THE OWNER OF THE MANSION ON THE HILL
Cuffy took care of the horses, for two of them were to belong to him,
giving them even a feed of corn-meal mixed with water, which was all he
had to give them. He hitched them in the barn with the exhausted
soldiers of the Riverlawn Cavalry, though it was rather close quarters
for them. Deck preferred the out-building to Cuffy's bed, which he
offered them.
It was four o'clock in the morning when the lieutenant and the sergeant
retired upon their bed of straw, though there was plenty of it, and it
was a luxury to men who had been accustomed to lie at night on the
ground. They had been fully twenty-four hours on their feet, and had
been through a great deal of excitement during the day and the night.
They were asleep about as soon as they struck the bed.
Cuffy came to the barn about nine o'clock in the forenoon to attend to
the horses. He led them all out to water, and then gave them another
feed in tubs. His guests had complained of fatigue, and he allowed them
to sleep as long as they desired.
It was noon when Fronklyn awoke, and he had slept his full eight hours.
Deck put in another hour; for he was younger than his companion, and
needed more sleep. The sergeant had worn his overcoat all the day and
night, though he had several times been tempted to throw it away,
especially when they were climbing down the steep bank of the river. He
was glad he had not done so when he went to bed on the straw.
He had given his blanket to Deck, though it required a great deal of
persuasion to induce him to accept it; but Fronklyn had an overcoat. It
was not so cold as to interfere with the slumbers of the weary
soldiers; and when they woke they felt like new men. They went to a
brook that flowed through the negro's farm, and had a thorough wash to
freshen them up. The sergeant then renewed the plaster on his head, and
examined the wound of his companion. The swelling had nearly all gone
down, though there was still a soreness there; but the patient felt
well enough for duty.
"Here we are, Ben; what is the next move on the checker-board?" said
Deck, as they returned from the brook to the barn.
"Considering what we have been through since the sun went down last
night, I think we are very well fixed to-day. We have a couple of
horses to go where we please, and all we have to do is to ride back to
the outside of the Beech-Grove camp of the enemy; for we have seen
enough of the inside of it," replied Fronklyn.
"We can't be many miles from it; and when we get there I think we shall
find our army in possession of it. That steamer whose boat we borrowed,
and the other craft about there, must have been busy ferrying the enemy
across to the Mill Springs fortification," added Deck. "But what do you
suppose has become of all those cavalry men, and infantry too, that ran
away from the battle-field?"
"I don't imagine that a great many of them went back to the
intrenchments, and probably most of them are wandering about the
country in this vicinity," replied the sergeant. "The farmers'
corncribs, if there is anything left in them, will suffer for the next
week. They are not bashful, those fellows; and I have no doubt they
will visit the houses, and order meals as they would at a hotel."
"We are liable to meet them on our way back to the camp; and if we have
anything they want, they are likely to take it. Your blanket and
overcoat would be useful to them, and so would the horses. But I fancy
they would move about in small parties, and we may be able to take care
of ourselves. You have your carbine, and I have my revolver."
"That looks like a big house on the hill back of us," said Fronklyn,
pointing to the mansion.
"Mornin', Mars'rs!" shouted Cuffy, coming from his shanty to meet them.
"You done git up; I don't 'sturb you, coz I knowed you was tired out."
"We are glad you didn't, and we feel first-rate this morning. Whose
house is that on the hill?" asked Deck.
"Dat's de mansion ob Cun'l Hickman, my ole mars'r," replied Cuffy. "He
owns all de land 'bout here, mor'n tousand acres. He let me live on dis
corner when he want me to run de ferry, and I stops here eber since."
"Then he must be very rich."
"Rich! Dat ain't no name for't. He's got more money'n de Bank ob
London, 'n I reckon he could buy out de State of Kaintuck. He's pow'ful
rich, Mars'r."
"Is he a Secessionist?" asked Deck.
"Cun'l Hickman! Secesher! No, sar! He's de out-en-outenish Union man in
Kaintuck," returned Cuffy, whose politics were not at all in doubt with
his guests. "De Seceshers done raided his place fo' times; yesterday
was de last time, 'n I reckon dem fellers dat wanted me to ferry 'em
ober de riber in de night is de ones dat did it. I done seen 'em on de
hill fo' dark. I done see lots o' men wid guns, and some on hossback
dis mornin' strollin' 'long de riber an' ober de country."
"Which way did they come from, Cuffy?" inquired Deck.
"Most on 'em com 'd down de Harrison road, an' some on 'em was beat'n'
across de farm."
"Have you heard of the great battle that was fought over by Logan's
Cross Roads?" asked the sergeant.
"I don't hear ob no battle," replied the negro, opening his eyes wide
enough to let them drop out of their sockets. "Gollywhimpers!" suddenly
exclaimed Cuffy, turning his gaze towards the mansion on the hill, "dar
comes de cun'l on a hoss!"
The lieutenant and the sergeant looked in the direction indicated by
the ferryman, and saw a man riding down the hill at a breakneck speed.
As he came nearer they saw that he was a person over sixty years of
age, with long, flowing white hair, like one of the patriarchs of old.
He wore a soft black hat, well back on his head. He looked behind him
frequently, as though he expected something to transpire in that
direction. As Cuffy said, his mansion had been raided several times,
and he might have got used to such events.
"W'a--w'a--w'at's de matter, Cun'l Hickman?" shouted the ferryman,
before the gentleman came within ten rods of him.
The rider did not check his speed till he reined in his horse in front
of the negro and his guests. He looked at the two officers without
giving any attention to Cuffy, and seemed to be astonished to find them
there.
"I see that you wear the blue," said the colonel, addressing Deck,
whose shoulder-straps apparently excited his attention.
"We belong to the army of the United States, sir," replied Deck.
"Then how do you happen to be here?" demanded the colonel in a tone and
with a look of great severity.
"It would take some time, Colonel Hickman, to answer your question in
full," returned Deck; "but I will say that we marched and fought
yesterday from four o'clock in the morning till dark, and were
practically prisoners in the camp of the enemy at the end of the day,
but escaped in the night in a boat we took from a steamer alongside the
fortifications at Beech Grove."
"Excuse me for speaking somewhat abruptly, Lieutenant, and give me your
hand; for I honor every man that fights or works for his country,"
continued the colonel. "I am somewhat too old to do either, or I should
not be at home."
Deck took the proffered hand, and it was warmly pressed by the planter,
and he extended the same courtesy to the sergeant.
"My mansion is beset by a band of ruffians, and I have been obliged to
flee for my life," pursued the planter, glancing back at his house as
though he expected to see the flames rising from it.
"Do they mean to burn the mansion?" asked the lieutenant,
misinterpreting the glance of the owner.
"Not at all; I have no fear that they will do that, for they are
looking for my money, for I have some concealed on my premises where
they will never find it," said the planter with a significant shake of
the head, which was as much as to say, "I have euchred them!"
"I suppose the banks in this part of the State are no longer safe
repositories for valuables," added Deck.
"They are not, and I keep a comparatively small amount for current
expenses at hand. This same band raided me three days ago, and
threatened to hang me in front of my mansion if I did not give up my
money; but I would burn the bank-bills rather than permit them to fall
into the hands of these miscreants. I had a horse ready as soon as I
saw the ruffians coming down the private road from Millersville; and I
keep several of my negroes on the watch for them. I escaped on my horse
before, as I have done this time."
"How many are there in this band, Colonel?" asked Deck.
"My negroes counted ten of them. These raids are not uncommon events;
and there were two or three of them within less than ten miles,
sometimes by the enemy's foragers, and sometimes by partisan gangs. The
mansion of Mr. Halliburn was captured a few days ago; but a very clever
young lieutenant, whose name was Lyon, in command of a detachment of
cavalry, entrapped the whole gang of ruffians in the house, and made
prisoners of every one of them, without the loss of a man."
"Perhaps I know more about that affair than you do, Colonel Hickman;
for my name is Lyon, and I happen to be the officer to whom you
allude," replied Deck, looking at the ground.
"Lieutenant Lyon! Is it possible?" exclaimed the planter, taking the
young man's hand again.
"But we will not talk about things that are passed and gone, Colonel,"
interposed the young officer. "I wish I had my platoon, or even half of
them, here. Now, what can we do to aid you in this trouble, and free
you from the annoyance of such enemies?"
"As you have only a sergeant with you, I don't see that you can do
anything, my young friend; though I am as much obliged to you for your
good intentions as though you had a whole army behind you," said the
planter. "I have been a soldier myself, and I was one of the young
Kentuckians that fought in the battle of New Orleans under General
Jackson."
"Have you any arms at your mansion, sir?" inquired Deck, as though he
had some scheme in his head.
"Plenty of them; enough to supply half of your platoon."
"Can you get back to your house without being seen, Colonel?"
"Easily; back of my house is an avenue, planted with trees, by which I
once made my escape while they were looking for me. You can see it on
the south side of the hill; and it extends down to the river, the last
part of it on the tongue of land, so that it has the stream on each
side of it," the old soldier explained.
"If you have such a quantity of arms, where do you keep them?"
"In the spring-house, the brick building on the brook, which you cannot
see from here. I have five sons and one daughter; two of the boys are
in the army, and three are past the military age, though they belong to
the Millersville Home Guards, and were called out for duty three days
ago. I expect them home soon; but they have been gone four days now. My
overseer, his assistant, and two mechanics, went over to see the fight
yesterday afternoon, and they have not yet returned."
"Dar dey is, Mars'r Cun'l!" shouted Cuffy, pointing to the Harrison
road, down which three mounted riflemen were riding.
"I am glad to see them," added the planter, as the men came up the
hill.
The father greeted them heartily, and they began to tell what service
they had rendered during the preceding day on the right flank of the
field of battle. One of them happened to turn his head, and saw Deck;
and, interrupting the conversation that was going on, he shouted,--
"Lieutenant Lyon!"
The other two, who had also been with the riflemen under command of
Captain Ripley, repeated the exclamation.
"We fought under the command of Lieutenant Lyon most of the day
yesterday, and he is one of the ablest and bravest officers in the
service," said one of the sons. "He is"--
"We will hear that another time, Mr. Hickman; and you may have a chance
to fight under me to-day, for your father's mansion is beset by a band
of ruffians, who threaten to hang him," interposed Deck. "We muster six
men now, and I propose to clean them out."
It was talked over for a little while, and the party soon rode off to
one of the openings of the avenue by the river.