THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLIE
I stared at him in surprise, and then sprang forward, and glanced into
her room. It was empty, except for a trooper kneeling at the window. I
faced Hardy again with a question:
"Not here! Where has she gone?"
He shook his head, without attempting to speak.
"You don't know? Conroy, have you seen anything of a young lady since
you came up here?"
"No, sir; all these doors was standin' wide open, and this Johnny Reb
was prowlin' 'round in here. I didn't know what his business might be so
I collared him. Ain't that right, Murphy?" appealing to the soldier at
the window, who had faced about at sound of our voices.
"Straight as far as it goes," was the reply, "but maybe that guard back
in the ell saw the lady afore we come up."
"What guard?"
"One o' your fellows," said the corporal. "Anyhow he had his buttons
cut off. I guess he's there yet."
I was out into the hall as quickly as I could turn, Conroy and the major
following closely. A dozen steps took us beyond the chimney jog, and to
the top of the back stairs. There was no one there. The side doors stood
open, and the narrow hallway was vacant. My eyes met the corporal's.
"Well, I'll be jiggered," he exclaimed. "He was right there by the
second door when I saw him. I was goin' to post Murphy at that end
window, sir, but I didn't think there was any need o' two men there."
"Did you speak to him?"
"I told him what was up, sir, and that he better stay by the window."
"Did he answer you?"
"He said 'all right,' or something like that, an' went back. I never
thought anything was wrong; all I noticed particular was he had only a
revolver, but most o' yer fellows was armed that way. I meant to get him
a gun as soon as I had time." He strode forward, looking into the rooms.
"He ain't here now anyhow, and I'm damned if I know where he could o'
gone. Did I make a mistake, sir?"
"No, this is no fault of yours, Corporal, but it's strange nevertheless.
We had no guard up here, but this fellow, wearing our uniform, has been
seen before--Miss Hardy, this gentleman's daughter, saw him, and now she
has disappeared. There was murder done in this hall this morning."
The corporal crossed himself, his lips murmuring as he glanced about,
and then into my face.
"Murder, sir! The Confederate captain lying in yonder on the bed?"
"Yes; he was waylaid here, and struck down from behind. I found his body
out in front of that door, the skull crushed."
"An' ye think that feller did it?"
"I don't know who did it. But I should like to discover where that lad
hides, and what he is here for. We have accounted for all our men, and
searched this floor inch by inch. I began to think Miss Hardy was
mistaken, but now you've seen him also."
"An' Murphy," broke in the horrified corporal, edging closer. "Murphy
saw him too. Bedad, maybe it was a ghost!"
"Ghosts don't talk, and I never heard of any wearing revolvers. Major,
when did you see Billie last?"
I noticed how haggard his face was, and he answered slowly, his hands
grasping the stair-rail.
"We were together in the front hall when your men came. You were talking
loudly, and the new voices attracted our attention. We both went
forward to the head of the stairs."
"You overheard what was said?" I interrupted, a new possibility dawning
upon me.
"Much of it, yes," he admitted.
"The plan of attack?--the orders sent me?"
His expression answered.
"And what were you going to do with this information, Major Hardy?"
"Nothing. I considered myself a prisoner on parole. I merely proposed
asking your permission to leave the house with my daughter before
hostilities began. I started down the stairs for that purpose."
"And Billie?"
"I told her this, and sent her to her room after some things. Before I
got down you had disappeared, and I returned up stairs. She was not in
her room, nor could I find a trace of her."
I thought rapidly, staring into his bewildered face, insensibly
listening to the continuous roar without. It was tragedy within tragedy,
the threads of war and love inextricably tangled. What had occurred here
during that minute or two? Had she left voluntarily, inspired by some
wild hope of service to the South? Did that mysterious figure, attired
in our uniform, have anything to do with her disappearance? Did Hardy
know, or suspect more than he had already told? By what means could she
have left the house? If she had not left where could she remain
concealed? Each query only served to make the situation more
complicated, more difficult to solve. To no one of them could I find
an answer.
"Major, did you tell your daughter why you could not carry that
information to your own people?--that you considered yourself a
parolled prisoner?"
He hesitated, realizing now what it was I was seeking to discover.
"Why, I may have said something like that. We spoke of the situation,
and--and Billie appeared excited, but,--why, Galesworth, you do not
imagine the girl would try to carry the news out, alone, do you?"
His doubt was so genuine as to be beyond question. Whatever Billie had
done, it was through no connivance with the father, but upon her own
initiative. Yet she was fully capable of the effort; convinced the cause
of the South was in her hands, she was one to go through fire and water
in service. Neither her life nor mine would weigh in the decision--her
only thought the Confederacy. Still it was not a pleasant reflection
that she would thus war openly against me; would deliberately expose me
to defeat, even death. Could she have made such a choice if she truly
loved me? Her words, eyes, actions continually deceived me. Again and
again I had supposed I knew her, believed I had solved her nature, only
to be led into deeper bewilderment.
"Major," I said soberly. "I do imagine just that. There is no sacrifice
your daughter would not make for the South. She realized the importance
of this information, and that she alone could take it to Chambers."
I turned to the back stairs, and went down, feeling my way in the gloom,
until I touched the door. To my surprise it opened, although I knew I
had locked it, and the key was still in my pocket. There were four
troopers in the kitchen, and they turned at the noise to stare at me.
"How long have you boys been stationed here?" I questioned.
"'Bout fifteen minutes, I guess," answered the nearest. "Ain't that
about it, Joe?"
"Not no longer."
"Room empty when you came?"
"Not a rat here, that we saw; did we, Joe?"
The other shook his head.
"Was that bar across the outer door there then?"
"No, sir, there wan't no lock on it, an' Bill rigged up that contrivance
hisself."
I believed now I comprehended how it had occurred, all except the
mysterious unlocking of the door at the foot of the stairs, and this
fellow in our uniform that haunted the ell. To make certain I retained
the key, I took it out, and fitted it into the lock. Still there might
be a duplicate, and as for the soldier, I was hardly half convinced of
his reality. Billie had acted quickly, under the inspiration of
discovery, and all the circumstances had conspired to make her escape
from the house easy. Miles had withdrawn his men on my orders, and we
were all grouped together in the front hall. She had simply slipped down
these back stairs, used a duplicate key, passed through the kitchen
unobserved, and out into the garden. Where then? To the stable,
without doubt, and, mounted, into Chambers' lines, taking her
news to the highest officer she could reach. We would hear from it
presently,--strange if not even already some of those troops were
wheeling to invest the house. I called back up the stairs,
"Conroy, send Major Hardy down here."
The Confederate appeared almost instantly, his eyes anxiously surveying
the room.
"Have you found my girl?"
"No, but I have satisfied myself as to where she is. Without doubt she
came down those stairs, and out this door, while we were in the front
hall. A battle-line is a rough place for a woman, and I am going to
turn you out now to see if you cannot find and protect her. One of you
men take down that bar."
The major stared at me, and then extended his hand.
"You--you don't suppose I sent her?"
"Oh, no, you have been most honorable. There is no reason why I should
hold you here; the others have gone, and you may be of assistance to
Miss Willifred. It is bound to be lively enough for us in here presently
without prisoners to look after."
"But you have not accepted my hand, Lieutenant Galesworth. I wish to
feel that we part friends."
"We certainly do," I returned heartily, grasping his fingers. "And--and
I may never see your daughter again. There is scarcely a possibility
that I ever shall. Tell her that I respect her loyalty to the South."
He stood looking directly into my eyes, grasping both my hands.
"You mean to remain here, defending the house?"
"While there is a man left alive."
"It is a pity--in my judgment; not war, but a useless sacrifice."
"Yet a soldier's duty, Major--obedience to orders."
He bowed, choking in the throat, as he lifted his hat. With one glance
at the silent soldier holding open the door he passed out. Then he
turned, hat still in hand, and glanced back.
"You may feel assured I will deliver your message, sir,--good-bye."
* * * * *
The broad hallway ran from the front of the house to the kitchen ell,
and I could see its entire length. Several men were clustered at the
other end, peering out through the narrow panes of glass either side the
front door, and one came running toward me. It was the Irish sergeant.
"They're a-coomin', sorr--a bunch o' gray-backs. Shud Oi hay' the byes
let drive?"
"Not until I speak to them, Mahoney. We'll give the fellows fair warning
first."
I hurried back with him, and a soldier stepped aside to give me
opportunity to look out. A glance was sufficient. A regiment of cavalry
was halted under the trees of the lawn, the men dismounted and standing
at the heads of their horses. Apparently they were, merely waiting
orders. Riding straight across the grass toward the porch came a little
group of a dozen officers, as I judged, although this was largely
conjecture, their uniforms so dust-covered as to be meaningless. The
carelessness of their approach, scarcely glancing toward the house,
convinced me they had no thought of meeting any resistance from
within--their only object the shade of the steps, or a possible glass of
wine. To greet them with a volley would be murder, and I motioned the
men to open the door just wide enough to permit of my slipping through.
I walked forward to the edge of the porch, and stood there, leaning
against a pillar. The approaching party was sufficiently close by this
time so that I saw that one of the three in advance was Bell. Apparently
I remained unobserved, but as they came to the gravel driveway I spoke.
"That will be quite far enough, gentlemen, until you explain your
purpose."
They pulled up, astonished at the sound of my voice, those behind
bunching about the first three, all staring open-mouthed at my uniform.
Several voices asked, "What does this mean?" "Who the hell are you?"
"One at a time, please," I returned, enjoying their surprise. "This
house is garrisoned by Federal troops at present, and we are not
receiving callers--put that back! There are riflemen at every window."
"Don't be a fool, Brown," growled the man in the centre, glancing aside,
and then facing back toward me. "Are you in command?"
"I am here to receive any communication."
"What troops have you?"
I bowed smiling.
"Sufficient for the purpose."
Bell, evidently short-sighted, was staring at me through glasses, and
broke in,
"It's Galesworth, the Yankee lieutenant I told you about, Colonel. Say,
I thought you left."
"Instead of leaving, Captain Bell, I have decided to stay."
"But, good Lord, you can't hold that house against us with only ten
men!"
"You will discover we have considerable more than ten when you come to
capture it."
They whispered together, evidently undecided how seriously to take me. I
thought Bell was trying to impress the others with the idea that it was
all a bluff, but my coolness made them suspicious. I leaned motionless
against the post in apparent indifference. The gruff-voiced colonel
broke the silence.
"Do you know we have a division of troops within bugle call?"
"Oh, yes, and they have got their work cut out for them. Your whole
force is at it already, except the cavalry."
My tone angered him.
"There are enough in reserve to crush you," he retorted warmly. "I
demand your immediate surrender, sir."
"On what terms?"
"Unconditional," he thundered, "and if I have to charge you we shall
take no prisoners."
I waited for a lull in the firing, and they accepted the pause as
hesitation. Then I stepped backward to the door.
"I regret greatly to disappoint you, Colonel," I said clearly, "but we
have decided to fight. If you are not out of range within two minutes my
men will open fire."
Without awaiting an answer, I stepped within and closed the door.