_The Escape--The Pursuit--The Capture._
Charge--charge, boys, for "God and for liberty!" See!
Their traitorous banner is hurled to the ground.
And up go our colors, the "Flag of the Free,"
While our bands strike "Columbia," oh! glorious sound.
_Col. Weeks._
"Darn my buttons if the captain ain't got back all safe!" shouted
Nettleton, as he fairly danced with delight.
"Yes, all safe," replied Hayward "But how have you passed the day,
Adjutant Hinton?"
"Not at all pleasantly!" replied the adjutant. "We have had serious
anxiety on your account, and I suppose we came very near being
discovered!"
"Indeed! Why so?"
"You had been absent just long enough to reach camp, when we heard the
firing of guns. In a short time a party of horsemen rode past at a
furious rate, cursing and speaking of a spy. We feared you had been
discovered, were making your escape, and that they were in pursuit."
"What did you do?"
"Of course I advised our friends to remain quiet. I thought if we were
to appear and fight, you would reach us in some way, or give us some
signal. But it was very difficult to restrain Nettleton. He determined
to rush upon the pursuers, and once had his gun raised to fire upon
them, but I prevented him from doing so."
"I am very much obliged to you for your good feeling, and admire your
courage. But, you must not be rash. If you had fired a gun, it would
have brought certain destruction upon us all."
"Well, captain, you see I wouldn't have done it, but I was feared that
black rascal there would expose us all. The curse began to _cry_ just as
soon as he heerd the guns shootin', and when they let off that volley up
at that rock there, the darned sneak's bones rattled so, I was sure they
would hear them."
"But, how have you succeeded, captain?" asked the adjutant.
"Oh! admirably. That party you saw was led by Price himself. He was in
pursuit of an Indian. He left camp just as I arrived at his tent, and
this gave me just the opportunity I desired. There was no person at the
general's tent but an orderly, who became very familiar and
communicative. He gave me the exact plan of their encampment, but it
will be of little use, as Price takes up his line of march for Cassville
to-morrow. But the most important document I possess is the plan of our
own camp, containing not only my own description, but I suppose that of
yours, and of all the generals, and other principal officers in our
army."
"How did you get possession of this document?"
"It was brought to the tent of Price by his spies while he was absent. I
learned from the orderly that the general did not know the existence of
the paper, or that his spies had returned. So I worked upon the fears of
the orderly, got possession of the paper, and his promise not to let
Price know anything about it, and then ordered the men who brought it to
be put in the guard-house and gagged. Of course I accused them of
playing false to Price, and of being in reality Union spies."
"Of course the trick will be discovered!"
"Oh! certainly--and I suppose it is by this time, as one of the
prisoners sent for Price, and he was to meet him at ten o'clock. For a
short time they will be puzzled. The question will be asked the orderly,
what he did with the papers, and he will answer that he gave them to me.
But, when Price learns that it was me who ordered his spies under
arrest, and gagged so that they could not speak, that I have the papers,
that my story to him and the orderly did not agree, and that I am
nowhere to be found, he will sea at once that he has been terribly sold,
and know that I was a spy. If he describes my person, I will be at once
recognized by one of the men whom I had placed under arrest, as the very
man Price longed to get in his grasp!"
"Why, what does Price know of you?" asked the adjutant.
"Do you remember our second day's march from Tipton, that about four
o'clock in the afternoon, I was stopping at a log-house, near a well, at
the right of the road, and that while the person who appeared to be
master of the house was helping me to a cup of water, you rode up and
gave me a letter?"
"Yes, I remember it perfectly well, and that you remarked the letter was
from Mamie."
"Exactly. And do you recollect the words I used about Price, to the man
who gave me the water?"
"I remember they were not very complimentary."
"Well, the man who handed me that cup of water was Price himself!"
"The devil! And did he not recognize you to-day?"
"No, for he spoke of Captain Hayward, and remarked that he had an
account to settle with him, and had sent for his description, which he
expected every moment. I had it in my pocket at the time, and those who
took it were under arrest by my order. They would have recognized me in
an instant if they had seen me. The reason that Price did not recognize
me was, that when he saw me at the well, I was almost black with dust,
and I took pains to-day to change the tone of my voice as much as
possible."
"It was a terrible risk!"
"By gracious, captain, if you ain't a trump," said Nettleton, as he
opened wide his green eyes.
"But they have discovered all by this time, and we have not a moment to
lose. It is eleven o'clock now, and you are expected at yonder rock!"
"You have seen Alibamo?"
"Yes, and kissed her!"
"She knew you, then?"
"No--she didn't--I told her before a large crowd that I was Harry
Hinton. She understood me, and said I might kiss her. I did so--_on the
ear!_"
"And whispered at the same time. Thank you, my best friend."
"Well, don't stop for thanks now. That rock is outside the picket guard,
but she will be attended by ten or twelve soldiers. Go to her at once. I
will see our horses placed in a position where we can easily mount. The
negro shall ride behind Nettleton, and Alibamo shall have White Surry."
"We must fight, of course."
"I think it will not be necessary--that is, only you and I!"
"What do you mean, captain?"
"Why, her guard have all seen you, and by your own story, they think you
a lover, although not altogether a favored one. I have met the beauty
to-day--they have all seen me. They saw me kiss her, and think, that for
a short acquaintance, I am a remarkably favored lover. You are a
private, and I am an officer, and in that particular, of course, have
the advantage. I will come upon you, after you have conversed a few
moments, and take the lady under my protection. Her guard will be much
more likely to permit me to walk with the lady alone than you, as I am
an officer in favor with the general. Once near our horses, we have
nothing to fear, and none of her guard are mounted. Now go Harry. If we
must fight, all right."
As Adjutant Hinton started for the rock, Captain Hayward directed that
the horses be brought into the main pathway. It was done, and all was in
readiness.
As Harry reached the rock, Alibamo sprang forward to receive him.
"Let your action be constrained--do not embrace me--and speak low, dear
Alibamo. The reason for this, you will discover presently."
"I know you have good cause for this request, my own Harry, but I must
tell you how I love you!" replied Alibamo, as she bowed her head upon
the breast of her lover. "But I have been here an hour--and I sang, in
the hope you would hear my voice."
Some words of tenderness passed between the lovers, when Alibamo cried:
"What is that?"
It was at this moment that the brother of Alibamo, as narrated in the
second chapter, creeping near the rock, had overheard her words, and had
cried, "Then you are not my sister!"
"It is my brother! my own brother's voice. He has been near--has heard
all!" shrieked Alibamo. Then checking herself, she said, in a low tone:
"He thinks you a rebel, Harry! He forswears me! How can I undeceive
him?"
"The guard has fired upon him. The camp is aroused--they are beating the
long-roll. It is a desperate hazard now!"
"But my brother?"
"Quick--give me your apron--I will wave it--he may see its colors--and
sing--sing, Alibamo--sing the Star-spangled Banner!"
Harry seized the apron, and commenced waving it, and Alibamo began to
sing.
"Silence!" cried Hayward, who came up at that moment. "Silence that
traitorous song. And give me that ensign of abolitionism. For shame,
young man. Love has made you blind. Don't you see that the lady's apron
which you are waving is a federal flag? It may be very romantic to meet
young ladies at midnight on a moonlit-rock, and whisper love-tales; but
_you_, sir, must not wave such things as this, merely to conciliate
angry brothers. Now, go to camp, sir, and if I catch you at such tricks
again, I shall order your arrest. I will take charge of the lady."
"Here are her guard sir," said Harry, in a subdued tone.
"Ah! yes. Are you mounted, boys?"
"No, captain."
"Then get within the lines as soon as possible. The federal army are
advancing, and are within a few miles of us, and their scouts are but a
short distance from this point. I have a horse, and will make my servant
dismount and give the lady his horse!"
"All right, captain," replied the sergeant in command of the squad He
had seen Hayward that day several times, and had no doubt he was just
what he appeared.
Hayward had brought his own horse and that rode by Nettleton, within a
few feet of the spot where he was then standing. The adjutant had
already disappeared, as the captain handed the lady into the saddle and
mounted his own horse. As he turned into the main road, a mounted
orderly from the camp rode up to the squad and asked:
"Have you seen that fellow who was around camp to-day and pretended to
be from McIntosh--the one that kissed Alibamo?"
"Yes, there he is, just--why he is going _from_ the camp instead of
toward it!"
"It is Captain Harry Hayward, of the federal army, and a spy. Fire upon
him!"
A discharge of musketry rang through the woods, but the captain and his
charge were too well covered by the trees and the darkness to be injured
by it.
Captain Hayward heard the question, and striking his horse with the
spur, he dashed forward at a rapid rate, followed by the whole party.
"The story I told the guard of the advancing army," said Hayward, "will
prevent an immediate pursuit. But Price will know it is not true, and in
an hour we shall be hotly followed. We must make the best of our time!"
The company did not pause for more than five hours, as it was daylight
when the first halt was made. They had scarcely dismounted when the
echoes of horses' feet were heard in the distance.
"We are pursued, but we must press forward. Those sounds cannot be more
than a mile in the rear. They must have ridden very rapidly. But we will
escape them without difficulty. We cannot be more than ten miles from
our outposts, and they will not dare pursue us much farther." They had
scarcely prepared to set off again, when Nettleton said:
"There come the skunks that went after the powder!"
It was true. In the opposite direction came the party of twenty. Behind,
they were followed by they knew not how large a force, and before,
twenty rebels were approaching. Whether they could be so easily misled
this time, was a matter of considerable doubt.
"Quick--ride for the wood, Miss Alibamo. You may save yourself--we must
fight. Stay! They see you. It will be too late; besides, we met this
party once before, and they may not interrupt us at all. That which I
fear most is, that they will detain us so long in conversation that the
rear party will overtake us. But we must venture."
"They will know me, captain," said Alibamo.
"If a fight is inevitable, Alibamo, do you start for the river. White
Surry can swim--he is accustomed to it. Plunge in--give him a loose
rein, and he will bear you safely to the opposite shore. Then ride
rapidly for camp. They are upon us."
"Well, captain, the army is moving, is it not?" asked Hayward.
"What army?" was the sullen question.
"Why, _our_ army moves to-day--or at least the general so informed me;
but I speak of the federal army. The general received information last
night that Fremont would cross the river to-day at four o'clock. And I
was sent to ascertain if this was so!"
"Indeed! And do you usually take women with you when you act as spies?"
"Not usually. But I thought _my wife_ could gain admittance to the camp
much more easily than a man!"
"Your wife. Bah! Very likely the general would let her go, when he knows
she passes half her time singing the Star-spangled Banner, and wears the
federal flag as an apron! She would betray us all, and never return."
"Look you, sir!" said Hayward sternly, "I don't intend to hold any
argument with you, and I will not listen to any insults or insinuations.
I married Alibamo last evening. She was an old friend, and will
hereafter adhere Strictly to my cause and adopt my principles. You see,
she no longer wears the flag as an apron!"
"I see it!"
"And when approaching the federal camp, do you suppose she would take it
off, unless it was of her own accord?"
"I don't know. But I _do_ want to know about that powder. When we got
there, we found the powder gone, and a squad ready to receive us. We had
to swim the river to get away, and, as it was, two of our own party were
killed. Hello! There comes another party, headed by Branch. It may be
all right, but d----n me if I don't hold you till they come up, because
I believe you are nothing more nor less than abolition spies, and that
the man you sent back after your revolver, went direct to Fremont and
informed about the powder!"
He had scarcely finished these words, when Nettleton's gun came crashing
on his head, and the brains flew in every direction. He fell from his
horse, dead. The attack now commenced in earnest, but it had been so
sudden on the part of the attacking party, that eleven of the rebels bit
the dust before the party had sufficiently recovered from surprise to
make any effective defence.
"Quick, Alibamo; to the river--save yourself--they are upon us!" shouted
Hayward.
The first attacking party had been entirely scattered by the lightning
blows dealt by the little Union band, but, as they saw the approach of
at least fifty other horsemen, they rallied for another charge. The
horses of Hayward and his party were worn and jaded--so were those of
his pursuers, while those of the fallen foe were fresh.
"Spring into the saddles of those fresh horses--ride for your
lives--quick!"
It was accomplished in an instant. The approaching party were now only a
few yards from the devoted band, when a shot was fired, and with a groan
Captain Hayward fell to the ground. In an instant, Adjutant Hinton was
by his side.
"Captain--O God!--captain-speak!" he cried. "Are you hurt?"
"Here--these papers--take them--go--go--save yourself!"
"Never--never!" he cried. "Come on, ye fiends--I will sell my life
dearly--I will die with my captain!"
"No--no! Alibamo--save her--those papers--go, I command--I am mortally
hurt--save yourselves--you cannot benefit me!"
"You may live!"
"Then go, and return to _rescue me_--oh!" And Hayward spoke no more.
"Or to avenge your death!" cried Hinton, as he sprang into his saddle
and darted from the spot, amid a shower of bullets, bearing the papers
with him.
In an instant Hayward was surrounded, but they could not overtake the
flying party, who had the advantage of fresh horses.