Robert Ames Bennet
A Volunteer with Pike
The True Narrative of One Dr. John Robinson and of His Love for the Fair Señorita Vallois
"A Volunteer with Pike" by Robert Ames Bennet is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. The story follows Dr. John Robinson, who finds himself caught between his adventurous aspirations and his affection for the beautiful Señorita Alisanda Vallois in the early 19th-century United States, amidst the backdrop of political intrigue and western expansion. The opening of the narrative introduces Dr. Robinson as he arrives in Washington, D.C. He immediately encounters a Spanish coach stuck in the mud, which leads to a fateful meeting with the alluring Señorita Alisanda. As he assists, a budding attraction forms but is complicated by the aristocratic overtones of her family and the societal divide between them. Through a series of humorous and tense exchanges with the coach’s driver, and the charming yet proud señorita, the reader is drawn into Robinson's world—a mix of budding romance, western adventure, and socio-political themes that set the stage for further exploits.