So Colonel George Talbot is out of the hands of the proud Lord Effingham, and up the Bay with his wife and friends; and is buffeting the wintry head-winds in a long voyage to the Elk River, which, in due time, he reaches in safety.

CHAPTER IX.

TROUBLES IN COUNCIL.

Let us now turn back to see what is doing at St. Mary’s.

On the 17th of February comes to the Council a letter from Lord Effingham.  It has the superscription, “These, with the greatest care and speed.”  It is dated on the 11th of February from Poropotanck, an Indian point on the York River above Gloucester, and memorable as being in the neighborhood of the spot where, some sixty years before these events, Pocahontas saved the life of that mirror of chivalry, Captain John Smith.

The letter brings information “that last night [the 10th of February] Colonel Talbot escaped out of prison,”—­a subsequent letter says, “by the corruption of his guard,”—­and it is full of admonition, which has very much the tone of command, urging all strenuous efforts to recapture him, and particularly recommending a proclamation of “hue and cry.”

And now, for a month, there is a great parade in Maryland of proclamation, and hue and cry, and orders to sheriffs and county colonels to keep a sharp look-out everywhere for Talbot.  But no person in the Province seems to be anxious to catch him, except Mr. Nehemiah Blakiston, the Collector, and a few others, who seem to have been ministering to Lord Effingham’s spleen against the Council for not capturing him.  His Lordship writes several letters of complaint at the delay and ill success of this pursuit, and some of them in no measured terms of courtesy.  “I admire,” he says in one of these, “at any slow proceedings in service wherein his Majesty is so concerned, and hope you will take off all occasions of future trouble, both unto me and you, of this nature, by manifesting yourselves zealous for his Majesty’s service.”  They answer, that all imaginable care for the apprehending of Talbot has been taken by issuing proclamations, etc.,—­but all have proved ineffectual, because Talbot upon all occasions flies and takes refuge “in the remotest parts of the woods and deserts of this Province.”

At this point we get some traces of Talbot.  There is a deposition of Robert Kemble of Cecil County, and some other papers, that give us a few particulars by which I am enabled to construct my narrative.

Colonel Talbot got to his own house about the middle of February,—­nearly at the same time at which the news of his escape reached St. Mary’s.  He there lay warily watching the coming hue and cry for his apprehension.  He collected his friends, armed them, and set them at watch and ward, at all his outposts.  He had a disguise provided, in which he occasionally ventured abroad.  Kemble met him, on the 19th of February, at George Oldfield’s,