The Little Red Foot

nder circumstances which must have mortified any Royalist, and, in parti

excellent spirits for such a man, and his wintry smile shed its fa

the groom, who took my mare, Kaya, and Frank, Sir W

smiles, to say that the gentlemen were dre

nd the red-cheeked Irish maid she had brought fro

saluted, "they told me you were in the village. Has it become necessary tha

might not take pleasure in a visit f

e district summons and were on guard at t

ise. And it came into my thought that the dwarfish Bartho

officer may chance to be-for the moment. And, were you even otherwise inclined, Jack, o

u do, it makes my visit

re peaceably disposed; farm duties begin; a multitude of affairs preoccupy us; so let who will fight

irl chatter, marvelling that she her

, because in my Lady Johnson there was not

w she repeated to me. And in it I vaguely perceived the duplicity and

olinas. Then, smiling, I made her a compliment on her hair, which her Irish maid was dressing very prettily, and laughed at her man's banyan which she so sau

marked with a kindly mali

swain for a while, to amuse her, and so cunningly, too, t

And this I have said frequently to her very face, and shall continue until she chooses to refrai

imed. "When Claudia become

es grew graver as she said it, and I saw not in them that inner

bution must one day seize Claudia's dimpled hand and place it

but Hiakatoo, war chief of the Senecas, in all his ceremonial finery. Despite what dear Mary Jamison has written of him, nor doubting that

cquaintance. I knew him to be Tory to the bone, a deputy of Guy Johnson for Indian affairs, and

sion. Hiakatoo, also, extended a muscular hand, which I was

manner, "the last o' the sugar is a-boiling, I h

-owls, nor had they any knowledge of it, either; but I replied polite

ountry," remarked Hiakat

y sinister; but his painted features remained calmly inscrutable and perhaps I ha

ear, turkeys, and partridges a-drumming the long roll all

d he might interpret in two ways my reference to bears, and

not have understood my play upon words, for he seemed interested merely in a literal in

lls fighting in the swamp until th

drive away the last of the m

t Fonda's Bush?" ask

m the truth, and checked myself

hat brief moment I was convinced that t

ign Moucher, of the old Mohawk Regiment, and young Captain Watts from New York, brother to Polly, Lady Johnson, a ha

oom with Claudia Swift, and I thought I had seldom beheld two lovelier ladies in

: "This is most kind of you, Jack, because I kno

plow in the furrow at the call of danger, and haste

hich I knew so well, and which seemed her man

laudia; the others paired gravely, Hare walki

ining hall, but were sufficient to displ

embered it was still the hair of a forest runner, neither shor

t face, more brilliant for the sau

wk finery, Jack,-all beads and thrums and wampum. And

a. Our stockings are leather and our powder black, and our patches are of buckskin and a

emarked with a shrug, but watching me

said I, "and knows neith

w s

also wears pa

uge and lily-balm? Well, I

ect it?" I prot

it long since had you been

I inquired

, Jack Drogue, and a woman's 'No,' with the proper stare o

I reddened under

said I, "then I for one will believe it o

n look into your mirror

med Lady Johnson, tapping me with her fan. "Why, you are

im to try his fortune, and

laughing; "and you have Mr. Ha

nk way, which instantly disarmed most

ently perish unless this cruel lady pr

single glance. I myself am long since doubly dead," he added with his me

ung wife ventured a glance at him-a sad, timid look as though hopeful that he

n to offer a toast, and he g

world," said I. "Gentlemen, I offer you our charming tyrants. And may o

noticing nobody, and then fell fiercely to cutting up his meat, until, hi

d me, because Hiakatoo knew better, and it seemed as though he considered himself in a position wher

ion was general; matters concerning the town, the Hall, were mentioned, togethe

g his guests, became of a sudden conversational with a sort of forced animation, li

t; and how the herd bulls were now become useless and he must send to the Patroon for new blood

heard a faint clash of arms outside a

that many horses were stirring

t, because of Sir John's parole, and so pre

guarded. Young Watts spoke boldly of Haldimand and Guy Carleton, naming

tended to discuss a probable return of old John Butler and of his son Walter to our neighborhood,

r looked toward me nor directly at anybo

the wintry smile glimmered on his thin lips as though some secret t

peace, saying that he had no interest in Haldimand nor in any kinsmen who had fled Tryon;

ily and my servants and collect my rents; and I'm damned if I can do it unless those exc

niversal desire that you remain. And, as you have pledged your honour to do

upposed that the Six Nations would not resent ill treatment meted out to Guy J

heard Claudia's

r in looking at me, Jack! You have

w gazing into the little looking-glass set in the handle

emarked. "I would to God I had as clever a

nevertheless called out with a laugh that I knew every wench in the c

cency such wenches as the two Wormwood girls near Fish House, and Betsy and Jessica Browse-maids who were pretty and full of gaiety at dance

the younger gentry and the officers from Johnstown to Albany. Young girls' names-the daughters of tenants, settlers, farmers, were ban

nother courted lightly at a barn-romp; a laughing tavern wench caressed en passant, but no evil thoug

aga who serves old Douw Fonda-a Scotch girl, who mi

oath. Whereat these three young men fe

ants of the country were all after this young Scotch

ntleman, does she not?" in

, mends, lights him to bed and tucks him in," said Hare. "My God,

" quoth Claudia, frowning. "Could yo

uw Fonda?" I excl

ke to die any mome

as scores of kinsmen and their

f you but kiss the little slut she looks at you like a silly

angry look at his brothe

ed a laugh, saying that her husband could have judged only by hearsay,

nd Hare and Moucher yonder. The little slut has yellow hair, but she's too damned thin!---" he hiccoughed and upset his wine; and a serva

e whispered. "Tell me, do you, also, go about your rustic gallantrie

n's destruction

ughed as I reddened, an

h girl's head with their philandering, s

m an old and almost helpless

plenty to care for old Douw Fonda in Caughnawaga, but only an accomplished wench like

yself with such an errand, even for you. It is not a

as is reported, some of our young fools will never let her alone until one

my affair,"

wish h

d if she's not a hopeless fool she'll kno

too, Jack," she

armer and I tro

me," she insi

d, not a

ed. "I would you had co

urage or inclin

ng look, very sweet

urmured, "you might aw

you," said I; "I'd awaken the

, and I awaited her further ass

to his feet and stood towering there uns

d very drowsy, opened owlish eyes;

d he, "here are three of u

were not in their cups. Watts took Hiakatoo's blanket fro

to us all, in his frank, amiable manner. "The great Gate Keeper, Hi

the hallway; Hare and Moucher and Watts took smiling leave of Sir John;

ugh to make an end to foolish rumours conc

is always the same: Sir Willia

unt for Hiakatoo's presence at Johnstown, and I was ill at ease seeing him so app

and and stared at me blankly. Then I kissed the ladies' hands

ame to the doo

n again you are in J

epped daintily out on the dew

t a night for love! Do you mark the young moon, Jack, and h

ove it all, Claudia,-moon, darkness, scent of young leaves, th

she, coming to my stirrup and

-none happier than the love of this silvery world of

do you ri

mew

nda's

es

ctly

said I. "He awaits me

u ride by

e waits fo

, Ja

riends to

Mayf

n-Wood,"

ust have their fling, and I am not jealous of Betsy Browse or

ha

stic beauty, Pe

ed to seek her fo

! Curiosity killed a cat and sta

casined heels; and as I rode out into the darkness Claudia's