A Little Union Scout Read online

  IX

  I knew no more what I intended to do than the babe unborn. What I didknow was that Jane Ryder was in that house, in all probability; andthat fact stung me. She had aided me to escape, even though she had hada hand in my capture, and I felt that the least I could do would be totake her away from there, willingly if she could come, forcibly if shehesitated.

  On the way to the camp I met Whistling Jim, and he stopped me. He wasastride his horse and leading mine. "Dey er gwine on a ride nowterreckly, Marse Cally, an' I lowed maybe you'd want ter go 'long widum."

  For answer I swung myself on my horse and, bidding the negro to followif he desired, put spurs to the sorrel and went flying in the directionof the tavern. I did not turn my head to see whether Whistling Jim wasfollowing, but rode straight ahead. It strikes me as curious, even yet,that the darkness should have fallen so suddenly on that particularday. When Goodrum spoke to me I supposed that the sun was stillshining; when I turned into the road that led to the house it was dark.I reached the place in the course of a quarter of an hour, and as Ileaped from my horse I heard the negro coming close behind me. I waitedfor him to come up and dismount, and then I bade him knock at the door,and when it was opened I told him to stand by the horses.

  The door was opened by the woman who had spoken so kindly with me. "Youhere again?" she cried with an air of surprise. "You would make it veryhard for her if she were here, but I think she is gone. You'll not seeher again, my dear, and I, for one, am glad of it. There's no one herebut myself and my son."

  "Your son is the one I want," I replied. "Tell him to come at once. Ihave news for him." The woman had no need to call him, however, for theinner door opened as I spoke, and out came Jane Ryder in the garb of aman--cloak, boots, and all.

  I had an idea that she would shrink from me or show some perturbation;but I was never more mistaken in my life. In a perfectly easy andnatural manner--the manner of a young man--she came up and held out herhand. "I think this is Mr. Shannon; Miss Ryder told me your name. Ihave to thank you for some recent kindness to her."

  I shook her hand very cordially, saying that nothing I could do forMiss Ryder would be amiss. "As it happens," I went on, "I can dosomething for you now. Will you come with me?"

  For one fleeting moment her woman's hesitation held her, and then herwoman's curiosity prevailed. "With pleasure," she said.

  As we started for the door the woman interfered. "I wouldn't go withhim," she declared with some bluntness. "You don't have to go and yousha'n't. You don't know what he's up to."

  This failed to have the effect I feared it would. "Don't you suppose Ican take care of myself, mother?"

  "I know what I know," replied the woman, sullenly, "and it wouldn'ttake much to make me tell it."

  "Then, for heaven's sake, say what you have to say and be done withit," I exclaimed. "Only a very few minutes lie between this person andsafety. If you have anything to tell out with it."

  "Your blue eyes and baby face fooled me once, but they'll not fool meagain. You know more than you pretend to know," said the woman.

  "I know this: if this person remains here ten minutes longer he willregret it all the days of his life. Now, trust me or not, just as youplease. If he is afraid to come with me let him say so, and I will bidhim farewell forever and all who are connected with him. Do you trustme?" I turned to Jane Ryder and held out my hand.

  "I do," she replied. She came nearer, but did not take my hand.

  "Then, in God's name, come with me!" I cried. She obeyed my gesture andstarted for the door.

  "Where are you going?" wailed the mother. "Tell me--tell me!"

  I was sorry for her, but I made her no answer.

  I anticipated this scene as little as I did the fact that Jane Ryderwould come with me. I was prepared to carry her off if she refused, butI was ill prepared for the rumpus that this quiet-looking woman kickedup. She followed us to the door and stood wailing while I tried topersuade Jane Ryder to mount my horse. She hesitated, but I fairlylifted her into the saddle. The stirrup-straps were too short, but thatmade no difference. I sprang on the horse behind her, and, reachingforward, seized the reins and turned the horse's head in a directionthat would bring us into the town by a detour, so that we should missthe Independents, who would follow the road that I had followed incoming.

  "Where are you taking me?" inquired Jane Ryder.

  "To safety," I replied. "The house is to be raided to-night, and Idecided to bring you away. You saved me from a prison, and now Ipropose to save you."

  "I saved you? You are mistaken; it was that foolish woman, Miss Ryder."

  "Well, she said that you are her dearest friend, and I'm saving you toplease her."

  "You needn't hold me so tight. I'm in no danger of falling off. Whereare you taking me?"

  "To General Forrest." She caught her breath, and then did her utmost tofling herself from the horse. When she found that her strength was notequal to the task of removing my arms or lifting them so she could slipfrom the saddle, she began to use her tongue, which has ever beenwoman's safest weapon.

  "You traitor!" she cried; "oh, you traitor! I wish I had died before Iever saw you."

  "But this is the safest course," I insisted. "You will see, and thenyou will thank me for bringing you away."

  "And I thought you were a gentleman; I took you for an honest man. Oh,if hate could kill you you would fall dead from this horse. What have Idone that I should come in contact with such a villain?"

  "If hate could kill you, you would fall dead from thishorse."]

  "You have a pistol," I said--I had felt it against my arm--"and it iseasy for you to use it. If you think so meanly of me why not rid theearth of such a villain?"

  "Do you know who I am?" she asked with a gasp of apprehension.

  "Why, certainly," I answered. "Do you think I'd be taking the troubleto save you else?"

  "Trouble to save me? Save me? Why, I hope your savage General will hangme as high as Haman."

  "He would if he were a savage," I said, "and he would if you were aman. And he may put you in prison as it is; you would certainly gothere if captured by the Forty Thieves. I am taking one chance in athousand. But better for you to be in prison, where you will be safe,than for you to be going around here masquerading as a man andsubjecting yourself to the insults of all sorts of men."

  "You are the only man that has ever insulted me. Do you hear?You--gentleman!" she hissed. "Can't you see that I despise you? Won'tyou believe it? Does it make no difference?"

  "Not the least in the world," I replied. "Now, you must composeyourself; you can be brave enough when you will--I think you are thebravest woman I ever saw----"

  "I wish I could say you are a brave man; but you are an arrant coward:you, the soldier that plans to capture women."

  "You must compose yourself," I repeated.

  "In a few minutes we shall be in the presence of General Forrest, and Ishould like to see you as calm as possible. I don't know, but I thinkyou will be safe. It was our only chance." The nearer we drew toheadquarters the more my anxiety rose; yes, and my sympathy. "By theliving Lord," I cried, "you _shall_ be safe!"

  "Noble gentleman! to entrap a woman and then declare she shall not beentrapped! To gain whatever honor there may be in a woman's capture byrunning ahead of his ruffians and capturing her himself! This isSouthern manliness--this is Southern chivalry! I am glad I know it forwhat it really is. Do you know," she went on, "that I reallythought--that--I--I---- You are the first man I was ever deceivedin--I----"

  "Come now," said I, not unmoved, for my feelings ran far ahead of hersand I knew what she would say and how hurt she was; "come now, you mustbe calm. Everything depends on that--everything."

  Near General Forrest's headquarters I dismounted and walked by the sideof my horse. Then when Whistling Jim came up, and I would have helpedher from the saddle, "Don't touch me!" she exclaimed. She jumped fromthe saddle to the ground and stood before me, and for the first time Iwas ashamed and afraid
. "This way," I said. Then to the guard at thedoor, "Private Shannon, of Captain Forrest's company, to see theGeneral."

  "He's right in there," said the guard with good-natured informality. Irapped at the inner door, and heard the well-known voice of GeneralForrest bidding me to enter.

  I saluted, and he made some motion with his hand, but his eye wanderedover me and rested on my companion. Then, after a moment, they returnedto me. "What's the matter, Shannon?"

  "I have brought to you here one who came to my rescue last night when Ihad been captured by a scouting party. We had gone to see the youngfellow who, you will remember, was wounded in our last affair at theriver--you saw him in the cabin. He was carried away the next day byhis friends, but grew so ill that he could be taken no farther than thehouse on the turnpike two miles from town."

  "You didn't let 'em git you just dry so, did you?" he asked. And then Igave him the details of the affair from beginning to end. "I thoughtHerndon was mighty keen to go," he remarked with a laugh. "You say thisyoung fellow fixed it so you could git away? And then you went back andcaptured him? That don't look fair, does it?" He regarded me withserious countenance.

  "It is a lady, General, and I did not want her to fall in rough hands."He uttered an exclamation of impatience and surprise, and made anindignant gesture. "Now, look here, Shannon, that is a matter that Iwon't tolerate. I've a great mind to----" He paused, hearing the voiceof his wife, who was visiting him. "Go back in there and tell Mrs.Forrest to come in here a minute, and do you stay out till I call you.I'm going to look into this business, and if it ain't perfectly squareall the way through you'll pay for it."

  I hunted for Mrs. Forrest, hat in hand, and soon found her. I must havehad a queer expression on my face, for she observed it. "You must befrightened," she said.

  "I am, madam, for another as well as myself," and then I told her, aswe walked along very slowly, just how the matter lay. She regarded mevery seriously for a moment, and then smiled. She was a handsome lady,and this smile of hers, full of promise as it was, made her face themost beautiful I have ever seen before or since. It is a large saying,but it is true.

  I remember that I remained in the corridor cooling my heels a wearytime, but finally Mrs. Forrest came out. "You may go in now," she said."It is all right; I'm glad I was called; I think I have made theGeneral understand everything as I do. There are some things that mendo not understand as well as women, and it is just as well that they donot. I am sure you will be very kind to that little woman in there."

  I tried to thank her, but there is a gratitude that cannot be expressedin words, and I could but stand before her mumbling with my head bent."I know what you would say," she remarked, graciously. "The General andI have perfect confidence in you."

  I went into the room where General Forrest and Jane Ryder were."Shannon, what are you and Herndon up to? What do you mean by going onin this way?" He spoke with some severity, but there was a humoroustwinkle in his blue-gray eyes. "More than that, you took occasion toprejudice the jury. What did you say to Mrs. Forrest?"

  "I simply asked her to be kind to the lady in here."

  "Well, she was all of that," said the General, "and she threatened mewith her displeasure if I wasn't kind to you, and as she's the onlyhuman being that I'm really afeared of, I reckon I'll have to let youoff this time. Oh, you needn't look so smiling; you are to be punished,and that heavily. You are to be responsible for this young woman. Youare to take charge of her and restore her to her own people--mind you,to her own people. You are responsible to me, and I reckon you knowwhat that means; if you don't you can just ask somebody that knows me."

  I knew what it meant well enough, and I knew what his words meant. "Thelady is as safe with me, General, as if she were in her mother's arms."

  "Now, that's the way to talk, and I believe you," said General Forrest.

  All this time Jane Ryder had said not a word. She sat very quietly, butthere was not a sign of gloom or dejection in her face. But uneasinesslooked from her eyes. She spoke presently, while General Forrest waslooking through a large morocco memorandum-book that was a little theworse for wear. "If you please," she said, "I should like to go back tomy friends to-night, if they are not all killed. They can do you noharm even if they are alive. They are only a couple of women."

  "Well, they are not killed," replied General Forrest without lookingup. "Wimmen make war on me and do a lot of damage, but I don't make waron them. I'm letting you off on a technicality, Miss Ryder. You are nota spy; you have never been inside my lines until to-night; and yet youwere in a fair way to find out a good many things that the other sidewould like to know."

  "I never found out as much as I'd like to know," she replied; "andsince he came bothering me I haven't found out anything."

  Apparently General Forrest ignored the remark. He turned to me with aslip of paper in his hand. "You'll have to change your name, Shannon.This passport is made out to someone else. Read it."

  He handed it to me, and I read aloud: "The bearer of this, CaptainFrancis Leroy, is authorized to pass in and out the Federal lines,night or day, without let or hindrance." It was signed by a great manat Washington and counter-signed by one almost as great.

  "Why, that belongs to me," said Jane Ryder; "where did you find it?"

  "I reckon it's just a duplicate," said the General, smiling. "I've hadit some time."

  A little frown of perplexity appeared above Jane Ryder's eyes, and ifit had never gone away until she solved the mystery of this passport itwould have been there yet, for neither one of us ever knew whereGeneral Forrest obtained the precious document.

  "You will want to go out of my lines, Shannon, and you'll want to comeback, so I'll fix it up for you." He went into the next room anddictated to an orderly, and presently brought me a paper signed withhis own name, and I have it yet.

  Everything was ready for us to take our leave, and we did so. "You area different man from what I thought you," said Jane Ryder to GeneralForrest, "and I have to thank you for your kindness and consideration."

  "It ain't what people think of you--it's what you are that counts,"replied General Forrest. I have thought of this homely saying hundredsof times, and it rings truer every time I repeat it to myself. Itcovers the whole ground of conscience and morals.

  As I was going out, Jane Ryder being in advance, the General said to meagain, "Don't make no mistake about what I mean. You are responsible tome for the safety of that young lady. I believe in you, but I may bewrong. If I am wrong you'd just as well go out and hang yourself andsave me the trouble."

  "You needn't worry about me, General. I can take care of myself,"declared Jane Ryder. We went out of the house and came to whereWhistling Jim was holding the horses. I dismissed him then and there,and told him to put his horse in the stable and have plenty of feed formine. But Jane Ryder, for reasons of her own, preferred to walk, sothat Whistling Jim went away with the two horses and we were left toourselves.

  I remember that I said very little during that long walk, and all theburden of the conversation fell on the young woman. She was not at allelated over the narrow escape she had had, and preferred to make lightof it, but I knew that, under different circumstances, she would havebeen put in prison in Richmond, and I think that her nature would havesuccumbed to close confinement.

  "You have had your way, after all, but I am not sure that I like it,"she said. She waited for me to make some reply, but none wasforthcoming. "I hope you don't think you have won a great victory. If Ihad been a man, perhaps the victory would have been the other way."

  "I didn't compel you to come with me," I remarked.

  "You mean I came of my own accord. If I did, it was to avoid a scenebefore my mother--the lady you saw at the house. I didn't want her tohear you bluster and threaten; and, besides, I wanted to tell you whatI think of you. We have both had our way. My mother thinks you are agentleman in a way, and I know what I know."

  I trudged along by her side silently; I had no relish for an argume
ntin which I was sure to get the worst of it. In some matters a man is nomatch for a woman: he cannot cope with her in a war of words. Nor willsilence discomfit them. At least, it had no such effect in thisinstance, for the more I was silent, the louder and faster she talked,and, apparently, the angrier she became.

  "You will boast, no doubt," said she, "and tell your comrades how youlorded it over a young fellow who turned out to be a woman--how youcompelled her to go with you to General Forrest's headquarters. But howdid you know me? How did you know who I was?"

  I laughed aloud. "Why, I'd know you through a thousand disguises, as Iknew you here that first night."

  "I don't believe it; you didn't know me that first night; you had neverseen me but once before, and you couldn't have known me. How did youknow me to-night? You won't answer, or if you do you'll say you knew meby my swagger. Anything to insult a woman. I'd like to be a man for afew hours just to see how they feel toward women--just how much morecontempt they feel than they show. I tell you, you didn't know me thatfirst night."

  "Then why did I insist on going home with you?"

  This rather stumped her. "Because--because you thought I was a slip ofa lad, and you knew you could impose on me. If you had known I was awoman, you wouldn't have called me a little devil--Yes, you would!" shequickly added. "You would have abused me worse than that if you hadknown I was a woman. How did you know--if you knew?"

  "By your eyes; the moment I looked into them fairly I said to myself,'Here's Jane Ryder again; no one has eyes like hers!'"

  She was silent for a little space, and then, "Did it never occur to youthat it would be politer to refer to me as _Miss_ Jane Ryder?" Now, Ihad never thought of her as Miss Jane Ryder, and I told her so. "Are myeyes so peculiar that you would know them anywhere? Are they positivelyhideous, as the young women say?" I hesitated, and she went on, "Butwhy do I ask? No matter what you think, it can never, never make anydifference to me, after the way you have treated me to-night, and Ihope that when you bid me good-by, as you will have to do directly,that I shall never see you again."

  "That is the talk of a child, and you are supposed to be a grownwoman," I replied. "You know very well that I am obliged to carry outthe orders of my General, no matter how much they go against thegrain."

  She stopped in the road and tried to read my face even in the dark. "Doyou really mean that?" and then, without waiting for an answer, sheturned and ran, and I followed the best I could.