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Updated: June 2, 2025
The thought came to me like a stab that perhaps he had learned that the woman he was to wed did not love him. "Did Dorothy expect me?" I asked, miserably. "I think not," said Sir George. "She believed you meant to follow Arnold to Stanwix," broke in Ruyven. "I should have done it! I regard General Arnold as the most magnificent soldier of the age!" he added.
Ruyven and Harry, near by, dipped their brushes into pans of brilliant French colors, the one to paint marvellous birds on a silken fan, the other to decorate a pair of white satin shoes with little pink blossoms nodding on a vine.
And thus we entered the gun-room, I with Dorothy Varick on my arm, and behind me, though I was not at first aware of it, Harry, gravely conducting Cecile in a similar manner, followed by Samuel and Benny, arm-in-arm, while Ruyven trudged sulkily by himself.
"And I'm seventeen," retorted Ruyven. "Yet I throw you at wrestling," observed Dorothy, with a shrug. "Oh, your big feet! Who can move them?" he rejoined. "Big feet? Mine?"
Ruyven fired from his saddle; Sir George's rifle and mine exploded together; a horse and rider went down with a crash, but the others came straight on, and the cock-crow rang out triumphantly above the roar of the rushing horses. "Ruyven!" I shouted, "ride for your life!"
"Is that the shoe Sir John drank your health from?" sneered Ruyven. A rich flush mounted to Dorothy's hair, and she caught at her wine-glass as though to throw it at her brother. "A married man, too," he laughed "Sir John Johnson, the fat baronet of the Mohawks "
I hate that baronet, and Ruyven knows it, and harps ever on a foolish drinking-bout where all fell to the table, even Walter Butler, and that slow adder Sir John among the first. And they do say," she added, with scorn, "that the baronet did find one of my old shoon and filled it to my health damn him! "Dorothy!" I broke in, "who in Heaven's name taught you such shameful oaths?" "Oaths?"
"Oh, go suck your thumbs," retorted Ruyven, with an elder brother's brutality; but Dorothy ordered the small-beer, and bade the negro hasten. "We all mean to bear you company, Cousin," said Ruyven, cheerfully, patting my arm for my reassurance; and truly I lacked something of assurance among these kinsmen of mine, who appeared to lack none.
The patroon's great, fat hand sought mine and held it; Ruyven placed his arm about my shoulder. Never had I imagined that I could love these kinsmen of mine so dearly. "There's always a bed for you here; remember that, my lad," growled the patroon. "Take me, too," sniffed Ruyven. "Eh! What?" cried the patroon. "I'll take you; oh yes over my knee, you impudent puppy!
And so had ended that memorable day and night; and now for two whole wretched days I had not seen Dorothy, nor heard of her save through Ruyven, who brought us news that she lay on her bed in the dark with no desire for company. "There is a doctor at Johnstown," he said; "but Dorothy refuses, saying that she is only tired and requires peace and rest. I don't like it, Cousin George.
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