Books: My Lady of the North

R >> Randall Parrish >> My Lady of the North

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I almost imagined I was looked upon as a soldier crazed by his
sufferings; I heard a whisper, "Out of his head," yet as I gazed
earnestly into those stern gray eyes which fronted me, they suddenly
grew moist.

"Surely," he said gravely, "I have seen your face before. To what
regiment were you attached?"

"The ----th Virginia Cavalry."

The buzzing of voices about me instantly ceased, and General Lee took a
step nearer.

"The ----th Virginia? You were a captain? Surely this is not Philip
Wayne?"

So deeply surprised was his tone, so uncertain his recognition, I
scarcely knew what to answer. Had I lost my very identity? was this all
a dream?

"I am Captain Wayne, Troop D, ----th Virginia."

He grasped my hand warmly between both his own, and his kindly face lit
up instantly with a rare smile.

"Captain Wayne, I cannot tell you how greatly I rejoice at your safe
return. We certainly owe you an apology for this poor reception, but
you were reported as killed in action many months ago. I doubt not
Colonel Maitland truly believed he looked upon a ghost when you first
accosted him."

For the moment I was unable to speak, so deeply did his words affect
me.

"I fear, Captain Wayne," he continued gravely, yet retaining my hand
within his own, "that I must bring you sad news."

"Sad news?" Instantly there came to me the thought of my widowed
mother. "Not from home, I trust, sir?"

"No," with great tenderness, "your mother, I believe, remains well; yet
the words I must speak are nevertheless sad ones, and must prove a
severe shock to you. There is no ----th Virginia."

"No ----th Virginia?" I echoed, scarce able to comprehend his meaning,
"no ----th Virginia? I beg you to explain, sir; surely"--and I looked
about me upon the various uniforms of the service present--"the war has
not yet ceased--we have not surrendered?"

"No, my boy," and the old hero reverently bared his gray head in the
sunlight, "but the ----th Virginia gave itself to the South that day in
the Shenandoah."

I must have grown very white, for a young aide sprang hastily forward
and passed his arm about me. Yet I scarcely realized the action, for my
whole thought was with the dead.

"Do you mean they are all gone?" I questioned, tremblingly, hardly able
to grasp the full dread import of such ghastly tidings. "Surely,
General Lee, some among them must have come back."

"So few," he responded soberly, his hat still retained in his hand, "so
very few that we could only scatter them in other commands. But you
have not yet fully recovered your strength. You must not remain longer
standing here. Major Holmes, will you kindly conduct Captain Wayne to
my headquarters, and see that he is furnished with a uniform suitable
to his rank. For the present he will serve as extra aide upon my
personal staff."

I turned away, the Major leading me as if I had been a child. I walked
as a man stunned by some sudden, unexpected blow. Speech was
impossible, for all sensation seemed dead within me, save the one vivid
memory of those loved comrades who had perished on the field. I could
not realize, even dimly, in that awful hour, that of all those gallant
fellows who had ridden so often at my side not enough remained alive to
retain the old regimental name and number. The officer with me, himself
a tried, true soldier, comprehended something of the agitation which
swayed me, and respecting my silence, made no attempt to break my
sorrowful reverie by speech. At the door of the room assigned me for
present quarters, he left me with a warm, sympathetic pressure of the
hand, and feeling utterly worn out, disheartened to a degree I had
never before known, I flung myself face downward upon the cot and burst
into tears.

With true soldierly kindness they left me to conquer my own sorrow and
depression, and when I finally joined the mess upon the following day,
clad now in fit uniform, I had regained no small measure of self-
restraint, and with it came likewise renewal of the military spirit. My
welcome proved extremely cordial, and the conversation of the others
present soon placed in my possession whatever of incident had occurred
since that disastrous day of battle in the valley. It was not much,
other than a variety of desultory skirmishing, together with the steady
closing in upon our lines of the overwhelming masses of the enemy, but
I noted that the officers of the staff no longer hesitated to voice
frankly the prevailing sentiment that the vast and unequal struggle was
now rapidly drawing to its close. No attempt was made to conceal our
weakness, nor to disguise the fact that we were making a last desperate
stand. It was evident to all that nothing now remained but to fold our
tattered battle-flags with honor.

Directly opposite me, at the long and rather scantily furnished mess-
table, was seated a captain of infantry, quite foreign in appearance,--
a tall, slender man, wearing a light-colored moustache and goatee. His
name, as I gathered from the conversation, was Carlson, and I was
considerably surprised at the fixedness with which his eyes were
fastened upon me during the earlier part of the meal. Thinking we might
have met somewhere before, I ransacked my memory in vain for any
recollection which would serve to account for his evident interest in
me. Finally, not a little annoyed by the persistency of his stare, I
ventured to ask, as pleasantly as possible:

"Captain Carlson, do I remind you of some one, since you regard me so
intently?"

The man instantly flushed all over his fair face at this direct
inquiry.

"It vas not dat" (he almost stammered in sudden confusion, speaking
quite brokenly), "bot, sair, it haf come to me dat you vos an insulter
of womens, an' had refuse to fight mit mens. I know not; it seems not
so."

I was upon my feet in an instant, scarcely crediting my own ears, yet
on fire with indignation.

"I know not what you may mean," I said, white with anger. "But I hold
you personally accountable for those words, and you shall discover that
I will fight 'mit mens.'"

He pushed his chair hastily back, his face fairly crimson, and began to
stammer an explanation; but Maitland interfered.

"What does all this mean, Carlson?" he exclaimed sternly. "Sit down,
Wayne--there is some strange mistake here."

I resumed my chair, wondering if they had all gone crazy, yet resolved
upon taking instant action if some satisfactory explanation were not at
once forthcoming.

"Come, Carlson, what do you mean by addressing such language to Captain
Wayne?"

"Veil," said the Swede, so agitated by the excitement about him he
could scarcely find English in which to express himself intelligibly,
"it vos dis vay. I vould not insult Captain Vayne; oh, no, bot it vos
told to me, an' I vould haf him to know how it all vos. It vos two
months ago I go mit de flag of truce into de Federal lines at
Minersville. You know dat time? I vos vaitin' for answer ven a Yankee
rides oop, an' looks me all ofer like I vos a hog. 'Veil,' I say, plain
like, 'vot you vant?' He say, 'I heard der vos Reb officer come in der
lines, an' I rides down to see if he vos der hound vot I vanted to
horsevip.' 'Veil,' I say, for it made me much mad, 'maybe you like to
horsevip me?' 'No,' he says, laughing, 'it vos a damn pup in der ----th
Virginia Cavalry, named Vayne, I am after,' I say, 'Vot has he done?'
He says, 'He insult a voman, an' vould not fight mit me.'"

He looked about him anxiously to see if we comprehended his words.

"And what did you say?" from a dozen eager voices.

The Swede gazed at them in manifest astonishment.

"I say I knowed netting about der voman, but if he say dat an officer
of der ----th Virginia Cavalry vould not fight mit him he vos a damned
liar. I vould have hit him, but I vos under der flag of truce."

I reached my hand out to him across the table.

"I thank you, Captain Carlson," I said, "for both your message and your
answer. What did this man look like?"

"He vos a pig vellow, mit a black moustache and gray eyes."

"Do you know him?" questioned Maitland.

"His name is Brennan," I answered slowly, "a major in the Federal
service. We have already met twice in rough and tumble contests, but
the next time it will be with steel."

"There is a woman, then?"

"It seems from Captain Carlson's report he has seen fit to connect one
with our difficulty."

There was a pause, as if they waited for me to add some further
explanation, but I could not--her name should never be idly discussed
about a mess-table through any word of mine.

"Gentlemen," said Maitland at last, gravely, "this is evidently a
personal matter with which we have no direct concern. Captain Wayne's
reputation is not one to be questioned, either as regards his chivalry
toward women or his bravery in arms. I pledge you his early meeting
with this major."

They drank the toast standing, and I read in each face before me a
frank, soldierly confidence and comradeship which caused my heart to
glow.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE SCOUTING DETAIL

This premeditated insult, which Brennan had evidently despatched
broadcast in hope that through some unknown channel it might reach me,
changed my entire relationship with the man. Heretofore, while feeling
deep resentment toward him, I yet was strongly inclined to avoid any
personal meeting. Fear had nothing whatever to do with this shrinking
on my part, nor would I have deliberately avoided him, yet as the
husband of Edith Brennan I realized that if he suffered seriously at my
hands it must for ever separate us. I felt more and more deeply the
shame of loving the wife of another, and certainly I could never bring
myself to advertise her as in any way the cause of so disgraceful a
brawl. Far better was it for me to suffer in silence any taunts and
degradations he chose to place upon me. Surely I loved her well enough
to remain patient for her sake.

But now all this had been changed by a word. His deliberate attempt to
soil my reputation among officers of my own corps left me no choice but
that of a resort to arms. I have never felt that Brennan was at heart a
bad man; he was hard, stern, revengeful, yet I have no doubt under
different circumstances I might even have valued him highly as a
comrade or a friend. There is no demon like jealousy; and his early
distrust of me, fostered by that mad disease, had apparently warped his
entire nature. Yet not even for love could I consent to leave my honor
undefended, and after those hateful words there could be no rest for me
until our differences were settled by the stern arbitrament of the
naked blade. All prudence to the winds, no opportunity of meeting him
should now be cast aside.

I decided this carefully before falling asleep, and had almost
determined upon seeking release from immediate duty that I might hunt
him out even within the fancied security of his own camp. This latter
plan, however, was instantly halted by those events which crowded
swiftly upon me. The coming day was barely gray in the east when I was
awakened by a heavy pounding upon the door. A smart-looking orderly
stood without.

"Captain Wayne?" he asked.

"That is my name. What have you, my man?"

"Compliments of Colonel Maitland, chief of staff, sir," he said,
handing me a folded paper.

I opened it eagerly, for I was more than ready to welcome any
occurrence which would help to change the tenor of my thought.

"Dear Wayne:" the private note read, "Believing you would be glad to
have the detail, I have just arranged to send you at once upon some
active service. Please report at these quarters immediately, fully
equipped for the field."

Glad! It was the very medicine I most needed, and within twenty minutes
of my receipt of this communication I was with Maitland, thanking him
warmly for his thoughtfulness.

"Not another word, Wayne," he insisted. "It is not much, a mere
scouting detail over neutral territory, and will probably prove dull
enough. I only hope it may help to divert your mind a trifle. Now
listen--you are to proceed with twenty mounted men of the escort west
as far as the foot-hills, and are expected to note carefully three
things: First, the condition of forage for the sustenance of a wagon
train; second, what forces of Federal troops, if any, are along the
Honeywell; and third, the gathering of all information obtainable as to
the reported consolidation of guerillas for purposes of plunder between
the lines. If time suffice, you might cross over into the valley of the
Cowskin and learn the condition of forage there as well. A guide will
accompany your party, and you are to avoid contact with the enemy as
far as possible. Your men carry five days' rations. You understand
fully?"

"I do, sir; I presume I am to start at once?"

"Your squad, under command of Sergeant Ebers, is already waiting
outside."

I found them a sturdy looking lot, but, as they composed a portion of
the commander's personal guard, somewhat better attired than I was
accustomed to seeing Confederate soldiers. I possessed a field
officer's prejudice relative to escort soldiery, yet their equipment
looked well, they sat their horses easily, and I could find nothing
worthy of criticism. I should have preferred riding at the head of men
from my old troop, but in all probability we would none of us be called
upon to draw a sabre.

"Are you all ready, Sergeant?" I asked of the rather heavy-weight
German who stood fronting me, his broad, red face as impassive as
though carved from stone.

"Ve vos, Captain."

"Where is the guide?"

"Dot is him, mit der mule, ain't it?" he answered, pointing with one
huge hand down the road.

"Very well, we will pick him up then as we go." I cared so little as to
whether or not he accompanied us at all, that we had advanced some
distance before the thought of him again occurred to me. I knew the
gentry fairly well, and had experienced in the past so many evidences
of their stupidity, if not actual disloyalty, as to prefer my own
knowledge of the country to theirs. My thought, indeed, for several
miles was not at all with the little party of troopers jogging steadily
at my heels, nor, in truth, was it greatly concerned with the fate of
the expedition. That was but service routine, and I rode forward
carelessly enough, never once dreaming that every hour of progress was
bearing me toward the most important adventure of my life. So I feel we
constantly advance into the future; and it is well that we do not know,
for few would possess the necessary courage if beforehand we might
perceive the sorrows and the dangers.

Outside my military duties I had but one thought in those days--Edith
Brennan. The great struggle was rapidly drawing to its close; hope of
future military preferment could no longer inspire a Confederate
soldier, for we realized fully we were battling in a lost cause. All
ambition which I might otherwise have experienced was therefore
concentrated by this fate upon the woman I loved. And how earnestly I
endeavored not to love her; how I sought to stifle such feeling, to
remain true to what I deemed my highest duty to her and to my own
honor! And yet she remained my constant dream. I thought of her now as
I rode into the west. Somewhere out yonder, amid those distant blue
hills--ay! even within the very zone of my present duty--it was
possible she yet waited for the war to cease. I wished in my heart I
might again meet her, and then roundly denounced myself as a cur for
having such a desire. Yet again and again would the fond hope recur,
surging up unbidden into my brain as I rode steadily forward, oblivious
of both distance and pace, the sinking sun full in my eyes, yet utterly
forgetful of the hoof-beats pounding along behind me. It was the German
sergeant who recalled me to the responsibilities of command.

"Captain," he exclaimed apologetically, riding up to my side, and
wiping his round perspiring face with great energy, "ve are riding too
hard, ain't ve? Mein Gott, but der horses vill give out ontirely,
already."

"Is that so?" I asked in surprise at his words. A single swift glance
around convinced me he was correct, for the mounts were exceedingly
soft, and already looked nearly played out from our sharp pace. "Very
well, Ebers, we will halt here."

With a sigh of relief he drew back, and as he did so my eyes fell for
the first time upon the guide. As I live, it was Jed Bungay, and when I
stared at him in sudden amazement he broke into a broad grin.

"'It trickled still, the starting tear,
When light a footstep struck her ear,
And Snowdoun's graceful knight was near,'"

he quoted gravely, his eyes brightening at my recognition. "Durn if I
didn't begin ter think as how ye'd gone an' clar fergot me, Cap."

"Not a bit of it, Jed," and I rode up to him and extended my hand. "But
how came you here? Are you the guide?"

"Sure thing, Cap; know this yere kintry like a buk. 'Jaded horsemen
from the west, at evening to the castle pressed.' By gum, you put
Beelzebub an' me through a blamed hard jolt of it so fur."

"Beelzebub?"

"Ye bet, ther muel; I reckon as how ye ain't gone an' fergot him, hev
ye?" and the little man squirmed in the delight of his vivid
recollection. "'One blast upon his bugle horn is worth a thousand men.'
But ye did ride like thunder, Cap, that's a fac', an' I ain't ther only
one done up, neither. Jist take a squint et thet fat Dutchman thar."

The fleshy Sergeant was undoubtedly fatigued, yet he was a thorough
soldier, a strict disciplinarian, and although he moved as if his
coarse army trousers were constant torture, he was not guilty of
omitting any known requirement of his office.

"Chones", he shouted impressively, "dot is not a good vay to tie dot
horse. By Chiminy, he vould break his neck mit der rope. Glen, vy you
makes play mit der gun dot vay? Donnerwetter! ven I speak mit you,
stand op mit der little finger to der seam of der pantaloons. You vill
never be no good."

"Ebers," I interrupted, "let the men rest as they please. I regret
having ridden so hard, but I am used to soldiers who are toughened in
field work. Are you pretty sore, Sergeant?"

"By Chiminy, I am, Captain; der skin vos rubbed off me by der saddle,"
he answered, touching the afflicted part tenderly. "It vos der rackin'
gait mit der horse vot did it. He is der vorst horse dot ever I ride."

"Well, get as comfortable as you can, and I'll try to be more
thoughtful in the future. Bungay, what has become of Maria?"

The little man's eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"I jist don't know, Cap," he answered mournfully.

"'No more at dawning morn I rise
And sun myself in Ellen's eyes.
That life is lost to love and me.'

"Whin I got hum ther ol' cabin hed bin plum burnt down, nary stick o'
it left, by gum! an' Mariar she wus clean gone. Hain't seed neither
hide ner hair o' her since, thet's a fac'. An' I sorter drifted back
ter you uns 'cause I didn't hev nowhar else ter go."

"Did you hunt for her among the old plantations along the valley?" I
asked, deeply touched by his evident feeling. "She very likely sought
refuge in some of those houses."

He looked at me in surprise. "I reckon, Cap, as how ye don't know much
'bout whut's a goin' on in ther valley fer ther las' few months," he
said soberly, rubbing down his mule as he spoke. "Tell ye whut, thar
jist hain't no plantation houses left thar now, thet's a fac',
leastwise not north o' ther lines we uns sorter hol' onto yit. Sheridan
he played hell with his cavalry raids, an' whut the blue-bellies left
ther durned guerillas an' bushwhackers wiped up es clean es a slate.
Durn if a crow wudn't starve ter deth in ther valley now. Why, Cap,
them thar deserters an' sich truck is organized now till they're mighty
nigh an army, an' they don't skeer fer nuthin' les' ner a reg'ment. I
see more ner a hundred an' fifty in one bunch up on ther White Briar
two week ago, an' they're worse ner a parcel er pirates. I reckon as
how they got Mariar, but I 'll bet she giv 'em a hot ol' time afore she
done quit."

Rumors of this state of affairs to north and west of our defending
lines had already reached me,--indeed, the verification had formed part
of my instructions; but Bungay's homely yet graphic description made
the situation appear terribly real, and my thought went instantly forth
to those I knew who might even then be exposed to this great and
unexpected danger. That it was indeed menacing and constantly growing
worse I could not doubt; the certainty of our early defeat was leading
to almost wholesale desertions, and doubtless many of these went to
swell those lawless ranks, whose sole purpose was plunder, and whose
safe rendezvous was the inaccessible mountains. Wherever the guarding
armies left neutral ground, there these bands overflowed and
inaugurated a reign of terror. What they had been in their weakness I
knew well through experiences of the past; what they might become in
strength I could readily conjecture,--wild wolves of the hills, to whom
human life was of no account, the fierce spawn of civil war. The very
conception of Edith Brennan in such hands as these was agony. I felt I
could never rest until assured of her safety, and since my orders
granted me full authority to prolong my journey, I might ascertain
whether or not she yet remained within the valley.

"Jed," I asked, my mind finally settled, "do you know the old Minor
plantation?"

"Ol Jedge Minor's place? Sure; it's up on ther south branch of ther
Cowskin, an' used ter be quite a shebang afore ther war, an' afore ther
ol' Jedge died. I reckon as how he hed ther biggest gang o' niggers in
ther whole county, an' he wus allers durn gud ter 'em tew. Never no
nigger ever run 'way from ol' Jedge Minor, ye bet. Mariar she used ter
live thar whin Mis' Celie wus a baby."

"Have those fellows got down that far yet?"

"Wal, I reckon not, but durn if I know fer sure, Cap. Ther whole valley
is mighty bare north o' thar, fer I rid through it, an' Beelzebub hed
ter live on clay, fer sure. Gee! but he wus hot. So them thar vultures
hes got ter either work south er quit, an' I reckon as how they hain't
likely ter quit till they hes tew. 'Sides, they're strong 'nough by now
ter laugh et any sojers thar'bouts, an' ther ol' Minor place u'd make
mighty gud pickin'. Thar hain't neither army ever bin up thar durin'
ther war."

"How long would it take us to reach there?"

"'Bout two days, I reckon, pervidin' ye shuck ther Dutchman."

I turned and looked at my men in some perplexity. They were scattered
along the edge of the road, and only one group had taken the precaution
to build a fire. The Sergeant lay flat upon his back on a grassy knoll,
his stomach rising and falling with a regularity which convinced me he
was sleeping.

"Ebers," I said sternly.

There was no response, and I could distinguish clearly his heavy
breathing.

"One of you stir up the Sergeant, will you? I want to speak with him."

A young fellow came forward grinning, and laid one hand heavily on his
officer's shoulder.

"Come, Dutchy," he said with easy familiarity, "get up!"

The Sergeant shot to an upright position like a jack-in-the-box. "Mein
Gott," he asked anxiously, "is it der Yanks vot come already?"

"Hell, no; but the Captain wants you."

"Der Captain?" He arose ponderously, and came forward with a decidedly
halting gait.

"Vos I sent for?" he asked.

"Yes," I said; "I want you to have the men get their supper at once, as
we shall be obliged to ride a good portion of the night."

"Ride?" and his face took on an expression of genuine horror. "By
Chiminy, Captain, it vos impossible. Mem Gott! it could not be done."

"Why, what is the difficulty, Sergeant?"

"I am vounded vare I sets me down on der saddle. I am all--vot you
calls it?--rare. Dunder, but it could not be."

"I am exceedingly sorry, Ebers, and if you are unable to travel we
shall be compelled to leave you behind," I said, tired of it all by
this time. "Get the men to their supper. We shall go on in an hour."

How often since have I smiled at the expression upon his solemn round
face as he turned ruefully away!

CHAPTER XXVII

AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION

IT was well into the third day when we came down into the fertile
valley of the Cowskin. It had proven an uneventful ride thus far, for
we had met with no adventures and had observed little worthy of
consideration from a military standpoint. We had travelled slowly,
carefully watchful of our horses, not only because we felt they might
be greatly needed farther on, but owing to the impoverished and almost
deserted country through which we rode. Abandoned houses, many of them
devastated by fire, deserted negro quarters, and uncultivated fields
greeted our eyes constantly, and told us we were in the track of
armies. Forage there was absolutely none, while even the pasture-land
gave small return. The men had done well, however, and were stiffening
nicely into field soldiers, while my Teutonic second in command had
sufficiently recovered from his wounds to sit his saddle with some
elephantine grace. He early proved himself a good soldier, and I
learned he had seen considerable active service in Europe.

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