AT THE FORK
Noel ran swiftly forward in the darkness until at last he was compelled
to stop to recover his breath. As he looked behind him he saw that the
fire on the plantation manifestly was dying down. There was one spot of
dull red yet to be seen against the dark horizon, but the flames had
ceased.
For a moment he was tempted to turn and bid Dennis join him in his
flight; but his uncertainty as to the exact direction in which to return
to the old well, and his confidence that somehow the young Irish soldier
would be able to make his way through the surrounding difficulties
caused him to decide to continue his own flight.
The young soldier soon found himself in a road with which he was, of
course, unfamiliar. He also was ignorant alike of the location of his
friends and his enemies. For a brief time Noel tried to discover some
signs which would indicate the presence or the passing of bodies of
troops, but his efforts were unavailing, and at last he turned to his
left and started resolutely along the roadway.
Frequently the young soldier stopped to convince himself that he was in
no immediate peril. To his listening ears, however, no sounds of danger
came. The silence of the night was unbroken, and from the occasional
plantations not even the dogs betrayed any alarm at his passing.
Two hours or more had elapsed, and Noel now was beginning to feel the
effects of his labors. Only in a general way did he know where he wanted
to go, but his very ignorance had strengthened his nervous fear and he
increased his efforts to make haste.
Suddenly the young soldier was aware that a dense fog was settling over
the land. Almost like raindrops the heavy mist rested upon his face and
clothing. He was able to see but a short distance before him. What fears
or hopes might be concealed by the enfolding mist he did not know, but
his senses were alert, and he was keenly watchful as he moved forward in
the darkness.
He had not advanced far, however, when he came to a fork in the road.
Almost at right angles a road branched which plainly was traveled as
frequently as the one over which he had journeyed. Near the fork the
young soldier discovered a little cabin, about which he was striving to
make some investigations that would enable him to decide which road to
follow. The little building was near the side of the road, and as Noel
saw it he abruptly halted and listened intently for any sounds that
might betray the presence of people within it.
It was almost morning by this time, and though the fog was not
scattered, the light of the coming day presented a new aspect to his
surroundings. Cautiously the young soldier approached the little cabin.
The door was open, and as he came nearer he saw that there was no window
in the room. Apparently the place was deserted.
At last with renewed caution Noel approached the door and hastily
glanced within the building. In spite of the darkness he was convinced
that he was the only one in the place. His impression was strengthened
when he entered and found that apparently the room had not been occupied
for a long time.
So tired was Noel by the efforts which he had made in his flight that
the place appeared almost inviting. At all events, it was quiet and
peaceful and he flung himself on the ground and soon was sleeping
soundly.
The young soldier was awakened suddenly, and as he opened his eyes, at
first he was unable to say where he was. Rays of the early sunlight were
streaming through the open spaces in the walls, but stronger than the
impression produced by the morning was that of the sounds which he heard
from the road.
It was plain that horses and men were outside the building, and if he
could judge from the noise there were many of both.
Alarmed as Noel was by what he heard, he nevertheless quickly arose and
cautiously looked through the place where the window had been.
The sight which greeted his eyes was one which might well have startled
a bolder man than the young soldier. A troop of cavalry had halted at
the fork in the road and were preparing their breakfast. There were at
least fifty men in the band, and from their actions Noel concluded they
were in no immediate fear of discovery or attack. The men were not
noisy, but they were joking with one another, and plainly were
interested in the preparations which were being made for their morning
meal. Indeed, the odor of the bacon which was being broiled over the
several fires which had been kindled, made him aware that he, too, had
eaten little since he had fled from his pursuers early the preceding
day.
Occasional words were overheard, and it was not difficult for the young
soldier to conclude that the men before him belonged to a troop of
Stuart's cavalry, and that apparently they were in no immediate fear of
the Federal troops.
As the young soldier looked about him in the morning light he saw that
the building in which he had slept was old and dilapidated. One corner
of the roof had fallen, and the place was so small that no one passing
would believe that many could be concealed within its walls. At all
events, its appearance of desolation undoubtedly was his strongest
protection, he thought. Not one of the cavalrymen would think of
inspecting a place around which the bushes and weeds were growing and
within which no one was likely to seek refuge.
His admiration for the men before him became stronger as he continued to
watch their activities. Not only were they well trained, but their
horses were wonderful animals. Some of them showed the effect of the
labors of the campaign, but it was clear that both men and horses made
up a carefully selected body.
Noel, as has been said, was peering anxiously from one corner of the
little window. An exclamation of surprise almost escaped his lips when
suddenly he discovered two men approaching from the branch road, and he
was convinced that one was Levi, the former sutler in the camp at
Harper's Ferry, and the other was the husband of Sairy Ann's sister.
It became evident to the young watcher that the arrival of both men was
expected. At all events, an orderly ran forward to meet them, and it was
plain from the conversation which followed that neither of the newcomers
was a stranger to him.
Noel's desire to see and hear more became intense. Soon after the
arrival of the sutler and his companion, patrols were established in the
three roads. The chief comfort that Noel had at the time was the
conviction that his hiding-place, in view of the interest which the
arrival of the two men had created, was not likely to receive the
attention of the cavalrymen.
Except for a few faint snatches of the conversation of the soldiers,
Noel, despite his efforts, still was unable to overhear much of what was
said.
Occasionally words came to him, but for the most part they were
meaningless. The impression, however, which he received was that the
newcomers had brought information which was considered of importance,
for the men soon were hastily preparing to leave the place, although
they had not yet finished their breakfast.
By this time the fog largely had been burned away by the rays of the
rising sun. When a few minutes later the bugle sounded, the men mounted
their horses and in a body departed swiftly, leaving behind them both
Levi and his strange companion, whom Noel had first seen in the house of
the elongated Jim, the husband of Sairy Ann.
The two men sat on the ground near one of the fires which was still
burning, and over it was some of the food still cooking which the
soldiers had abandoned in their sudden departure. The conversation
between the two could be overheard more plainly, and as Noel listened
his interest became more intense.
"Here, don't yo' all want some of this yere bacon?" inquired Levi's
companion.
"I do not eat bacon."
"Why don't you eat it?"
"Because it vas unclean."
"It's as clean as anything you're likely to get in the next week or
two," laughed the man. "Now, then, Levi, what did you find out?"
"Just vat I tells you."
"Yo' 're perfectly sure about that, be yo'?"
"Yes," snapped Levi. "Now you tells me vat you haf found."
"Not very much. I was back here on the major's plantation, and he said
there were some Yanks at the nigger hut last night, but that they
couldn't find any trace of them this mo'nin'. One of the cabins burned
up last night, and the major thinks the men got away while all hands
were busy puttin' out the fire."
"How many did you say der vas?" inquired Levi.
"How many of what?"
"How many Yankees vere dere. How many got avay?"
"I don't know anything about that. I heard the major say he was sure
two, anyway."
"Yah, I knows dose men, I vas sure. Dey are de two men what robbed me of
mine goots. Dey push over mine tent. Dey say I charge too mooch. Dey
steals mine goots. Dot is vy I am no more some Yankee."
"A Yankee!" exclaimed his companion as he threw back his head and
laughed loudly. "A Yankee! Yo' 're about as much Yankee as yo' are
nigger."
"Not too far, mine friend. Not too far. You forget dot the brains of the
Confederacy is Jew brains--"
"That's a good one! That's a good one!" broke in Levi's companion. "Now,
then," he added more soberly, "are yo' all comin' on with me, or am I
goin' with yo' all? The captain said yo' all were to come with me. Do
yo' know where we're goin'?"
"I know vere ve vas going to try to go," said Levi. "Ever since dose men
push over mine tent and steals mine goots, I--"
"Well, if we're going, why don't we start? I have had all I want to
eat," broke in the other man.
Noel could see that neither of the men was clad in the uniform of the
Confederate army. His suspicions were confirmed that both were being
used by the rebel troops to secure information concerning the presence
and the actions of McClellan's army.
Noel was desirous of hearing the men speak more concerning their
immediate plans, but, although it was plain that neither was suspicious
that any one was near, almost instinctively they both lowered their
voices whenever they spoke concerning the immediate task which
confronted them.
An interruption was provided, however, by Noel himself. A sudden impulse
to sneeze became almost uncontrollable. In spite of his efforts to
repress the impulse Noel soon found that he was unable to do so, and
after several attempts a prolonged and agonizing sound came from the
hut, which instantly caused the two men outside to leap to their feet
and gaze anxiously at the little building.