Page:The Partisan (revised).djvu/169

 "What, Gates! that is brave news, truly&mdash;brave news&mdash;and we shall do well to wish him success in another glass of Madeira. Come, Mr. Humphries come, sir&mdash;you see Proctor has left us some of the genuine stuff yet&mdash;enough for friends, at least."

"Ay, sir," said Humphries, drinking, "and this news of the continentals promises that we have enough also for our enemies."

"Bravo! I hope so; I think so. Nephew, drink; drink&mdash;and say, what has been the effect of this intelligence upon the people? How has it wrought upon the Santee?"

"Everywhere well, uncle, and as it should, unless it be immediately in your neighbourhood, where you breathe by sufferance only. Everywhere well, sir. The people are roused, inspirited, full of hope and animation. The country is alive with a new sentiment. Nor is its influence confined only to the hopes of friends: it has had its effect upon the fears of enemies. Rawdon already feels it, and has drawn in all his outposts. He keeps now those of Ninety-Six, Camden, and Augusta only. He is concentrating his force against the coming of Gates, whose first blow must be against his lordship. This concentration has given opportunity to our people, and opportunity gives them courage. The Santee and the Pedee countries are full of whigs, only wanting embodiment to prove effective. Colonel Sumter has returned from North Carolina, with a growing troop which threatens Ninety-Six itself."

"And Marion?"

"Aye, Marion&mdash;from him I bring you better news yet, when I tell you that I left him on Briton's Neck, where we stood upon the bodies of half of Gainey's tories, whom we had just defeated with bloody slaughter&mdash;Gainey himself wounded, and his troop for the time dispersed."

"Better and better, Robert; and I rejoice that you had a hand in the business. But what, in all this time, of that sanguinary rider, Tarleton? What keeps him quiet&mdash;what is he doing? Surely, with a taste like his, the very knowledge of these risings should be grateful."

"Doubtless they will be, when he gets wind of them; but he is now with the cavalry of the legion, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Rocky Mount, where Sumter is said to be looking after him.