She gave me a look with those great black eyes of hers, and how it

came to pass I never knew, but straight to the root of the whole she

went as if my face had been an open book.

Such quickness of wit I had often heard ascribed to women, but never

saw I aught like that, and I trow it seemed witchcraft. "'Tis

something about the young tobacco plants," quoth she. "The king

would not pass the measure to cease the planting, and the assembly

of this spring broke up with no decision. Major Beverly, who

is clerk of the assembly, hath turned against the government

since Bacon died, and all the burgesses are with him, and

Governor Culpeper sails for England soon, and what, is the

lieutenant-governor to hold the reins? There is a plot hatching to

cut down the young tobacco plants." I could but stare at her. "There

is a plot to cut down the young tobacco plants as soon as the

governor hath sailed," she said, "and my sister Mary hath sent to

England for arms, knowing that the militia will arise and there will

be fighting."

I still stared at her, not knowing in truth what to say. Then

suddenly she caught at my hands with hers, and cried out with that

energy that I saw all at once the fire of life beneath that fair

show of maiden peace and calm of hers, "Harry, Harry Wingfield, if

my grandmother, Madam Cavendish, knows this, my sister is undone; no

pity will she have. Straight to the governor will she go, though she

hobble on crutches to Jamestown! She would starve ere she would move

against the will of the king and his representative, and so would I,

but I will not have my little sister put to suffering and shame. God

save her, Harry Wingfield, but she might be thrown into prison, and

worse--I pray thee, save her, Harry! Whatever ill you have done,

and however slightingly I have held you for it, I pray you do this

good deed by way of amends, and I will put the memory of your

misdeeds behind me."

Even then my bewilderment at her mention of my misdeeds, when I

verily considered that she, as well as I, knew more of her own, was

strong, but I grasped her two little hands hard, then relinquished

them, and bowed and said, "Madam, I will save your sister at

whatever cost."

"And count it not?" said she.

"No more than I have done before, madam," said I, and maybe with

some little bitterness, for sometimes a woman by persistent goading

may almost raise herself to the fighting level of a man.




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