The Free Rangers: A Story of the Early Days Along the MississippiAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
General
The Free Rangers: A Story of the Early Days Along the Mississippi
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Juvenile fiction; Mississippi River -- Juvenile fiction
He stepped out, calmly ignoring the existence of Braxton Wyatt, and placed
himself in the center of the little group of soldiers. His manner
indicated clearly that he would make no attempt to escape, and, armed
though the four soldiers were, and unarmed though their captive was, they
breathed four simultaneous sighs of relief. Henry Ware, boy though he was,
with his great height and powerful shoulders, chest, and limbs, was a
truly formidable figure.
Braxton Wyatt turned the key noisily in the huge padlock that held the
door.
"There," he said, "I think we've got that cattle securely fastened in the
pen!"
Henry knew that the insulting words were intended for his ear, but he gave
no sign of hearing them. He stood expressionless, awaiting the word to the
soldiers to march. Braxton Wyatt quickly gave it. He was angrier than
ever, because he could not stir Henry Ware, whom he hated most of all, to
open anger.
The march led straight to the Chateau of Beaulieu, across well-trimmed
sward, and Henry's alert eye took in everything, the pretentious house, so
unlike anything erected by his own people in Kentucky, the low
outbuildings, and the occasional gleam of a uniform.
But Henry did not observe at this moment with any eye to the escape of
himself and his comrades. His condition of mind was spiritual and he felt
a satisfaction for which he could not have accounted if he had tried. He
felt sure that his friends and he would escape. He did not doubt it even
now, when only one of the five was free in the woods out there. The spring
sun was setting in great clouds of red and gold fire, a pleasant coolness
was coming over the heated landscape, and every building, fence, and tree
was touched by a soft but vivid light.
Braxton led the way into the house and into a great room, where Francisco
Alvarez sat in a high chair, keeping state like a feudal lord. He waved
his hand and the soldiers withdrew. Then he said to Braxton Wyatt:
"I wish to speak alone, absolutely alone, to Senor Ware, and I must ask
you to leave us for a little while."
Braxton turned on his heel, his anger but half concealed, and the Spaniard
smiled to himself, Francisco Alvarez was a wily man, a reader of the minds
of others, and he did not object to the present displeasure of Wyatt.
But he said nothing until the renegade was gone. Henry, meanwhile, had
quietly taken his seat in a cane chair. He was not of any mind to stand in
the presence of this man who bore himself as if he were master of
everything by right divine.
Francisco Alvarez observed the act and understood its meaning. He smiled
again to himself. He had not misjudged the youth, and it confirmed him in
the plan that had come suddenly into his cunning mind.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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