The Allen House | Page 9

for him, told the story. His relation was to this effect: About ten
o'clock at night, Mrs. Allen sent for him, and he waited on her
accordingly. He found her dressed as for a journey, but alone.
"Take a seat, Jacob," she said. "I wish to have some talk with you." The
man noticed something unusual in her talk and manner.
"Jacob," she resumed, after a pause, bending towards Mr. Perkins, "can
I trust you in a matter requiring both service and secrecy? I have done
some kind things for you and yours; I now wish you to return the

favor."
As she spoke, she drew out a purse, and let him see something of its
golden contents.
"Say on, Mrs. Allen. You may trust me. If you ask anything short of a
crime, it shall be done. Yes, you have been kind to me and mine, and
now I will repay you, if in my power to do so."
Jacob Perkins was in earnest. But, whether gratitude, or that apparition
of golden sovereigns, had most influence upon him, cannot at this
remote period be said.
"Can you get a pair of horses and a carriage, or light wagon, to-night?"
"I can," replied Jacob.
"And so as not to excite undue curiosity?"
"I think so."
"Very well. Next, will you drive that team all night?"
And Mrs. Allen played with the purse of gold, and let the coins it
contained strike each other with a musical chink, very pleasant to the
ear of Jacob Perkins.
"You shall be paid handsomely for your trouble," added the lady, as she
fixed her beautiful blue eyes upon Jacob with an earnest, almost
pleading look.
"I hope there is nothing wrong," said Jacob, as some troublesome
suspicions began turning themselves over in his mind.
"Nothing wrong, as God is my witness!" And Mrs. Allen lifted her pale
face reverently upwards.
"Forgive me, madam; I might have known that," said Jacob. "And now,
if you will give me your orders, they shall be obeyed to the letter."

"Thank you, my kind friend," returned Mrs. Allen. "The service you are
now about to render me, cannot be estimated in the usual way. To me,
it will be far beyond all price."
She was agitated, and paused to recover herself. Then she resumed,
with her usual calmness of manner--
"Bring the carriage here--driving with as little noise as possible--in half
an hour. Be very discreet. Don't mention the matter even to your wife.
You can talk with her as freely as you choose on your return from
Boston."
"From Boston? Why, that is thirty miles away, at least!"
"I know it, Jacob; but I must be in Boston early to-morrow morning.
You know the road?"
"Every foot of it."
"So much the better. And now go for the carriage."
Jacob Perkins arose. As he was turning to go, Mrs. Allen placed her
hand upon his shoulder, and said--
"I can trust you, Mr. Perkins?"
"Madam, you can," was his reply; and he passed from the quiet house
into the darkness without. The night was moonless, but the stars shone
down from an unclouded sky. When Jacob Perkins found himself alone,
and began to look this adventure full in the face, some unpleasant
doubts touching the part he was about to play, intruded themselves
upon his thoughts. He had seen the handsome stranger going daily to
visit Mrs. Allen, for now nearly a week, and had listened to the town
talk touching the matter, until his own mind was filled with the
common idea, that something was wrong. And now, to be called on to
drive Mrs. Allen to Boston, secretly, and under cover of the night,
seemed so much like becoming a party to some act of folly or crime,
that he gave way to hesitation, and began to seek for reasons that would

justify his playing the lady false. Then came up the image of her sweet,
reverent face, as she said so earnestly, "Nothing wrong, as God is my
witness!" And his first purpose was restored.
Punctually, at half-past ten o'clock, the team of Jacob Perkins drove
noiselessly in through the gate, and up the carriage-way to the door of
the Allen mansion. No lights were visible in any part of the house.
Under the portico were two figures, a man and a woman--the man
holding something in his arms, which, on a closer observation, Jacob
saw to be a child. Two large trunks and a small one stood near.
"Put them on the carriage," said Mrs. Allen, in a low, steady voice; and
Jacob obeyed in silence. When all was ready, she got in, and the man
handed her the sleeping child, and then took his place beside her.
"To Boston, remember, Jacob; and make the time