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Some three hours later he was roused from the heavy sleep of utter fatigue by the voice of the overseer. Bewildered, he raised himself upon his elbow to stare at Woodson's grim face, framed in the doorway and lit by the torch held by Win-Grace Porringer, who stood behind him. "You there, you Landless!" cried the overseer, impatiently. "You sleep like the dead. Tumble out!
Lying about the earthen floor were several small casks to which the man motioned as seats. Leaving Landless near the door, Win-Grace Porringer dragged a keg to the side of the settle, and sitting down upon it, approached his death mask of a face close to the face of the mender of nets, and commenced a whispered conversation.
Escape! The word had beaten through brain and heart so long and so persistently, that at times he feared lest he should cry it aloud. Win-Grace Porringer shook his head. "It's not an easy thing to escape from a Virginia plantation. With dogs and with horses they hunt you down, yea, with torches and boats. They band themselves together against the fleeing sparrow.
Our plans known, our friends taken, betrayed and deserted by the man in whom we trusted most, whom we called our leader, we have, indeed, no choice." "Win-Grace Porringer," said Landless. The Muggletonian threw up his arms. "Iscariot!" he cried wildly. "Woe, woe to him by whom offenses come! Well for thee, son of Warham Landless, hadst thou never been born!
I must have time to think, to judge for myself, to decide " The door swung stealthily inward, and in the opening appeared the dead white face, with the great letter sprawling over it, of Master Win-Grace Porringer. "There are boats on the creek," he said. "Two coming up, one coming down." Godwyn nodded. "I hold conference to-night with men from this and the two neighboring plantations.
"And after your fifth attempt, what then?" The man gave him a sidelong look. "I have not made my fifth attempt," he said quietly. They worked in silence for a few minutes. Then said Master Win-Grace Porringer: What was your offense, friend, for I reckon that you come not here of your free will, being neither a rustic nor a fool?" "I came from Newgate," said Landless, after a pause.
Wherefore I, Win-Grace Porringer, testify against the people of this land; against Prelatists and Papists, Presbyterians and Independents, Baptists, Quakers and heathen; against princes, governors, and men in high places; against them that call themselves planters and trample the vineyard of the Lord; against their sons and their daughters who are haughty, and walk with stretched-forth neck and wanton eyes, walking and mincing and making a tinkling with their feet.
The rustics and the convict, after one long stare of amazement at the distant hut, began to comment freely and with much recondite blasphemy upon the transaction recorded by Margery. Luiz Sebastian only smiled amiably, like a lazy and well-disposed catamount, and the boy whistled long and thoughtfully. But the countenance of Master Win-Grace Porringer wore an expression of secret satisfaction.
Luiz Sebastian smiled evilly. The shaven head and fleshless face of Win-Grace Porringer protruded themselves over Landless's shoulder. "What does it mean?" he muttered. "God knows," answered the other. "Come to the trysting place to-night. We must act, and act quickly."
If, to curry favor with the uncircumcised Philistines who set themselves over us, thou speakest of aught thou mayest see or hear there to-night, may the Lord wither thy tongue within thy mouth, may he smite thee with blindness, may he bring thee quick into the pit! And if not the Lord, then will I, Win-Grace Porringer, rise and smite thee!" "You may spare your invectives," said Landless coldly.
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