THE DEMAND OF CAPTAIN TITUS LYON
Revolvers are dangerous weapons; and Deck and Artie had used them enough
in sport to realize this truth. They had not yet become accustomed to
seeing bullets fired into the bodies of human beings; to the sight of
strong men falling with a death-wound in the head or heart, which was
afterwards almost an everyday spectacle in the battles of the Great
Rebellion.
They had been brought up where human life was held to be more sacred
than in the locality to which they had been transplanted; and if they
had thought of discharging their weapons into the vital parts of even
the ruffians who menaced the Union meeting with violence, they were
certainly not ready to begin with one of their own flesh and blood,
though Titus Lyon had proved himself to be one of the most virulent
enemies of the public peace.
"I have no weapons, as you have, boys, and I have something to say to
this meeting," said Titus, after he had meditated for two or three
minutes. "I want to go in; but I shall not stop there many minutes."
"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus," replied Deck decidedly; "that's the
order of the meeting."
"But I'm going in if I'm shot for it," continued the applicant for
admission very quietly, but with none of the bluster which had become
almost a second nature to him.
Perhaps the interest he felt in the mission which brought him to the
schoolhouse had induced him to refrain from his usual potations, for he
appeared to be perfectly sober. He used none of the intemperate language
which was generally on his tongue, so that the boys were not roused to
indignation, even if they were tempted to use their weapons; but both of
them placed themselves in the doorway as though they intended to dispute
his passage into the room.
The meeting was proceeding with its business, though the orators had
finished their speeches. A Union farmer was telling about one of his
neighbors who had been threatened by the ruffians, as the Secessionists
had come to be generally called by this time. He was quite earnest in
his plea that something should be done to protect men who stood by the
government.
The two colonels were interested, and they had moved forward where they
could hear the farmer, who spoke in a low tone; and no one inside was
aware of what was transpiring in the lobby, so that the boys were
practically alone.
"We can't let you in, Uncle Titus, and we don't want to shoot you,"
interposed Artie. "I will call Colonel Cosgrove, and you can make your
request to him;" and he went to the place where the colonel was
standing.
"But I am going in," persisted Titus Lyon, attempting to push Deck
aside.
"You can't go in!" said Deck, as he crowded his uncle back from the
entrance. "Wait a moment, and you can tell Colonel Cosgrove what you
want!"
"I don't want anything of Colonel Cosgrove; he is worse than your
father," replied the applicant.
"Good-evening, Mr. Lyon," said the Kentuckian, presenting himself at the
door at this moment.
"I have something to say to this meeting, Colonel, which it is important
for the meeting to hear," added Titus.
"Come right in and say it, Mr. Lyon," replied the colonel, to the
astonishment of the young guardians of the portal.
He was as polite as a Kentucky gentleman generally is; and he took the
arm of the applicant, and marched with him to the space behind the
desks, where he halted till the former had finished his remarks. Noah
Lyon was taken "all back" by the appearance of his brother escorted by
the most influential Kentuckian in the county. The entire audience
turned and stared at the unexpected guest.
"Mr. Chairman, I have the honor to present Captain Titus Lyon of
Barcreek to the meeting," said the colonel. "He claims to have something
of importance to communicate. He is not a Union man, as is well known,
but I trust no objection will be made to hearing him."
"I am not a Union man, as Colonel Cosgrove says," Titus began. "When I
came to this State, I became a Kentuckian, and I go with the people of
this section of the country. But I did not come here to talk politics.
There is two sides to the question before the country, and each on 'em
has its rights. I belong to the party that is tryin' to keep the peace
in the State if we have to fight for it. As we had a perfect right to
do, we bought about three thousand dollars worth of arms and ammernition
to protect ourselves agin them that is tryin' to force the State into a
war of subjergation agin our own flesh and blood.
"Them arms and ammernition has been stole," continued Titus, waxing
indignant in spite of his effort to keep cool, and relapsing into his
everyday speech. "I believe it was done by what you call Union men, and
I cal'late I know jest who done it; and I cal'late, Mr. Chairman, you
know jest as well or better'n I do who done it."
"Who was it?" demanded a person in the audience.
"I h'ain't got nothin' to say here about that," answered Captain Titus.
"But if them arms and ammernition ain't given up right off, here and
now, on the spot, or some plan agreed on for doin' so afore to-morrer
noon, the blood will run in the low places round here, and the clouds in
the sky will give back the light from the fires that is burnin' down
some of the nicest houses in these parts. I hain't got nothin' more to
say; but if any one wants to see me about settlin' up this matter, I can
be found near the road in front of the schoolhouse."
"But this is war, Captain Lyon," suggested Colonel Belthorpe.
"I know 'tis; and that's jest what I mean. We want the Union thieves to
give up the property they stole; and that's all we ask now," replied
Titus, whose wrath was beginning to be stirred to the boiling point.
"We are ready to meet you on that ground!" shouted Squire Truman,
springing to his feet; for he knew that Captain Titus was the ringleader
of the ruffians in the vicinity, and his threat roused him to a fiery
indignation. "I know nothing about the arms and ammunition; but whoever
took possession of them has done a noble and patriotic deed, and, Mr.
Chairman, I move you that a vote of thanks be tendered to them for it."
This motion was hailed with thunders of applause; and when the presiding
officer put it to the meeting, it was carried unanimously, and no one
wished to delay it by making a speech.
Squire Truman then made another speech, in which he pictured the result
of permitting the arms to get into the hands of the ruffians for whose
use they were evidently intended; and he magnified the prudence and
forethought of the unknown persons who had taken the responsibility of
such a forward step. This speech was received with cheers, in which the
throats of the audience seemed to be strained to their utmost tension.
"Captain Lyon," said Colonel Cosgrove, when the tumult had subsided in a
measure, "no formal answer seems to be necessary to your demand. The
action of this meeting and the spirit with which it has been received
are a sufficient reply. Personally, I can only say I heartily rejoice
that the arms and ammunition have been turned aside from the purpose for
which they were intended, and we will take care that they are not used
against the government of the United States. We are loyal citizens, and
we shall do our duty to the glorious flag under which we live. Have you
any further communication to make to this meeting, Captain Lyon?"
"No, I haven't; I've said my say, and fire and blood is the next thing,"
replied Titus, as he rushed out of the schoolroom, furious with passion.
The business of the meeting was completed; but the boys informed the two
colonels that the road was full of men. Then several of the Unionists
drew revolvers from their pockets; for they had fully expected that the
meeting would be disturbed, and that it would end in a fight. They had
come prepared to defend themselves. The situation was discussed, but no
one was inclined to avoid the issue. If there was to be a fight, it
would be no new thing in the State.
Colonel Belthorpe, whose title was not one of mere courtesy, for he had
served in the regular army in his younger days, and won his later spurs
in the militia, advised that a procession be formed, with the armed men
on the right, while the others were told to obtain clubs, or anything
they could lay their hands upon. But before the column was formed Buck
Lagger appeared at the door.
"We want Major Lyon and his two cubs!" shouted the ruffian, who appeared
to be the right-hand man of Captain Titus.
The ruffians had held a meeting in the grove, privately notified by this
Buck,--for Titus had not been inclined to show his hand,--and a
delegation had been sent to try the temper of the assemblage in the
schoolhouse. They had been defeated and ejected. It was plain by this
time that the cavern had been visited and the loss of the munitions
discovered.
The speech of Captain Titus indicated that he knew who had taken
possession of the property, though Noah Lyon could not conjecture who
had given the information. He was inclined to believe that his brother
had jumped to his conclusion, though spies about the plantation might
have obtained some clew to the night visit to the sink-hole of the
Magnolia. The flatboat had been loaded with rocks and sunk in the
deepest water of the river, so that it need not betray the planter and
his people.
"We want Major Lyon and his cubs!" repeated Buck Lagger, in a voice loud
enough to be heard all over the building. "We don't mean to meddle with
nobody else, and all the rest o' you uns can go home without no trouble.
Hand over Major Lyon and his cubs so we can get the property he stole,
and we won't make no fuss."
"We shall not hand him over, but we will protect him to the last drop of
our blood!" yelled Squire Truman, hoarse with the strain upon his voice.
"Turn the ruffian out!"
But it was not necessary to turn him out, for he fled as soon as he had
executed his mission. There was no great commotion outside, though the
mob could be seen through the open door. The demand of Buck indicated
the principal object of the ruffians, and the purpose for which they had
assembled in the grove.
"My friends, I am grateful for your support and promise of protection to
me and my boys," said Noah Lyon, who had descended from the platform to
the floor, where the boys had joined him. "It appears from what the
messenger of the ruffians has said that I am the sole object of their
vengeance. I have the means here of taking good care of myself and my
boys, and I need not involve you all in a fight to protect me."
To a few of the prominent men near him he stated in a low tone, so that
he need not be heard by any ruffian lingering near the door, that his
boat was under the south window, and he could escape without confronting
the mob in the road. This course would save a fight, and the planter's
friends decided to adopt it. The door was closed, and the boys passed
out of the window first. They ordered the crew to be silent, and after
Noah Lyon had shaken hands with the principal men, he followed them. The
Magnolia was shoved out into the river. Deck headed it across the
stream, so as to keep the schoolhouse between it and the ruffians.
Under the lead of Colonel Belthorpe, with his revolver ready for use,
the Union men marched out of the building, forming four deep when they
reached the foot of the steps. The ruffians had placed themselves so
that the column passed through them, and they all scrutinized the faces
by the light of a fire they had kindled at the side of the road. They
did not see the victims for whom they were looking, and when the last of
the procession had passed them they set up a furious howl.
"We have been fooled!" shouted Buck Lagger, as he started after the
column. "Where is Major Lyon?" he demanded.
"He is not here," replied some one in the ranks.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know;" and he told the truth, for he had not heard the
planter's statement about the boat, and had not been near the window.
"Where is Major Lyon?" demanded Buck Lagger when he reached the head of
the procession.
"He came in his boat, and he has returned by it," replied Colonel
Belthorpe, with something like a chuckle at the discomfiture of the
ruffian.
"This is treachery!" howled Buck. "You were to give him up to us."
"No, we were not," returned the doughty colonel. "Didn't you hear us say
we would protect him to the last drop of our blood?"
"We will soon find him and his cubs!" growled the present leader, as he
fell back into the grove, followed by the rest of the mob.
The Magnolia reached the boat-pier, and Levi Bedford was there to
welcome the party.