LIVE--I CANNOT SHOOT YOU
"Back so soon!" cried Lawrence, grasping Harry's hand, as he came up.
"Thank God you are back safe!"
"Never had an easier job, did we, Jack?" laughed Harry. "Even Bruno is
ashamed of himself, it was so easy."
"And you found out what you were after?"
"Yes," and Harry told his story.
Lawrence and Dan listened in silence. "What do you think, Dan?" asked
Lawrence.
"I reckon it's fight or run. When Jerry finds he cannot surprise us, he
will attack us openly."
"I don't feel like running," said Lawrence.
"Well, I don't feel inclined that way myself," said Dan, resorting to
his tobacco box.
"Why can't we occupy that ambush ourselves?" spoke up Harry, "and let
Jerry be the one to be surprised."
"Didn't Jerry leave men on guard?" asked Lawrence, eagerly.
"No, but he may send guards there. If we think of occupying that ground
it must be done at once."
The proposition was eagerly discussed, but there were obstacles in the
way. Not only were there their own two wounded men, but they had picked
up and were caring for six wounded guerrillas. After a short discussion
it was decided to leave the camp in charge of ten men. If they were
attacked they were to take refuge in a log barn, and defend it until the
rest of the troop could come to their rescue.
Dan, much to his chagrin, was left in charge of the camp. "It's no use
kicking, Dan," said Lawrence. "I cannot risk going unless you stay, and
the boys left here would rebel if you did not stay." So Dan had to
remain, much as he wished a hand in the fray.
The ten men to remain were chosen, and the rest of the troop told to get
ready to move. "Be as quiet as possible," said Lawrence. "We have not
far to go; walk your horses, don't talk, and above all things, don't
allow your arms to rattle."
As silent as specters of the night the troop moved away, Harry, Jack,
and Bruno in advance to see if the coast was still clear. They reached
the cross roads without either seeing or hearing anything of the enemy.
"It's all right, Captain, so far," whispered Harry, as the head of the
troop came up, "but we must get into position as soon as possible, for
there is no knowing how soon some of the guerrillas may make their
appearance."
A hasty examination showed the position all that could be wished. The
troop rode up the cross road until the bushes were cleared, and then
filed into the open field. Here the men dismounted, and the horses were
led back into the brush, where they could easily be concealed. The men
then were placed in single line in the edge of the brush facing the open
field. A slight ridge in front protected them from observation.
Thus the preparations of Lawrence were exactly the reverse of what Jerry
had planned. In an incredibly short time the troop was in position.
"Now," said Harry, "Jack and I will hide in the brush close to where the
roads cross. If guards are sent there is where they will be stationed,
and I want to be close enough to hear what they say."
Order was given to maintain a strict silence and to molest no one
passing along either road.
It was well that all the preparations had been made expeditiously, for
hardly had Harry and Jack taken their position when horsemen were heard
approaching down the cross road, and soon the shadowy forms of four men
appeared.
They halted where the roads crossed and one said, "The orders are that
Brown and I stay here while Hayden, you and Singleton are to ride
towards the Yankee camp until you reach the rise where you can look down
the road to the camp. Don't go any nearer, for we don't want them to
know we are within forty miles of them. If the Yanks show signs of
moving, report immediately. Better have Singleton report every hour,
anyway."
"All right, Sergeant," replied Hayden. "You may be sure Singleton and I
will keep our eyes open." And they rode away.
The men left fell to talking.
"Mighty quiet," said one.
"Yes, but if everything goes right it won't be so quiet when the Yanks
move. Why, if the Yanks ride into the trap, we ought to kill every last
son of them at the first fire."
Harry and Jack lay chuckling as they listened.
In about an hour the man called Singleton came riding back. "The Yanks
are there yet," he reported, "but they are keeping mighty quiet. There's
a dim fire burning and we can catch the shadow of one once in a while.
"That's where Jerry wants them to stay. He was afraid they might take a
notion to light out during the night."
Singleton rode back and again all was quiet. The Federals lay sleeping,
their guns in their hands and revolvers by their sides. It would take
but a word to bring them to attention.
About four o'clock the trampling of horses told the guerrillas were
coming. In a whisper the word was passed and in an instant every man was
alert. But the guerrillas halted some distance from the main road and
only three rode forward. They were Jerry, Stevens and Billy.
"How is it, Sergeant?" asked Jerry as they came up.
"As quiet as a churchyard. Hayden and Singleton are down the road
watching if the Yanks move. I have Singleton report every hour. There he
comes now."
Singleton rode up. "The Yanks are beginning to stir," he reported. "They
are building fires, no doubt to make coffee. It makes my mouth water to
think of coffee."
"You men will have coffee enough before long, but there'll be a lot of
blood spilling first," said Jerry.
"Sergeant, what time was it when you reached this post?" he asked
suddenly.
"I should say somewhere near midnight," answered the Sergeant.
"Then the Yankees could have moved before you got here. Stevens, I
thought I told you to have this cross-roads guarded and the Yankee camp
watched as soon as we decided to attack. Slow, as usual. If this thing
goes wrong, you pay for it."
"You know, Captain, it was eleven o'clock before I received orders to
post the guard," said Stevens uneasily.
"Well, we have no time to lose now. Go back, have the force moved into
the field and see that instructions are carried out to the letter.
Sergeant, you call in your men and join the force."
While these orders were being carried out Jerry and Billy lingered a
minute looking over the field. "Couldn't be a better place for an
ambuscade," said Jerry. "If the Yanks ride into it, not a man will come
out alive."
"Hark!" suddenly exclaimed Billy.
"What is it?" asked Jerry, startled.
"I thought a heard a horse stamping."
"It's Hayden and Singleton coming in from guard."
"No, it was over there to the left, in the bushes. I'm sure I heard it."
Both gazed anxiously into the bushes, as if to pierce the secret they
contained.
Harry's heart stood still; was the ambuscade to be discovered at the
last minute? But the wind had risen, and nothing was heard but the
rustling of the leaves.
"I reckon you must have been mistaken," said Jerry.
"Perhaps," replied Billy, with a sigh. "Jerry, I don't know why, but I
feel as if everything is not right. You have told me so much about this
Lawrence Middleton that I am afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"I don't know. What if he should discover this ambuscade?"
"I will fight him anyway. I now have over a hundred men and he has less
than fifty. It will mean some loss to us, but we will have no trouble in
beating him."
By this time Hayden and Singleton came up. They reported the Yankees
were still in camp, but showed signs of moving.
"We have no time to lose then," said Jerry.
The gray dawn was just breaking in the east when the guerrillas filed
into the field and formed their line.
"Move forward!" ordered Jerry, "until you nearly reach the crest of the
ridge, then halt and dismount, leaving the horses in charge of every
fourth man. The rest of you advance through the brush until you nearly
reach the road. Be sure you are well concealed. When the enemy comes
along take good aim at the man directly in front of you, and at the
command, fire. Let not a shot be fired until the command is given. Give
no quarter. Shoot the wounded as you come to them. But if you can
capture the Yankee captain alive do so. I will have my reckoning with
him afterwards. And it will be a reckoning that will make the devil
laugh."
Every word of this was heard by Lawrence and his men, and the men fairly
gnashed their teeth as they listened. It boded no good to the guerrillas
that fell into their hands.
The guerrillas moved forward until about seventy-five paces from the
waiting Federals. The order was given them to dismount, and the men not
holding the horses moved forward and formed into line.
Lawrence was going to wait until they were over the ridge, but before he
gave the order to advance, Lieutenant Stevens walked towards the bushes
as if to reconnoiter, and a few more steps would have taken him into the
midst of the Federals.
"Fire!" cried Lawrence.
The men sprang to their feet and poured in a crashing volley. Then with
a wild cheer, without waiting for orders, they sprang forward, revolvers
in hand, and sent a leaden hail into the demoralized mass. The effect
was awful; men and horses went down. Never was surprise more complete.
From out the struggling mass came the groans of the dying and the
shrieks of the wounded and terror-stricken. Horses reared and plunged,
trampling on the dead and living.
Many fled on foot across the fields, others mounting in wild haste
spurred their horses. But one thought filled the minds of all--to get
away from that awful place.
Lawrence had given orders for the men holding the horses to rush forward
at the first volley, so his men were almost as quickly mounted as the
guerrillas.
In vain did Jerry and Billy try to stem the tide and rally the men. They
were forced to join in the flight.
It now became a matter of single combat. Each trooper selected his
victim and pursued him until he surrendered, or was shot down fighting.
Those who had fled on foot were first overtaken and then those who had
the poorest mounts.
Lawrence passed several, but he gave them no heed. He had but one
thought, to find Jerry Alcorn. At last he saw him mounted on his
magnificent gray horse. He was shouting to the men to take to the
woods--to abandon their horses--to save themselves if possible.
Lawrence bore down upon him. Jerry saw him coming, and with a roar like
a cornered beast, turned to face him. He raised his revolver to fire,
but Lawrence was first and the revolver dropped. He was shot in the arm.
Defenceless, he wheeled his horse to fly. Again Lawrence fired. Jerry
reeled in his saddle, but gathered himself together and urged his horse
to greater speed. Close after him came Lawrence.
The chase was a wild one, continued for more than a mile. Lawrence had
now drawn his sword and a few bounds of his horse took him to Jerry's
side. "Surrender!" he cried with uplifted sword. "Surrender or die!"
Jerry turned to him, his face distorted with rage and fear. Blood was
dripping from his right hand. He had dropped the reins and was
struggling to draw a revolver from his right holster with his left hand.
"Surrender or I strike!" cried Lawrence, but before the blow could
descend he felt a sharp sting in the side and his horse plunged forward
and fell. Hardly had Lawrence touched the ground when he heard a voice
hiss, "Turn, so you may see who sends you to hell."
As if impelled by the voice, Lawrence turned his head and looked into
the blazing eyes of Billy. Her face was distorted with rage and hate.
Her horse stood almost over Lawrence and her revolver was pointed at his
breast.
[Illustration: Her revolver was pointed at his breast.]
But no sooner did her eyes meet Lawrence's than she gave a start of
surprise. A change came over her face and her hand trembled. The muzzle
of the revolver sank, was raised, but once more was lowered.
"You--you," she whispered hoarsely. "Oh, God! How can I take your life.
You tried to save my father. You pitied me. You--" A softer expression
came over her face. She seemed to forget where she was and she
whispered, "Then--then I was a girl, an innocent girl, but now--" her
voice rose to a shriek. "Now I am a devil; but live; I cannot shoot."
The sound of galloping horses was heard and shouts. Lawrence looked and
saw Harry and Jack almost onto them, their revolvers levelled on Billy.
"Great God! don't shoot!" he shouted; and to Billy, "Fly! Fly."
She sank her spurs into her horse and bending low over his neck was away
like an arrow, but no avenging bullet followed her.
In a moment Harry and Jack were at Lawrence's side and helped him to his
feet. "Captain, you're wounded," cried Harry. "Your side is all bloody."
He tore away the coat and shirt.
"Thank Heaven, it's not deep," he exclaimed, "but bleeds freely. How did
it happen?"
"I was about to cut down Red Jerry when I received this wound from
behind. The same shot must have struck my horse in the back of the head,
for he went down like a log."
"And the guerrilla who shot you was the same you told us not to shoot?"
"Yes. She was a woman and she spared my life. I will tell you all about
it, but not now."
It was noon before all the men returned from pursuing the guerrillas. Of
the band not more than thirty escaped, and most of these by taking to
the woods.
When Lawrence gathered his little troop together he found that three had
been killed and six wounded, three of them grievously. Of the
guerrillas, twenty-five had been slain outright, as many badly wounded,
and twenty prisoners had been taken.
Some of the men were for shooting the prisoners. "Red Jerry would not
have spared us," they exclaimed.
Lawrence immediately put an end to such talk. "If any of the men have
committed crimes that merit death," he said, "they should be convicted
by a court-martial. No soldier has a right to put a defenceless man to
death for revenge. Barbarity begets barbarity, while mercy appeals to
the hearts of the most depraved."
He then told them how his life had been spared by the dreaded wife of
Red Jerry.
There was no more talk of shooting the prisoners, and Lawrence noticed
that not one of them was insulted or treated brutally.
The Federals remained on the battlefield for three days, caring for the
wounded, and Lawrence had it given out that anyone who cared might come
to claim the dead or carry away the badly wounded without being
molested. The news spread and soon the camp was filled with weeping
women and wailing children. Even some men came when they found they
could do so safely. From the number of dead and wounded claimed,
Lawrence thought Jerry's band must have been made up principally from
the neighborhood.
At the end of three days Lawrence began his return march. A couple of
farm wagons were pressed into service to convey the wounded. With the
slightly wounded who were able to travel he took back with him thirty
prisoners and fifty-five horses.
Great was the rejoicing when Rolla was reached, and the success of the
expedition became known. Lawrence received a congratulatory message from
General Schofield, highly praising him. But there was one Federal
officer who did not congratulate Lawrence. Captain Dunlay felt too
mortified over his own failure.
Red Jerry still lived. Lawrence had wounded him not only in the arm, but
in the thigh. Secreted in the fastnesses of the hills, and tenderly
cared for by his wife, he nursed his wounds and thirsted for revenge.
Terrible were his imprecations against Lawrence and terrible would be
his revenge if ever he got him in his power.
It was fated that he and Lawrence should never meet again. Jerry lived
to organize another band and he became even more merciless than ever,
and by his side rode his wife, as merciless as he. But there was one
secret she never told her husband--that was, that she had spared the
life of Lawrence Middleton.