THE CAT’S PAW TOO SHARP FOR THE MONKEY.
THE side door of the house opened into the hall, where Somers stood as
sentinel for the hungry guerillas, and from which a flight of stairs led
to the second floor. The prisoner had carefully noted all the
surroundings, for he had learned from “Fighting Joe” that the battle was
gained only by good strategy, which must depend upon a thorough
knowledge of the ground.
When the precious plan of his captors was first developed, Somers
regarded it as the means of his deliverance, though he could not then
tell precisely in what manner it was to be accomplished. He knew that an
important bridge on the railroad, not far from Colonel Roman’s house,
was guarded by a squad of cavalry, and he readily perceived that this
force would be brought up by the planter for the protection of his
family and the capture of the guerillas. These wretches were by no means
an anomalous class on the flanks of Sherman’s grand march to the sea;
and Colonel Roman readily understood who and what they were. They were
nominally southern partisans, organized, protected, and encouraged by
the president of the Confederate States; but they were as willing to
plunder one party in the strife as the other.
Somers had no special sympathy for the planter, though he would have
gladly raised his arm in defence of the female members of his family,
even against the wretches whom treason and rebellion had brought into
the field. What he had done was for his own benefit, rather than for
that of the hospitable rebel. He had recovered possession of his boots
and coat, his Testament and photographs, when he became the “cat’s paw”
of the guerillas, and he was now in condition to make a movement as soon
as the circumstances would justify it.
The land-pirates—for they can be called by no more appropriate
name—finished their supper, and turned their attention to the second
part of the programme they had laid out. Evidently they did not intend
to sack the mansion, but only to appropriate such valuable small
articles as could be conveniently carried about their persons. For this
purpose Turkin and Gragg entered the library; two others crossed the
hall into the sitting-room; and the other three went up stairs. They had
not heard the tramp of horses in the yard; but Somers, being near the
side door, which was partly open, listened to the sounds as the notes of
his own deliverance.
The time for action had come, and while the guerillas were intent upon
their plunder, Somers left the door where he had been stationed, and
moved round to the rear of the staircase, where he expected to find a
passage to the cellar; but he found none. The house was surrounded by
rebel cavalry, and it was not safe for him to go out, for he did not
forget that it was necessary for him to escape from the foe without, as
well as the foe within. They were both enemies; and though one was less
barbarous than the other, he had hardly more relish for Andersonville,
than for being shot by the wretches who held him.
As the only alternative, he went up the stairs; and avoiding the three
men who were searching the chambers there, he found the garret steps,
and went up, where he was not likely to be followed by any of his late
companions. He had scarcely reached this secure position before the
commotion below indicated that the cavalrymen had commenced their work.
One or two shots were fired; but the noise immediately subsided, and it
was evident that the robbers had all been captured.
“There were eight of them, you said,” Somers heard some one in the entry
below remark.
“There were; but one of them was the officer who gave the information,”
replied another, whom the fugitive recognized as Colonel Roman.
“But he was one of the gang.”
“He looked like a Yankee officer,” added the colonel.
“We want him, whatever he is, if it is only for his evidence against
these villains we have captured. Colonel Grayhame threatened to hang
these same scoundrels only yesterday.”
“The officer who gave me the card is clearly not one of this gang.”
“I don’t understand it,” said the other person, who was probably the
officer in command of the squad of cavalry.
“I should be very glad of an explanation, but I am greatly indebted to
the gentleman, and I wish to thank him, if nothing more, for the favor
he has done me,” continued the colonel.
“I have nothing against him, but I wish to know what he is.”
Somers hoped he would not trouble himself, and he was even willing the
planter should omit to thank him; for the officer’s curiosity and the
colonel’s gratitude threatened to consign him to a rebel prison. He
heard a call from the former, followed by the tramp of heavy feet on the
lower staircase.
“Lieutenant, I hope you will consider my position in this matter,” said
the planter.
“I must do my duty. If the man is a Yankee officer, as you think, he
must not be permitted to roam around the country. He may belong to the
force which is now destroying the railroad; perhaps gobbled up by these
miscreants. It is not for me to say what shall be done with him. I must
catch him if I can. I saw him standing at the door of the dining-room,
when I looked in at the window, and I am positive he has not left the
house.”
“I regard the person as my friend,” added the planter, warmly. “My wife
and daughters, as well as myself, are very grateful to him, for he has
saved them from insult and outrage, for aught I know.”
“Your feelings and those of your family shall be respected, Colonel
Roman; but I must do my duty,” answered the lieutenant, firmly.
The officer then ordered his men to search the various apartments and
closets of the second floor. Somers, though the case certainly looked
very hopeful for him, with the powerful influence of the wealthy planter
in his favor, wished to escape; but he thought it would be an easy and
safe thing to return to Sherman’s army before Atlanta, and he was not
disposed to be introduced to the lieutenant, or even to improve his
acquaintance with Colonel Roman. If he could conceal himself until the
squad of cavalry retired, he was satisfied that the planter would enable
him to return to the army.
It was very dark in the garret, and while the lieutenant and his party
were searching the chambers, Somers carefully felt about him for some
place of concealment. The roof was a four-sided one, in which there were
no windows; but while he was walking about, he struck his head against a
long iron handle, which proved to be attached to a shutter or scuttle.
This he unfastened and raised, and his eyes were greeted by a view of
the starry sky. The discovery was a welcome one, and he lost not a
moment in availing himself of the advantage which it seemed to afford.
The lower end of the aperture was within reach of his hands; and with
great care and no little difficulty he raised himself, and succeeded in
gaining the roof—an operation which his gymnastic practice enabled him
to accomplish, for it was a feat an untrained person could hardly have
performed. But he had scarcely reached the roof before he heard his
pursuers in the attic, and the light from their lamps shone up through
the scuttle.
“I see where he has gone!” shouted the lieutenant, as he discovered the
open shutter.
“He will fall and break his neck,” added the planter.
Somers closed the scuttle, and sat down upon it; but the game seemed to
be up with him. He drew his sword, and thrust the point into the roof as
far as he could, causing it to act as a bolt over the shutter—hoping by
this means to gain a moment’s time to examine the situation. There
appeared to be no means of descending from the roof to the ground except
by the lightning-rods, which he saw rising above the chimneys. Then, if
he reached the ground, the house was surrounded by rebels, and his fate
would only be deferred.
While he was considering these facts, the men in the attic were
endeavoring to raise the scuttle. They did not at once succeed; but
Somers’s prospects were presently destroyed, when several of the rebels
took hold of the shutter and raised it, tumbling the fugitive over on
the roof. A short ladder was placed on the floor, and the lieutenant
mounted to the top of the house.
“Surrender!” said the officer.
“I suppose there is no help for it,” replied Somers.
“Not the least; resistance would be useless.”
“I surrender.”
“Go down, then, if you please.”
Somers descended the ladder to the garret, where he found Colonel Roman
and half a dozen cavalrymen.
“I am sorry you are taken, since you did not wish to be taken,” said the
planter.
“I could not very well help myself.”
The lieutenant led the way down stairs to the library, which was the
largest room in the house, and in which the seven guerillas, now
disarmed, were held by their captors.
“Well, Yank, you be counted in with us,” said Turkin, with a malicious
grin.
“I have the satisfaction of escaping from your hands, if nothing more,”
replied Somers.
“See here, Yank; I cal’lated to shoot you after supper, but I reckon
we’ll all hang together.”
“I think not,” interposed the lieutenant; “you have said enough already
to convince me that this gentleman does not belong to your gang.”
“He’s a Yank; we took him over yender, and he belongs to some gin’ral’s
staff. I reckon he’s a good haul, and I ought to hev the credit of
ketchin’ him.”
“Your accounts will be settled in a few days; and I fancy Colonel
Grayhame will hang you higher than Haman, when he understands this
business.”
“That would be moighty onhandsome, arter we ketched the Yankee officer.”
“Your name, if you please, sir,” said the lieutenant, turning to the
prisoner.
“Captain Thomas Somers,” replied he, at the same time giving his
official position and connections.
“You were captured by these men?”
“I was;” and Somers detailed the particulars of the event. “Major de
Banyan was shot at the same time,” he added, turning to Turkin, who, he
hoped, would endeavor to improve his prospects by telling what had
become of his friend.
“I shot him,” said Gragg; “and if I’m to be hung fur that, I cal’late it
won’t be safe to fight the Yanks much longer.”
“Was he killed?” asked the lieutenant.
“I reckon he wan’t; we got him over the creek; there he gin out, and we
left him, and stivered back arter his hoss. That’s when we took this
Yank; but Turkin shot his hoss instid of him.”
“Was the major dead when you left him?”
“Not jest then; but I cal’late he didn’t stand it long.”
Somers’s worst fears in regard to his friend seemed to be confirmed. To
the questions of the officer he gave true answers, until the history of
the guerillas’ movements up to the time of their arrival at the mansion
of the planter had been elicited.
“I was made the cat’s paw of these men, who wished to procure a supper,
and to rob the house without exposing themselves to detection. Their
purpose was to get the family out of the house,” continued Somers. “You
did not find your friends from Savannah at the next house—did you,
Colonel Roman?”
“I did not expect to find them there. Was that your scheme?”
“You bet it wan’t, kun’l,” exclaimed Turkin, as though he feared Somers
would obtain more credit than he deserved. “That’s some of my thinkin’,
kun’l. The Yank ain’t so good on tricks as I be. I told him what to
write on that keerd. The Yank is great at writin’, but I’m some for
plannin’.”
“Did you read what he wrote on the card?” asked Colonel Roman, who could
not help laughing at the simplicity of the wretch.
“I reckon I didn’t; I ain’t much at readin’ writin’.”
“I will read it to you,” added the planter, taking the card from his
pocket: “‘_These villains mean to rob your house after supper; get a
force and capture them._’”
“Is that what he writ?” demanded Turkin, in a fearful rage.
“It is. The cat’s paw had a fang.”
“Then I’ll hang him.”
“You will be hung yourself first.”
Everything was explained; and now came up the question in regard to the
disposition of Somers. The lieutenant declared he had no authority to
discharge the prisoner, who was a Union officer; but he would report the
case to his superiors.
“That’s inter yer, Yank,” said Turkin. “You’ll go with us.”
Colonel Roman interposed to prevent Somers’s longer remaining in the
company of the villains. The prisoner gave his parole for three days,
and the officer left him with the planter, who promised to go with him
to the headquarters of the rebel army within that time. The lieutenant
then departed with his prisoners, and Somers was treated as a guest in
the house of the colonel.
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