THE GUEST ROOM
The young negro at once led the way from the road, evidently fearing
more for the safety of his companion than for his own.
Noel followed obediently and did not speak until his guide had led him
far within the sheltering woods that were growing on each side of the
road.
The young soldier was not yet altogether convinced that his companion
was to be relied upon. His experience with Long John had made him
suspicious of the blacks. Throughout his boyhood he had never seen a
colored man, and it had not been long before the time of his enlistment
when he had beheld one for the first time.
The action of the powerful young negro with whom he was journeying,
however, in a measure relieved his fears, and his plight was so
desperate that he was aware that he must trust somebody for help. Night
would soon be at hand and in the darkness his perils might be greatly
increased.
At last, when a quarter of a mile or more had been covered by Noel and
his companion, the young soldier stopped, and said, "What's your name?"
"Nigger Sam."
"Did you ever hear of Long John?"
"Yas, suh!" replied Sam, glancing suspiciously at his companion as he
spoke. "What fo' yo' ask 'bout Long John?"
"I saw him back yonder."
"What fo' yo' see him?"
"Why, he led me into a trap. I thought I could trust him, but he took me
along a corduroy road to the very place where a lot of the rebel
soldiers were stationed."
"Yas, suh! Yas, suh!" said Sam, manifestly relieved. "Dat's des' what
Long John is er doin'. He's playing tricks on the Yankee soldiers all de
time. Little Ben Fowler des' used him lak I use de decoy when I shoots
ducks."
"How do I know you are not another one like Long John?"
"Because I'se a Yankee."
"You're a what?" demanded Noel.
"I'se workin' wif de Yankees. I des' made up my mind dey was de bes'
friends what I got. When a lot ob men leave home and come 'way off down
yere jes' toe set de niggers free, I done make up my min' dat I'd des'
do all I could fo' 'em."
"Where are you going now?"
"I reckon I'm goin' toe tote you toe Aunt Katie's."
"You know I'm a Union soldier, don't you?"
"I reckon I does. Leastwise I suspected so when I first heerd yo' talk.
If yo' all will tell me how yo' says de word ob dat animal what gibes
milk, den I'll sho'ly know."
"What do you mean?" inquired Noel sharply.
"I mean dat animal what we spell c-o-w. How yo' all done say dat name?"
Noel laughingly pronounced the word, and instantly his dusky companion
was satisfied with the claim which the young soldier had made.
"Yas, suh. Yo' all sho'ly is er Yankee. What I cain't understan', suh,
is what yo' all is doin' yere. The nearest place war dey is any Union
sojers is Frederick."
"How far is that from here?"
"Not so very far, but I reckon hit's too far away fo' yo' all toe try
fo' toe git dere to-night. De sojers is scourin' de country an'--"
"Do you mean Stuart's cavalry?"
"Yas, suh, and some mo' men besides dem. Hit's gittin' dreadfully hard
toe find yo' way in times like dese."
"Where are you going now?" suddenly Noel inquired.
"I'se goin' toe take yo' all toe Aunt Katie's an'--"
The young negro hesitated and again searchingly looked at his companion.
"What's the trouble?" inquired Noel quickly. "Are you afraid of me?"
"No, suh, I isn't 'fraid," grinned the negro. "Sho'ly not as long as I
hab a frind lak dis wif me," he added as he drew from a pocket inside
his coat a long narrow knife which was at least ten inches in length.
"Dis yere," grinned Sam, "is one ob de bes' friends what I got."
"What is it?" inquired Noel, extending his hand as he spoke.
"No, suh. I don' let dis friend of mine eber go out ob my hands. Not
eben fo' Gene'al Bu'nside."
"Where is General Burnside?" asked Noel.
"I reckon he isn't far 'way from Frederick City."
"Are you going to see him?" demanded the young soldier, suddenly
inspired by a new thought.
"Well, suh, I cain't jes' say 'bout dat," replied Sam as he thrust his
knife back into its receptacle. "I mought and then again I moughtn't."
"I believe you're going there," said Noel sharply.
"Dat's des' as may be," again responded Sam. "I mought and den I
moughtn't. Now, we hab been talkin' here long er 'nuff. If we all is
goin' toe get yo' toe Aunt Katie's we mus' be movin' along. I haven't
much time to stay yere any longer."
"How far is Aunt Katie's from here?"
"Not so very far," again responded the negro. "But I des' cain't lose de
time."
"Where did you come from?" abruptly inquired Noel.
"I des' came from down de road a spell."
"And you say you're going to Frederick City to report to General
Burnside?"
"No, suh. No, suh. I didn't say any such thing," replied Sam with a
grin. "I des' said that I mought see him."
"I believe you're taking word to him from some one down in this part of
Maryland."
Sam grinned, but made no reply.
The practice of using the blacks as spies or as means of obtaining
information was more prevalent than the young soldier was aware. Some of
the black men were keenly intelligent, and their stealthiness enabled
them to avoid many dangers to which the white soldiers were often
exposed. It was plain, too, that Nigger Sam, as he called himself, was
thoroughly familiar with the region; and he had said and done enough to
cause his companion to suspect that the purpose of his journey was more
than had appeared upon the surface.
Conversation ceased when the journey was resumed. Weary as Noel was by
the experiences of the day, it was with difficulty that he was able to
keep up with his companion, who swiftly led the way through the field
and across the occasional swamps.
The sun had disappeared from sight and darkness was creeping over the
land when at last Noel and his black guide arrived on the border of a
long stretch of woods.
"Yo' all stay right yere, suh," said Sam, "while I done go toe see if
Aunt Katie will take yo' in fo' de night."
"I don't want to stop at Aunt Katie's," declared Noel. "I want to go
with you. I'm sure you're on your way to Frederick City--"
"Hush!" said Sam sternly. "Yo' all don't know who may be hidin' in dese
yere trees."
The negro spoke in a whisper, but it was manifest to his companion that
his fears had been aroused and perhaps not without reason.
"Yo' all do des' what I says toe yo'," continued Sam. "Set right yere
behin' dis yere tree while I go toe see if Aunt Katie kin take yo' in
fo' de night."
There was nothing else to be done except to obey the directions of Sam.
Reluctantly Noel seated himself on the ground behind one of the large
trees, and the negro at once started across the field that intervened
between the woods and the little cabins, a faint outline of which could
be seen in the distance. Doubtless the little whitewashed structures
were the quarters of the negroes of the large plantation, Noel
concluded.
The weary young soldier leaned forward and watched the departing Sam as
long as he could be seen. In a brief time the young negro passed beyond
the nearest of the cabins.
A half-hour or more elapsed before Sam returned. Noel's anxiety
meanwhile had been increasing, and he was on the point of departing from
the vicinity, as he had become fearful that his guide might play him
false and report him to his enemies instead of to the colored woman to
whom he had referred as the friend of escaping whites and blacks alike.
The dim outlines of the approaching guide soon became more clearly
defined, and it was with a feeling of relief that Noel heard Sam say,
"Hit's all right, suh. Aunt Katie done say as how she will take yo' in.
Dere's one white man dere now, but she done say she can always find room
fo' one mo'."
When the two men approached the humble cabin, which Sam explained was
Aunt Katie's abode, there were no lights to be seen, and consequently,
when the black woman whispered to the guide, Noel was unable to
distinguish her face.
The whispering between the two continued several minutes, and then Sam
once more turned to Noel, who had been bidden to enter the cabin and
seat himself on a rude bench near the rear door, and said, "Is yo' all
hongry."
"Yes, I'm hungry," whispered Noel. "But never mind that. What I want is
to find some place where I shall be safe; that is, if you 're not going
to take me with you to--"
Noel abruptly ceased when he felt the grip of his companion on his arm
and was aware that he must not speak aloud concerning any of the men or
places he was seeking.
"Aunt Katie will feed yo' all an' then show yo' whar yo' kin stay 'til
mo'nin'. Yo' do des' what she done tells yo' toe do."
"I shall," whispered Noel; for his confidence in his dusky friends had
now been fully restored. He could not explain the change in his
feelings, but it had been manifest by the very tones of Aunt Katie's
voice that she was one upon whom he might depend.
"Yas, suh," continued Sam. "Maybe I'll done see yo' all some time soon."
Unaware of the direction in which Sam had departed, Noel's attention and
efforts were soon devoted to the corn-bread and molasses which his sable
hostess speedily provided.
Watchful as Noel was, his hunger nevertheless was so keen and he was so
busily engaged in the task of disposing of Aunt Katie's viands, that the
occasional chuckle of the black woman was wonderfully comforting. She
seldom spoke, but the young soldier was aware that his hostess was a
woman of ample proportions and capable of exerting herself physically if
occasion should require in a manner that would portend no good for her
enemies.
"Yo' all come 'long wid me and I'll take yo' toe de gues' room," said
Aunt Katie calmly, when her visitor's hunger had been appeased.
Puzzled by her words, Noel nevertheless followed the woman as she led
the way outside the little cabin. He was mystified by her actions and
was wondering where the "gues' room" might be. However, he wisely held
his peace, and cautiously following Aunt Katie soon was conducted to a
large stack of cornstalks standing near a corner of the barn.
Here the black woman stopped and, keenly peering about her to make sure
that their actions were not observed, turned to Noel and whispered,
"Inside dat er stack is whar yo' all is toe go. Dere am plenty ob room
in dere. Yo' all will find another sojer in dere, too, I reckon. I'll
show yo' all how yo' git in. Come er 'long."
Near the ground on the farther side of the stack Noel crawled into the
opening which Aunt Katie disclosed. In spite of the darkness he was
aware that the ground within was covered with cornstalks and that it was
possible for him to stand erect. Instantly he concluded that the stack
was more or less of a deception and was designed merely to cover and
conceal a small room.
His thoughts, however, were speedily interrupted by the voice of the
other occupant. In amazement Noel listened, scarcely daring to credit
the evidence of his own ears, and then convinced that he was not
mistaken, he instantly crawled toward the place from which the voice had
come.