Читать книгу The Carolinian онлайн

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'A tobacco planter in a small way,' said Williams. 'I have some land, held by the King's bounty, between the Saluda and the Broad. Haven't I, Cheney?'

'Aye. That's a fact,' said Cheney, who wore a hangdog look.

His lordship thought that he understood the fellow's loyalty.

'And therefore you are properly grateful, sir? That is very well. I would all were as dutiful in the back-country settlements. But what of you, Cheney? What grounds did the committee give for your arrest?'

'Just that I came down with Kirkland, as did Dick here. Lucky for him, though, he weren't seen in Kirkland's company.'

'But they couldn't hurt you for being with Kirkland.'

'They might ha' done, if I hadn't denied it. I swore their spy was mistook when he said I came as a life-guard to Kirkland. I said Kirkland and me had met on the Indian trail beyond the town; that we did happen to come in together, but that I knew naught of him being a deserter from the provincial army. I held to that tale, though they tried plaguy hard to shake me out of it. And when they found they couldn't, why, they just let me go. But I ain't safe in Charles Town, my lord.'