_The Conclusion_
I have no words--my voice is in my sword.
Thou bloodier villain than terms can give thee out.
_Shakespeare._
After finding themselves so thoroughly vanquished at every hand, the
panic-stricken rebels fled in every direction, with the utmost
precipitation. Their infantry fled into the thick adjoining woods, and
thus made their way to the wide spreading prairie beyond, while their
cavalry, taking advantage of a moment when the Body-guard were most
busily engaged with the infantry lines, sped across an adjoining field,
and were soon beyond the reach of danger.
It was in consequence of the general confusion which ensued, that many
of the most guilty and cowardly were enabled to effect their escape.
This was especially the case with Branch.
At the moment of the explosion under the gallows, he determined not to
fight, but to effect his escape with his victims. He urged forward the
frightened cattle attached to the cart which contained Alibamo and the
inanimate form of Miss Hayward. He proceeded to the western side of the
enclosure, and tearing away the high board fence, emerged into the
street. Here he beheld the battle raging in the distance, but was too
far from the scene to anticipate any particular danger. He opened the
fence opposite the place from that which he had left the Fair-Ground,
and, driving into a thick wood beyond, soon struck a narrow path, just
large enough to admit the passage of the cart. Now for the first time he
turned to Alibamo, and said:
"What think you now, my fair one? Is Captain Branch foiled so easily?"
Alibamo did not reply. She held the insensible form of Miss Hayward in
her arms, and was striving in every possible way to restore her to
consciousness. At length she said:
"Branch, will you not pass me some water from that stream?"
"Will you have it in my cap? It is the only thing in which I can convey
it to you!" replied Branch.
"No!" answered Alibamo. "Let us pause for a moment, and you can assist
me in removing this dying maiden to the side of the stream. Perhaps the
water, dripping cool and fresh upon her forehead will bring her back to
consciousness."
"I shall not pause," replied Branch, as he reached the maiden his cap,
which he had filled with water.
"You are a vile coward!" replied Alibamo. At this moment her eyes caught
the glimpse of something moving among the thick brush near her. Alibamo
gazed eagerly forward, as if endeavoring to satisfy herself, and then
raising her voice so as to be distinctly heard by any person who might
happen to be within several rods of her, she said:
"It is true that you are _alone_, Branch. Here are only two women to
oppose you, and one of them is entirely helpless! And yet you fear!"
These words were scarcely spoken, when there was a rustling among the
brush, and a dark form appeared.
"No, I am _not_ alone," replied Branch. "Look!"
At that instant six of the frightened horsemen, who were riding for
their lives, came flashing up, and, reaching the cart, they halted. The
dark form which had so suddenly appeared, had as suddenly vanished. It
had been distinctly seen by Alibamo, although not by Branch.
As the party rode up, one of them said:
"Why, Branch, what are you doing with these beauties? And one of them
unconscious, too."
"Taking them to a place of safety," was the crusty reply.
"You had better take them back to Springfield. The federals will not
harm females."
"No--no! that is not my purpose. They are relatives of Union officers,
and I intend to keep them as hostages for the safety of our friends."
"Where do you purpose taking them!"
"To the dwelling of Captain Rogers, on the edge of the prairie, just
west of the Wilson's creek battle-ground."
Another slight noise was heard among the underbrush, and Alibamo made a
significant motion to some person, or to some imaginary object, and then
all was silent.
Miss Hayward had partially recovered under the cooling effects of the
water with which Alibamo had been bathing her brow. She opened her eyes,
and then, with a shudder, closed them again. At length she said in a
feeble tone:
"O brother! press me closer to your heart; I am cold--very cold!"
"Miss Hayward, your brother yet lives, and will be with you soon!"
whispered Alibamo, as she bent over the fast recovering maiden.
"Oh! yes, my brother must live--he does live!" cried Mamie, starting up.
"Who is your brother?" asked one of the party.
Miss Hayward gazed upon the questioner, but turning away, she hid her
face in the bosom of Alibamo and wept.
"I will answer for her!" replied Alibamo. "He is an officer in the Union
army. He was taken prisoner while endeavoring to rescue me, who also
have been kept as a _hostage_ by that villain, Branch. It was the
intention of Gen. Price to release or exchange this young lady's
brother, but, he, to gratify his own fiend-like propensities, was about
to disobey the express orders of the general, and hang young Hayward."
A groan broke from Miss Hayward, but Alibamo quickly replied:
"Don't fear, darling, the Body-guard came just in time to rescue him,
and he will soon be with us!"
"Are you _sure_ of that?" asked one of the party.
"I _know_ it will be so. There will be large parties sent in every
direction, and you will be surely overtaken!" answered Alibamo.
"Let us forward, then," replied one of the rebels, his cheeks blenching
with fear.
"Stay one moment," answered another. "Branch," he continued, "you have
the reputation of a bad man. I shall not permit you to keep these
ladies, if I can prevent it. Let me accompany them back to Springfield,
and restore them to the arms of their friends!"
"Indeed!" replied Branch with bitterness. "You are very kind, and I have
no doubt the ladies will thank you. But I do not understand exactly
_how_ you are going to prevent me from doing as I please. Pray be good
enough to explain."
"I will! Men, you are enemies to the federal soldiers only, not innocent
women. Seize that cowardly captain, and I will return with the ladies,
and restore them to their friends. It will benefit all those of our
friends who----"
A ball, fired from the pistol of Branch, went crashing through the brain
of the speaker, and he rolled from his horse a corpse.
"You see how far his interference has benefited him," said Branch,
pointing to the dead body. "Are there any more who wish to share his
fate?"
The party were silent. They were now ascending the sharp hill, or range
of hills, which skirts the creek upon the north. Turning to the right,
he proceeded onward, but observing he was not followed, he asked:
"Why do you halt?"
"Because we go in another direction."
"I command you to follow me," yelled Branch.
"We do not recognize your authority."
"You shall see it here," replied the infuriated captain, as he drew
forth his revolver.
In an instant the five horsemen had leveled their rifles at his breast,
and one of them said:
"Go your way, sir, and we will not molest you. Be careful how you
interfere with us."
"Do as you please, cowards," replied Branch. He started on his way,
while the horsemen proceeded down the hill at a rapid rate.
Alibamo bent forward, and whispered words to Mamie, which seemed to be
those of hope, as the countenance of the latter brightened very much.
Then, starting to her feet, while her frame quivered with excitement,
she cried:
"I knew it would be so! Look there, Miss Hayward! Look there!"
"What do you mean?" yelled Branch.
"That you are foiled at last, fiend of darkness, that you are."
Let us return to Springfield.
The excitement endured by Hayward, together with the pain he suffered
from the constant irritation of his wounds, and his loss of blood, were
more than he could bear, and he sank to the earth, although he still
retained his consciousness. Nettleton remained by his side, although
Hayward urged him to join his brothers in the unequal contest.
"There ain't no occasion to do that!" said the brave fellow. "Them
Body-guard will whip them darn skunks in less than three minutes, and
besides some on 'em might come around you, and I calculate if they do,
to make them smell brimstone."
The fight was over. Nettleton and William Margrave assisted Captain
Hayward to the city, and secured a room for him in one of the houses
occupied by a Union family. In a short time both Johnson and Adjutant
Hinton joined him. The Indian was absent.
"Have you received any intelligence of my sister?" asked Hayward, in a
trembling voice.
"Not yet, but Fall-leaf is absent, and I feel satisfied that he is with
or near both your sister and mine," replied Margrave. "He will return
with them very soon, I believe."
"Did you see or hear anything of Branch?" asked Hayward.
"After the smoke from the explosion had cleared away, I went in search
of the ladies, but they had disappeared. The cart had been removed, and
my opinion is that Branch has driven off with our sisters. He cannot
advance very rapidly with his ox-team, and, if Fall-leaf is on his
track, he will return and inform us as soon as he has ascertained the
direction they have taken."
"Have the horses saddled, and at the door. If possible get fresh ones,"
said Hayward. "I shall follow my sister."
"You cannot do it, captain, you are too ill!"
"Who talks of being ill, at such a time as this? My sister is in the
hands of that ruffian Branch, and yours too, Margrave! _I_ should go
forward if I was dying!"
At this moment Fall-leaf rushed into the room, and cried:
"Follow--come!"
"Come--no questions," cried Hayward.
In an instant Hayward, Hinton, Johnson, Nettleton, Margrave, and the
Indian, were in their saddles, and darted off at their utmost speed, on
the road toward the famous Wilson's creek battle-ground. The Indian took
the lead.
They ascended the sharp hill which borders Wilson's creek, and when on
its summit, could plainly see all the surrounding objects in the valley
below. After a moment's inspection they turned to the right, and struck
off through a narrow path which ran along the mountain ridge. They had
proceeded about two miles, when the Indian paused and said:
"Hark!"
The party listened attentively, and distinctly heard the sound of the
rumbling cart.
"Quick! Forward!" cried Hayward, as he dashed onward. In a few moments
they came in sight of the cart, and there, sure enough, were seated the
sister of Hayward and the maiden, Alibamo.
A cry of joy broke from the lips of Margrave. It was heard by Branch.
The villain for a moment was confused, but it was no time for delay. He
seized Miss Hayward in his arms, and, springing from the cart, ran along
with her as easily as if she had been an infant.
Alibamo sprang into her brother's arms, with a cry of rapture, but he
only paused a moment. Branch ran directly toward a narrow pathway, which
was the only passage to the valley below, and which wound down the steep
by the side of a sharp, rocky ledge. Beneath this ledge was a frightful
chasm, at the bottom of which were a hundred sharp rocks, which had been
broken off the height, and fallen into the depths below.
"Ah! I will triumph yet!" cried Branch, as he reached the ledge, and was
about to spring down the narrow pathway. But, Fall-leaf confronted him,
and Branch sprang back.
"Ah! the rock--the precipice!" he cried, and darting for the ledge he
stood upon its very verge.
As Hayward and his friends approached, Branch raised the helpless maiden
high over his head, and leaning forward he cried:
"If you advance another step, Hayward, or permit any of your party to do
so, I will hurl your sister into the depths below, and thus dash her to
pieces!"
Hayward was within a few feet of Branch, but he stopped instantly.
"What is to be done?" asked Hinton, as he shuddered at the scene before
him.
"I will tell _you_ what is to be done, Hayward," cried Branch. "I hold
_you_ in my power, and I shall dictate my own terms."
"What are they?" asked Hayward.
"Let the entire party, excepting yourself withdraw some distance to the
rear, and then swear by your honor that I shall not be molested, and
shall be permitted to go as I please, and I will restore your sister. If
you do not, she shall perish, even if I go with her!"
The villain, who supposed his proposition would be readily accepted, had
been partially thrown off his guard. With a cry of
"Brother!" Mamie sprang suddenly to the ground. In doing so, she had
collected all her strength, and, as she sprang, the concussion had
thrown Branch backward, and he was falling over the ledge. He caught a
small sapling in his fall, and there the villain hung, suspended over
this dreadful gulf, only by the frail twig. He turned upward an
imploring glance, but did not speak. He gazed below, and a thrill of
terror shook his frame.
"Your hour has come!" cried Hayward, as he approached the edge of the
cliff.
"No! no! me--me!" cried the Indian, stepping forward.
"Oh! save me!" groaned Branch.
"Pray," said Hayward, as he saw the tomahawk of the Indian raised high
in the air.
"Save me--save--" Branch spoke no more.
The tomahawk had descended and severed the frail twig, to which Branch
was clinging. A yell of terror rose upon the air, as Branch went
whirling down, and then a dull, heavy thump was heard and all was still.
Hayward pressed his lips upon his sister's forehead, and murmured,
"The dream, darling--the dream!"
"O brother," she sobbed, "I cannot speak--I am so happy!"
Margrave had not been idle. He had taken a full share of embraces, and
had handed Alibamo over to Adjutant Hinton, who appeared rather to
relish that luxury, himself. Johnson was a silent spectator, but
Nettleton was dancing with perfect ecstacy, as he exclaimed:
"Well, I'm about the happiest darn skunk that ever did live!"
"Fall-leaf, have you nothing to say?" asked Hayward.
"Me kill--ugh!" he pointed toward the rocks below, and seemed perfectly
satisfied.
"Bad man--_much_ bad!" and he strode away up the path.
Night was fast approaching, and the happily united friends set out for
Springfield, which they reached in safety.
Captain Hayward recovered from his wounds, and is still engaged in
fighting his country's battles, while his lovely sister is happy in her
home upon the lake.
Adjutant Hinton is in the same regiment with Hayward, while
Alibamo--_not_ Alibamo Margrave, but Alibamo _Hinton_, is adorning her
husband's elegant home in New York, where she is its light and joy. She
only awaits the return of Harry to render her perfectly happy.
Nettleton thinks he is becoming less of a "skunk" every day, but still
insists on remaining with Haywood, as his "body-guard." Fall-leaf still
serves the army.
AU REVOIR.
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THE PRISONER OF THE MILL; OR, CAPTAIN HAYWARD'S "BODY GUARD."
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