and loyalest contributors is a fellow name of Cavil Planter, who once owned him a farm in Appalachee and still clings to a certain cachet like it was gold bullion," said Armor-of-God, with a glance at Arthur Stuart.
Arthur nodded. "You're saying that's the white man as raped my mama to make me."
"Most likely," said Armor-of-God.
Alvin stared at Arthur Stuart. "How do you know about such things?"
"I hear everything," said Arthur Stuart. "I don't forget none of it. People said things about that stuff when I was too young to understand it, but I remembered the words and said them to myself when I was older and could understand them."
"Damn," said Horace. "How was Old Peg and me supposed to know he'd be able to figure it out later?"
"You did nothing wrong," said Verily. "You can't help the knacks your children have. My parents couldn't predict what I'd do, either, though heaven knows they tried. If Arthur Stuart's knack let him learn things that were painful to know, then I'd also have to say his inward character was strong enough to deal with it and let him grow up untroubled by it."
"I ain't troubled by it, that's true," said Arthur Stuart. "But I'll never call him my pa. He hurt my mama and he wanted to make a slave of me, and that's no pa." He looked at Horace Guester. "My own Black mama died trying to get me here, to a real pa and to a ma who'd take her place when she died."
Horace reached out and patted the boy's hand. Alvin knew how Horace had never liked having the boy call him his father, but it was plain Horace had reconciled himself to it. Maybe it was because of what Arthur just said, or maybe it was because Alvin had taken the boy away for a year and Horace was realizing now that his life was emptier without this half-Black mixup boy as his son.
"So this Cavil Planter is one of the money men behind Thrower's little group," said Verily. "Who else?"
"A lot of names, we didn't get but a few of them but it's prominent people in Carthage, and all of them from the proslavery faction, either openly or clandestine," said Armor. "And I'm pretty sure about where most of the money's going to."
"We know some of it went to pay Daniel Webster," said Alvin.
"But a lot more of it went to help with White Murderer Harrison's campaign for president," said Armor.
They fell silent, and in the silence more gunshots went off, more cheering, more galloping of horses and whooping.and hollering. "Tippy-Canoe just carried him another county," said Horace.
"Maybe he won't do so well back east," said Alvin.
"Who knows?" said Measure. "I can guarantee you he didn't get a single vote in Vigor Church. But that ain't enough to turn the tide."
"It's out of our hands for now," said Alvin. "Presidents ain't forever."
"I think what's important here," said Verily, "is that the same people whose candidate for president just won the election are also out to get you killed, Alvin."
"I'd think about lying low for a while," said Measure.
"I been lying low," said Alvin. "I had about all the low-lying I can stand."
"Being in jail so's they know right where you be ain't lying low," said Mike Fink. "You got to be where they don't think to look for you, or where if they do find you they can't do nothing to hurt you."
"The first place I can think of that fills those requirements is the grave," said Alvin, "but I reckon I don't want to go there yet."
There was a soft rap on the door. Horace went to it, whispered, "Who's there?"
"Peggy," came the answer. He opened the door and she came in. She looked around at the assembled men and chuckled. "Planning the fate of the world here?"
Too many of them remembered what happened the last time they met together for her casual tone to be easily accepted. Only Armor and Fink, who weren't there in Alvin's cell that night, greeted her with good cheer. They filled her in on all that had happened, including the fact that Harrison's election was taken for a sure thing all along the route from Carthage City to Hatrack.
"You know what I don't think is fair?" said Arthur Stuart. "That old Red Hand Harrison is walking around with blood dripping off'n him and they made him president, while Measure here has to stay half-hid and all them other good folks