CHAPTER VII.
_The Brother--The War Scout--The Union Camp--The Trail._
Find them--bring them back--then ask for millions.
_Old Play._
When William Margrave, the brother of Alibamo, had been discovered, andfired upon by the guard, after having seen his sister, and heard hervoice, he knew that his assistance would be of no avail. He at oncestarted for the cabin where were his friends Johnson and Fall-leaf, butnot until he had seen Alibamo mount her horse, and, with her friend,dash forward from the camp. He saw the soldiers as they fired after theretreating form of his sister and her friend, and also saw that theywere unhurt.
"It is a rescue; still, I cannot understand it--I cannot conceive howshe came to meet friends from the Union army, or how they became awareof her presence in the rebel camp."
He pursued his course to the river, and crossing, soon reached thecabin. As he entered, Johnson rose to receive him.
"Your return is sudden. What has happened?" he asked.
"All for the best!"
"Explain."
"It _was_ my sister's voice that I heard I saw her--I spoke to her."
"Could you not save her?"
"I would have done so, or died by her side. But she had other friendswith her. I saw her with two men, one of them disguised as a rebelofficer. Or, at least, so I suppose, for he led her to a horse, helpedher to mount, and rode rapidly away, while the guard who had just comeup, fired after them. She is on her way to the Union camp, and willreach it in a short time, if nothing happens."
"Are you sure those who rescued her were Union soldiers?"
"I can only judge by what I saw."
"What do you intend doing?"
"How is Fall-leaf?" asked Margrave.
"Me well--well!" answered the Indian.
"Why, how is this? I thought Fall-leaf was badly wounded."
"No! his wounds are slight. That in his breast or side, is merely aflesh-wound. The shot struck a rib, and glanced off. A second shotstruck him near the temple, and stunned him. But he is not seriouslyinjured."
"Can he walk?"
"Me walk--well!" replied Fall-leaf, as he arose and strode across theroom.
"Then we must go at once to the federal camp. Can you walk so far,Fall-leaf?"
"Me go down--horse--there!"
"He has a horse concealed among the trees, but a short distance down theriver, and on this side," replied Johnson.
"Have you never entertained any suspicion that my sister was withPrice?"
"Oh, yes. But Price has never placed any confidence in me, and never,except at this last visit, have I been permitted to enter, or leavecamp, without the presence of a guard."
"Well, let us be off. We must keep on this side of the river to avoidscouts."
The party walked down to the bank of the Osage, and striking a narrowpath, took their course toward Warsaw. The Indian secured his horse, andmounting, rode by the side of his friends.
It was late in the afternoon when they reached the Union camp. The firstthing Margrave did upon his arrival was to acquaint the general with allthe particulars, and requested to be shown those officers or soldierswho had that day returned from the rebel camp, in the hope of findinghis sister. He was directed to Adjutant Hinton, and with a beating hearthe sought his presence. He found the adjutant in deep grief, but hearose to receive him.
"Why, you are the officer whom I saw standing upon the rock with mysister," said Margrave.
"Then you are the brother of Alibamo?"
"I am."
"Do you know where she is?"
"Where she is?" echoed Margrave, with surprise. "Why, I came here tolearn where she is!"
"Ah! yes. Well, my friend, I am deeply distressed with regard to yoursister. She should have been here before this."
"Why, did she not leave with you?"
"She started with myself and friends, but we were met by overwhelmingnumbers about ten miles from this place, and a terrible fight ensued.Our captain was killed, or very badly wounded, and our party scattered.I saw Alibamo riding for the river, intending to swim her horse acrossit. The captain fell, and I turned to rescue him. He was nearly gone,but told me to save myself and Alibamo. That name acted like a magic,and, coward that I was, I left my captain, and sought her. But, I couldnot find her--neither any of my friends. I returned to camp alone! Oh!my God, if I had only remained, and died with them!"
George, the negro, now entered the tent. His countenance was the veryindex of terror.
"George, are they alive?" almost shrieked the adjutant.
"Oh! yes--yes--Gor a mighty, massa adjutump--day's fifty ob em!"
The adjutant saw the negro was too much frightened to give any correctaccount, and he tried to reassure him.
"You are safe now. Nothing can harm you here."
"Sartin shuah ob dat, massa adjutump?"
"Sure, George. But now tell me what you know of our friends."
"Oh! golly massa adjutump, dis chile neber was so skeered. Dar wasfifty."
"Where is Captain Hayward!"
"Killed--dead--shuah pop--oh! golly!"
"Where is Captain Young?"
"He's here, massa adjutump."
Captain Young entered the tent.
"You are alive; but where are our friends?" asked the adjutant.
"I know not, I lost sight of them, and supposed them all killed butmyself."
"George, where is Nettleton?"
"I dun know. De las time dis chile see Cap'n Nettletum he jump his hosin the riber after de gal, O Lord!"
"What became of the lady, George?"
"Oh! golly! massa adjutump, she's safe wid de rebels!"
"What do you mean?"
"Why, ye see, massa adjutump, when dis chile see de cap'n fall downdead, he was so skeered he tumble rite off his horse. So I creep into debushes, and just as de gal she got to de riber, a big black debil hecotch hold on her an say, 'Ha! ha! now I got hold on you, my booty,' andden he tuck her off an dis chile didn't see her no more."
"She is again in the hands of the rebels, and we must again rescue her,even if it costs a thousand lives. Oh! wretch--wretch that I am--I havemurdered my captain, and have not saved her!"
"Please don't, massa adjutump!"
"Don't what?"
"Why, don't take dis chile wid you any more. He get killed, shuah."
"Don't be alarmed. I don't want you."
"Me go see--me follow," said the Indian.
"Go where?"
"After pale-face!"
"How can you ascertain which way they have taken her?"
The Indian made the motion of creeping on the ground. Then he stamped itwith his foot, and pointed to the mark. Johnson said:
"He means he will go to the river where Alibamo was seized, take themeasure of the horse's shoe, from its impression in the sand, and followthe trail. We will go with him--that is myself and Alibamo's brother."
"_I_ must go. But stay. Nettleton has not yet returned, I have greatconfidence in that fellow. He may bring us intelligence."
"You had better remain here in the event of his return," said Margrave."We will follow the trail, and when we have gained the information werequire, we will let you know, and you may be able to assist us."
"We are to march to-morrow for Springfield. Price moves to-day forCassville, and if Alibamo is again in the hands of that wretch, Branch,she will probably be removed to that place. But go, and success attendyou."
The two friends, together with Fall-leaf, left the camp, and proceededin the direction of the place where the skirmish occurred. In the courseof two hours they reached the spot. Several of the dead still were uponthe field, unburied, but no sign of any human being was visible,excepting these. The Indian sought for traces upon the river's bank, anddiscovering a spot where an evident struggle had taken place--where_two_ horses had been turned around, and had proceeded on their way_from_ the river at a much slower pace than _toward_ it, judging fromthe length of the steps.
These tracks were closely followed, and it wasobserved that they soon merged into others, and could no longer bedistinguished. The course of the entire squadron of cavalry was _toward_the camp of Price, and it was decided, that the reason the firstdiscovered marks of the horse's shoe could no longer be seen was, thatthey were in the lead, and those which followed obliterated theimpression. And it was reasonable to suppose that Branch and Alibamowould ride at the head of the column.
The friends followed the trail until it turned to the left, and tookits direction across the mountain. Upon the other side it was lost toview in the main road, among the thousand tracks which appeared in themud. But they had seen sufficient to satisfy them that not only thissquad, but the entire army under Price were on their retreat. Theydetermined to follow on, and, if possible, to rescue Alibamo, and ifthis could not be done, to get exact information as to where she waskept, and then to return for assistance.