"Shannon! Speak! Why have you kept secrets from your commanding officer? You have begun to tell me--tell me all!"
The boy's hand clutched at his leader's wrists. At length Lewis loosed him.
"Captain," began the victim, "what do you mean? What can I do?"
"I will tell you what I mean, Shannon. I promised to care for you and bring you back safe to your parents. You'll never see your parents again, save on one condition. I trusted you, thought you had special loyalty for me. Was I wrong?"
"On my honor, Captain," the boy broke out, "I'd have died for you any time, and I'd do it now! I've worked my very best. You're my officer, my chief!"
With one movement, Meriwether Lewis flung off the uniform coat that he wore. They stood now, man to man, stripped, and neither gave back from the other.
"Shannon," said Lewis, "I'm not your officer now. I'm going to choke the truth out of you. Will you fight me, or are you afraid?"
The last cruelty was too much. The boy began to gulp.
"I'm not afraid to fight, sir. I'd fight any man, but you--no, I'll not do it! Even stripped, you're my commander still."
"Is that the reason?"
"Not all of it. You're weak, Captain, your wound has you in a fever. 'Twould not be fair--I could do as I liked with you now. I'll not fight you. I couldn't!"
"What? You will not obey me as your officer, and will not fight me as a man? Do you want to be whipped? Do you want to be shot? Do you want to be drummed out of camp tomorrow morning? By Heaven, Private Shannon, one of these choices will be yours!"
But something of the icy silence of the youth who heard these terrible words gave pause even to the madman that was Meriwether Lewis now. He halted, his hooked hands extended for the spring upon his opponent.
"What is it, boy?" he whispered at last. "What have I done? What did I say?"
Shannon was sobbing now.
"Captain," he said, and thrust a hand into the bosom of his tunic--"Captain, for Heaven's sake, don't do that! Don't apologize to me. I understand. Leave me alone. Here's the letter. There were six--this is the last."
Lewis's strained muscles relaxed, his blazing eyes softened.
"Shannon!" he whispered once more. "What have I done?"
He took the letter in his hand, but did not look at it, although his fingers could feel the seal unbroken.
"Why do you give it to me now, boy?" he asked at length. "What changed you?"