Our appetites had now been dulled, and Vivian, seeing it, suggested that
perhaps we might like to seek repose, adding that we would not be
assigned to any regular service for a day or two. We accepted the
invitation to rest, as we were in truth tired. Evening was at hand and
it had been a long day, filled with many adventures. The officers wished
us a hearty good-night and slumber undisturbed by dreams of pursuing
rebels, and then left us.
"I must return to Sir William," said Vivian, as he left, "but Waters
will take you to your quarters.--Here, Waters, see that Captain Montague
and Lieutenant Melville are made comfortable."
Waters, a large, red-headed man in the dress of a British orderly, who
had just entered, stepped forward.
"Waters is American," said Vivian, "but no Englishman is more loyal to
the king than he. He is a good soldier and a good fellow. In fact, he
has been so useful to us in various ways that he is in some sort a
privileged character, and often comes and goes pretty nearly according
to his own liking. So you may know that he is esteemed by us all."
When Vivian had gone, Waters led the way to our quarters. Presently this
red-headed man said to us, "The rebels are very numerous about the city,
are they not, and make travelling a matter of much danger?"
"Why should you think them numerous?" haughtily asked Marcel, who was a
great stickler for the formalities, and thought the man presumptuous in
speaking unbidden to his superiors.
"I meant no harm, sir," replied Waters, humbly. "I heard that they
pursued you and your friend there almost into the city itself."
"Well, at any rate," said Marcel, shortly, "they did not overtake us;
and if you will kindly conduct us to our quarters we will undertake to
get along without any further questions from you about the rebels."
"Of a certainty, sir," replied Waters. "I see that your honor pays small
heed to the rebels."
This savored of fresh impertinence, but neither Marcel nor I replied.
When we had reached the room and Waters was adjusting it for us, I saw
him regarding Marcel with a pair of remarkably keen and intelligent
eyes. It was a more comprehensive gaze than that of an ordinary
attendant prompted by curiosity, and there was something in it that
struck me with alarm. Presently his gaze shifted from Marcel and fell
upon me, but the eyes, meeting mine, passed on. A moment or two later,
Waters, having finished his task, bowed to us and left the room, walking
with a light, noiseless step, although he was a large, heavy man.
Sometimes little things stir one overmuch, and it was so with this
incident. The man had aroused my apprehensions to a strange degree, and
I showed my alarm in my face, for Marcel, turning to me, exclaimed,--
"Why, what ails you? What are you scared about?"
Then I explained how I had noticed the suspicious and inquiring gaze of
the man Waters. This made Marcel look serious also.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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