A Daughter of the Union Part 13
Butler stays in New Orleans the city shall acknowledge the absolute and unquestioned supremacy of the United States."
"There is no doubt but that she will with you at the helm," said the Admiral. "General, do you know a man by the name of Archer?"
"John Archer?" asked the General, giving a quick glance at him. "Well, to any one else, Admiral, I should dissemble; but to you I will say, yes.
Why?"
"This girl," pushing Jeanne forward, "has brought messages, papers, or something of that nature for him from New York City: I thought that perhaps you could arrange a meeting with him for her. After that she has an uncle in the city whom she wishes to find."
"This girl?" General Butler eyed Jeanne keenly. "Rather young for a messenger, isn't she?"
"In years, perhaps; but she ran the fire of the Vicksburg batteries in order to reach here."
"Indeed!" General Butler looked at her more closely. "Do you know John Archer, child?"
"No, sir."
"Orderly, bring in the man Archer," commanded the General.
A look of surprise pa.s.sed over Farragut's face, but he made no remark.
Presently the orderly returned with a man.
"Archer," said the General quietly, "this girl has brought some papers for you."
There was a startled expression on the man's face, and he looked at Jeanne with something like apprehension. General Butler turned his attention to Admiral Farragut, and Jeanne was left face to face with the man whom she had come so far to see.
CHAPTER X
AN UNFORESEEN RESULT
He was not an agreeable looking man and Jeanne felt an instinctive distrust of him instantly. For a few moments she hesitated, and the thought came to her that she would not give him the papers. But was it not for this very thing that she had come to New Orleans? What would her father say if she did not fulfil her trust?
"You wished to see me?" said John Archer, and it seemed to Jeanne that he was trying to make signs to her.
"If you are Mr. John Archer?" and Jeanne looked at him steadily. "I came from Mr. Richard Vance."
"Vance? Richard Vance?" repeated the other as if the name conveyed nothing of importance to his mind. "What Vance?"
"Why Richard Vance of New York City," answered Jeanne in astonishment.
She had inferred from what her father had said that John Archer would be well acquainted with the name. "He is my father, and he has sent me to you with some papers. If you are Mr. John Archer?"
"I am he," answered the man, "but I know nothing about any papers."
"I thought that you would," murmured Jeanne. There seemed something strange to her in the way the man was acting. "My mother sewed them into my petticoat," she continued with a growing reluctance against parting with them. "If there is any place where I could go I would get them. It seemed the best way to carry them."
"Orderly," interposed General Butler turning to them, "take the young lady to Mrs. Butler. My wife will gladly a.s.sist you," he added to Jeanne.
"Thank you," said Jeanne, gratefully hurrying after the Orderly. They soon reached the apartments set aside for the use of General Butler's wife, and she herself opened the door in answer to the Orderly's knock.
"Come right in," she said cordially in response to Jeanne's rapid explanation. "You are young to be sent on such an errand, my dear. But the times are such that we cannot always choose our messengers. Very often the young prove more reliable than older persons. You say that they are in your petticoat, my child?"
"Yes, ma'am," returned Jeanne. "You see it made my frock stand out like crinoline and no one would think it was anything else."
"And a good place it is too," replied the lady busy with her scissors.
"You have a thoughtful mother."
"Mrs. Butler," said the little girl suddenly after she and the lady had finished their task and the papers lay before them, "do you know John Archer?"
"No, child. Why?"
"He is the man to whom my father sent these papers," said the girl thoughtfully. "Someway I do not like him. I wish he were not the man."
"My dear," reproved the lady gently, "we ought not to let our fancies dominate us. If the man came to the General's rooms and was received there, rest a.s.sured that he is all right. The General has means of knowing whether a man is to be trusted or not."
"True," replied Jeanne, and feeling that it would be ungracious to give further expression to her distrust she went slowly back to the parlor.
Why should she, a mere child, presume to doubt a man whom the General and even her own father trusted? "But I do wish," sighed she as she opened the door of the apartment. "I do wish that he were not the man."
"Here are the papers," she said, going straight to Mr. Archer.
"Thank you." Archer took the papers mechanically and without another word or look at her turned to the Orderly, and was conducted from the room.
Jeanne stood looking after him somewhat dismayed. Was this all? Some way she had thought, had expected it to be so different. Mr. Huntsworth, Captain Leathers, even the great Farragut had seemed to consider that she had done wonders in carrying the papers but this man thought nothing of her action. Tears of disappointment welled to her eyes.
"Never mind, child," said Farragut seeing her distress. "Some people are so matter of fact that they suppose the whole world is of the same way of thinking. Besides, the consciousness of a good action is its own reward."
"Ye-es," said Jeanne, "I know that it ought to be. It says so in my copy-book. But I thought that it would be so different."
"It would be a fine thing if all our acts would receive approbation,"
remarked General Butler. "Bra.s.s bands and calcium lights are things that human nature craves for deeds well done, but they are seldom given. That is, until one dies."
"Don't be cynical, General," laughed Farragut. "The child will find it out soon enough."
"Yes; I suppose so," replied Butler. "Didn't you say something about an uncle, Admiral?"
"Yes; that is the next thing in order. She is to stay with him until her father tells her to return. Her uncle is Benjamin Vance."
"Whe-ew," whistled the General an expression of blank amazement on his face. "Did you say Benjamin Vance?"
"Certainly. Do you know him?"
"I do," replied the General emphatically. "And this girl is his niece, and she brings papers down here to Archer? It is about the boldest thing I ever heard of!"
"Why! What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you presently. Come here, girl. Do you hear often from your uncle?" he asked as Jeanne approached.