Ram; being the tale of one Ramillies Anstruther, 1704-55 .. (59 page)

B98

"Mine was meant for my heart. Bending to withdraw my blade alone saved me. Del Lago's had my death attempted four times now."

"You mean, 'twas all engineered to get you killed?"

"Both of us this time. Then Cochrane would command and again sell his wine, so there'd not be a move we made the Dons wouldn't know of. James, let me interrogate Hurley, I'll get the truth."

"But, you—you wouldn't torture him?"

"I said nothing of that. But he's one you can't avoid hanging, so let me talk to him beforehand."

The humanitarian struggled with the general, but the latter won. "Do as ye wish. We must be pressing the Spaniards hard when they incite our own men to murder us."

Ram, taking Hilary with him, went to Hurley, who was securely bound in an isolated hut. What followed wasn't pleasant but didn't take long. The man was a blubbering craven. Yes, he'd talked with Spaniards while on outpost duty—he'd learned Spanish in Gibraltar. Yes, he'd accepted a bribe—from Don Pedro Lamberto—if ever chance allowed, to murder Colonel Anstmther, The withdrawal of the subsistence had rankled with the men, so when he saw the general and the colonel together, he'd incited the men so that he could carry out the assassination. But, oh God, he'd been crazed to do it! If the colonel would plead mercy for him, he'd be his slave,

"You led a mutiny against your general," Ram told him coldly. "There can be only one verdict."

He and Oglethorpe returned to Frederica, where a General Court-Martial was convened. The mutineers were duly condemned to death; but again, to the dismay of all officers, James would confirm only Hurley's sentence, reducing that of the rest to floggings,

"But treachery's like a plague, it spreads!" Ram protested to him in private, "D'ye think to stem it by kindness? As a lad, I saw my best friend shot for mutiny against the Duke of Ormonde, who'd given much cause, I want no man's life taken unjustly, but discipline must be kept or 'twill ruin you and Georgia."

The other sighed. "You know only half the story. Walpole still hopes to escape war by compromise; he'd even trade Georgia to the Spaniards to keep the peace. If I punish bloodily, he'll say I can't command troops and he'll have the regiment broke."

Hugh Mackay took Hurley back to Fort St. Andrew's to be executed, and next day Oglethorpe looked badly shaken.

** 'Tis awful responsibility, this taking of a fellow man's life," he told Ram somberly, as they walked along the water front.

Cochrane who, with Chaplain Dyson, now joined them, shrugged. "Pah, what's the life of a beggarly private? To my mind, sir, there's mutiny at a higher level to be discovered yet. Damme, must I be blunt and say that, but for your tolerance. Captain Mackay should today be the executed instead of being the executor? You'll rue your leniency."

Ram gaped, amazed at such insolence. Yet all James retorted was: "Sir, I still command here."

A boat tied up at the quay and Mackay and Horton landed. Mackay came straight to Oglethorpe and saluted.

"Sir, 'tis done, and no unrest," he reported. "All understood the enormity of Hurley's crime."

The general turned to the Reverend Dyson. "He was a Papist and, though likely he'd not want it, will you say a prayer for him?"

"I've already done so, sir," the chaplain answered.

Cochrane had gone up to Mackay and was saying something in a low tone. Suddenly he yelled: "How dare ye overpass me and address the general direct!" and smashed his heavy walking staflF down on Mackay's head so hard that only the latter's tricorn hat saved him from a crushed skull.

"You Perthshire dung!" the Highlander cried, drawing his sword.

"In God's name, hold!" Ram gripped his arm.

"What was said?" Oglethorpe gaped. "Mr. Horton, what did Captain Mackay say that deserved such treatment?"

" 'Pon honor, sir, he only replied to Mr. Cochrane's query about the hanging by saying he'd already reported to you."

"Colonel, consider yourself under arrest, and you also. Captain Mackay!" Oglethorpe blazed. "This means trial in England. To your quarters, sirs, and mark me, if either of you makes a move to resume the quarrel, I'll have you in irons! Go, sirs!"

He shook his head, bewildered. "What ails us, Ram? There's some strange poison working among us. My own lieutenant colonel acting like an unlicked cub! What is it?"

Ram might have retorted that James himself was responsible, not

having disciplined both men after their first quarrel. Instead, he said, "One thing, you'll be well rid of Walpole's spy. There are better men to act second to you."

"You?"

"No, I'm best as I am. But you've some good ones in the regiment." No, Ram thought, I'd not serve direct under him after this. Ecod, had Father been colonel here, he'd have run Cochrane through for such behavior, Walpole's friend or not!

Major Cooke became lieutenant colonel, with Captain Heron promoted in his place. Cochrane—vowing to expose Oglethorpe for siding with a captain against him—and Mackay were sent under escort to Charles Town, to return to England by different ships.

The year 1739 came in so cold that William Stephens, writing in his journal for the trustees, complained: "Chamber-pots frozen under the Bed, where Fire had been all day. . . ."

When it grew milder. Ram went to Charles Town, where Oglethorpe was trying to induce the Assembly to raise troops for defense of the common frontier against French-incited Indians and the now openly hostile Spaniards. But the Carolinians hesitated; lately there had been two slave insurrections, and men were reluctant to serve afar when they might be needed to quell more risings at home.

When Ram heard that some plantation owners had seen a foreign-looking white near their slaves' quarters just before the outbreaks, he was sure they had been enemy-incited. By the Spanish doctor?

But the man had vanished long since so Ram turned homeward, stopping first at Savannah, where Caleb Davis had now settled and was building a large river-front warehouse. Though the seaman seldom went to sea any more because of his dropsy, he owned three sloops which still traded at Spanish ports.

Ram went to visit him and was entering his house when he heard a man within snarl: "You dirty black whore! Who d'ye think you are to speak so to a gentleman?" The sound of a slap followed. In the reception room a burly fellow was brandishing a woman's ivor\-fan. Facing him and holding her cheek was a mulatto girl.

"By Heaven, Mr, Pope, the captain will resent this blow, sick as he is! Begone!"

"Black bitch!" Pope raised the fan threateningly.

"Sir, you heard the lady," Ram intervened smoothly. "Begone!"

"Pox ye, whoever y'are!" Pope yelled. "I'll rip your gizzard!"

Ram's sword whipped out. "Your pardon, ma'am, for drawing before you, but this rogue's forgot his manners . . . Now, sir, you'd rip my gizzard, did ye say?"

Pope's jaw dropped. "Threatenin' me, eh? I'll heve the—"

"Pope!" came a roar from an inner room. "God's rocks, if I wasn't layin' careened, I'd have yer blood for this! Hortense! Hor-tense, ye slut, drive the bastard away!"

Mumbling threats, Pope slunk out.

Ram handed the girl the fan. "Yours, ma'am?" She was dressed with quiet elegance, had fine coffee-hued features and a beautiful figure, but at the moment pain had filled her large eyes with tears.

"My thanks, sir," she said softly. "Your help was most timely."

"Hortensel"

"Yes, Captain! There's a gentleman here, Captain!" She vanished within, but soon reappeared. "The captain will see ye, sir."

Ram entered the candlelighted sanctum. Davis sat in a heavy chair, bandaged legs on a rest, ropes looped under his dropsical arms from pulleys in the ceiling. By heaving on the ropes with his puffy fingers, he could lift his arms a little.

" 'Tis you. Colonel. My thanks. The wench says ye offered to run that dogsbody through. Bastard! Tryin' to cheat me out o' me dues. Me, the owner, and him only one of me skippers. But for Hortense, he'd ha' stole the gold under me very nose. Pox him!"

Ram was puzzled. " 'Tis illegal to have a slave here. Is she free?"

"Ye might say so. Bought her in Louisiana years back. Half white. Never manumitted her official, but she ain't no slave. Me business clerk, nurses me, does everything. Best I ever bedded."

Ram thought it revolting that this caricature of a man should ever have touched that beautiful body. But there were other matters to be considered now.

"Any of your sloops been to Augustine of late?" he asked.

"You the Savannah Naval Officer now, pryin' into me affairs?"

"My gold's as good as the Spaniards', and safer to accept."

Davis grunted. "A man's got to make a living."

Ram thought aloud: "Hm, a stout rope, stouter than those for your arms, stout enough to ring a traitor's neck. The general has such in his stores."

"Traitor? Rope? Man, did I say I wouldn't give ye news?"

"A mere reminder not to let the Dons bribe you for our news."

The shipowner swore. "Last month a galleon came into the

Havana and discharged cannon, powder, ball. Troops is drilling

ever}' day, troops lately from Spain. Twenty guineas. Cheap!" Ram felt for his purse, but the other shook his head. "Hortense'U

take 'em. She'll weigh 'em and see none's been clipped." In the outer room, the girl studied Ram intently while he counted

out the coins. As he put the last one down, she reached to gather

them and their fingers touched. A shock ran through him.

"Twenty guineas, sir. Thank you. I'll write 'em down to your

account," she said loudly, her luminous eyes holding his. Then in a

whisper, "Beware of Dr. Mazzique!"

Ram was teaching his son to ride when the bell signaled a craft in the river. Telling Davie, already a good horseman, to see Diccon safely back to the stables, he rode to the jetty.

Ensign Mace was landing from a piragua. "The general's compliments, Colonel, and would you join him at Savannah before he leaves," he requested. Oglethorpe, it seemed was about to depart for the Indian lands, to strengthen the alliances with the tribes. He would travel far beyond Augusta to the Cherokee town of Coweta, where many micos and men of war would meet him. " 'Twill mean a thousand miles from Frederica and back, sir—a fine adventure."

James had with him Lieutenant Dunbar and others, and Mace was sad because he couldn't go also; but with so many officers sick of fevers at Frederica there were already too few left for duty.

But when Ram, with Hilary, arrived in town, impatient James had already headed upriver, leaving him a note asking him, among other things, to ". . . give Lt-Coll Cooke your valued advice."

While Hilary readied the town house. Ram supped with Will Stephens, and later dropped in at Jenkins' Tavern, where he was hailed by Dr. Tailfer. He had no great liking for the physician, who was the chief malcontent in the colony; but, being also an apothecary, he sold drugs that Ram often needed.

As usual, he ranted Georgia's doom unless it had slaves.

"Not at present, what with Carolina risings and more runaways reaching the Spaniards every day," Ram interrupted. "The Dons are even raising a regiment of escaped Negroes to serve against us."

"Niggers face whites? Bah! But talking of non-whites, there's a cursed Jew doctor come, who's selhng his services under fair fees."

"A Jew?" Ram stiffened. "Do the other Jews accept him?"

"Don't ask a Presbyterian that. All I know is the rogue should be flogged for a cheating, barefaced fraud."

"My thanks. Doctor." Ram drained his wine, bowed to the other guests and hurried into the night, tense with hope.

"I've a damnable belly pain," he told Hilary at the house. "Seek the new Jew doctor and say your master—er, Mr. Frank Edwardes— requires his aid urgently. Get him here, and have rope ready. I'm sure he's our Spanish spy."

" 'E'll come, if I 'ave ter drag 'im," Hilary swore, and left.

The plot fitted. Ram realized. Hadn't the mulatto girl warned him? Yet why should Mazzique put his head in a noose like this? Del Lago must be growing desperate to achieve revenge.

In the bedchamber, he doffed his coat, stock and waistcoat, then got under the covers, pistols and sword beside him.

At last he heard. "This way, sir. 'E's sore sick in the belly."

"I trust he will pay liberally for service. To be torn from one's rest so late deserves reward." The speaker's English was good but accented. Entering the room, he peered toward the bed, advanced a step; then stopped, stiffening. "Mr. Edwardes? Ah, I—!"

"Hilary!" Ram sprang up, cocking both pistols. Instantly the cockney pinioned the doctor from behind.

Briefly the latter struggled to draw his own pistol, but then slumped: "Madre de Dios, the slut betrayed me! I should have known!"

Disarming him. Ram had Hilary lash him to a chair. "Bring the watch and one of the magistrates!"

"That she devil!" Mazzique groaned. "She promised if I came to Savannah, she'd lure you to where I could do your business!"

Hortense had repaid Ram manifold.

CHAPTER 19

THE SOUTHERN FRONTIER,

1740

"War, sir, war!" Tommy BuUer shrilled. His horse was lathered and its foam had spattered his breeches and shirt.

"Are ye sure? When did the news come?"

"A Rhode Island sloop docked this morn, your honor, and its master told Mr. Stephens the Tartar arrived in New England just afore the sloop sailed, carrying government orders to all provinces. It's official, Mr. Stephens says, and bade me ride like the wind and never draw rein to inform ye so."

"What news of the general?"

"Still upriver, Mr. Stephens says, sir. Oh, your honor, if we fight, ye'li take me, won't ye? I did bring ye the news."

Ram laughed. "If your father permits, I'll use ye, lad. Now away,, and care for your horse or he'll be ruined entire."

Shoulders very straight. Tommy rode off. Ram smiled. He'd been just as eager at that age. Excitement, war! But then he'd had seniors doing the planning for him. Now he must plan for others.

"Toll the tocsin," he ordered Hilary. "Have all the stock driven into the paddocks. This news comes from New England, so Augustine may have known it long since and begun operations." He went to his study. He must pass the news on to Colonel Cooke at Freder-ica, to Fort Argyle and to the Highlanders. He wrote brief notes. Lucinda hurried in, frightened.