FRIENDS OF THE UNION
Noel's excitement gave place to alarm as he listened to the conversation
in which the two men were engaged.
The lack of his uniform prevented him from trying to leave his room, and
as yet he was uncertain whether or not the visitor even was aware that a
young soldier of the Union was in the house.
For a time Noel listened intently, striving to discover something which
would give him the information he desired; but the words of the visitor,
whose part in the conversation was much greater than that of his tall
host, did not imply that he was suspicious.
There were moments when snatches of the conversation almost convinced
Noel that the man was a spy. It was plain that he was more or less
familiar with the conditions existing in the Union army, but how he had
obtained such detailed information was something the listening young
soldier was unable to explain.
"Where is McClellan now?" inquired Jim.
"Up near Frederick City."
"What's he doin' there?"
"What has he been doin' ever since he has been made commander?" laughed
the visitor. "He's waitin', that's what he is, and if he keeps it up a
little longer he won't have any more waitin' to do."
"Why not?"
"Because our army will snap him up between its jaws. I reckon there
weren't many men in the whole army of General Lee who thought it was a
good thing to divide his forces as he did when he sent McLaws and Walker
after Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry. Why, man alive, Lee split his army
right in two, and then put a good bit of distance between the two parts!
If McClellan knew enough about it, and if he is very much of a general
he would know, he would throw his whole force against either of these
divisions and smash it to pieces, before the other could come to its
help. As it is, he's still tryin' to make up his mind, I reckon, and the
result is that he's goin' to be caught between these two divisions just
like a mouse is caught between the jaws of a cat. We have got him just
as shore as you are born."
"I don't believe it," said Jim slowly.
"It doesn't make any difference whether you believe it or not, that's
what's going to happen," laughed the visitor.
"Now you say that Stuart's cavalry has been thrown out in such a way
that little Mac can't get any information about what Lee's plans are?"
"That's true enough, and yet, if McClellan had even a few men like those
that are gettin' information for General Lee, he ought to know about
it."
Noel fancied he could detect an importance in the words just spoken
which confirmed him in his belief that the man in the other room was a
spy from Lee's army. His excitement increased as his conviction gained
in power, and he almost groaned as he realized how helpless he was.
Deprived of his uniform, without any weapon of defense, he was powerless
to interfere with the man or his plans.
"I reckon Little Mac will give a good account of himself befo' long,"
said Jim positively.
"He'll have to make haste about it, then. He left Washin'ton with an
army of nearly eighty-five thousand men. He ought to do something with
such a body as that. Why, only last night, if he had made a night
march, he mought have got in possession of both Gaps--"
"What Gaps?"
"Why, Crampton's Gap and Turner's. He's lost his chance, though."
"You know a right sma't lot, don't you?" inquired Jim.
"That's my business."
"Well, I haven't any curiosity about this thing," said Jim, shaking his
head slowly as he spoke. "I'm satisfied to stay right here and be true
to the old flag. There comes Sairy Ann," he added, as Noel heard the
sounds of the voices of women approaching from the stairway, which the
night before he had seen was on the opposite side of the room. It was
manifest now that Sairy Ann also had her visitor, and as the two women
entered the room both men became silent.
"I done tole yo' how it is," Sairy Ann was saying. "I've said to yo'
many times, 'Liza, that I wouldn't stand for no sech foolishness. I don'
like the secesh. I never did and I never shall, and if yo' 're
determined to be secesh yourself, then yo' 'll have to take the
consequences! I don't mind tellin' yo' all as how I hev made my will."
"Hev ye?" inquired the other woman, the tones of her voice implying
that she was at once deeply interested.
"Yes, I hev, and instead of leaving yo' all the money I promised yo',
I've willed yo' a pair o' my shoestrings."
"I don' believe yo' hev done any sech thing, Sairy Ann!" protested the
other woman.
"I don't care whether yo' believe it or not. That's jest exactly what I
hev done. I hev set it down pertic'lar,--'To my oldest sister, 'Liza, I
give, bequeath and leave and likewise devise one pair of shoestrings.'"
"Well, I'd rather hev a pair of shoestrings and be loyal to my State
than I would to hev all your money and be a Yank."
"Of course, _you_ would, 'Liza," snapped Sairy Ann. "That's because yo'
don't know no mo'. If yo' knew mo', yo' wouldn't talk sech nonsense."
Whether or not the woman's argument was deemed sufficient, at all events
the conversation abruptly ceased when the visiting man said, "Now, I hev
come fo' yo' yere, 'Liza, and I don't intend to stay very long. You hev
got to make up your mind right sma't whether yo' 're goin' to come with
me, or whether yo' 're going to stay here with your sister."
"That's right," sobbed Eliza. "That's right. First Sairy Ann picks on me
and then my own husband he picks on me, too. I'm jest distracted. I
don't want to stay and I don't want to go."
"Yo' 're as bad as McClellan," broke in her husband. "I've come ten
miles out o' my way just toe get yo' and take yo' home, if yo' don't
want toe stay yere. If yo' think yo' 'll be safer along with these
Yankee sympathizers, why jes' say so and stay yere. It doesn't matter
very much toe me either way. The only Yanks I can put up with are Jim
and Sairy Ann, and I wouldn't put up with them very long if we all
weren't members of the same family."
"I expect to be shot by the secesh, anyway," broke in Sairy Ann, "and I
hope yo' 'll go because I don't want to get shot by any o' my folks."
"We're goin' toe go," said the man.
To Noel's great relief preparations for departure were at once made.
It was not until the man and his wife had left, however, that the
mistress of the house brought the waiting young soldier his uniform.
Tossing it inside the room, she called out in a voice, which in spite of
its sharpness was not unfriendly, "There's yer soldier clothes. Yo' all
can put them on and come out and get your breakfast."
Only a brief time had elapsed before the summons had been obeyed by
Noel, and refreshed by the rest of the night and the clothes which Sairy
Ann had made thoroughly presentable, he entered the kitchen.
The tall form of the gaunt head of the house seemed to Noel to be even
taller than when he had first seen it in the dim light of the preceding
night. The expression of the man's face was so doleful that the young
soldier felt a fresh sympathy for the sharp-toned woman for whom her
husband's slow and undecided ways were a constant source of irritation.
As for Sairy Ann herself, Noel saw that her hair was of the tinge which
is sometimes associated with certain warlike propensities and also that
she was cross-eyed. Indeed, the young soldier decided that never before
had he seen any one whose eyes to all appearances might each serve the
duty and the place of the other. He was uncertain when she spoke to him
whether or not she was looking at him, and he was somehow aware that the
woman was keenly aware of the impression which she made upon him.
However, his feeling of hunger was now supreme, and as soon as he was
bidden to take his place at the table, he began to do ample justice to
the simple fare which was provided. The manifest curiosity of the woman
was to have no occasion for gratification until the meal was more than
half done. Then, unable longer to restrain her feelings, she abruptly
inquired, "Now, then, what yo' all doin' here?"
"Just now I'm doin' my best to get ready to leave."
"Did yo' all hear any voices this mornin'?" inquired Jim slowly.
Aware that the interest of the woman in his reply was keen, Noel said,
"Why, I heard some talk. Was there anything of special interest?"
"Naw. I reckon nothin' what would be interestin' to yo' all," said Jim.
"Hey!" exclaimed Sairy Ann suddenly. "Here comes the Jew peddler. He was
here day before yesterday. I told him then I didn't want anything, and I
don't see what for he comes around here pestering us again."
Noel looked up quickly as she spoke, and saw the peddler standing in the
doorway of the kitchen.
Instantly he recognized the trader as Levi Kadoff, the sutler whose
experiences in the camp had been of such a trying nature that he had
departed with many threats for the mischievous soldiers who had
tormented him.
He was positive that the peddler also recognized him, although not a
word was spoken by either.
Entering the room, Levi whiningly begged the woman to make some
purchases.
"I don't want nothin'," declared Sairy Ann. "I told yo' so yesterday and
day befo' when yo' were here. Yo' ought to take better care of yo'self
than to be here where there's so many soldiers so near. Suppose yo' got
caught right in the middle of the fight?"
"Dere vill be no fight," said Levi positively.
"How do yo' know there won't?"
"Because dere vill not be any."
"But how do yo' know?" protested the woman.
"Dot is vat der men says."
"What men?"
"All kinds of men. Now, please, mine goot voman, let me show you vat
fine spectacles that I have?"
"What do you mean by that?" demanded Sairy Ann, abruptly rising from
her seat and facing the little peddler. "Yo' ain't gettin' personal, be
ye? What makes yo' think I need glasses?"
"Spectacles is all der styles now. I sells more glasses to young vimmins
than I do to der old vimmins."
Appeased by the explanation, the hostess resumed her seat, and a few
minutes later, when the little Jew displayed certain ribbons in his
wares, Sairy Ann hesitated and was lost, much to the disgust of the
elongated Jim. She invested some "real Yankee money" in several strips
of bright yellow ribbon, doubtless selecting this particular color
because she fancied it would match both her hair and her eyes, for now
Noel was aware that even her eyes shared in the tawny color of her hair
and skin.
By the time the trading was completed, Noel had finished his breakfast
and was eager to be gone. He was desirous also of having some
conversation with Levi, when later the little peddler, after one
searching glance at the face of the young soldier, left the place and
Noel abruptly decided to go with him.
Thanking his hostess for her kindness in receiving and caring for him,
he shook hands with her and her husband and taking his cap left the
house.
Calling to Levi to wait for him to join him, he soon was in the road
where the sutler was standing. Advancing to his side, Noel prepared to
accompany the little peddler on his way, a decision which within a short
time he had cause deeply to regret.