CHAPTER IV
A HERALD TO LEE
When he swept out upon the sullen bosom of the Potomac, Harry lookedback only once. He saw two dim figures going up the bank, and, at itscrest, a line of lights that showed the presence of the Southern force.There was no sound of firing, and he judged that the enemy hadwithdrawn to a distance of two or three miles.
The night had turned darker since the battle ceased, and not many starswere out. Clouds indicated that flurries of rain might come, but hedid not view them now with apprehension. Darkness and rain would helpa herald to Lee. The current was strong, and he did not have to pullhard, but, observing presently that the far shore was fringed withbushes, he sent the boat into their shadow.
He did not anticipate any danger from the southern shore, but the oldinherited caution of the forest runners was strong within him. Underthe hanging bushes he was well hidden, but, in some places, the floodin the river had turned the current back upon itself, and he wascompelled to pull with vigor on the oars.
The clouds that had threatened did not develop much, and while theforests were dark, the surface of the river showed clearly in the faintmoonlight. Any object upon it could be seen from either bank, andHarry was glad that he had sought the shelter of the overhangingbushes. He realized now that in this region, which was really thetheater of war, many scouts and skirmishers must be about.
The bank above him was rather high and quite steep, for which he wasglad, as it afforded protection. A half mile farther down he came tothe mouth of a creek coming in from the South, and just as he passed ithe heard voices on the bank. He held his boat among the bushes on thecliff and listened. Several men were talking, but he judged them to befarmers, not soldiers. Yet they talked of the battle that night, andHarry surmised that they were looking at the lights in the Southerncamp which might yet be visible from the high point on which theystood. He could not gather from their words whether they were Northernor Southern sympathizers, but it did not matter, as he had no intentionof speaking to them, hoping only that they would go away in a fewminutes and let him continue his journey unseen.
His hope speedily came to pass. He heard their voices sinking in thedistance, and leaving the shelter of the bushes he pulled down thestream once more. Then he found that he had deceived himself about theclouds. If they had retired, they had merely recoiled, to use theFrench phrase, in order to gather again with greater force.
During his short stay among the bushes at the foot of the cliff thewhole heavens had blackened and the air was surcharged with the heavydamp and tensity that betoken a coming storm. The lightning blazedacross the river thrice, and he heard a mutter which was not that ofcannon. Then came rain and a rushing wind and the surface of the riverwas troubled grievously. It rose up in waves like those of a lake, andHarry's boat rocked and tumbled so badly that in a few minutes it washalf-full of water.
Fearing he might sink, carrying with him his great message, he pulledagain, but fiercely now, for the southern bank and the shelter of thebushes, which, fortunately for him, grew here in the water's edge. Heshoved his boat with all his might among them, as their tops snappedand crackled in the hurricane. But he knew he was safe there, and hecontinued to push until it reached the edge of the land.
The river would be swollen by another storm, but for the present it didnot bother him greatly. He was more immediately concerned with hiswish to get back to Lee as soon as possible, and he was grateful forthat dense clump of bushes, growing in the very water's edge, becausethe wind was blowing like a hurricane and the waves were chasing oneanother on the Potomac, like the billows on a lake. He was a fairoarsman, but it would have taken greater skill than his to have kepthis boat afloat in the tempestuous river.
The bushes formed an absolute protection. His boat swayed with them,which saved it from being damaged, and the overhanging lee of the cliffkept most of the rain from him. He also wrapped about his body thepair of blankets that he always carried, and he sat there not only insafety, but with a certain physical pleasure.
Once more amid surroundings with the like of which Henry Ware had beenso familiar, the soul of his great ancestor seemed to have descendedupon him. Most young officers, no matter how brave or how skilled inwar, would have been awed and alarmed. He had no comrades at hiselbow. There was no light, no friendly sound to encourage him, he wasas truly alone, so far as his present situation was concerned, as anypioneer had ever been in the heart of the wilderness. But for himthere was pleasure at that moment in being alone. He did not quiverwhen the thunder rolled and crashed above his head, and the lightningblazed in one Titanic sword slash after another across the surface ofthe river. Rather, the wilderness and majesty of the scene appealed tohim. Leaning well back in his boat with his blankets closely wrappedabout him, he watched it, and his soul rose with the storm.
Harry knew from its sudden violence that the rain would soon pass, andif the waves abated a little he would certainly take his boat into theriver and try his fortunes again. Yet a precious hour was lost, andnothing could replace it. The thunder ceased by and by and there wasonly dim lightning on the far horizon. The waves began to abate, and,taking off his blankets, he pushed his boat once more into the stream.
It rocked prodigiously and shipped water, but by strenuous effort hekept it afloat, and as the wind sank still further he decided that hewould seek the northern shore and disembark as soon as possible. Itwould be easier to steal through the thickets than to navigate whatamounted to a wild sea. But the banks were yet too high and steep fora landing, and he continued to row, keeping now near the middle of thestream.
Wind and rain were dying fast, and he heard a sound behind uncommonlylike the distant swish of oars. It sent an unpleasant thrill throughhim, because he wished to be alone on the river at that particulartime, but his eyes, tracing a course through all the dusk and gloom,rested upon another boat, about two hundred yards away, containing asingle occupant.
A farmer or a riverman, Harry thought, but to his great astonishmentthe man suddenly raised himself up a little and shouted to him in atremendous voice to halt. Harry had not the least idea of stopping foranybody. He bent to his oars and rowed swiftly on. Again came thatshout to halt, and it seemed more insolent to him than before. He puta few more ounces of strength into his arms and shoulders and increasedhis speed.
The pursuer, suddenly drawing in his oars, raised a rifle from thebottom of his boat, and fired point blank at the fugitive. The bulletwhistled so near Harry that he felt his ear burn, and at first thoughthe was hit. He would have been glad to fire back, but his pistols couldnot carry like his enemy's rifle, and there was nothing to do but flee.Once again he sought to draw a few more ounces of energy from his body.But the man behind him was a much greater oarsman than he and gainedrapidly. The stranger, shouting another command to halt, to which noattention was paid, fired a second time, and the bullet went throughthe side of Harry's boat, barely scraping his knee as it passed.
His rage became intense. He had been shot at many times in battle, andmany times he had fired his pistols into the opposing masses, but hereupon this river a man sought his life, as the savages of old sought thehunter. Another glance showed him that pursuer had closed up half thedistance between them, and, snatching one of the pistols from his belt,he fired. He knew that he had missed, as he saw the water spurt upbeside the boat, but he thought that his bullet and the probability ofmore might delay the pursuit. Nevertheless the man came on as boldlyand as fast as ever. If he fired a third time he could scarcely missat such short range.
It seemed to Harry the gift of Heaven, that a whole pack of cloudsshould drift above them at that moment, deepening the obscurity andmaking the pursuing boat, although it was so near, a shapeless form inthe mist. He could not see the features of the man, but he was able todiscern his large and powerful figure, and he noticed the rhythmicmanner in which his arms and shoulders worked at the oars. Obviouslyhe had no chance to escape him by flight, and drawing
his second pistolhe fired. The bullet struck the boat but did no damage. The man cameon faster than ever. Harry took a desperate resolution, and, whirlinghis boat about, he rowed it straight at his pursuer, who was now almostlevel with him. He intended to ram and take his chances. His movementwas so quick and unexpected that it succeeded. The bow of his boat,helped perhaps by a wave, struck the other with such violence that bothwere shattered and sank instantly.
Harry went down with his craft, but in a few seconds came up again, hismouth and eyes full of muddy water. He was a splendid swimmer, and hiseyes clearing in a moment he looked toward the northern shore, seekingan easy place for landing. They encountered ten feet away a largesun-browned face and two burning eyes.
"Shepard!" Harry gasped.
"And so it was you, Lieutenant Kenton. Perhaps if I had known it wasyou I wouldn't have fired upon you."
"Don't let that deter you. We're enemies."
"I merely said 'perhaps!' I like you, but that wouldn't keep me fromstopping you by any method I could from reaching Lee."
"I'm sure it wouldn't. I like you, too, Mr. Shepard, but we're enemieshere in this river, deadly enemies, and I mean to beat you off."
"One may mean to do a thing and yet not do it. I'm the larger and themore powerful. Besides, I'm toughened by superior age. You'd bettersurrender, Mr. Kenton. I don't want to do you any bodily harm."
"I admit that you're larger and stronger, but on land only. I'm thebetter swimmer. We're both floating now, but if you'll make acomparison, Mr. Shepard, you'll find that I'm doing it with thegreatest ease. Take my advice, and swim to the southern bank of theriver while I go to the northern. I say it in all good faith."
"I've no doubt of that, but the young are likely to over-estimate theirpowers. I'm a good swimmer, and you can't escape me."
"The important point is not whether I can escape you, but whether youcan escape me. Since you have lost your boat and your rifle and we'rein such a treacherous and unstable element as water, I occupy thesuperior position. The young may indeed over-estimate their powers,but in swimming at least I'm a competent critic. For instance, you'reholding your shoulders too high, and you kick too much. You'resplashing water, a useless waste of energy. Now observe me. Thesurface of this river is rough. Little waves are yet running upon it,but I float as easily as a fish, come up to see by the moon what timeit is. It is not egotism on my part, merely a recognition of thefacts, but I warn you, Mr. Shepard, to swim to the other shore and letme alone."
The two were not ten feet apart, and, despite the lightness of theirtalk, their eyes burned with eagerness and intensity. Harry knew thatShepard would not dream of turning back. Yet in the water he awaitedthe result with a confidence that he would not have felt on land.
"It's your move, Mr. Shepard," he said.
The intensity of Shepard's gaze increased, and Harry never took hiseyes from those of his enemy. He intended like a prize fighter to readthere what the man's next effort would be.
"I don't see that it's my move," said Shepard, as he floated calmly.
"You're following me for the purpose of capturing me."
"To capture you, or delay you. Meanwhile, it seems to me that I'mdelaying you very successfully. I can't see that you're making muchprogress towards Lee."
"That depends upon which way this river is flowing. You note that wefloat gently with the stream."
"It's a poor argument. The Potomac flows directly by Washington, andif we were to float on we'd float into the heart of great Northernfortresses instead of Lee's camp."
"That's true as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough. I'mleaving the river soon. You can have it all then."
"Thanks, but I think I'll go with you, Lieutenant Kenton."
"Then come to the bottom!" exclaimed Harry, as he dived forward like aflash, seized Shepard by the ankles and headed for the bottom of theriver with him. The water gurgled in his eyes and ears and nose, buthe held on for many seconds, despite the man's desperate struggles.Then he was forced to let go and rise.
As his head shot above the stream he saw another shooting up in thesame manner about fifteen feet away. Both were choked and gasping, butHarry managed to say:
"I didn't intend for you to come up so soon."
"I suppose not, but perhaps you didn't pause to think that when yourose I'd rise with you."
"Yes, that's true. It seems to me that matters grow complicated. Can'tyou persuade yourself, Mr. Shepard, to go and leave me alone? I reallyhave no use for you here."
"I'd like to oblige you, Lieutenant Kenton, but I intend to see thatyou don't reach General Lee."
"Still harping upon that? It seems to me that you're a stupidlystubborn man. Don't you know that I'm going anyhow?"
Harry had never ceased to watch his eyes, and he saw there the signalof a coming movement. Shepard dived suddenly for him, intending torepeat his own trick, but the youth was like a fish in the water, andhe darted to the right. The man came up grasping nothing. Harrylaughed. The chagrin of Shepard compelled his amusement, although heliked the man.
"I wish you'd go away, Mr. Shepard," he said. "On land you could,perhaps, overpower me, but in the water I think I'm your master. Allthrough my boyhood I devoted a great deal of my time to swimming. Dr.Russell of the Pendleton Academy--but you never knew him--used to saythat if I would swim less and study more I could make greaterpretensions to scholarship."
Shepard, swimming rather easily, regarded him thoughtfully.
"While we talk to each other in this more or less polite manner, Mr.Kenton," he said, "we must not forget that we're in deadly earnest. Imean to take you, and our scouts mean to take every other messenger whogoes out from Colonel Sherburne's camp. You know, and I know, that ifthe Army of Northern Virginia does not reach in a few days that camp,where there is a ford in ordinary weather, it will be driven up againstthe Potomac and we can accumulate such great forces against it that itcannot possibly escape. Even at Sherburne's place its escape is morethan doubtful, if it has to linger long."
"Yes, I know these things quite well, Mr. Shepard. I know also, as youdo, that General Meade's army is not in direct pursuit, and, that in aflanking movement, he is advancing across South Mountain and towardSharpsburg. It is a march well calculated and extremely dangerous toGeneral Lee, if he does not hear of it in time. But he will hear of itsoon enough. A comrade of mine, George Dalton, will tell him. Othersfrom Colonel Sherburne's camp will tell him, and I mean to tell himtoo. I hope to be the first to do so."
Harry never deceived himself for a moment. He knew that althoughShepard liked him, he would go to the uttermost to stop him, and as forhimself, while he had a friendly feeling for the spy, he meant to useevery weapon he could against him. Realizing that he could not lingermuch longer, as the chill of the water was already entering his body,he swam closer to Shepard, still staring directly into his eyes. Howthankful he was now for those innumerable swimmings in the little riverthat ran near Pendleton! Everything learned well justifies itself someday.
Although there was but little moonlight they were so close togetherthat they could see the eyes of each other clearly, and Harry detecteda trace of uneasiness in those of Shepard. A good swimmer, the waternevertheless was not his element, and although a man of great physiqueand extraordinary powers, he longed for the solid earth under his feet.
Harry drew himself together as if he were going to dive, but instead ofdoing so suddenly raised himself in the water and shot forth hisclenched tight fist with all his might. Shepard was taken completelyby surprise and he sank back under the water, leaving a blood stain onits surface. Harry watched anxiously, but Shepard came up again in amoment or two, gasping and swimming wildly. The point of his jaw waspresented fairly and Harry struck again as hard as he could in thewater. Shepard with a choked cry went under and Harry, diving forward,seized his body, bringing it to the surface.
Shepard was senseless, but getting an arm under his shoulders Har
ry wasable to swim with him to the northern shore, although it took nearlyall his strength. Then he dragged him out upon the bank, and sankdown, panting, beside him.
The great Civil War in America, the greatest of all wars until nearlyall the nations of Europe joined in a common slaughter, was a humanewar compared with other wars approaching it in magnitude. It did notoccur to Harry to let Shepard drown, nor did he leave him senseless onthe bank. As soon as his own strength returned he dragged him into ahalf-sitting position, and rubbed the palms of his hands. The spyopened his eyes.
"Good-by, Mr. Shepard," said Harry. "I'm bound to leave before yourecover fully because then I wouldn't be your match. I'm sorry I hadto hit you so hard, but there was nothing else to do."
"I don't blame you. It was man against man."
"The water was in my favor. I'm bound to admit that on land you'd havewon."
"At any rate I thank you for dragging me out of the river."
"You'd have done as much for me."
"So I would, but our personal debts of gratitude can't be allowed tointerfere with our military duty."
"I know it. Therefore I take a running start. Good-by."
"We'll meet again."
"But not on this side of the Potomac. It may happen when the Army ofNorthern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac go into battle on theother side of the river."
Harry darted into the forest, and ran for a half-hour. He meant to putas much distance as possible between Shepard and himself before thelatter's full strength returned. He knew that Shepard would follow, ifhe could, but it was not possible to trail one who had a long startthrough dark and wet woods.
He came through the forest and into a meadow surrounded by a railfence, on which he sat until his breath came back again. He hadforgotten all about his wet uniform, but the run was really beneficialto him as it sent the blood leaping through his veins and warmed hisbody.
"So far have I come," said Harry, "but the omens promise a hard march."
He had his course fixed very clearly, and a veteran now in experience,he could guide himself easily by the moon and stars. The clouds wereclearing away and a warm wind promised him dry clothing, soon. Longafterward he thought it a strange coincidence that his cousin, DickMason, in the far South should have been engaged upon an errand verysimilar in nature, but different in incident.
He crossed the meadow, entered an orchard and then came to a narrowroad. The presence of the orchard indicated the proximity of afarmhouse, and it occurred to Harry that he might buy a horse there.The farmer was likely to be hostile, but risks must be taken. He drewhis pistols. He knew that neither could be fired after the thoroughwetting in the river, but the farmer would not know that. He saw thehouse presently, a comfortable two-story frame building, standing amongfine shade trees. Without hesitation he knocked heavily on the doorwith the butt of a pistol.
He was so anxious to hasten that his blows would have aroused the bestsleeper who ever slept, and the door was quickly opened by an elderlyman, not yet fully awake.
"I want to buy a horse."
"Buy a horse? At this time of the night?"
He was about to slam the door, but Harry put his foot over the sill andthe muzzle of his pistol within six inches of the man's nose.
"I want to buy a horse," he repeated, "and you want to sell one to me.I think you realize that fact, don't you?"
"Yes, I do," replied the man, looking down the muzzle of the big horsepistol.
"Come outside and close the door behind you. I know you haven't onmany clothes, but the night's warm, and you need fresh air."
The man with the muzzle of the pistol still near his nose, obeyed. Butas he looked at the weapon he also had a comprehensive view of the onewho held it.
"Wet ain't you?" he said.
"Do you think it necessary to put it in the form of a question?"
"I don't like to say, unless I'm shore."
"Where do you keep your horses?"
"In the barn here to the left. What kind of a horse did you thinkyou'd keer fur most, stranger?"
"The biggest, the strongest and fastest you've got"
"I thought mebbe you'd want one with wings, you 'pear to be in such apow'ful hurry. I wish you wouldn't keep that pistol so near to mynose. 'Sides, you've gethered so much mud an' water 'bout you that youain't so very purty to look at!"
"It's your own mud and water. I didn't bring it into this country withme."
"Which means that you don't belong in these parts. I reckon lookin' atyou that you wuz one o' them rebels that went to Gettysburg and thencome back ag'in."
"Exactly right, Mr. Farmer. I'm an officer in General Lee's army."
"Then I wuz right 'bout you needin' a horse with wings. An' I guessall the men in your army need horses with wings. Don't be in such atarnal hurry. You're goin' to stay right up here with us, boarders, soto speak, till the war is over."
Harry laughed.
"Kind of you," he said, "but here is the stable and do you open thestall doors one by one, and let me see the horses. At the first signof any trick I pull the trigger."
"Well, as I don't like violence I'll show you the horses. Here's thegray mare, five years old, swift but can't last long. This is oldRube, nigh onto ten, mighty strong, but as balky as a Johnny Rebhisself. Don't want him! No? Then I think that's about all."
"No it's not! You open that last stall door at once!"
The farmer made a wry face, and threw back the door with a slam. Harrystill covering the man with the pistol that couldn't go off, saw asplendid bay horse about four years old.
"Holding out on me, were you?" he said. "Did you think a Confederateofficer could be fooled in that manner?"
"I reckon I oughtn't to have thought so. I've always heard that therebels had mighty good eyes for Yankee horseflesh."
"I'll let that pass, because maybe it's true. Now, saddle and bridlehim quicker than ever before in your life."
The farmer did so, and Harry took care to see that the girth was secure.
"At how much did you value this horse?" he asked.
"I did put him down at two hundred dollars, but I reckon he's worthnothin' to me now."
"Here's your money. When General Lee goes through the enemy's countryhe pays for what he takes."
He thrust a roll of good United States bills into the astonished man'shand, and sprang upon the horse. Then he turned from the stable androde swiftly up the road, but not so swiftly that he did not hear abullet singing past his ears. A backward glance showed him an elderlyfarmer in his night clothes standing on his porch and reloading hisrifle.
"Well, I can't blame you, I suppose," said Harry. "You can guesspretty well what I am, and it's your business to stop me."
But he rode fast enough to be far beyond the range of a second bullet,and maintained a good pace for a long time, through hilly and woodedcountry. His uniform dried upon him, and his hardy form felt no illresult from the struggle in the river. The horse was strong andspirited, and Harry knew that he could carry him without weariness toLee. He looked upon his mission as already accomplished, but hisambition to reach the commander-in-chief first was yet strong.
He rode throughout the rest of the night and dawn and the pangs ofhunger came together. But he decided that he would not turn from hispath to seek food. He would go on straight for Lee and let hunger haveits way. He had a splendid horse under him and he was faring quite aswell as he had a right to expect. He thought of Shepard, and felt pityfor him. The man had only striven to do his duty, and while he had usedforce he had been very courteous and polite about it. Harry was boundto acknowledge that his had been a very chivalrous enemy and only hissuperiority in swimming had enabled him to win over Shepard. He wasglad that he had saved him and had left him on the bank, so to speak,to dry.
Then Shepard faded away with the mists and vapors that were retreatingbefore a brilliant dawn. The country was high, rolling, and thefoliage, although much browned by the July
sun, which was unusually hotthat year, was still dense. Most of the hills were heavy with forest,but all the valleys between were fertile and well cultivated. With thedew of the morning fresh upon it the whole region was refreshing andsoothing to the eye with a look of peace, where in reality there was nopeace. Many thin columns of smoke lying blue against the silver skytold where farmhouses stood, and hunger suddenly seized upon Harryagain.
Hunger is natural to youth, and his severe exertions all through thenight had greatly increased it. It became both a pain and a weakness.His shoulders drooped with fatigue, and he felt that he must have foodor faint by the way.
He was ashamed of his physical weakness, but he knew that unless hefound food his faintness would increase, and hunger alone would stophim, where so able a man as Shepard could not. His uniform, fadedanyhow, was so permeated with the dried mud of the river that it wouldtake a keen eye to tell whether it was Federal or Confederate, and heneed not disclose his identity in this region, which was so stronglyfor the Union. He made up his mind quickly and rode for the nearestfarmhouse.
Harry knew that he was inviting risks. His pistols were still uselessbut they would be handy for threats, and he should be able to take careof himself at a farmhouse.
The house that he had chosen was only a few hundred yards away, itswhite walls visible among trees, and the clatter of his horse's hoofsbrought a man from a barn in the rear. Harry noted him keenly. He wasyoungish, stalwart and the look out of his blue eyes was fearless. Hecame forward slowly, examining his visitor, and his manner was notaltogether hospitable. Harry decided that he had to deal with adifficult customer but he had no idea of turning back.
"Good morning," he said politely.
"Good morning."
"I wish some breakfast and I will pay. I've ridden all night in ourservice."
"You've so much dried mud on you that you look as if you'd been passin'through a river."
"Correct. That's exactly what happened."
"But there's none on your horse."
"He didn't pass with me. I'm willing to answer any reasonable numberof questions, but, as I told you before, I ride on an importantservice. I must have breakfast at once, and I'll pay."
"Whose service? Ours or Reb's?"
"A military messenger can't answer the chance questions of those by theroadside. I tell you I want breakfast at once."
"Fine horse you ride, stranger. How long have you had him?"
"All this year."
"Funny. When I saw him last week he belonged to Jim Kendall down bythe Potomac, an' livin' on this very road, too."
"It isn't half as funny as you think. Hands up! Now call to your wifeas loud as you can to bring me coffee and food at the gate! I knowthey're ready in the kitchen. I can smell 'em here. Out with it, callas fast as and as loud as you can, or off goes the top of your head!"
Although a horse pistol held in a firm hand was thrust under his nose,the man's blue eyes glared hate and defiance, and his mouth did notopen. Harry, in his excitement and anger, forgot that the charge in hisweapon was ruined and hence it was no acting with him when his own eyesblazed down at the other and he fairly shouted:
"I give you until I can count ten to call your wife! One! two! three!four! five! six! seven! eight! nine!--"
"Sophy! Sophy!" cried the farmer, who saw death flaming in the eyesthat looked into his, "Come! Come a-runnin'!"
A good looking young woman threw open a door and ran, frightened,toward the gate, where she saw her husband under the pistol muzzle of awild and savage looking man on horseback.
"Sophy," said the farmer, "bring this infernal rebel a cup of coffeeand a plate of bread and meat. If it weren't for his pistol I'd draghim off his horse and carry him to General Meade, but he's got the dropon me!"
"And Sophy," said Harry, who was growing cooler, "you make it a big tincup of coffee and you see that the plate is piled high with meat andbread. Now don't you make one mistake. Don't you come back with anyweapon in your hand in place of food, and don't you fire on me from thehouse with the family rifle. You're young and you're good looking,and, doubtless the widow of our friend here with the upraised hands,wouldn't have to wait long for another husband just as good as he is."
The woman paled a little, and Harry knew that some thought of thefamily rifle had been in her mind. The husband's glare becameferocious.
"You can take your hands down," said Harry. "I've no wish to tortureyou, and I'm satisfied now that you're not armed."
The man dropped his arms and the woman hurried to the kitchen. Harrydid not watch her, but kept his eyes continually upon the man, who heknew would take advantage of his first careless moment, and spring forhim like a tiger. A pistol that he couldn't fire wouldn't be of muchuse to him then.
But the woman returned with a big tin cup of smoking coffee and a platepiled high with bread and bacon and beefsteak. It was a welcome sight.The aspect of the whole world became brighter at once, and the pulse ofhope beat high. But happiness did not make him relax caution.
"Stand back about ten feet more," he said to the man, "I don't likeyour looks."
"What's the matter with my looks?"
"It's not exactly your looks I mean, though they're scarcely worthy ofthe lady, your wife, but it's rather your attitude or position whichreminds me of a lion or a tiger about to spring upon something ithates."
The man, with a savage growl, withdrew a little.
"I'd like to put a bullet through you," he said.
"I've no doubt of it, your eyes show it, but before I take a politeleave of you I want to tell you that I did not steal this horse fromyour friend, Jim Kendall. I paid for it at his own valuation."
"Confederate money that won't be worth a dollar a bale before long."
"Oh, no, bills that were made and stamped at Washington, and I pay forthis breakfast in silver."
He dropped it into the hand of the woman, as he took the huge cup ofcoffee from her. Then he drank deep and long, and again and again,draining the last drop of the brown liquid.
"I hope it's burnt the lining out of your throat," said the mansavagely.
"It was warm, but I like it that way. It was good indeed, and I'msorry, Madame, that you have such a violent and ill-tempered husband.Maybe your next will be a much better man."
"John is neither violent nor ill-tempered. He's never said a harshword to me since we were married. But he hates the rebels dreadfully."
"That's too bad. I don't hate him and I'm glad you can give him a goodcharacter. A man's own wife knows best. Now, I'm going to eat thisbreakfast as I ride on. You'll find the plate on the fence a quarterof a mile ahead."
He bowed to both, and still keeping a wary eye on the man, thrust hispistol into his belt, and as his horse moved forward at a swift andeasy gait he began to eat with a ravenous appetite.
A backward glance showed husband and wife still gazing at him. But itwas only for a moment. They ran into the house and a little further onHarry looked back again. They had reappeared and he almost expected tohear again the whistle of a rifle shot, fired from a window. But thedistance was much too great, and he devoted renewed attention to thedemands of hunger.
When he had finished his breakfast he put the plate upon the fence ashe had promised, and, looking back for the last time, he saw anAmerican flag wave to and fro on the roof of the house. He felt athrill of alarm. It must be a signal concerning him and it could bemade only to his enemies. Speaking sharply to his horse, he urged himinto a gallop.
The Shades of the Wilderness: A Story of Lee's Great Stand Page 6