WE CAPTURE THE HOUSE
If she was startled and frightened before, she was doubly so now at this
sudden revolt on my part. But I had no time then for explanation, only
for the stern exercising of authority. If I was right, if deep down in
the girl's heart there was love for me, she would forgive this action as
soon as she realized its purpose--aye! she would respect me the more for
daring the deed.
"Don't attempt to interfere now, my girl; go over to the big chair and
sit down."
My revolver was in my hand, and she saw it, her eyes wide open.
"You--you are not going to hurt them?"
"No, not if they use any sense, but this is not going to be boys' play.
Will you do as I say?"
She sat down, gripping the arms of the chair, and leaning forward, half
inclined to scream, yet afraid to utter a sound. Without taking my eyes
from her, I slipped across the room to where I would be partially
concealed as the door opened. I knew what I was going to do, or, at
least, attempt to do, and realized fully the risk I ran, and the chance
of failure. It would require daring and coolness to capture those in the
house, without raising any alarm, and likewise the prompt cooperation of
my men. If they had seen my signal, and if I could disarm these first
two, the rest should be comparatively easy. There were steps in the
hall, and the jingle of spurs. Hardy entered first, his head turned
backward as though he spoke to Le Gaire. I saw the girl rise to her
feet, but my whole attention was concentrated upon the two men. The
instant the space was sufficient, I forced the door shut, and stood with
my back against it, the black muzzle of my Colt staring them in
the eyes.
"Hands up, gentlemen!" I said sternly, "a movement means death."
They presented two astounded faces, Hardy's absolutely blank, so
complete his surprise, but Le Gaire recognized me instantly, his mouth
flying open, his eyes glaring.
"Good God!--you!"
"Yes; hands up, Le Gaire! Don't be a fool."
His dark complexion was yellow with pallor, and I knew him for a coward
at heart, yet his very hatred of me made him dangerous. Hardy was
different, realizing his helplessness, but eying me coolly, his hands
held over his head.
"What does all this mean?" he asked quietly. "Who the devil are you?"
"He's that damned Yank Billie's been so interested in," broke out the
captain, "the same fellow who knocked me off my horse at Jonesboro."
Major Hardy glanced toward his daughter inquiringly, but before she
could utter a word in explanation I cut in:
"This has nothing to do with Miss Hardy. She is as much a prisoner as
you are. Now, Captain, hand me your revolver--butt first, please. Major
Hardy, I will also trouble you. Now both of you back up slowly against
the wall."
Their faces were a study, Hardy rather seeming to enjoy the experience,
his thin lips smiling grimly, but Le Gaire was mad, his jaw set, his
eyes glaring at me.
"I should rather like to know what all this means, young man," said the
former. "Do you expect to capture the house single-handed?"
"Hardly, but I've made a good start," now fully at ease, with a revolver
in each hand, the third thrust in my belt. "However I've no time now
to explain."
Without turning my face from them I sidled over to the window, speaking
quietly into the darkness without:
"Come in, men, one at a time."
Almost to my surprise they came over the rail like so many monkeys,
scarcely a sound revealing the movements. I saw the smile fade from off
the major's lips, and my eyes caught Billie's wide open in astonishment.
The fellows hustled in behind me, not knowing what was expected of them,
but ready enough for anything. I glanced at them, beckoning to Miles.
"All here, Sergeant? Then draw down the shade. Wilson, you and Carney
come over here, and keep an eye on these two men. Miles, let me speak to
you a moment."
I led him into one corner, outlining the situation in a dozen words.
"There may be half a dozen in the dining-room--yes, just across the
hall--including a preacher--armed, of course, but they don't suspect
there is a Blue-coat within ten miles. They're out for a good time, and
have been having it. If you can get the bunch covered first, there need
be no fight. Don't fire a shot; just lay the iron down on them. Take all
the men along, except the two I need here. You know your business."
"Sure," grinning, "and what then?"
"Scout around the house. I don't believe there are any guards set, but
it will be safer to make sure."
"There's some cavalrymen at the stable, sir; we heard 'em singin' out
there."
"A few officers' servants; you can attend to them easily enough after
you are certain about the house. By the way, who is the best man to
send back?"
"Into our lines, sir? Young Ross would be all right."
There was a desk in one corner, with writing materials on it, but I was
most anxious just then to be assured we controlled the situation. Some
of those fellows across the hall might become restless, and stroll in
here at any moment, to discover the cause for delay.
"Very well, Miles; leave Ross here, and carry out your orders; that
should give you seven men--why, no, it doesn't! Where is the negro?"
"He said you told him he didn't need go beyond the head of the ravine,
sir," explained the sergeant, "and as one of the men heard you say so, I
didn't feel like making him come along. He started back for camp."
"I believe I did promise something like that," I admitted, "and he
wouldn't have been much assistance anyway. Well, six men and yourself
ought to do the business. Watch the windows, so none get away."
Perhaps I should have gone myself, but I was disinclined to leave the
room, desirous of getting off my despatch without delay, and possessed
implicit confidence in the promptness and discretion of the sergeant. He
drew his revolver, the men silently following his example, and the
little party slipped quietly out into the hall, the last man closing the
door behind him. Evidently they encountered no one in the passageway.
Listening intently I heard the dining-room door thrown back violently, a
confused noise of feet, of chairs hurriedly pushed aside, a voice
uttering a stern order, the sound of a brief struggle, ended by a blow
and the thud of a body striking the floor, then numerous voices speaking
excitedly, followed by silence. Convinced the work had been
accomplished, and that the house was now entirely in our possession, I
walked across the room to the desk. Miss Hardy still sat where I had
ordered, and I was compelled to pass her chair. Her eyes met
mine coldly.
"Would you permit me to go across to my father?" she asked.
"Most certainly; you are in no sense a prisoner, except I shall have to
ask you to remain in the room for the present."
She inclined her head ever so slightly.
"I shall ask no further favor, and thank you for granting this."
I sank into the chair at the desk, and watched her cross the room. Her
words and actions hurt me, and yet it was scarcely to be expected that
she would be pleased with the sudden change in affairs. To see me thus
in complete control of the situation, her father and Le Gaire prisoners,
all their plans frustrated, was maddening, particularly so as she
realized that this result came largely through her own indiscretion. I
began myself to doubt the complete success of my scheme. Without
question I had the power now to prevent her marriage, yet I might have
gone too far, and caused a revulsion of feeling. She had been interested
in me before--for it had been her part to help me in times of danger,
and sympathy lies very close to love--but now the conditions were
changed, and she might feel very different toward my interference.
Perhaps I was destined to lose rather than gain, yet it was too late now
to draw back--I must play the game out to its ending. I wrote rapidly,
utterly ignoring her conversation with Hardy, yet someway conscious that
Le Gaire sought to join in, and was answered in a single swift sentence,
the girl not even turning to glance at him. The simple action caused my
heart to leap to my throat--could it be the lady played a part, her
coldness to me intended to deceive others? It was a hope, at least, and
I went to my task with fresh courage. I told it all in a dozen
sentences--Johnston's plans for the morrow; the withdrawal of
Confederate troops from our left, and their concentration in reserve of
the enemy's centre; our capture of the Hardy house, and my hope to
retain possession until the right of our line could be flung forward.
Then I called Ross, and he came across the room, looking scarcely more
than a boy, but with a serious face.
"Can you find your way back down the ravine to our lines, my lad?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then don't lose any time. The Confederate troops have been withdrawn,
but you must watch out for stragglers. Give this to Colonel Cochran, and
tell him it must be forwarded to headquarters at once. Explain to him
the situation here. Now be off."
He saluted, wheeled sharply about, and went out the window. I heard him
strike the ground. Then I sat silently looking at the others in the
room, wondering how the sergeant was getting along, and slowly realizing
that I had a white elephant on my hands. I was endeavoring to play two
games at once, love and war, and the various moves were confusing. It
might be possible even for my little squad to hold this advance
position until reinforcements arrived, but what could be done with the
prisoners? Billie might forgive me--realizing the motive--for all which
had occurred thus far, but if I were to turn her father and Le Gaire
over to the hardships of a Northern prison, I could expect no mercy. I
cared little as to the fate of the others, they had taken the chances of
war, but these two must be liberated before our troops came up. I could
not catch the girl's eyes; she sat with averted face, talking earnestly
to her father. Uneasy, and puzzled how best to straighten out the
tangle, I went out into the hall, and glanced in at the room opposite. A
bunch of gray-clad men were against the wall, disarmed and helpless,
even their tongues silent, and three watchful troopers guarded them,
revolvers in hand. All stared at me as I stepped forward.
"Where is the sergeant?"
"At the stable, sir."
"Oh, yes; hope he has as good luck there--got them all?"
"Every bloomin' one of 'em, sir. They was quite nice about it."
An indignant voice spoke from the gray line.
"Blamed if it ain't Atherton! Say, Major, what does all this mean?"
I laughed, stepping forward so as to see the speaker's face.
"Captain Bell, isn't it? Thought I recognized your voice. I'm not
Atherton, although I believe I was introduced to you under that name
once. I have wanted to thank you ever since for bearing testimony in
my favor."
His jaw fell, his eyes staring.
"Who the devil are you then?"
"A Federal officer; my name is Galesworth."
"And this is no joke?"
"Well, hardly, Captain. I shouldn't advise you to take the affair that
way. These fellows here might not appreciate the humor of it."
I turned back, and met Miles in the hall, just as he came in through the
front door. He grinned at sight of me, evidently well pleased.
"Got every mother's son of 'em, sir," he reported. "Easy job too; never
had to fire a shot, and only hit one fellow; he started a shindy in
there," with a glance toward the dining-room. "There were five
gray-jacks out in the stable, all asleep, an' they was like lambs. The
blamed fools never had a guard set."
"They felt safe enough, no doubt, back here," I returned. "The last
thing they thought about was any Yankees getting this far. Do you know
what they were gathered here for?"
He shook his head.
"It was intended for a wedding party, until we butted in."
"Hell! not that pretty girl back in there?"
"Yes," for somehow I felt I had better tell him enough of the truth to
make the situation clear. He was an honest, clear-headed fellow, and I
needed help. "And that Confederate Captain--Le Gaire--was to be the
bridegroom. I am going to tell you the whole story, Sergeant, and then
you'll see what sort of a fix I'm in."
I went over it hastily, yet with sufficient detail so as to make it all
clear to his mind. He listened soberly at first, and then his eyes began
to twinkle, and he interrupted with numerous questions. Apparently he
found the tale most amusing.
"Well, if that ain't the rummest story ever I heard! It beats a novel by
'bout a mile. I never was married myself, sir, but I've got a blamed
pretty girl waitin' for me back in ol' Illinoy, an' I reckon I know what
she'd want me to do in a case like this. Sure, I'm with you until the
cows come home, and so are the rest o' the boys. Lord, this is the kind
o' sojerin' I like; somethin' happenin' every minute. What's
next, sir?"
"Perhaps I better look over the house first," I said thoughtfully, "and
see where we can stow away these prisoners without needing all our men
to guard them. You take charge in there while I am gone, Miles, and let
the girl go anywhere she pleases so she promises not to leave
the house."
"All right, sir," and the sergeant saluted, his eyes shining, as I
started for the stairs.