Part 21 (1/2)
When Ralph reached the room where the inmates were a.s.sembled, much speculation was going on as to the probable contents of the letter; for its delivery to Ralph had been observed. It was evident that it must have been written by the attorney; and it was immediately opened, and the contents read aloud by Ralph. The letter ran thus:
”To Esquire Barton, or to whomsoever these presents shall come, Greeting:
”Sir--I am requested by that excellent but somewhat irascible chief, Panther, to address you a few lines--although I can scarcely say that they are written in a professional capacity. He has just advised me that he holds the Deputy Sheriff and myself in his hands, as a sort of equivalent for a certain Tuscarora Indian and his squaw, supposed and believed to be now at the cottage and he has even gone so far, though in a very civil manner, as to inform me, that without the said Indian and his squaw are delivered to him, he will be under the necessity of executing upon us some horrid species of capital punishment, for which I know no technical name; and for which, I think, none is to be found in the most approved authorities. He has requested me, as he himself is not skilled in clerical matters, to write this, and to say that he proposes a consultation, at which said matter shall be considered, and at which shall be present, besides myself and the said Deputy Sheriff, Rogers, two of each party, unarmed; the meeting to take place in the grove south of the cottage. This line is forwarded by the bearer, who is to precede us by half an hour.
”Your most humble servant, JOHN BAGSLEY.”
P.S. Should Mr. Ichabod Jenkins be present at the cottage, I hope that he will consider himself under arrest, although a manual touching was not actually made upon his person, unfortunate circ.u.mstances preventing.
Should he decline to consider himself under arrest, I hope that he may be detained until our arrival, and the making of the proposed exchange.”
Ralph could not restrain his laughter as he read this curious epistle.
The quiet confidence with which the attorney a.s.sumed that the exchange would at once be made, and the business-like appeal to Ichabod, were sufficiently provocative of a smile from all, except Ichabod, who did not seem to relish this public reminder of the unfortunate result of some of his previous speculations. But it was deemed advisable to consent to the meeting, as it was possible that some result might be arrived at, which would terminate the present difficulties.
Ralph therefore informed the Seneca that they would consent to treat with Panther on the terms proposed, at the time appointed; and the Indian at once departed to convey the answer.
”This attorney is a strange man,” said Barton: ”and he has probably involved himself and his companion in a difficulty from which they will not be able to escape.”
”Who wants him to escape?” growled Ichabod. ”A Seneca even, is a gentleman, compared with one of those sneaking attorneys; and yet, perhaps, it wouldn't be right not to try to save the creturs; seeing as how they're human flesh and blood; _but_ if we do save 'em, I suppose I must bid you good-bye, and start for the settlements.”
”Don't be discouraged, Ichabod,” said Ralph; ”we shall probably find some means to relieve you, should you be actually arrested. But the first thing is, to get these unfortunate men from the hands of the Senecas. They would seem to insist, from the letter, that Eagle's-Wing and Singing-Bird should be delivered up to them. If no other terms than these are proposed, Bagsley and his companion will have to suffer the penalty of their temerity. They were well advised beforehand.”
”Dey lose scalp: don't know enough to keep 'em,” said Eagle's-Wing.
”What scalp good for, if they don't know 'nough to keep Injin from taking 'em?”
”It may be a small matter to you, Eagle's-Wing,” said Barton, laughing, ”but these prisoners would probably think their scalps of great importance to themselves. But if I am not mistaken, I see them approaching through the grove. I would suggest that Ralph and myself be selected for this meeting. You, Ichabod, and the Tuscarora, would be too likely to provoke an unfortunate termination of the matter, by the anger your presence would excite.”
This selection was agreed to; and Ralph and Barton walked towards the grove, to the same place where the former consultation had been held. As they arrived at this spot, they saw approaching, at a few rods distance, Bagsley and the Deputy Sheriff, who were only bound by a strong thong pa.s.sed around the left arm of Bagsley and the right arm of Rogers; so that they were effectually coupled. As Rogers was much taller than the attorney, the confinement seemed to be equally irksome; for, while the attorney was compelled to walk in a much more than usually erect position, his companion was compelled to stoop enough to meet him half-way. It was a compromise that did not seem to have the effect of pleasing either, and gave rise to frequent altercations between them; the attorney insisting that Rogers did not stoop enough, and the bailiff swearing that Bagsley did not lift himself up enough, to divide equally the difficulty.
They were accompanied by our old acquaintances, Deersfoot and Snake-tongue, who marched beside them with a steady gravity, which no one but an Indian could have preserved. When they reached the small plot of green-sward, the Indians made brief but dignified salutations to Barton and Ralph, who returned them in as brief and dignified a manner.
But Bagsley made an effort to rush forward to grasp Barton by the hand, but he was withheld by the weight of his more saturnine companion.
”How often am I compelled to inform you, Mr. Rogers,” said Bagsley with irritation, ”that the line of conduct adopted by you is neither in accordance with courtesy nor good breeding? Could you not see that there is a propriety in accosting our friends with warmth, who are about to relieve us from an unpleasant situation? I declare, that under no circ.u.mstances, will I ever consent to be so closely united with you again. But excuse me, gentlemen. You will pardon any seeming disrespect, under the circ.u.mstances,” casting a contemptuous glance over his left shoulder.
”There's no use in blowing up a fellow in this fas.h.i.+on,” answered Rogers. ”You hang down on me so, that it's no wonder I don't stir any more than I'm obliged to.”
”Good day to you both,” said Barton. ”I am sorry to see you in such a situation; but you will give me the credit of having prophesied such a result to you.”
”I must say, that the advise you gave us, was not far from correct,”
answered Bagsley; ”but I relied upon the majesty of the law, and the sanct.i.ty of our persons, as its humble officers, as sufficient to protect us; and I am well convinced, that were our red friends to suffer me to instruct them in some of its elementary principles, they would see the error of their conduct, and discharge us with a proper acknowledgment in satisfaction of damages. But I am sorry to say, that they have thus far refused to listen to instruction relative to a system of jurisprudence, adorned by the writings of Bacon and c.o.ke, and illumined and embellished by the lives of Hale and Mansfeld, and ---- I really wish, Mr. Rogers, that you would suffer your person to become a little more pliable.” This interruption was occasioned by Rogers having risen erect, in an attempt to ill.u.s.trate the dignity of the profession of which he was an officer; and the consequence was, that the attorney found himself lifted from his feet, and suspended in the air.
”I aren't to blame,” said Rogers gruffly, ”for your being so small. Lay that to them as it belongs to.”
”After the notice which you have received, gentlemen,” said Bagsley, now opening the business of the meeting, ”it cannot be necessary for me to state the object of this consultation. You are aware that Mr. Rogers and myself have fallen into the power of our red friends, without legal warrant or authority on their part; by which act, they have undoubtedly become liable to us in damages. But they allege, that they are sovereign in themselves, and only amenable to their own laws; but as they are now in the county of Tryon, this position is anomalous, to say the least; it is an establishment of an _imperium in imperio,_ which cannot exist--as I could substantiate by the authority of the best legal writers. But, notwithstanding such points and arguments as I have presented, and--as Mr. Rogers will admit, with considerable force--they adhere to their first expressed opinion as a point _res adjudicata_, and refuse to release us, except upon terms. I have the more readily consented to those terms, as I am not called upon in any way to release our rights of action for damages.”
”May I ask the precise nature of the terms you mention?” inquired Ralph.
”Of course, Captain Weston; that is a proper subject of inquiry The terms, in themselves, are easy, and I must say, much easier than could have been expected. They are, that we shall be released, on the delivery to them of a certain Indian and his squaw, who are somewhere hereabouts.”