Kitty's Conquest

by Charles King

  CHAPTER IV.

  It was a clear, starlit night and very mild, almost warm, in fact; andhaving spent my Christmas but a few days before amid the orange grovesand magnolias of Louisiana, I had prepared myself for something morewintry on the borders of Tennessee; but up to that time my overcoat hadbeen insupportable.

  The combined effects of half a dozen cigars and the conversation justconcluded with Harrod Summers had banished all desire for sleep. Infact, if I must confess it, I was nervous and ill at ease. The roomseemed close and stifling, so I opened both window and door to securethe full benefit of the cool night-air, and then proceeded to makemyself comfortable. First pulling off my boots and insinuating my feetinto an easy old pair of slippers, I took the boots to the door anddeposited them noiselessly in the hall, where small Pomp, the "generalutility" man of the household, could find and black them in the morning.A dim light was burning on a little table in the hall, and I noticed Mr.Peyton's boots at his door, the door next to mine, and on the same sideof the hall. We were quartered in what was known as the east wing, aone-storied addition to the main building, containing four sleepingapartments for the use of the judge's guests; the floor, as is generallythe case in these Southern houses, being elevated some eight or ninefeet above the ground.

  Peyton and I were the only occupants of the wing that night; the roomsof the rest of the household being in the main building. It occurred tome, therefore, that the hall lamp was unnecessary there; and so Icrossed over, took it from its table, and was returning with it to myown room, when I heard a long, shrill, distant whistle. It came from thedirection of the woods on the eastern side of the plantation, so faraway, in fact, that save in the dead of night it probably would havefailed to attract attention. Involuntarily I stopped short in my tracks,listening; and involuntarily, too, I looked at Peyton's door. It wasclosed, but the transom above it was open, and all was darkness within.No sound had come from his room before, and I supposed him asleep; andnow, as if in corroboration of that supposition, he began to snore;rather a louder and more demonstrative snore than would have beennatural from so sudden a start, I thought afterwards. Meantime, I stoodstill a minute and listened. The whistle died away, and there was noanswer or repetition; the snoring continued; I moved on into my room;closed and bolted the door; put my lamp on the bureau; took out myrevolver and carefully examined it; then turned down the light untilnothing but a mere glimmer was left; crouched down by the open window,and looked out. The stillness was so intense that the ticking of mywatch and the loud beating of my heart seemed insupportable. Leaning outfrom the casement, I could see that Peyton's window, too, was open, andthat there was a little shed of some kind beneath it, whose roof reachedup to within about five feet of the window-sill. Garden-tools wereprobably stored there, as I had noticed a few spades and a wheelbarrowduring the day. Peyton was still snoring, though less loudly.

  I listened for ten minutes more, and still no sound came from thedirection in which I had heard the whistle, save the distant neigh of ahorse and the occasional barking of dogs. Yet my nerves were upset. Thatwhistle _must_ have been a signal of some kind, and, if so, what did itportend? At last, being unable to arrive at any conclusion, I determinedto lie down and think it over; and so, taking off coat and waist-coat,and putting on a loose wrapper, I threw myself upon the bed. It musthave been after midnight then, yet I could not sleep, and at the sametime thinking was an effort. I found myself listening intently for everysound, and holding my breath every time the distant bark of a dog orthe lowing of cattle was heard.

  An hour passed; nothing further happened; and I began to feel drowsy atlast and to regard myself as the easiest man to scare in the wholecounty. Soon after, I must have fallen into a doze; an uneasy, fitfulslumber it must have been, too; for the very next thing I knew I foundmyself sitting bolt upright; every nerve strained; and listening withbeating heart to the same signal whistle; only this time, though low andcautious, it was nearer; and, unless I was vastly mistaken, came from alittle clump of trees just beyond the eastern fence. Harrod's bigNewfoundland, who always slept on the porch in front of the house, andseldom, if ever, barked or made any disturbance at night, came tearingaround to our side, growling fiercely, and evidently excited andalarmed.

  _Something_ was up, that was certain; and immediately I began to wonderwhat ought to be done. The call was not repeated; all was soon quietagain. "Blondo" had given one or two low, short barks; scouted throughthe grounds about the house; and returned to the southern front again.After one or two moments' consideration he had given another, a sort ofinterrogatory bark, as though he expected a reply; and then, with adissatisfied sniff at hearing nothing further, slowly returned to hisusual post. Blondo's nerves were better than mine. I thought over thematter ten minutes longer in the most undecided manner imaginable.Harrod had plainly intimated that he suspected Mr. Peyton of complicitywith the Ku-Klux or I would have awakened him; as it was, I waspossessed with the idea that he ought to know nothing of our suspicions,nothing of the anonymous letter (from us, at least), and in no manner orway be admitted to confidence. Rather hard on Peyton, to be sure; butthere _was_ something about him I didn't like, something besides themere fact that I saw he didn't like me, and----What was that! There_could_ be no mistake! I plainly saw through my open window a suddengleam of light among the leaves of the oak-tree on the other side of thegarden-walk. It was as though the light had been momentarily thrown uponit from a bull's-eye lantern and instantly withdrawn. More than that,the light was thrown upon it from this side. Thoroughly aroused now, Istole noiselessly from the bed; took my revolver; and, making the leastpossible "creak" in turning the key, I slowly opened my door, and ontiptoe and in stocking feet crept out into the hall. My plan was to goand arouse Harrod.

  Without closing my door I turned stealthily away; and, as a matter ofcourse, stumbled over one of my boots. There they were, right at thedoor, just where I had left them, and visible enough for all practicalpurposes in the dim light that came from my open doorway and the windowat the end of the hall. It was clumsy and stupid of me. I looked towardsPeyton's door, wondering if the noise, slight as it was, had awakenedhim. No more snoring, at all events. I took a step or two towards hisroom to listen, looked carefully down to see that I didn't stumble overhis boots too, and then stopped short.

  Peyton's boots were no longer there.

  For a moment I could not realize it; then I stole closer to the door,and the door that I knew was tightly closed when I came up-stairs wasnow unlatched and partly open. The conviction forced itself into my mindthat my next-door neighbor was up to some of his old devilment, and thatthat signal whistle had some connection with the mysteriousdisappearance of his boots. Peeping through the partly-opened door, Icould see the bed, its coverlet undisturbed, its pillows smooth anduntouched. That was enough to embolden me, and at the same time make memad. All that snoring was a counterfeit for _my_ benefit, was it? Iopened the door and looked in: no signs of its late occupant; Ned Peytonhad gone.

  Sorely puzzled what to do next, I sidled out again; sneaked out, I mightas well say, for that's the way I felt; and leaving his door as I foundit, returned to my own room and took post at the window. Curiouslyenough, the discovery of Peyton's absence and his probable connectionwith the mysterious signals without, had had a wonderful effect inrestoring me to confidence and endowing me with a fabulous amount ofpluck and courage. The idea of summoning Harrod was abandoned; the thingto be done now was to find out what my amiable next-door neighbor was upto; and, if possible, to do so without letting him know that his nicelittle game was detected.

  A clock somewhere in the hall struck three while I was pondering overthe matter. Ten minutes afterwards there came a stealthy step on thegarden-walk, and the figure of a man emerged from behind an old arbornear the oak-tree. It was Peyton, of course, although the light was toouncertain to admit of my recognizing him until he came nearer.

  I crouched down lower, but kept him in view. Cautiously and slowlyMaster Ned tiptoed it up to
the little tool-house under his window;swung himself carefully up to the roof; crept on all-fours until hereached the top; and then, making very little noise, clambered into hiswindow and disappeared from view. A moment or two after, I heard himsoftly deposit his boots in the hall; close and bolt his door; and soonafter tumble into bed. Evidently, then, we had nothing further to fearfor that night at least; and in fifteen minutes I was sound asleep.

  At breakfast the next morning the household generally put in a lateappearance. Peyton established himself at Miss Kitty's side andmonopolized her in the most lover-like manner. Immediately afterwardsthe pair sallied forth for a walk. Miss Summers looked very anxiouslyafter them until they disappeared in the shrubbery, and then turned toHarrod with an appealing look in her eyes.

  "I don't know what to do, Harrod. I didn't imagine the possibility ofhis coming back here when we invited Kitty."

  "Don't worry about it, Pauline. Mr. Brandon and I are going to driveover to the cavalry camp this morning, and this afternoon I'll have atalk with Ned. How soon can you get through your talk with father?" hesuddenly asked, turning to me.

  "Twenty minutes at most will be long enough," I answered; so he sent offto the stable to order the carriage.

  The judge and I strolled slowly around the house, planning the course tobe pursued in the prosecution of the men who had been arrested under the"enforcement act." As we sauntered along the garden-walk on the easternside, I naturally glanced up at my window and Peyton's. A coarse brownenvelope was lying right at the door of the little tool-house, the veryplace where he had clambered to the roof the night before. "We lawyersare curious," and, without interrupting the judge's conversation, I"obliqued" over to the left; picked up the envelope; dropped itcarelessly into my pocket; and went on talking without having attractedthe judge's attention to the movement.

  After the judge had returned to his study, and before Harrod was ready,I had an opportunity of investigating this precious document. It onlyneeded a glance to assure me that it was just such another envelope asthe one which inclosed the Ku-Klux letter to the judge that Harrod hadshown me, and that fact was sufficient to remove any scruples I mighthave had as to reading its contents. The envelope bore no mark oraddress. The inclosure was as follows:

  "CAPTAIN PEYTON:

  "DEAR SIR,--The Yankee major, with forty of his men, went off in a hurry late last night, leaving the lieutenant and about ten men in camp. They're after Hank and the crowd, but we got notice in time, broke up the ranch, and scattered. Hank's wound is pretty rough; he played a d--d fool trick in trying to get that express money, and the boys all think he'd been drinking again. Three of us took him over the Big Bear in Scantwell's boat, and on up to Chickasaw. He sent me back from there to see you and tell you to watch out for every chance to get word to him. He'll be at Eustice's, across the Tennessee, until his arm is well; and then he's coming back to get square with the Yank who shot him. The lieutenant has got an infernal bad cut on the left hand, and can't do nothing for the next week. Look out for signal any night about two o'clock. Burn this.

  "Yours respectfully,

  "BLACKEY."

  Here was a pretty piece of villainy. I thought earnestly whether to showit immediately to Harrod and make a full _expose_ of Peyton's complicitywith the affair; but, before I could decide, the carriage came; and withthe driver listening to every word that was said, it was out of thequestion. It was scandalous enough as it stood without letting theservants know of it. We talked a good deal about their generalperformances, but in no way alluded to the latest developments of theKlan as we drove rapidly along. Neither expected to find Major Vintonthere at camp; but I had reason to know that Amory would be on hand, andhad determined to give him immediate information as to the whereaboutsof Smith that he might send out a party to secure him.

  Sure enough, only one or two soldiers were to be seen when we drove up,but a corporal took us to Amory's tent. He sprang up from the littlecamp-bed in which he was lounging and reading; gave us a cordialwelcome; and, in reply to our questions, stated that the major had goneout with three days' rations and nearly all the men, hoping to hunt upand capture the gang. A United States marshal was with him, who feltcertain that he could guide him to the very point on the bayou where thefight had taken place. He had started about three o'clock on theprevious morning, just as soon as rations could be cooked, and wasdetermined to hunt them to their holes.

  "I expect him back every hour, and am disgusted enough at being orderedto stay behind; but he and the doctor both forbade my going, so here Iam playing the invalid." His arm was still in a sling and the handclosely bound.

  We sat and chatted for some twenty minutes. Amory inquired after "theyoung ladies" very calmly; made no allusion to Miss Kitty's snub;accounted for his non-appearance the day before by saying that thedoctor had insisted on his remaining quiet in his tent; and so neitherHarrod nor I saw fit to make any apology for our troublesome littleheroine. She was worrying all of us now,--innocently enough perhaps, butsorely for all that.

  Harrod turned the subject to Hank Smith; and, finding that Amory hadnot heard of his threat as related by the man whom his friends had"fetched a wipe over the head," repeated it to him, and warned him to beon his guard. Mars took it coolly enough; expressed his readiness towelcome Hank and his adherents to hospitable graves; and, except thathis teeth came as solidly together as they had when alluding to theruffian's escape two nights previous, displayed no symptoms of theslightest emotion at the prospect of losing a quart or two of"heart's-blood" within the month.

  Presently Harrod drove off to the village to make some necessarypurchases, promising to return for me within an hour. Then I lost not amoment in giving Mars my information about Hank Smith; where he was tobe found, etc., but without mentioning Peyton's connection with theaffair or stating how the news came into my possession. He asked, ofcourse, but I gave a good reason for declining to name the person whohad volunteered the news, at the same time assuring him of my belief inits truth.

  Mars was all ablaze in a minute. Chickasaw was at least twelve milesaway and to the north. Vinton's plan, and the marshal's, was to gosouth-west, should they find the ranch abandoned, and search a number ofsuspected points in Tishomingo and Prentiss Counties. All the gang bythis time knew that there was a hunt going on, and, at the cry of"Yanks coming," had scattered in every direction. Smith thought himselfsafe across the Tennessee, and would probably have only one or two menwith him. Amory was fairly excited this time anyhow, and in ten minuteshad made up his mind; gave his orders to a non-commissioned officer,wrote a letter to Major Vinton, with instructions to deliver itimmediately upon the return of the troop to camp, and before HarrodSummers' return, had vaulted lightly into saddle, waved me a laughinggood-by, and trotted off at the head of a little squad of fivedragoons,--all the men he could possibly take. I watched them till theydisappeared from view on the road to the Tennessee and then sat me downto wait for Harrod.

  The corporal who had shown us to Amory's tent was on "sick-report" hesaid, with chills and fever. He, with three or four others, remained incharge of camp, and I amused myself listening to their talk about theirofficers and the Ku-Klux. An old darky on a mule came in to sellchickens, and after him, a seedy-looking fellow on a shaggy pony,--he"didn't want nothing in particular, unless it was to know when thecaptain'd be back."

  The corporal was non-committal,--didn't know. The seedy party shiftedaround in his saddle, and, after profuse expectoration, "reckoned thatthe lieutenant warn't much hurt nohow."

  "Why so?" says the corporal.

  "'Cause he's off so quick again."

  "That don't prove anything," says the dragoon.

  "Whar's he gone to?" says Seedy.

  "Don't know."

  "Ain't gone far, I reckon; didn't take no rations, did he?"

  "Don't know."

  "I kind of wondered _why_ he took the north road _fur_, if he wanted tocatch the captain, 'c
ause I knew _he_ was out towards Guntown."

  "_How_ did you know?"

  "Well, I heard so, that's all."

  The corporal looks steadily at Seedy, and is apparently suspicious.Seedy turns his quid over with his tongue and looks all around. He's abad hand at extracting information, at all events. At last he makesanother venture.

  "Wish I knew how far up the north road the lieutenant went. I've gotsome business up towards the Tennessee. I belong to a missionary societyhereabouts, and yet I don't like to take that long ride alone."

  I hear the corporal mutter a rather unflattering comment on _that_statement; and it occurs to me that there is more of the odor of badwhiskey than sanctity about the member of the missionary society. Hereminds me of Mr. Stiggins; and Mr. Stiggins makes one more attempt.

  "Whar am I most like to catch the boys by dinner-time?"

  "Don't know."

  The member looks incredulous and indignant; and after a long survey ofevery object in range about the camp, turns his dejected steed slowlyaround and shambles off, with the parting shot,--

  "Reckon you never _did_ know nothin', did you?" To which the corporalresponds,--

  "No; and if I _did_, I wouldn't tell you, Johnny."

  Stiggins strikes a canter on reaching the main road, and disappears onthe trail of the cavalry. Presently Harrod returns, greatly surprised atAmory's sudden expedition, and curious as to the source from which hederives his information. I hardly know what to say, but finally get outof it by the explanation that it was all "confidential," and that Icould say nothing on the subject until his return.

  On the drive home we come suddenly upon the troop itself, looking tiredand dusty, but returning from the two days' trip to Tishomingo partiallysuccessful, and with six rough-looking specimens of "corn-crackers"footing it along between the horsemen. They found no trace of Smith, themarshal tells us, as the men go filing by; but, after all, their luckhas been good, and six of the worst characters are now securely underguard.

  The major, he tells us, had stopped at Judge Summers's, and expected tofind us there; so we whip up and hurry on.

  A brisk drive brings us to the plantation in a very few minutes. As werattle up to the doorway, Harrod catches sight of Mr. Peyton lounging onthe portico by the open window of the parlor, for once in his lifepaying little or no attention to Miss Kitty, who is seated on the oldwicker-work sofa, some distance from him, pouting and puzzled.

  Harrod warns me to say not a word of Lieutenant Amory's expedition untilPeyton is out of the way. Old Jake detains him a moment about "dis yerHicks's mule done broke into the _gyarden_ las' night," and I move oninto the house.

  In the parlor are the judge, Major Vinton, and Pauline; the firstlistening, the second narrating, the third as complete a contrast toMiss Kit as can be imagined. Vinton rises and greets me. He looks dusty,tanned, and travel-stained, but more soldierly than ever in hisdark-blue jacket and heavy boots. After Harrod's entrance he resumes hisstory,--he was telling of the capture of the Ku-Klux,--talking franklyand as though none but friends were near. Harrod shifts uneasily in hischair and glances nervously towards the window. Peyton is invisible,but, beyond doubt, there, and a listener.

  It is vain to attempt to warn the major; by this time Peyton knows thewhole story, knows who had aided the troops in their search, knows justhow the evidence was procured which led to the arrest of the sixvictims, and doubtless his black-list is swelled by the addition ofseveral names destined to become the recipients of Ku-Klux attentions.

  Lunch is announced, and we all sit down at the table, Peyton and Kitcoming in from the porch and endeavoring to ignore Major Vinton, acircumstance which apparently renders him no uneasiness whatever. Hetalks constantly with Pauline, and never gives a glance at the pair.Harrod and I are nervous. I watch Peyton closely, and it requires nopenetration to see that not a word of Vinton's is lost on him.

  Suddenly there comes the clatter of hoofs on the ground without; theclank of a cavalry sabre, and, a moment after, the ring of spurred heelsalong the hall. A servant announces the major's orderly; and, beggingthe major not to rise, the judge directs that the trooper be shown in.

  Just as I thought, it is Amory's letter.

  "Sergeant Malone said that it was to be given the major directly hereturned. Them was the loot'nant's orders, and he told me to ride rightover with it, sir," says the orderly. And, apologizing to Miss Summers,the Major opens it and begins to read.

  I glance at Harrod; his eyes are fixed on Peyton; Peyton's furtivelywatching Vinton. Another minute and Vinton has risen to his feet; aneager, flashing light in his eyes, but his voice steady and calm asever, as he says,--

  "Gallop back. Tell Sergeant Malone to send me a dozen men, armed andmounted at once, and you bring my other horse." Away goes the orderly,and then in reply to the wistful look of inquiry in Pauline's eyes, themajor says,--

  "I must be off again. Amory has obtained information as to thewhereabouts of Smith and some of his gang, and has started after them,but with only five men, too few to cope with such desperadoes. He hasfour hours the start of me now, and 'twill be nearly five before my mencan get here; but I must reach him before he attempts to recross theTennessee."

  I cannot be mistaken in Peyton's start of astonishment. Instantly hisface turns pale; the secret is out, his complicity perhaps detected.Lunch is forgotten, and we all rise and leave the table. Harrod managesto whisper a caution to the major to say nothing more while Peyton isnear, whereat Vinton looks vacant and aghast. Five minutes more andPeyton and Kitty are missed,--gone out for a walk, the servant says.Then Harrod explains, and Vinton looks as though biting his own tongueoff close to the roots would be the most congenial and exhilaratingrecreation that could be suggested. He is annoyed beyond expression,but it is too late now. Peyton is off; no one knows which way, and inhalf an hour all the real or supposable Ku-Klux in the county will knowof the danger that threatens them; know, too, how small a force youngAmory has taken with him in his hurried raid to the Tennessee; and, tento one, if he succeed in capturing Smith, he cannot attempt to recrossthe river without having to fight his way through.

  All this is canvassed in the anxious council that ensues. No time is tobe lost; he must be reinforced at once. Harrod orders out his twohorses; old Jake is hastily summoned and told to bring up his charger,"Bob"; and while the horses are being saddled, Vinton decides on hisplan. He and Harrod are to gallop on after Amory; old Jake to ride downto meet the troopers, with orders to make all speed possible to theTennessee. I am possessed with an immediate thirst for human gore, andwant to go with the major; but there is no other horse, and I couldn'tride without shaking myself to pieces and capsizing every hundred yardsor so if there were. To me, therefore, is assigned the cheerful duty ofremaining at the plantation and watching Peyton's movements should hereturn.

  Just before the horses are brought around, Kitty comes back, alone. Shelooks white and scared, and hurries up the steps as though anxious toavoid us, but Harrod intercepts and leads her to one side. She growspaler as he questions and talks to her; and suddenly bursts into tears,and rushes past him into the house.

  "He's gone, by heaven!" says Harrod, as he rejoins us. "Kitty says hetook the overseer's horse and galloped off towards the north."

  "Here, Jake," says Vinton, "waste no time now; ride as though the devilchased you. Tell Sergeant Malone to follow as fast as he can. Don'tspare the horses!"

  Jake makes a spring; lights on his stomach on old "Bob's" withers;swings himself round; and barely waiting to get his seat, makes vigorousplay with both heels on his pet's astonished ribs, and with a "Yoop,da!" our Ethiopian aide-de-camp clatters away. Then comes a hurried andanxious leave-taking with Pauline and the judge, and in another minuteour two soldiers trot out to the road. We watch the gallant forms tillthe riders disappear, and then turn silently away. Pauline's eyes aredim with tears, and she seeks her own room.

  That was a wretched afternoon and evening. Kitty never appeared. Paulinecame down to tea and t
ried to entertain me during the long hours thatdragged slowly away; but we started at every sound, and when midnightcame she retired altogether. We had hoped for news, but none reachedus.

  The judge dozed fitfully in his easy-chair, but I was too much excitedto feel the least drowsiness; so, cigar in mouth, I strolled out to thegate and gazed longingly up the dim, shadowy vista through the woodswhere lay the road to the Tennessee along which our first news, good orbad, must come.

  Two o'clock came first, and I was then reading, in a distracted style,in the library. The clocks had barely ceased striking when my eager earscaught the sound of hoof-beats rapidly nearing us. Down went the book;and in a minute I was at the gate, just in time to meet the horseman, acorporal of Vinton's troop.

  "We've got the Ku-Klux all right, sir," he says, as he reins in hisjaded steed, "but we had to fight half the county. The lieutenant'swounded, and so is Monahan, one of the men, sir. They are bringing themhere, and I'm to ride right on for the doctor."

  Off he goes before I can ask more. Pauline meets me as I return to thehall. She is pale as death and her whole frame shakes as she says, "Tellme everything, Mr. Brandon."

  "Harrod and Vinton are safe; Amory and one of his men are hurt, and theyare bringing them here," I answer.

  She saw by my face that there had been a fight. What her woman's heartcraved, was to know that those she loved were safe, unhurt, andreturning to her. Then the next minute she is all sympathy, alltenderness, even, for our boy _sabreur_; and she occupies herself withpreparations for his reception and nursing.

  While we are talking, who should come noiselessly down the stairs butKitty, dressed in a loose blue wrapper; her lovely hair falling down herback and thrown from her temples and forehead, her eyes red withweeping. Pauline's heart is full, and the sight of this sorrowing littleobject is too much for her; she opens her arms and takes her to herheart, and Kitty's sobs break out afresh.

  "I _know_ that something has happened," she cries; "_do_ tell me. Youall think I care for Ned Peyton, but I _don't_--I _don't_! And he wasfrightful to-day, and--and--if he did what he said he was going to doI'll never speak to him again."

  Pauline tries to comfort and soothe her, but I want to know whatPeyton's threat was; and have the unblushing hard-heartedness to ask.

  "He declared that he would raise forty men and kill every man LieutenantAmory had with him. He frightened me so that I did not know what to do.Oh, Paulie, _what_ has happened?"

  "We don't know yet, Kitty. Harrod is bringing Mr. Amory here. He waswounded, and there has been a fight, but we hope it was not serious."

  Poor little Kit starts back in horror, and then sobs harder than ever.It is impossible to comfort the child. She is possessed with the ideathat in some way or other she has been instrumental in bringing theaffair about. She is terrified at learning the part Peyton has played,and bitterly reproaches herself for the uneasiness her flirtation hadcaused us all. She is the most abject little penitent I ever saw, andher distress is something overpowering to a susceptible old bachelor. Inthe course of an hour she is persuaded to return to her room, but notwithout the interchange of multitudinous embraces and kisses,--Pauline,of course, being the party of the second part.

  It is nearly daybreak when Harrod arrives, convoying a rusty oldcarriage which he has obtained somewhere along the Tennessee; and fromthis our young soldier is tenderly lifted by two of his troop andcarried to the room opposite mine in the wing. Poor fellow! it is hardto recognize in the pallid, blood-stained, senseless form the gallantyoung officer of the night on the train.

  While the doctor was examining his hurts and dressing the wounds, Harrodgave me a hurried account of what had happened. Amory had reached theTennessee about two in the afternoon, and, leaving his horses on thesouth bank in charge of one man, crossed quickly and completely took"Eustice's" with its precious garrison of desperadoes by surprise.Luckily, Smith had but two of his gang with him. They hardly had time tothink of resistance. Hank was found stretched out in bed and swearingcheerfully over the unexpected turn of affairs, but had sense enough toacknowledge that his Yankee adversary "had the drop on him," andsurrendered at discretion. Securing him and his two chums, but leavingthe other inmates of "Eustice's" unmolested, Amory in less than an hourand a half landed his party once more on the south bank, and, afterprocuring food for his men and horses and resting another hour, startedon the back-track about five in the evening; moving slowly, as hishorses were jaded and his three prisoners had to foot it.

  Their road was bordered by thick woods, and ran through an almostuninhabited tract. Hank was suffering apparently a great deal of painfrom the fever of his wound, and, after sullenly plodding along about amile, began showing signs of great distress. He was offered a horse, butdeclared that riding would hurt him just as much, and finally stoppedshort, swearing that "Ef you un's expects to git me to yer d--d campthis yer night you've got to do a heap of toting." Finding that he wasreally weak and sick, Amory was too soft-hearted to insist; and so abrief halt was ordered while one of the men went in search of afarm-wagon. Just at night-fall a horseman came cantering rapidly up theroad, at sight of whom the prisoners exchanged quick, eager glances ofintelligence, and attempted to spring to their feet and attract hisattention. No sooner, however, had he espied the party than he stoppedshort; reined his horse about; and, digging spur into him, disappearedat a gallop into the shadows of the forest.

  The whole thing was so sudden that no pursuit was made. Ten minutesafter, there came the distant sound of a shrill, prolonged whistle, andAmory, thoroughly aroused, ordered a mount and immediate start.

  Strange to say, Hank moved on with great alacrity. No man ever rose fromso brief a rest so thoroughly invigorated. Once or twice more the samewhistle was heard, but nothing could be seen, as darkness had set in.

  Silently and anxiously the little party moved on, Amory riding severalyards in advance, peering cautiously about and listening eagerly toevery sound. All of a sudden from thick darkness came blindingflashes,--the ringing reports of musketry and pistols, and the regularold-time rebel yell.

  Amory reeled. His horse reared wildly, and then, with a snort of terror,plunged down the road; his rider dragging over his side.

  Of the next five minutes, none of the men could give a collectedaccount. The sergeant had done his duty well, however; had kept his mentogether; and, what with superior discipline and the rapid fire fromtheir magazine carbines, his little party proved too plucky for theirassailants. There was a sound of scrambling and scattering among theshrubbery and of clambering over the rail-fence by the roadside. Thefire suddenly ceased and the troopers were masters of the situation.During the excitement, one of the prisoners had managed to crawl off;while Hank and the other specimen adopted the tactics of throwingthemselves flat on their faces. The soldiers were eager to pursue andcapture some of the band; but the sergeant was wary and cautious; keptthem on the defensive; secured his two remaining prisoners; and was justabout ordering a search for their lieutenant, when the well-known andwelcome voice of the major was heard down the road, and in a moment heand Harrod dashed up to the spot. Then came eager inquiries and thesearch for Amory; and presently a cry from one of the men announced thathe was found. Hurrying to the spot, they discovered him, bleeding,bruised, and senseless, by the roadside; one deep gash was cut on hisforehead, from which the blood was oozing rapidly; a bullet-hole and alittle red streak in the shoulder of his jacket told where one at leastof the ambuscading villains had made his mark; while the moan of painthat followed when they strove tenderly to raise him from the groundproved that our boy was suffering from still other injuries; but for allthat, thank God! alive, perhaps safe.

  It was long before the men could find a farm-house; longer still beforethey came in with the lumbering old rattletrap of a carriage which theirmajor had directed them to secure at any cost; and all this time poorAmory lay with his head on Vinton's lap, utterly unconscious of thelatter's grief, of his almost womanly tenderness; but at last they wereable
to lift him into the improvised ambulance; and while the troopers,now reinforced by the small party which had followed Vinton, took chargeof the prisoners, with orders to turn them over to the marshal atSandbrook, the others drove carefully and slowly homewards, and so oncemore Mars was in our midst,--now our pet and hero.

  All night long we watched him. All next day he tossed in feverishdelirium; and when night came, Vinton and Pauline were bending over himstriving to soothe and calm the boy in his restless pain. He spoke butlittle. Muttered words, half-broken sentences, incoherent all of them,were the only things we could win from him. He knew none of us; thoughhe appeared to recognize Vinton's voice better than any. At last, latein the evening, when the doctor had forced an anodyne between his setteeth, Amory's muscles relaxed, he threw his unwounded arm wearily overhis face and murmured, "I give up,--I'm whipped."

  Vinton could hardly help smiling. "He thinks himself in one of his oldcadet fights," said he. "Those fellows at West Point settle alldifficulties with their fists, and this youngster was eternally in somerow or other; he'd fight the biggest man in the corps on the slightestprovocation."

  We were all wearied with watching, and it was a glad sight when ourpugilistic patient dropped off into a deep sleep. Vinton had to go backto camp to look after his men. Harrod was tired out and had sought hisroom. I had agreed to sit by Amory's bedside until midnight, as they hadexpelled me from the sick-room and made me sleep all morning "on accountof age." Pauline was just giving a smoothing touch to the pillows whenthe door softly opened and who should come in but Kitty.

  Yes, Kitty, our rampant little rebel Kit, who but a few days before hadseen fit to snub our wounded boy simply because he was a "Yank" and worethe uniform which Uncle Sam has condemned his men-at-arms to suffer in.But how changed was Kitty now! Once or twice during the day she hadstolen to the door or waylaid Pauline in the halls, always with a white,tear-stained, anxious face and a wistful inquiry as to how Mr. Amory wasdoing; then she would creep lonely and homesick back to her room;probably have a good long cry; and then down-stairs again for stillanother and later bulletin.

  She had smoothed back her soft golden hair now; bathed away all but afew traces of the tears that had flown so copiously during the lastthirty-six hours; and in her simple yet daintily-fitting dress, lookedmore womanly, more gentle and attractive, than I had ever seen her.

  Walking quietly up to us, she put her little white hand on Pauline'sshoulder, saying,--

  "You go now, Paulie; it's my turn. You've all been working here and_must_ be tired and sleepy. I'm going to play nurse now." And for aminute the corners of the pretty mouth twitch, and the soft-gray eyesfill, as though our little heroine were again on the verge of a relapseinto lamentation. Pauline's arm is round her in an instant, and shedraws her close to her bosom as she says,--

  "It is just like you, darling; I knew you would want to come." And thenfollows the invariable exchange of caresses so indispensable amongtender-hearted young ladies on such occasions. Not that I disapprove ofit. Oh, no! Only one can hardly expect to be "counted out" from allparticipation in such ceremonies and yet stand by and look on withunmoved and unenvying complacency.

  Ten minutes more and Pauline has gone, with a good-night to both. Thejudge comes in and bends with almost fatherly interest over the sleepingboy; and as Kitty seats herself quietly by the bedside, goes round andkisses her, saying, "You are more like your dear mother to-night than Iever saw you."

  Kit looks up in his face without a word, but in affection that iseloquent in itself. Then her little hand busies itself about the bandageon Amory's forehead, and my occupation is gone. Leaving her to attend tothat, the judge and I seat ourselves at the open fireplace, waking anddozing alternately.

  The doctor pronounced him better when he came next morning to dress thewounds. Mars spent most of the time in sleeping. Never did patient meetwith care and attention more tender, more constant. Either Pauline orKit was at his bedside. The old judge would come in with every hour orso. Vinton galloped over from camp and spent the afternoon; and as formyself, I was becoming vastly interested in helping Kitty, when, as badluck would have it, old Jake brought me what he termed a "tallygraff"when he came back from Sandbrook late at evening with the mail; and thetallygraff sent me hurrying back to Holly Springs by first train thefollowing day.

  It was with no satisfaction whatever that I bade them all adieu; thoughmy heart lightened up when the doctor reported our "sub" improving. Weall thought he recognized Vinton when the latter arrived in the morningto drive over with me.

  We all thought, too, that a week at the utmost would bring me back withthem in time to resume my functions as assistant nurse; but it was fullya month before my business could be completed, and by that time nofurther occasion existed for my services.

  "We've had quite a little series of adventures, major," said I, as wewhirled along towards the station, "and for one, _I_ shouldn't besurprised if a spice of romance were to be thrown in; a love-affair, infact. What do you think?"

  Vinton knocked the ashes off his cigar on the dash-board; replaced hiscigar between his teeth with great deliberation; smiled very quietly,not to say suggestively, to himself; gave a tug or two at his moustache,and then said,--

  "Amory and Miss Kit you mean. Well,--I can't say. To tell the truth,I've been thinking for some time past that he has left his heart upNorth somewhere,--some old West Point affair, you know; writes longletters every now and then, and won't let me see the address; drops themin the postal-car himself, instead of sending them by the company mail;gets a dainty missive now and then, lady's handwriting, prettymonogram; and blushes, too, when I 'devil' him about Syracuse; they arepostmarked from there. May not amount to much, of course. Theseyoungsters get into that sentimental sort of vein at the Academy andseem to think it the correct thing to be spoony over somebody all thetime."

  That struck me as being a long speech for Vinton, a man of few wordsordinarily. It occurred to me, too, that he was suspicious of his _own_affair's being the one to which I referred, and wanted to head me off.Oh, the perversity of human nature! _That_ made me press the point andreturn to the subject. (Pauline afterwards said it was the meanest thingI ever did in my life. How little she knew me!)

  "Don't dash my expectations in that way, Vinton. If Amory and Miss Kitdon't carry out my plan and fall in love, I'll have to fall back uponyou and Miss Pauline, you know; and just imagine how the judge andHarrod would feel at having to give her up. Besides, old fellow, you andI are cut out for confirmed old bachelors. Can't expect a young andattractive girl like her, who could marry anybody, to settle down to an_un_settled and nomadic existence in the army; that's altogether toomuch for so little, don't you see?"

  "Job's comforters" would have proven a dead failure in comparison withthat effort. It _was_ mean, but there was something exhilarating aboutit for all that. What man, raised in a large family of sisters, doesn'tgrow up as I was raised,--a tease?

  Vinton is too old a campaigner, however, and sees my game; grinsexpressively, and behaves with commendable nonchalance.

  "I'll put the matter in train when I get back, Brandon, and try andarrange it between the young people to your satisfaction, so that youwon't have to fall back on anything so utterly problematical as theother suggestion." That was all he had to say on the subject.

  We reached Sandbrook; the train came; and in a moment more I wasstanding on the rear platform watching the tall, stalwart, soldierlyform that waved me good-by, growing dim and dimmer in the distance.

  That night found me at Holly Springs and in consultation with the UnitedStates marshal and the commanding officer of the little garrison ofinfantrymen. To the care of the last named, our captured Ku-Klux hadbeen turned over, together with a few more of their fraternity, recentacquisitions, one of whom, the marshal informed me, was badly woundedand in hospital. He had been arrested the day after the ambuscade at afarm-house within five miles of the spot, and duly forwarded to join hisKlan at their new and much anathematized rendezvo
us.

  On my expressing a desire to see him, the captain obligingly conductedme into the neat little hospital-tent, only a few steps from his own;and there, stretched out at full length, with a bandaged shoulder and awoe-begone countenance, was my missionary friend--Stiggins.

  It was easy enough to conjecture how he came by his wound, though hisown statement of the occurrence had surrounded him with a halo ofmartyrdom up to the time of my arrival. Stiggins had stoutly maintainedthat the Ku-Klux had shot him; that he was a law-abiding man, and thathe hadn't seen a blue-coated soldier since the war. But when Stigginscaught sight of me he looked very much as though he had been lying, andin all human probability he had.

  I said nothing to the officers on the subject until afterwards; when, inexamining the articles which were in his possession at the time of hisarrest, I came across a letter written in a hand I knew well enough,appointing a meeting with one J. Bostwick, and signed "Peyton." It wasdated the night Harrod and Master Ned arrived at the plantation.

  Stiggins swore he didn't know Peyton; never had seen him; "that notedidn't belong to him nohow," and lied with a volubility and earnestnessthat would have done credit to a Jew in a clothing-store. But noinformation as to Peyton's whereabouts could be extracted from him orhis unwounded confederates; nor could they be induced to give any cluewhich might lead to his implication. Whatever they were otherwise, theywere game to the backbone; and stood by one another throughout theircaptivity and the trial which followed.

  Hank Smith we found domiciled in the prison room where the gang werecooped up. He carried his arm in a sling, and a bed had been providedfor his especial accommodation. He was surly and defiant, but accepted apiece of plug tobacco with much avidity, and was kind enough to say that"'Twould be a derned sight better if you handed over a bottle of whiskeywith it," which sentiment was unanimously concurred in by the assembleddelegates, but vetoed by the captain.

  Two weeks passed away, and still was I detained. Then came a summons toJackson, where the State Legislature was in session. I had written tothe judge and to Vinton. The former had been called South on business,but while at Jackson the latter's reply reached me,--a long, and forhim, gossipy letter.

  Amory was rapidly recovering, and the moment he was well enough to bemoved--in fact, as soon as he had his ideas about him--had insisted onbeing carried to camp. It was in vain that Harrod, Pauline, and Vintonhad protested; go he would. No persuasions could induce him to remainwhere he was a burden and a care to them. Kitty had taken no part inthe discussion, and had been but little in the sick-room after he hadrecognized her; but the poor child was possessed with the idea that hewas determined to go simply on her account, and was very miserable inconsequence. As a last resort, Pauline, "for whom he has a warmaffection," had communicated this fact to her intractable patient, andhis pale face had flushed up for an instant and he was at a loss what tosay, but finally protested that it had nothing to do with hisdetermination. That evening he asked to see her, and, in an embarrassedbut earnest way, thanked her for nursing him so kindly and carefully."I'll never forget how good you--you all were to me, Miss Carrington."And from that time until the ambulance came for him, two days after,whenever she chanced to come to the room he was very gentle, and in hiswhole manner seemed anxious to show her that not an atom of resentmentor annoyance remained. "Somehow or other there's something wrong,"Vinton wrote. "I can't get her to look or talk like her old self; shewon't cheer up, and whenever she is in the room both of them are nervousand embarrassed, and though Miss Summers and I have striven to get theminto conversation when the doctor would let him talk, it's of no use."Oh, the subtlety of feminine influence! Fancy Vinton in the _role_ ofmatch-maker! And so Amory was back again among his men, rapidlyimproving, but still, as Vinton said, "something was wrong."

  Nothing had been heard from or of Peyton except an order for his trunkand personal effects, brought to the colonel by a total stranger. It wasconjectured, however, that the judge had gone to Mobile during his trip,and that his troublesome kinsman was to be shipped off to climes whereKu-Klux were unknown, and where his propensities for mischief would haveno field for operation. No further complaints of outrages or disorders;everything was quiet and peaceful, and men and horses were having a goodrest.