MISS WILLIFRED SURPRISES US
The butt struck me fairly, and I went down as though felled by an ax. If
I lost consciousness it could have been for scarcely more than a moment,
but blood streamed into my eyes, and my head reeled giddily. Yet I knew
something of what occurred, heard voices, caught dimly the movement of
figures. Le Gaire ran, rounding the end of the stable, and Hardy,
swearing like a trooper, clutching at his empty belt for a weapon, made
an effort to follow. Bell sprang to me, lifting my head, and his face
looked as white as a woman's. He appeared so frightened I endeavored to
smile at him, and it must have been a ghastly effort. My voice, however,
proved more reassuring.
"I'm all right," I insisted thickly. "Just tapped a little. I--I wasn't
looking for anything like that."
"I should say not. Here, can you sit up? By Heavens! I hope Hardy
catches him."
"He hardly will," I answered, struggling into sitting posture, a vision
of the chase recurring to mind. "He was too mad to run."
Bell laughed nervously.
"I never supposed Le Gaire was that kind of a cur," he said regretfully.
"I never liked the fellow, or had much to do with him. Blamed if I could
understand why Miss Hardy--"
"Oh, he played nice enough with her up until the last week at least," I
broke in, aroused by the name. "Le Gaire is good looking, and pleasant
also when things are going his way. It's when luck is against him that
he gets ugly. Besides, he had the major on his side."
"I happen to know something about that," returned Bell dryly. "It was
talked over at headquarters. Le Gaire is rich, and Hardy hasn't much
left, I reckon, and the captain filled him up with fairy tales. Some of
them drifted about among the boys. There were others told also not quite
so pleasant, which Hardy did not hear. You see, none of us cared to
repeat them, after we realized Miss Willifred was interested in
the man."
"You mean duelling?"
"No, that was rather mild; fellows in his regiment mostly cut him dead,
and say he is yellow; generally in the hospital when there's a battle
on. But Forsdyke tells the worst story--he heard it in New Orleans. It
seems Le Gaire owned a young girl--a quadroon--whom he took for a
mistress; then he tired of the woman, they quarrelled, and the cowardly
brute turned her back into the fields, and had her whipped by his
overseer. She died in three months."
"I guess it's all true, Bell," I said, and I told him of the boy. "He
was our guide here last night, and it is just as well for Le Gaire the
lad did not know he was present. Help me up, will you?"
I leaned on his arm heavily, but, except for the throbbing of my head,
appeared to be in good enough condition. With slight assistance I walked
without difficulty, and together we started for the house. At the edge
of the garden Hardy appeared, still breathing heavily from his run. He
stared at me, evidently relieved to find me on my feet.
"Broke the skin, my lad--a little water will make that all right. Glad
it was no worse. The fellow out-ran me."
"He got away?"
"Well, the fact is, Galesworth, I do not really know where he went. The
last glimpse I had he was dodging into that clump of bushes, but when I
got there he was gone."
"Ran along the fence," broke in Bell, pointing. "You couldn't see him
for the vines. See, here's his tracks--sprinting some, too."
We traced them easily as long as we found soft ground, but the turf
beyond left no sign. Yet he could not have turned to the left, or Bell
and I would have seen him. The fellow evidently knew this, yet if he ran
to the right it would take him to the house. It hardly seemed possible
he would go there, but he had been a guest there for some time, and
probably knew the place well; perhaps realized he would be safer
within--where no one would expect him to be--than on the road. This was
the conception which gradually came to me, but the others believed he
had gone straight ahead, seeking the nearest Confederate outpost. Able
to walk alone by this time, I went in through the back door, and bathed
my face at the sink, leaving Hardy and Bell to search for further signs
of the fugitive.
As I washed I thought rapidly over the situation. Le Gaire knew that
Chambers' force would be along the pike within a few hours--probably
long before the appearance of any Federal advance in the neighborhood,
as he was unaware that I had sent back a courier. The house was the very
last place in which we would seek for him, and the easiest place to
attain. Once inside, stowed away in some unused room, he could wait the
approach of Chambers' troops, escape easily, and become a hero. The
whole trick fitted in with the man's type of mind. And he could have
come in the same way I had, sneaking through the unguarded
kitchen--why, in the name of Heaven, had Miles neglected to place a
guard there?--and then up the servants' stairs. I dried my face on a
towel, rejoicing that the derringer blow had left little damage, and
opened the door leading to the upper story. It was a narrow stairway,
rather dark, but the first thing to catch my eye was a small clod of
yellow dirt on the second step, and this was still damp--the foot from
which it had fallen must have passed within a very short time. I had the
fellow--had him like a rat in a trap. Oh, well, there was time enough,
and I closed the door and locked it.
I talked with the sergeant, and had him send Foster to watch the kitchen
door, and detail a couple of men for cooks, with orders to hurry up
breakfast. Miles had seen nothing of Le Gaire, and when Hardy and Bell
returned, they acknowledged having discovered no trace of the fugitive.
I let them talk, saying little myself, endeavoring to think out the
peculiar situation, and determine what I had better do. Already there
was heavy cannonading off to the right, but at considerable distance.
The battle was on, and might sweep this way before many hours, yet I
could no longer doubt the complete withdrawal of Confederate troops from
the neighborhood. Not a gray-jacket or flash of steel was visible, and
everything about was a scene of peace. Yet when Chambers came this house
would hardly escape without an overhauling. Of course he might not come
this way, for Johnston could easily despatch a courier to advise another
road, yet probably the line of march would not be changed. Should I
wait, or withdraw my little force, at least as far as the shelter of the
ravine? I cared nothing about retaining the prisoners, indeed was
anxious to release both Hardy and Bell. Nor was I any longer worried
about Le Gaire--especially his relations with Miss Willifred. I could
trust the major to relate the story of the past hour to his daughter,
and the captain would scarcely venture to face her again. It seemed to
me we ought to go, as it would be no service to our cause to retain the
house. However there was no hurry; we had ample time in which to
breakfast, and--and, well I wanted to see Billie again, to leave behind
me a better impression. I gave the major the key to her room, and asked
him to call her for the morning meal, already nearly ready. She came
down a few moments later, freshly dressed, and looking as though she had
enjoyed some sleep. Her father must have given her some inkling of the
situation, for she greeted me pleasantly, although with a certain
constraint in manner which left me ill at ease.
Our breakfast passed off very nicely, the food abundant and well
cooked, although we were compelled to wait upon ourselves. I asked Miles
to join us, but he preferred messing with the men, and so the four of us
sat at table alone. As though by mutual consent we avoided all reference
to the war, or our present situation, conversation drifting into a
discussion of art and literature. I realized later that Miss Willifred
had adroitly steered it that way, but if it was done to test me, she
could scarcely have chosen a better topic. I had come from the senior
class of a great college into the army, and was only too delighted to
take part again in cultured conversation. Bell had taken an art course,
and Miss Hardy had apparently read widely, and the discussion became
animated, with frequent clashes of opinion. I was happy to know that I
surprised the lady by the extent of my information, and her flushed
cheeks and brightening eyes were ample reward. The major said little,
yet when he occasionally spoke it was to reveal that he was a man of
unusual learning.
I shall recall the details of that meal as long as I live--the peculiar
conditions, and the faces of those present. It was all so little like
war, the only suggestion of conflict the uniforms we wore, and the dull
reverberation of that distant cannonading. For the time, at least, we
forgot we were upon the very verge of a battle, and that we were
politically enemies. Prisoners were in the basement beneath, guards were
patrolling the hall without, yet we laughed and joked, with never a
reference to the great conflict in which all present bore part. Of
course much of this was but veneer, and back of repartee and well-told
story, we were intent upon our own problems. With me, now that I had
decided upon my plans, everything centred upon Miss Willifred. I would
search the house for Le Gaire, endeavor to have one word with her alone,
and then retire to a place of greater safety with my men. The quicker I
might complete these arrangements the better, and I could trust those
present with some knowledge of my intention.
"Gentlemen," I said, as the party was preparing to rise, "just a moment.
I am going to ask you to respect your parole for only a very short time
longer. Of course this does not include Miss Hardy as she has refused
all pledges to me. So soon as my men complete their breakfast, and a few
details are looked after, we shall withdraw in the direction of our own
lines. Naturally I have no desire to be captured by Chambers. I am
merely going to request that you remain within doors until we depart.
After that you may release the prisoners, and rejoin your commands."
The eyes of the two men met, and the major replied:
"Certainly, Lieutenant, we have no reason to complain."
"And Miss Hardy?"
"Oh, I will answer for her."
"That is hardly necessary, papa, as I will answer for myself," and her
eyes met mine across the table. "I was angry last night, Lieutenant
Galesworth, and unreasonable. If you will accept my parole now I give
it gladly."
I bowed with a sudden choking of the throat, and Hardy chuckled.
"A very graceful surrender--hey, Bell? By Gad, this has been quite a
night for adventure. Fact of it is, Galesworth, I'm mighty grateful to
you for the whole affair, and, I reckon, Billie is also."
She arose to her feet, pausing an instant with her hand upon the back of
the chair.
"Lieutenant Galesworth has merely made apparent to you what I had
discovered some time ago," she said quietly. "I am sure he needs no
thanks from me--perhaps might not appreciate them. I am going to my
room, papa, until--until the Yankees leave."
"An unreconstructed Rebel," he exclaimed, yet clearly surprised. "Why,
I thought you and Galesworth were great friends."
"Has he made that claim?"
"Why--eh--no. It was what Le Gaire said."
"Oh! I should suppose that by this time you would rather doubt the
statements of that individual. Lieutenant Galesworth probably
understands that we are acquaintances, and--enemies."
She left the room, without so much as glancing at me, Hardy calling
after her,
"I'll come up as soon as I smoke a cigar with Bell."
The door closed, and his eyes met mine.
"What the devil is the trouble, my boy? That wasn't like Billie; I never
knew her to harbor an unkind thought in her life. Have you done
something to anger her?"
"Not to my knowledge, Major," I answered honestly. "Perhaps I was harsh
last night, but I merely intended to be firm. This is all a great
surprise to me."
He shook his head, and the two men left the room. I waited until certain
they were safely out of the way. I was perplexed, hurt, by the girl's
words and action. What cause had I given her for treating me with such
open contempt? Surely not my avowal of love, however inopportune that
might have been, nor my holding her prisoner. Could something have
occurred of which I knew nothing? Could Le Gaire have poisoned her mind
against me with some ingenious lie? It was all too hazy, too improbable,
for me to consider seriously--but she must explain before we went away.
With this in mind I passed into the hall, and began to ascend
the stairs.