Long she remained at the window going over the events of the past year and dreaming of Bennet; wondering if he had retired yet and if he had thought of her. She wondered if he realized how happy he had made her by coming in her time of need. All the world about her was in slumber and darkness such as is only known to a southern night.
Here and there a lightning bug flashed in the trees and shrubbery of the garden. A cricket chirped and a locust sang his quavering raspy number. Lida was still looking from her window, when, at her door, there sounded a faint and excited knocking. "Miss Lida—Miss Lida—Miss Lida," the voice whispered.
Lida returned regretfully from her dreams. She felt her way to the door. She recognized the voice as that of Chloe, her maid, and opened the door. The girl's eyes were so wide that they shone even in the darkness.
"Miss Lida," the girl reached out to feel for her mistress's hand. Lida touched her. "I'm here, Chloe," she said. What's the trouble?"
The girl silently closed the door then stepped close to Lida. "They's sumthin' goin' on. Sumthin' mystery-like—very mystery-like."
Lida waited for details.
"Young Mr. Lauriston done gone off in the dark. Took his gun and gone off. John Marley gone with him too. Yessum, gone with him too. I was sitting on the steps by the post when they passed me. John Marley was saying, 'I got men all waitin' down by the cotton gin. They gwine take some Bunnit, or sumpin' like that and string him up. Sumpin's going on. They's up to mischief. They's mischief afoot. Shore's you born."
Lida was perplexed for a minute but at the name Bunnit she recalled the threat of John Marley and his confident tone of the afternoon. She blanched. "Oh, Father," she groaned. "They're planning to kill him. Oh, God! The Brutes!" For a moment or two her mind was in a whirl. Anger and fear raced one another across her brain. Anger at the dastardliness of the plan and fear that their plan would be consummated and her lover killed.
"He must be warned! He must be saved!" she thought, as she puzzled her brain for a plan. Finally she grabbed the girl by the arm with such force that Chloe was forced to bite her lips to prevent crying out. The maid tried to free the grip but could not. Lida's mind was tortured for but a few moments, then plan after plan suggested itself only to be rejected.
"I must do something! I must do something!" she kept repeating to herself. Finally she thought of the cave in which she had played as a child. She could not find her way there at night even if she were successful enough to beat them to Mrs. Gorton's and warn Bennet of his danger. Then a daring plan evolved itself. She would hide Bennet in her own house till he could be piloted to the cave in safety. They would never think of looking in her house for him. He could be hidden in the old unused attic.
No sooner was the plan framed in her mind than she began to plan for its execution. "Quick, Chloe," she said. "Go to the barn and bring me my horse, never mind saddling him." The maid departed. "They'll wait down at the cotton gin till all their crowd have come. I hope that will give me a chance to beat them," she reasoned.
Hastily throwing about herself a heavy wrap she went to the yard to await the coming of the horse. She heard the steps and realized that if she galloped, footsteps would be heard and her plan discovered. "Quick, Chloe, some burlap bags. Bring me some quick." The girl was gone and in a few minutes returned. "Some string—some string. Oh, why didn't you think of some string? Quick, girl, some string," she whispered excitedly.
Before the girl could offer any explanation Lida had shoved her in the direction of the house again. Chloe ran nimbly up the steps and into the kitchen, returning soon with a ball of twine. Having been on familiar terms with the horses of her father's place since girlhood it was not difficult for Lida to tie the burlap mufflers about the feet of the horse. With that done she led the animal to a block and was soon mounted. Cautiously she started and breathed a sigh of relief as she noted that the footsteps of the horse could scarcely be heard.
The animal stepped out gingerly at first but soon became accustomed to the mufflers. As far as the gate at the end of the lawn, Lida walked the horse. The cotton gin was somewhat to the rear of the house and off to the left of the road about a half mile. Once into the highway she struck the animal in the side with her heels and urged it into a gallop.
The hoofbeats could barely be heard. Lida smiled at the fact. It was a ten-minute ride to the Gorton house. As she neared the house a hound challenged and raced to the gate. Lida dismounted and soon made friends with the dog. This accomplished she led her horse to the yard fronting the house, hitched him to the trellis and then started for the rear.
Bennet had been unable to sleep and was sitting at his window watching in the direction of the Lauriston house, hence, when he heard the hound he was all alertness. When the horse came to the yard and he heard the creaking trellis, he was all attentiveness. He waited for a rapping at the door and when none came started to peer from his window. Until someone rapped he would not disturb the family. He was still waiting when he heard faint footfalls coming around the corner of the house. In the darkness they recognized each other. Lida's tension relaxed as her heart filled with joy that she had been in time. Joy forced tears to her eyes.
"Truman—Truman—Truman," she whispered, a great tenderness enveloping her. "Is that you?"
"Lida, Heart, what are you doing here at this time? You ought to be home," he cautioned.
"Sh-h-h-" was her warning. "You're in danger. They've planned to kill you.—Oh, God, how can men be such brutes?" she agonized.
Bennet climbed through the window and leaped lightly to the ground.
"Going to kill me?" he asked incredulously, taking the now trembling girl into his arms. "Why, I know no one here except these people in this house. Who would kill me?"
"John Marley, the man we met today.—He and my brother have gotten together a group of their friends and they're perhaps on their way now. God knows what they'd do to you. You must hide.—I must hide you."
"Why hide? They can't kill me without cause."
"You love me. That's cause enough for them," she explained.
"My Little Girl, how sorry I am for you. What trouble I've brought to you," said he.
"Sh-h-h-h" she silenced him with a finger to his lips. "You've brought me yourself—the best man, and the only man, in the world for me. What do I care more?"
"You're a jewel—and I adore you for saying that, Heart O' Mine, but I must not allow it," he argued.
"Don't stand there.—Come on—they'll be here any minute. Thay shan't kill you unless they kill me first." She led the way back to the house, made Bennet lift her then mount behind her. Gently and quietly she turned the horse's head toward the road again and home. Her nerves were all atingle with excitement. Intently she scanned the darkness ahead of her and listened for sounds of any horses' feet. Once she thought she detected sounds and pulled up on the bridle. Knowing that the horse would also detect the sounds and indicate the fact by a listening attitude of its ears she studied these. They were moving slowly back and forth indicating that her way was still safe.
She was almost half way home when this time she detected the sound of galloping of many horses still some distance away. Wheeling her mount to the left she deliberately entered a nearby cotton field and was soon hidden from view. Once in the field and behind the roadside hedge of trees she dismounted and stood by her horse's head lest he neigh and make known to the riders that someone else was about. The riders soon passed them and were on their way to the Gorton home. With these once behind her, Lida breathed a sigh of relief and began to cry softly.
Bennet comforted her and she soon regained her composure. Now she hurried the horse till near her own yard when they slowed down to a silent walk. Into the yard they came like spectres.
"Here we are, at last. Thank God," she breathed, as she dismounted with the aid of Bennet's hand. "I'm going to hide you in our attic for tonight, and tomorrow you must get away."
Chloe, the maid, was still waiting in the darkness for the return of her mistress and turning the horse over to the girl, Lida led the way to the attic.
"You'll have to make the best of it for tonight, Dear, and be sure to keep quiet. I'll come to you when the coast is clear tomorrow and get you away. I have a cave where I used to play when a girl. I'll see if that's safe and then take you there till we can get away."
"You're a trump of a girl. God has been good to me to give me your love. I pray God I'll always deserve it," he said fervently. "You're a brave, jewel of a girl."
She clung to him in a long embrace then silently stole back to her room. Once in the room she recklessly threw herself across her bed and surrendered to tears as a relief to her emotions and a relaxation from the excitement of the past hours. It was well toward morning when she regained control of her nerves. Her body was still wracked by great dry sobs at intervals when she heard the footsteps of her brother's horse in the yard. She heard the horse led to the barn and the young man return, then enter the house.
The heaviness of the steps indicated the anger of the man. Lida listened intently, anger gripping her body and resentment at the atrocity of which he would have been guilty had she not thwarted their plans. She listened eagerly for any indication of whether Elvin suspected how Truman had been saved. He was grumbling and muttering as he undressed and prepared for bed. Footsteps back and forth in the room which was across the hallway from hers told Lida of his retirement act. The thud of a shoe sounded. Lida held her breath awaiting the fall of the second shoe. This came shortly and then she heard her brother's slippered feet shuffling about the room. Presently his steps passed her door on the way to the bath room. As he passed Lida heard him say:
"Must have heard us.—Durn him,—it's lucky he got away.—But he can't go far—we'll get him today."
At that threat Lida shook a clenched fist in the direction of the bath room. "Never, if I can help it," she vowed in answer to the threat. She listened further to the mutterings of disappointment uttered by her brother, then finally succumbed to the drowsy feeling which followed her night of excitement and exertion. Bennet, immediately that the door was closed and the girl gone, stretched himself on the floor near it so as to prevent any sudden intrusion, should those who sought to harm him discover his hiding place. He could not sleep, however. Long he lay awake staring into the darkness of the room and pondering over his course of action. In the face of all the dangers he was causing, he wondered whether it was right for him to bring so much trouble on the one he loved with all his being.
"Which is the truer love," he argued with himself. "To persist in wooing the girl I love in the face of such hardships as I am bringing on her for the sake of that love, or to sacrifice that love for the peace of mind and bodily ease of the object of my love?—Which is the truer love?
"I love the girl with all the devotion within me. I shall love her all of life till the end of time for me. Which is right? To give her up and continue loving her or to take her and flee. Once out of this unGodly country our loves and our lives would run smoothly.—I can make her happy, and will make her happy—." Thus through the long hours he debated till finally he swept all doubts from his mind as to the true course with the decision, "Oh, why worry? We'll get away today and forget this land."
He was far removed from the sounds of the footsteps of the returning horseman and the incidents of which Lida was aware, and though tired he fought off the sleep that almost overwhelmed him until daylight appeared. With the first stream of light that came under the door he relaxed and closed his eyes. His next conscious moment was hours later when there was a slight tapping at the door and a whispered—"Truman,—Truman. Wake up, Dear. They've gone to hunt you. Now's the time.—Put these things on over yours, and put this paste over your face. When you've finished I'll come in."