it in an
hour and a half. So Toby felt the spur, and I barely noticed the miles as
we flew along, until we came to the road that leads south to the Braes.
Down this road we turned, and as we were so near the end of our
journey I began to think of the reasons and excuses I should give for
my visit. Reason! Pshaw! What better reason does a Marylander want
than a pair of blue eyes? And if Mistress Jean should so much as
demand it by the merest glance of those eyes, I would tell her so. Aye,
but she is a Tory and wears the red cockade. True, but the fairer the
enemy the more difficult the prize, the greater the glory and effort to
win.
And so, having justified my invasion of the stronghold of the Tory, I
pricked Toby with the spur and rode on more rapidly, when, on turning
a bend in the road where it is intersected by one from the east, whom
should I come face to face with but Master Richard? For a moment he
stared at me with open mouth, and I at him; then his brow grew dark.
"I thought," he cried; but suddenly the humour of our meeting came
over him. Thrusting his hands into his pockets, he broke out into a
hearty burst of laughter, and I could do nothing but follow.

"And so, Master Frisby, you rode down the east road."
"And you, methinks, rode down the south." Again our laughter rang
through the woods.
"Come," he cried, "which is it to be? So fair a maid deserves two
cavaliers, but we would be at sword points within a week, and I do not
wish to lose the friendship of Mr. James Frisby of Fairlee."
"A chance has brought us here, so let chance decide."
"Agreed," said Dick, pulling out a sovereign, and with a twitch of the
thumb, he sent it high in the air. "Heads, you win. Tails, I win." Then
catching it as it fell: "By Jove, you have it. Present my compliments to
Mistress Jean," he cried, with a grandiloquent bow, "and tell