A PRISONER OF WAR
"But what can we do, Snowball?" asked Jeanne her voice trembling with
emotion. "How can I see him?"
"De missus takes a nap ebery day," said the darky. "An' sumtimes she calls
me ter set in de room s'posin' Massa Dick want anything. Sumtimes she
tells Feliciane ter do it. We'll jest wait tell she tells me ter do it,
an' den I'll let yer in. We'll hab ter watch sha'p elsen she'll ketch us."
"We will," said Jeanne. "I would not care for myself, but I would not like
to get you into trouble."
"Nebber you mind me, lill' missy. You'se been moughty good ter me, an'
I'll stan' anything ter help yer see yer brudder."
"Thank you, Snowball," and Jeanne's eyes filled with tears at this
evidence of affection. "When I can I am going to help you to get back
to your mother. I will never forget what you are doing for me."
"Dat's all right, missy. Jest you wait tell I does sumthin' an' den talk.
Time nuff den! Now I mus' run back. Done want missus ter know dat I hab
been talkin' ter yer."
"I'll go a different way, and she won't suspect us," said Jeanne and the
two separated.
Two days, full of anxiety to Jeanne, passed before Snowball was called to
attend Dick. Waiting only until she heard the door of Madame's chamber
click, the darky sped to Jeanne's room and called her.
"Nuffin' couldn't a happened bettah," she said. "Missus Adele, she's gone
ter town; an' tuk Feliciane with huh. Jeff's gwine huntin' wid marster
an' Mistah La Chaise. I ain't afeerd ob de res' ob de niggas. Kum now,
missy, an' yer'll hab a right smaht while wid yer brudder."
Jeanne started up eagerly and ran down the stairs to Dick's chamber. Her
brother was lying fully dressed on a couch with his back toward her. He
did not turn at her entrance and before she had time to address him,
Snowball darted through the door.
"Foh de land sake, missy, git outen heah quick," she whispered. "Ole
missus am a kumin' back."
Her terror communicated itself to Jeanne and the girl stopped stock still
in the middle of the floor. The click, click of Madame's shoes could be
heard distinctly in the hall. To go out would be to meet her, and for
the nonce the spirit of the girl quailed. Glancing quickly about her the
heavily curtained window caught her eye and she sprang toward it. It was
but the work of a moment to ensconce herself behind its voluminous folds.
Scarcely had she done so when Madame entered.
"I thought I heard some one," she said suspiciously. "Have you been
attending to Master Dick, Snowball?"
"Does yer want anyting now, Massa Dick?" asked Snowball going to the lad's
side, gladly ignoring the lady's first remark.
"Give me a drink, please," said Dick weakly.
"I will give it to him myself," said Madame. "You may leave the room,
Snowball. Master Dick and I want to have a little talk all by ourselves."
"Yes'm," acquiesced Snowball, but she lingered loth to leave Jeanne.
"At once," commanded Madame sharply. "Why do you loiter when I tell you
to go?"
"Yes'm; I'm a-gwine now," and the girl left the room reluctantly.
"You feel much better, do you not, my boy?" and the lady stroked the lad's
hair gently.
"Yes, Cherie."
"So well that we can have our little talk again? We will not be
interrupted to-day as we were yesterday."
"If you wish," and it seemed to Jeanne that Dick spoke with great
weariness. "But of what use is it? You have your views and I have
mine. Why not let the subject drop when we cannot agree?"
"Because the old adage has it, 'That constant dropping will wear away
the hardest stone.' By keeping continually at you I shall finally succeed
in overcoming your scruples, and get your signature to the oath of
allegiance to the Confederacy."
"Never!" exclaimed Dick with so much resolution that his sister's heart
swelled with thankfulness and pride. "Though you were to talk to me
forever you could not change my principles."
"Listen to me, Dick." Madame spoke in her sweetest tones. "You are but
a boy. You cannot know which side is right in this war when great men have
differed upon the matter. I have heard you say that you honored Robert
E. Lee. That he was a noble man, a great general, and one of the finest
gentlemen that you ever met. Think you that such a man would embrace our
cause if he did not believe himself right?"
"I do not," answered Dick at once. "There are many men on the side of the
South who believe themselves to be in the right. But they are none the
less mistaken for all that."
"And you set up your feeble judgment against them?" cried Madame, a trace
of anger in her voice. "It is presumption."
Dick did not reply. Presently Madame spoke again, and Jeanne noted that
her tones were once more caressingly soft.
"Dick, I have spoken to you of my own son, have I not?"
"Yes, Cherie."
"He was so much like you. When I used to hear Jeanne talk of you I knew
that you were what my boy would have been. When I saw you my heart yearned
over you, for you were the image of him. Had he lived he would have
fought to defend our South from the rank invaders."
"I do not doubt it," spoke the boy gently.
"Think how desolate I am," went on the lady quick to note the lad's
sympathy for her. "I have no one, Dick. Be my boy, I will be so proud of
you. You would be our heir, and have all the property. I have influence
too, and it should be used to advance you quickly to a high rank. You
should be a general, my boy. The handsomest and youngest in the service.
Think what I can give you. And all just to sign one little paper! Why do
you hesitate? Why throw away such advantages for the sake of a mere
notion? Come, sign it."
Dick was silent so long that Jeanne became alarmed and she pushed back
the curtain and looked at the pair anxiously. Madame Vance was holding a
paper before the boy pleadingly, while Dick was regarding it with a look
of indifference.
"You will, my beautiful boy. You will, I know. You cannot refuse a
mother's prayer. Oh, I know that you will not refuse me."
"But I do," said Dick who showed signs that the interview was taxing his
strength to the utmost. "I will die before I sign that paper."
"You refuse?" cried Madame, losing control of herself. "Then hear me,
Richard Vance. You shall not thwart me in my purpose. You shall sign that
paper. I am stronger than you, and I say that you shall do it."
She seized the lad's hand and tried to force a pen into it. Dick struggled
feebly. With a bound Jeanne was by his side, all her fear of the woman
gone in the menace to her brother.
"What are you doing here, Jeanne Vance?" cried Madame starting back at
sight of the girl. "How came you here?"
"I wanted to see my brother," answered Jeanne, throwing her arms about
him protectingly. "Have you no heart, no feeling, that you would take
advantage of his weakness?"
"I am not so weak that she could make me sign that paper," cried Dick,
his pale face and shaking hands belying his assertion.
"We shall see," cried Madame threateningly. "He shall sign it before you,
my little Yankee."
Jeanne watched her opportunity as her aunt tried to push her aside, and
snatched the paper from her hand.
"There!" she cried as she tore it into shreds. "There, Aunt Clarisse! He
cannot sign it now."
"How dare you?" cried Madame, stamping her foot. "I will have you whipped."
But as she started to call the servants a sharp peal of the door bell
rang through the house. Instantly a most remarkable transformation took
place in the lady. Her rage disappeared as if by magic, and, as one of
the darkies opened the door to announce. "Colonel Peyton," she presented
a serene and smiling countenance to the gentleman.
"Colonel Peyton," she exclaimed, sweeping forward gracefully, "this is
indeed an honor. To what good fortune am I indebted for such a favor?"
"The exigencies of war, Madame," answered the Colonel, bowing over her
hand with courtly grace. "I am accompanied by some of my men. May I ask
that they be permitted to enter?"
"Certainly," assented Madame sweetly, but there was a trace of uneasiness
in her manner.
Into the room filed a squad of soldiers and with them, Jeanne could
scarcely repress a cry of joy at sight of him, came Mr. Huntsworth.
"Madame," said Colonel Peyton, pulling a paper from his pocket.
"General Pemberton has sent a written order for a young man--a Federal
prisoner--who was put in your charge to be taken care of until he
should have recovered from his wound. As some time has elapsed he is
convinced that he has sufficiently recovered to be turned over to us.
I have come to take him and also the young girl who accompanied him. They
are prisoners of war, you understand."
Madame Vance bowed but her eyes glittered balefully.
"The girl is here, take her," she said. "But the boy--ah, mon Colonel,
you must not take him yet. He is not able to go. Besides, let me but have
him a short time longer and who knows but that a full fledged Confederate
may be the result? He is not able to go. Leave him with me, Colonel, I
beseech you. I will see the General myself."
"No; take him," interposed Jeanne who feared that the Colonel might
succumb to the lady's blandishments. "She wants to force him to her wish,
and you don't want such soldiers, Colonel Peyton."
"No," said the Colonel sternly. "We want no recruits made in such a
manner, Madame Vance. Men, take your prisoner."
"Minx," shrieked Madame, flying at Jeanne in a passion. "Is it thus you
repay my kindness? Oh, I could kill you!"
"She is our prisoner," said Colonel Peyton stepping before her. "You must
not touch the girl, Madame."
"I will report this indignity," cried Madame. "I will see General
Pemberton. I do not lack influence, sir. You shall repent this."
"As you like, Madame." The Colonel bowed gravely and, like the brave
soldier that he was, remained with the lady while the men carried Dick
out, followed by Jeanne and Mr. Huntsworth who had his arm around the
girl protectingly.
"Oh," cried the girl as they proceeded down the hill away from the place.
"I am so glad that you came when you did. I fear that I could not have
held out much longer."
"Tell us what happened," suggested Mr. Huntsworth, and Jeanne did so.
"I think I never saw such a tiger cat," remarked the old gentleman when
she had finished. "There was a time there when I thought that she was
going to tear you to pieces. I fear that you are not through with her,
my little friend."
"I will see General Pemberton," declared Colonel Peyton, "and prepare him
for Madame's onslaught. Meantime, I have his permission for you and your
brother to stay at sister Sally's until your brother fully recovers. But
he is not at liberty, Jeanne, because he is a prisoner, you know."
"Yes, I know," said Jeanne, "and I will not say a word against it. Better
a prisoner of the Confederates than to be in the hands of such a woman.
There will at least be some chance to exchange him. You don't dislike
me any more, do you, Colonel Peyton? You won't care if Bob and I are
friends, will you?"
"No; you poor child! I have been sorry that I was so unkind to you. After
all I was glad that you girls saved Frank. It would have broken my heart
had he been shot. Ah!----"
There was a rushing, whizzing sound and a huge mortar shell passed over
them, and, burying itself in the side of the hill beyond, exploded with a
great report.
"What is it?" cried Jeanne affrightedly clinging to Mr. Huntsworth.
"The Federals have begun to shell the city," said the Colonel calmly.
"Their fleet has been gathering for several days. We have been expecting
it."