Chapter 6 No.6

The Escape-The Pursuit-The Capture.

Charge-charge, boys, for "God and for liberty!" See!

Their traitorous banner is hurled to the ground.

And up go our colors, the "Flag of the Free,"

While our bands strike "Columbia," oh! glorious sound.

Col. Weeks.

"Darn my buttons if the captain ain't got back all safe!" shouted Nettleton, as he fairly danced with delight.

"Yes, all safe," replied Hayward "But how have you passed the day, Adjutant Hinton?"

"Not at all pleasantly!" replied the adjutant. "We have had serious anxiety on your account, and I suppose we came very near being discovered!"

"Indeed! Why so?"

"You had been absent just long enough to reach camp, when we heard the firing of guns. In a short time a party of horsemen rode past at a furious rate, cursing and speaking of a spy. We feared you had been discovered, were making your escape, and that they were in pursuit."

"What did you do?"

"Of course I advised our friends to remain quiet. I thought if we were to appear and fight, you would reach us in some way, or give us some signal. But it was very difficult to restrain Nettleton. He determined to rush upon the pursuers, and once had his gun raised to fire upon them, but I prevented him from doing so."

"I am very much obliged to you for your good feeling, and admire your courage. But, you must not be rash. If you had fired a gun, it would have brought certain destruction upon us all."

"Well, captain, you see I wouldn't have done it, but I was feared that black rascal there would expose us all. The curse began to cry just as soon as he heerd the guns shootin', and when they let off that volley up at that rock there, the darned sneak's bones rattled so, I was sure they would hear them."

"But, how have you succeeded, captain?" asked the adjutant.

"Oh! admirably. That party you saw was led by Price himself. He was in pursuit of an Indian. He left camp just as I arrived at his tent, and this gave me just the opportunity I desired. There was no person at the general's tent but an orderly, who became very familiar and communicative. He gave me the exact plan of their encampment, but it will be of little use, as Price takes up his line of march for Cassville to-morrow. But the most important document I possess is the plan of our own camp, containing not only my own description, but I suppose that of yours, and of all the generals, and other principal officers in our army."

"How did you get possession of this document?"

"It was brought to the tent of Price by his spies while he was absent. I learned from the orderly that the general did not know the existence of the paper, or that his spies had returned. So I worked upon the fears of the orderly, got possession of the paper, and his promise not to let Price know anything about it, and then ordered the men who brought it to be put in the guard-house and gagged. Of course I accused them of playing false to Price, and of being in reality Union spies."

"Of course the trick will be discovered!"

"Oh! certainly-and I suppose it is by this time, as one of the prisoners sent for Price, and he was to meet him at ten o'clock. For a short time they will be puzzled. The question will be asked the orderly, what he did with the papers, and he will answer that he gave them to me. But, when Price learns that it was me who ordered his spies under arrest, and gagged so that they could not speak, that I have the papers, that my story to him and the orderly did not agree, and that I am nowhere to be found, he will sea at once that he has been terribly sold, and know that I was a spy. If he describes my person, I will be at once recognized by one of the men whom I had placed under arrest, as the very man Price longed to get in his grasp!"

"Why, what does Price know of you?" asked the adjutant.

"Do you remember our second day's march from Tipton, that about four o'clock in the afternoon, I was stopping at a log-house, near a well, at the right of the road, and that while the person who appeared to be master of the house was helping me to a cup of water, you rode up and gave me a letter?"

"Yes, I remember it perfectly well, and that you remarked the letter was from Mamie."

"Exactly. And do you recollect the words I used about Price, to the man who gave me the water?"

"I remember they were not very complimentary."

"Well, the man who handed me that cup of water was Price himself!"

"The devil! And did he not recognize you to-day?"

"No, for he spoke of Captain Hayward, and remarked that he had an account to settle with him, and had sent for his description, which he expected every moment. I had it in my pocket at the time, and those who took it were under arrest by my order. They would have recognized me in an instant if they had seen me. The reason that Price did not recognize me was, that when he saw me at the well, I was almost black with dust, and I took pains to-day to change the tone of my voice as much as possible."

"It was a terrible risk!"

"By gracious, captain, if you ain't a trump," said Nettleton, as he opened wide his green eyes.

"But they have discovered all by this time, and we have not a moment to lose. It is eleven o'clock now, and you are expected at yonder rock!"

"You have seen Alibamo?"

"Yes, and kissed her!"

"She knew you, then?"

"No-she didn't-I told her before a large crowd that I was Harry Hinton. She understood me, and said I might kiss her. I did so-on the ear!"

"And whispered at the same time. Thank you, my best friend."

"Well, don't stop for thanks now. That rock is outside the picket guard, but she will be attended by ten or twelve soldiers. Go to her at once. I will see our horses placed in a position where we can easily mount. The negro shall ride behind Nettleton, and Alibamo shall have White Surry."

"We must fight, of course."

"I think it will not be necessary-that is, only you and I!"

"What do you mean, captain?"

"Why, her guard have all seen you, and by your own story, they think you a lover, although not altogether a favored one. I have met the beauty to-day-they have all seen me. They saw me kiss her, and think, that for a short acquaintance, I am a remarkably favored lover. You are a private, and I am an officer, and in that particular, of course, have the advantage. I will come upon you, after you have conversed a few moments, and take the lady under my protection. Her guard will be much more likely to permit me to walk with the lady alone than you, as I am an officer in favor with the general. Once near our horses, we have nothing to fear, and none of her guard are mounted. Now go Harry. If we must fight, all right."

As Adjutant Hinton started for the rock, Captain Hayward directed that the horses be brought into the main pathway. It was done, and all was in readiness.

As Harry reached the rock, Alibamo sprang forward to receive him.

"Let your action be constrained-do not embrace me-and speak low, dear Alibamo. The reason for this, you will discover presently."

"I know you have good cause for this request, my own Harry, but I must tell you how I love you!" replied Alibamo, as she bowed her head upon the breast of her lover. "But I have been here an hour-and I sang, in the hope you would hear my voice."

Some words of tenderness passed between the lovers, when Alibamo cried:

"What is that?"

It was at this moment that the brother of Alibamo, as narrated in the second chapter, creeping near the rock, had overheard her words, and had cried, "Then you are not my sister!"

"It is my brother! my own brother's voice. He has been near-has heard all!" shrieked Alibamo. Then checking herself, she said, in a low tone: "He thinks you a rebel, Harry! He forswears me! How can I undeceive him?"

"The guard has fired upon him. The camp is aroused-they are beating the long-roll. It is a desperate hazard now!"

"But my brother?"

"Quick-give me your apron-I will wave it-he may see its colors-and sing-sing, Alibamo-sing the Star-spangled Banner!"

Harry seized the apron, and commenced waving it, and Alibamo began to sing.

"Silence!" cried Hayward, who came up at that moment. "Silence that traitorous song. And give me that ensign of abolitionism. For shame, young man. Love has made you blind. Don't you see that the lady's apron which you are waving is a federal flag? It may be very romantic to meet young ladies at midnight on a moonlit-rock, and whisper love-tales; but you, sir, must not wave such things as this, merely to conciliate angry brothers. Now, go to camp, sir, and if I catch you at such tricks again, I shall order your arrest. I will take charge of the lady."

"Here are her guard sir," said Harry, in a subdued tone.

"Ah! yes. Are you mounted, boys?"

"No, captain."

"Then get within the lines as soon as possible. The federal army are advancing, and are within a few miles of us, and their scouts are but a short distance from this point. I have a horse, and will make my servant dismount and give the lady his horse!"

"All right, captain," replied the sergeant in command of the squad He had seen Hayward that day several times, and had no doubt he was just what he appeared.

Hayward had brought his own horse and that rode by Nettleton, within a few feet of the spot where he was then standing. The adjutant had already disappeared, as the captain handed the lady into the saddle and mounted his own horse. As he turned into the main road, a mounted orderly from the camp rode up to the squad and asked:

"Have you seen that fellow who was around camp to-day and pretended to be from McIntosh-the one that kissed Alibamo?"

"Yes, there he is, just-why he is going from the camp instead of toward it!"

"It is Captain Harry Hayward, of the federal army, and a spy. Fire upon him!"

A discharge of musketry rang through the woods, but the captain and his charge were too well covered by the trees and the darkness to be injured by it.

Captain Hayward heard the question, and striking his horse with the spur, he dashed forward at a rapid rate, followed by the whole party.

"The story I told the guard of the advancing army," said Hayward, "will prevent an immediate pursuit. But Price will know it is not true, and in an hour we shall be hotly followed. We must make the best of our time!"

The company did not pause for more than five hours, as it was daylight when the first halt was made. They had scarcely dismounted when the echoes of horses' feet were heard in the distance.

"We are pursued, but we must press forward. Those sounds cannot be more than a mile in the rear. They must have ridden very rapidly. But we will escape them without difficulty. We cannot be more than ten miles from our outposts, and they will not dare pursue us much farther." They had scarcely prepared to set off again, when Nettleton said:

"There come the skunks that went after the powder!"

It was true. In the opposite direction came the party of twenty. Behind, they were followed by they knew not how large a force, and before, twenty rebels were approaching. Whether they could be so easily misled this time, was a matter of considerable doubt.

"Quick-ride for the wood, Miss Alibamo. You may save yourself-we must fight. Stay! They see you. It will be too late; besides, we met this party once before, and they may not interrupt us at all. That which I fear most is, that they will detain us so long in conversation that the rear party will overtake us. But we must venture."

"They will know me, captain," said Alibamo.

"If a fight is inevitable, Alibamo, do you start for the river. White Surry can swim-he is accustomed to it. Plunge in-give him a loose rein, and he will bear you safely to the opposite shore. Then ride rapidly for camp. They are upon us."

"Well, captain, the army is moving, is it not?" asked Hayward.

"What army?" was the sullen question.

"Why, our army moves to-day-or at least the general so informed me; but I speak of the federal army. The general received information last night that Fremont would cross the river to-day at four o'clock. And I was sent to ascertain if this was so!"

"Indeed! And do you usually take women with you when you act as spies?"

"Not usually. But I thought my wife could gain admittance to the camp much more easily than a man!"

"Your wife. Bah! Very likely the general would let her go, when he knows she passes half her time singing the Star-spangled Banner, and wears the federal flag as an apron! She would betray us all, and never return."

"Look you, sir!" said Hayward sternly, "I don't intend to hold any argument with you, and I will not listen to any insults or insinuations. I married Alibamo last evening. She was an old friend, and will hereafter adhere Strictly to my cause and adopt my principles. You see, she no longer wears the flag as an apron!"

"I see it!"

"And when approaching the federal camp, do you suppose she would take it off, unless it was of her own accord?"

"I don't know. But I do want to know about that powder. When we got there, we found the powder gone, and a squad ready to receive us. We had to swim the river to get away, and, as it was, two of our own party were killed. Hello! There comes another party, headed by Branch. It may be all right, but d--n me if I don't hold you till they come up, because I believe you are nothing more nor less than abolition spies, and that the man you sent back after your revolver, went direct to Fremont and informed about the powder!"

He had scarcely finished these words, when Nettleton's gun came crashing on his head, and the brains flew in every direction. He fell from his horse, dead. The attack now commenced in earnest, but it had been so sudden on the part of the attacking party, that eleven of the rebels bit the dust before the party had sufficiently recovered from surprise to make any effective defence.

"Quick, Alibamo; to the river-save yourself-they are upon us!" shouted Hayward.

The first attacking party had been entirely scattered by the lightning blows dealt by the little Union band, but, as they saw the approach of at least fifty other horsemen, they rallied for another charge. The horses of Hayward and his party were worn and jaded-so were those of his pursuers, while those of the fallen foe were fresh.

"Spring into the saddles of those fresh horses-ride for your lives-quick!"

It was accomplished in an instant. The approaching party were now only a few yards from the devoted band, when a shot was fired, and with a groan Captain Hayward fell to the ground. In an instant, Adjutant Hinton was by his side.

"Captain-O God!-captain-speak!" he cried. "Are you hurt?"

"Here-these papers-take them-go-go-save yourself!"

"Never-never!" he cried. "Come on, ye fiends-I will sell my life dearly-I will die with my captain!"

"No-no! Alibamo-save her-those papers-go, I command-I am mortally hurt-save yourselves-you cannot benefit me!"

"You may live!"

"Then go, and return to rescue me-oh!" And Hayward spoke no more.

"Or to avenge your death!" cried Hinton, as he sprang into his saddle and darted from the spot, amid a shower of bullets, bearing the papers with him.

In an instant Hayward was surrounded, but they could not overtake the flying party, who had the advantage of fresh horses.

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