Books: My Lady of the North
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Randall Parrish >> My Lady of the North
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There was no response. Her eyes were fastened upon the road ahead, and
evidently my lady possessed no desire for the discovery of any such
tie. Watching her, I pressed my lips together, and held her as a proud
and silly fool.
I would perform my full duty toward her, of course, but beyond that I
would go no further.
The pace we were travelling had already told severely on the horses,
although hers was by far the best and freshest of the three. My own
brave sorrel had stumbled several times already in a way that gave me
no small uneasiness, yet I durst not venture to draw rein or even
slacken speed. Already, beyond a doubt, the patrol in our rear had
missed the picket stationed at the crossroads, had searched until they
found the lifeless body where Craig had hidden it, and were now hot
upon our trail. Hard, continuous riding alone could save us--riding
with a thoroughly aroused enemy at our heels, and yet another picket
line to pass before we could even hope for a clear sweep into safety.
The road we were following here took a sudden trend downward, and we
could tell from the sharper ring of the hoofs, and the spitting of
flinty sparks beneath us, that we were among rocks once more. Then our
horses suddenly splashed into water, and I held them up long enough to
drink. I felt thirst strongly myself, and slipping out of the saddle,
filled my canteen.
"Would you care for a drink?" I asked, stemming the stream to reach her
side, and holding the vessel within easy grasp of her hand.
I actually believe her first impulse was to refuse haughtily this
proffered civility from an enemy of her country, but the deep sense of
need conquered foolish pride and caused her to accept the offering.
"I am very thankful to you," she said, handing back the canteen; yet
the words were spoken in mockery. I ignored them, and swung into my
saddle without response.
Another hill followed, and then another, and finally we swept swiftly
down a long slope densely bordered by trees and with irregular piles of
rock uprearing ugly heads on either hand. A little edge of the waning
moon began to peep over the ridge of the hill, and yielded sufficient
light to enable our eyes to discern dimly the faint track we followed.
I remember remarking the blacker figure of the Sergeant ahead of us,
and already halfway down the long decline. I caught a swift glimpse of
a rough log house on the right, so set back among trees that I half
doubted its real existence, when--there was a slip, the crunching of a
stone, a long stumble forward that fairly wrenched my hand loose from
the woman's rein, and then, hopelessly struggling to regain his feet,
my horse went down with a crash, head under, and I was hurled heavily
forward upon my face.
Severely bruised by the shock, but fortunately without broken bones, I
recall half-wheeling even as I fell, wondering if my prisoner would
grasp this opportunity for escape. Quite probably the thought never
occurred to her; perhaps her woman's heart, in the stress of such
accident, held her motionless. But Craig, startled at the sudden crash
behind him, spurred back to learn the full extent of my disaster. By
this time I had regained my feet.
"I'm all right, I think, Sergeant," I said hastily, "but the sorrel has
broken her neck."
He began to swear at our ill luck, but I stopped him with a gesture he
knew better than to ignore.
"Enough of that," I commanded sternly. "Bad fortune is seldom bettered
by hard words. First of all, help me to drag this dead body out of
sight."
On one side of us the bank fell away with such precipitancy that when
we once succeeded in dragging our load to the edge, we experienced no
difficulty in sending it crashing downward. The body plunged through
the thick underbrush at the bottom of the gorge, where I knew it would
be completely hidden, even in the glare of daylight, from the prying
eyes of any troopers riding hard upon our track. With a branch, hastily
wrenched from a near-by tree, I carefully raked over the track, so
that, as far as I could determine in the dim light, all outward trace
of my accident had been fairly obliterated.
As we rapidly worked on this disagreeable task, I thought and planned:
two horses and three riders,--one of these latter a woman in need of
protection,--a despatch to be delivered by daylight, at all hazards. It
was indeed a difficult proposition, and I saw only a single possible
solution. One of our number must press on; two of us must remain
behind. Which one? what two? If I rode with the despatch (and how
eagerly I longed to do so!), and succeeded in bringing Lee's message
safe to Longstreet, it meant much to me--promotion, distinction, honor.
On the other hand, if I remained behind, and Craig successfully carried
out the duty which had been especially intrusted to me, I should be
fortunate indeed to escape with a reprimand instead of more serious
consequences. If failure resulted, it meant certain and deserved
disgrace. Yet I could absolutely trust him with the despatch; he was a
soldier, and would faithfully perform a soldier's duty. More, he would
carry the message with even greater certainty than I, for he knew the
roads much better, and--I write the words hesitatingly--I could not
trust him there alone with the woman.
I glanced aside at him as I thus turned the perplexing situation over
in my mind,--a tall, gaunt mountaineer, whose sole discipline of mind
and body had been the army; hardened by service until every muscle in
his lean, sinewy frame was like steel, a cavalryman who would follow
his leader into the very jaws of hell, but whose morals were those of
the camp, and whose face revealed audacious deviltry such as no man
would care to see in one to whom he intrusted the welfare of sister or
wife. Recalling to mind certain idle stories that circulated through
the camp from time to time, in which his name had figured, I glanced
backward to where the woman sat her horse in silence and loneliness,
and made my resolve: I would risk the censure; if there must be
sacrifice it should be mine.
"Sergeant," I asked, flinging aside the improvised brush, "how far do
you suppose we are from Longstreet's picket line?"
"Ten miles at the very best, sir," he answered promptly, "an' I reckon
with another Yankee outpost atween."
"With fair luck and good riding it might be made by daylight?"
"I reckon as how it might, Captain, if we only hed sum fresh hosses,"
he said glumly; "but it's bin mighty hard on my nag; I've looked fer
him to roll over like yer sorrel did fer the las' two mile."
"Well, Craig, you shall have both horses. Ride the woman's, it is the
fresher of the two; but you are to get through if you kill them both
and then walk."
His face brightened, and he raised his hand in salute.
"And you?" he asked wonderingly.
"I remain with the woman; there is no other way. Wait here a moment
while I speak with her."
I left him standing there, and moved back to where she waited. As I
came up she faced me, and for the first time (for the night had
lightened somewhat) I could see her eyes and discern some faint outline
of her face where the night wind flung back the upturned cape. It was a
winsome sight to soldier vision, but with a certain semblance of pride
and reserve about it that caused a hesitancy in my speech strange
enough to me. I felt oddly like a bashful boy, and involuntarily lifted
my hat as I approached, to cover my confusion. Some trick of the
dancing moon shadows made me imagine that she smiled, and the sight
nerved me instantly to speak bluntly the words I came to say.
"Madam"--I rested my hand upon her horse's mane and looked up at her
with a glance as proud as her own,--"it might be as well for you to
draw the cape closer about your face at present. There are rough men in
all armies who would consider your beauty a lawful prize. The life we
lead is not conducive to gentleness; virtue is not born in camps, and
it would be better not to provoke a danger which may be so easily
avoided."
A wave of sudden color swept her cheeks at my plain speech, and her
hand sought the collar of the cloak, yet paused there irresolute.
"You claimed, I believe, to be an officer and a gentleman," she said
coldly.
I smiled, even as I felt the full chill of her words, and my purpose
stiffened within me.
"Even as I yet claim, and trust to be able to prove to your
satisfaction,"--my eyes looked unfalteringly into hers,--"but,
unfortunately, I have one with me to-night who is neither. I would that
he were for my own sake. However, madam, let that pass. The fact is
here, and we have no time to argue or quarrel. I have already told you
that we ride with despatches for Longstreet. These must go forward at
all hazards, for thousands of human lives depend upon them; yet I dare
not leave you here alone and unprotected to the mercies of the wolves
who haunt these hills."
"You are exceedingly kind."
The tone in which she spoke was most sarcastic, "I thank you for your
approbation," and I bowed again; "but I venture to tell you this merely
because I have already fully determined to despatch the Sergeant
forward with the message, and remain behind myself to render you every
protection possible."
"Do you mean that we are to remain here alone?"
"There is no other way."
She made no reply, but her proud unbelieving eyes were no longer upon
my face.
"I beg you to believe, madam," I pleaded gently, for I confess my
interest in her good opinion was growing stronger, "that I do this only
because I believe it to be a duty, and not that I desire in any way to
distress you with my presence."
She swept my upturned face suddenly with questioning eyes.
"As your prisoner I presume I have no choice in the matter."
"I should prefer that you took a different view, but in a measure you
are right."
"Very well, sir; I simply yield to what I am powerless to avoid, and
will obey your orders however distasteful they may be. What is your
first command?"
"That you dismount. The Sergeant must ride your horse, as he is the
more fit of the two."
Greatly to my surprise and relief she placed her gauntleted hand in
mine, and, without so much as a word of protest, permitted me to swing
her lightly from the saddle to the ground.
"Craig," I called, "come here"; and turning to her, added quietly,
"Kindly draw up your cape for a moment."
I noticed her hands fasten the clasps, which had become loosened, and
that she turned partially so as to look backward up the road as the
Sergeant drew near.
"You know your work," I said to him briefly. "And now the sooner you
are at it the better. Ride this horse and lead your own. As soon as you
deliver Lee's message at headquarters, hunt up the cavalry brigade
commander and report to him my position. Get a detail, insist upon one,
and be back here by to-morrow without fail. That is all."
He saluted, wheeled about, swung lightly into saddle, and rode off on a
rapid trot, grasping, as he passed down the hill, the rein of his own
mount, and leading it, lagging, behind him, until the night swallowed
the figures, and even the sound of the hoof-beats could be no longer
heard. We were alone.
CHAPTER VI
A STRUGGLE IN THE DARK
I have seldom been more deeply embarrassed than at that moment. I knew
not what to say or how best to approach this young woman left so
strangely to my protection. The very fact, which I now realized, that
she was both young and fair added some indefinite burden and
complicated the delicate situation. I saw no safety for us but in
careful hiding until Craig could return, a squad of hard-riding
troopers at his back. To permit the girl to venture forward alone
through the desolate country we were in, overrun as I knew it to be by
irregular bands whose sole purpose was plunder, and whose treatment of
women had made my blood run cold as I listened to its recital, was not
to be so much as thought of. Even if, by rare good fortune, she should
succeed in safely reaching the Federal picket post in our front, the
men on duty there were just as likely as not to prove of the same
desperate stamp, and every indignity might be offered her were she to
appear alone. Nor could I venture to accompany her on such a trip, for
to do so would but assure my own capture, and involve months of
confinement in Northern prisons, even were I fortunate enough to escape
with life. Wearing as I did the full field uniform of my rank, it was
hardly probable that regular troops would treat me as a spy, even
though caught within their lines; but if we fell into the hands of
guerillas it would be a short shrift indeed.
There was no help for it, and but one way out, disagreeable as that
might prove to my lady. She stood there before me, motionless and
silent as a statue, exactly where she had alighted when the Sergeant
took her horse, and it seemed to me I could plainly read righteous
indignation in the indistinct outline of her figure and the haughty
pose of her head. To her at that moment I was evidently a most
disagreeable and even hated companion, a "Rebel," the being of all
others she had been taught to despise, the enemy of all she held
sacred. "Could any good thing come out of Nazareth?"
Well, unpleasant as was the task, it had to be done, so, mustering my
courage for the ordeal as I never had to do in time of battle, I
advanced toward her, hat in hand. She never so much as glanced about at
the sound of my footsteps, nor deigned by the slightest motion to
acknowledge my presence. So intense, indeed, was her evident sense of
indignity that it awoke within me something akin to anger at her
unreasonableness, and for the moment I clinched my teeth to keep back
the hot words burning upon my tongue. Then I smiled grimly with the
rare humor of it, and became myself once more.
"The time has come when it becomes my duty to look after your comfort
and safety," I said, striving to disguise all self-consciousness.
"Every moment we delay now merely increases the danger of our remaining
here."
"I imagine I might very easily dispense with any further care on your
part."
Her reply nettled me, and I answered with an earnestness which she
could neither ignore nor check: "Possibly you may think so, but if you
do it is merely because of your utter ignorance of the disorganized
conditions which prevail in these mountains. Your pride is almost
ridiculous under all the circumstances. You have no just cause to feel
that I am forcing myself unnecessarily upon you. Our being compelled to
take you in charge has proven as disastrous to us as to you. Personally
I can say that nothing will relieve me more than to be able to place
you uninjured into the care of your own people. I would willingly
assume great risks to that end. But while you remain here and in my
care, I shall perform my full duty toward you as though you were my own
sister. Now please listen to me, and I assure you I shall speak nothing
for the mere purpose of alarming you, but simply that you may better
comprehend the facts which must influence our present relationship. I
have sent forward Sergeant Craig with the message especially intrusted
to me for delivery, and thus, if it fail to reach its destination, I
have laid myself open to the charge of a grave military crime. In doing
this I have not only perilled my own future, but the lives of my
comrades and the faith of my commander. Yet I have deliberately chosen
to do so because I feel the impossibility of leaving you here
unprotected, and because I was unwilling to trust you alone with my
companion. I made this choice, remember, without in the least knowing
whether you were young or old, worthy of respect or unworthy. I did it
because you were a woman, alone and without friends. Whether you spurn
my protection or not will make no difference; I shall simply continue
to do what I may on your behalf until you are again in the hands of
those you trust."
"But why may I not go to them now?"
The question was impetuous, but the voice sounded more gentle. My words
had at least pierced her armor.
"Simply because I dare not permit you to traverse these roads alone," I
said soberly. "The mountains all about us, deserted as they now appear,
are filled with wandering bands of desperate and hunted men whose
tenderest mercy is death. Any rock may be the hiding-place of an
outlaw, any dark ravine the rendezvous of as wild a gang as ever
murdered for plunder. For months past--yes, for years--the two great
armies have scouted these hills, have battled for them, and every
forward or backward movement of the contesting lines has left its
worthless horde of stragglers behind, until with guerilla and
bushwhacker, fleeing conscript and deserter, it has become such a
meeting-place of rascality and crime as to be a veritable hell on
earth."
"But the Sergeant said there was a Federal picket post at the crossing
of the White Briar."
Her voice trembled as she spoke.
"He merely supposed there would be; but even if it were true, we have
no positive means of knowing that the men stationed there would be of
the regular service. Doubtless these thieving, murdering bands--such as
that headed by Red Lowrie, of whom you may have heard--are sufficiently
organized to keep patrols posted, and may, indeed, be utilized at times
by both armies for that purpose. Were you to go to them you might be
simply walking into a den of wolves."
"But could you not go with me?"
I smiled at the naive innocence of her query.
"I wish you to feel that I have never thought so much about my own
danger as about yours," I returned quietly. "But would it be a pleasure
even to you to behold me swinging from the limb of a tree, hung as a
spy without trial, merely because I ventured to walk with you into a
Federal camp?"
I could see her eyes now resting full upon me, and much of the hardness
and doubt seemed to have gone out of them as she scanned my uncovered
features in the dim light. I scarcely think I was ever considered a
handsome man even by my friends, but I was young then, frank of face,
with that about me which easily inspired confidence, and it did me good
to note how her eyes softened, and to mark the perceptible tremor in
her voice as she cried impulsively:
"Oh, no! Not that!"
"Your words yield me new heart," I replied fervently, determined, now
that the ice was partially broken, to permit no excuse for its again
forming, "for if you but once fully realize our situation you will
certainly feel that I am merely endeavoring to perform my plain duty. I
know not how I could do less without forfeiting entirely your respect.
Now one thing more--please banish from your thought the idea that you
are in any way a prisoner; forget, if possible, the color of my
uniform, and think of me simply as an officer of equal rank and
standing with those you know in your own army,--one who stands ready,
if need arise, to protect you with his life; as glad to serve you as if
he wore the blue instead of the gray."
I believed for a moment my words had appealed to her nobler nature;
that she would outstretch to me her slightly uplifted hand and
surrender utterly. But it was only for the moment; whatever wave of
emotion may have moved her to the gesture, it was as suddenly swept
aside by a return of the old proud, impetuous spirit.
"I will, of course, bow to the inevitable, sir," she said, "and shall
endeavor to adapt myself to the requirements of my unfortunate
situation. May I venture to inquire what you now propose to do?"
I confess to experiencing a quick feeling of resentment as I turned to
scan the dim surroundings, not knowing at the moment how best to answer
her. Who was this girl, that she should continue to bear herself as a
disdainful queen might toward the very meanest of her subjects? Was I
so far beneath her, even in the social scale, as to warrant such
assumption of superiority? No, I felt that this was not the cause of
her cold suspicion, her proud, unapproachable bearing. Undoubtedly it
arose from the manner in which she had fallen into our hands, the
strangeness and delicacy of our situation, the knowledge that I was a
"Rebel" in arms against her people. These were the things which had
reared such a barrier between us. She but resorted to what was
apparently her only available weapon of defence. Well, of one thing,
and that the most important, I was now assured--there would occur no
further struggle on her part; if not fully resigned to the situation,
she at least realized the necessity of obedience to my will. This was
much; but now what could I do with her?
To the right of where we stood the ground sloped rapidly downward until
the dense darkness at the foot of the steep defile shrouded everything
from view. The descent appeared rocky and impracticable, and I could
distinguish the sound of rapid water far below. On the opposite side
stood a dense wood, the outer fringe of trees overhanging the road, and
through the waving leaves the moonlight checkered the ground with
silver, while the dense mass beyond seemed to flow back up the steep
side of the mountain, thick with underbrush. Just below us, and
possibly fifty feet from the highway, I could perceive a small one-
story log cabin, as silent, gloomy, and deserted to all outward
appearance as were the sombre woods of which it formed a part.
"There seems small choice," I said, speaking as cheerfully as possible.
"But I propose to investigate the log hut yonder, and learn if it may
not afford some degree of shelter."
She glanced furtively in the direction pointed out, and her eyes
mirrored the sudden fear that swept into them.
"Oh, no!" she cried impulsively, "I could never venture into that
horrible place."
It did, indeed, look uncanny enough in its black loneliness, a fit
abiding place for ghost and goblin damned; but I was not inclined to
yield to superstitious dread.
"Certainly not," I answered, "until after I have investigated it.
Perhaps it may prove more attractive within than without, although, I
confess, from here it appears gloomy enough to discourage any one.
However, if you will rest here, in the shadow of these trees, I will
soon discover whether it has inmates or not."
She followed me in silence across the road to the spot designated, but
as I turned to leave her seated upon the grass, and well protected from
prying eyes, she hurried quickly after me, and in her agitation so far
forgot herself as to touch my sleeve with her hand.
"Oh, please do not leave me here alone. I am not naturally timid, yet
everything is so gloomy I cannot stand it. Let me go with you, if you
must go!"
"Most assuredly you shall if you desire," I returned heartily. "But
really there is not a particle of danger in this, for if the house were
inhabited its occupants would have been aroused long ago. Follow just
behind me, and we shall soon solve the mystery."
There appeared before us a dim, little-used path leading in among the
trees, and following its erratic curves we were soon before the cabin,
which grew ever more uninviting as we drew near. As I paused a moment
before the closed door, in order that I might listen for any possible
sound within, I could hear her quick breathing, as though the terror of
the moment had driven all else from her mind.
"Do not feel frightened," I said, seeking to reassure her. "There is
nothing here more terrifying than a vacant house, doubtless long since
deserted. We shall discover nothing more formidable within than a rat
or two."
The wooden latch yielded readily enough to my pressure, and pushing
wide open the door, which creaked slightly upon its rusty hinges, I
stepped across the puncheon threshold onto the hard earthen floor.
There was no window visible, and the slight reflection of moonlight
which crept in through the doorway scarcely revealed the nature of that
dark interior. I could dimly perceive what I believed to be a table
directly in front of me, while certain other indistinct and ill defined
shadows might be chairs pushed back against the wall. At least this
room was without occupants; yet it was with every sense alert that I
entered, pressing slowly past the table toward where I felt the
fireplace would naturally be, knowing that my companion was yet with
me, her hand clutching my arm.
"Oh!" she cried sharply in terror, "what was that?"
It was something certainly,--a deadened, muffled, shuffling sound
directly in our front, followed by a strange noise of scraping, as if
with a dull knife on wood.
"Wait here." I said sternly. "Probably it is nothing more dangerous
than a rat."
I felt my way carefully around the table, a revolver ready in my hand.
There was nothing to be found there,--nothing, indeed, in the room; for
from my new position I could look backward and distinguish in the
moonlight the details of that simple, squalid interior. I ran my hand
along the rough logs of the further wall. Ay! here was a break,
doubtless a door; and groping along the crack I found the latch.
There was no longer any noise audible, and I drew the door inward,
never dreaming of danger. Suddenly, with a fierce, wild spring out of
the dark, a huge body hurled itself directly at my throat, striking
with such headlong impetus that I went backward as if shot, crashing
against the table, then to the floor, dropping my weapon as I fell.
There was no noise, no sound, while for an instant, with strength of
sheer desperation, I held back the snapping jaws that breathed hot fire
into my very face. With a bound backward of its great body the beast
jerked free from my grip, and the next instant had sunk its dripping
fangs, deep and hard, into the flesh of my shoulder. As the intense
pain shot through me, my right hand, driven with all the force I could
muster, caught the monster once, twice, full in the throat, but tighter
and tighter those clinched jaws locked, until it seemed as if every
bone between them must be ground to powder. Even as I grasped the lower
jaw, seeking vainly to wrench it loose, I heard the girl scream in
sudden afright.
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