CHAPTER XIII
FRIENDS OF THE UNION
Noel's excitement gave place to alarm as he listened to the conversationin which the two men were engaged.
The lack of his uniform prevented him from trying to leave his room, andas yet he was uncertain whether or not the visitor even was aware that ayoung soldier of the Union was in the house.
For a time Noel listened intently, striving to discover something whichwould give him the information he desired; but the words of the visitor,whose part in the conversation was much greater than that of his tallhost, did not imply that he was suspicious.
There were moments when snatches of the conversation almost convincedNoel that the man was a spy. It was plain that he was more or lessfamiliar with the conditions existing in the Union army, but how he hadobtained such detailed information was something the listening youngsoldier was unable to explain.
"Where is McClellan now?" inquired Jim.
"Up near Frederick City."
"What's he doin' there?"
"What has he been doin' ever since he has been made commander?" laughedthe visitor. "He's waitin', that's what he is, and if he keeps it up alittle longer he won't have any more waitin' to do."
"Why not?"
"Because our army will snap him up between its jaws. I reckon thereweren't many men in the whole army of General Lee who thought it was agood thing to divide his forces as he did when he sent McLaws and Walkerafter Martinsburg and Harper's Ferry. Why, man alive, Lee split his armyright in two, and then put a good bit of distance between the two parts!If McClellan knew enough about it, and if he is very much of a generalhe would know, he would throw his whole force against either of thesedivisions and smash it to pieces, before the other could come to itshelp. As it is, he's still tryin' to make up his mind, I reckon, and theresult is that he's goin' to be caught between these two divisions justlike a mouse is caught between the jaws of a cat. We have got him justas shore as you are born."
"I don't believe it," said Jim slowly.
"It doesn't make any difference whether you believe it or not, that'swhat's going to happen," laughed the visitor.
"Now you say that Stuart's cavalry has been thrown out in such a waythat little Mac can't get any information about what Lee's plans are?"
"That's true enough, and yet, if McClellan had even a few men like thosethat are gettin' information for General Lee, he ought to know aboutit."
Noel fancied he could detect an importance in the words just spokenwhich confirmed him in his belief that the man in the other room was aspy from Lee's army. His excitement increased as his conviction gainedin power, and he almost groaned as he realized how helpless he was.Deprived of his uniform, without any weapon of defense, he was powerlessto interfere with the man or his plans.
"I reckon Little Mac will give a good account of himself befo' long,"said Jim positively.
"He'll have to make haste about it, then. He left Washin'ton with anarmy of nearly eighty-five thousand men. He ought to do something withsuch a body as that. Why, only last night, if he had made a nightmarch, he mought have got in possession of both Gaps--"
"What Gaps?"
"Why, Crampton's Gap and Turner's. He's lost his chance, though."
"You know a right sma't lot, don't you?" inquired Jim.
"That's my business."
"Well, I haven't any curiosity about this thing," said Jim, shaking hishead slowly as he spoke. "I'm satisfied to stay right here and be trueto the old flag. There comes Sairy Ann," he added, as Noel heard thesounds of the voices of women approaching from the stairway, which thenight before he had seen was on the opposite side of the room. It wasmanifest now that Sairy Ann also had her visitor, and as the two womenentered the room both men became silent.
"I done tole yo' how it is," Sairy Ann was saying. "I've said to yo'many times, 'Liza, that I wouldn't stand for no sech foolishness. I don'like the secesh. I never did and I never shall, and if yo' 'redetermined to be secesh yourself, then yo' 'll have to take theconsequences! I don't mind tellin' yo' all as how I hev made my will."
"Hev ye?" inquired the other woman, the tones of her voice implyingthat she was at once deeply interested.
"Yes, I hev, and instead of leaving yo' all the money I promised yo',I've willed yo' a pair o' my shoestrings."
"I don' believe yo' hev done any sech thing, Sairy Ann!" protested theother woman.
"I don't care whether yo' believe it or not. That's jest exactly what Ihev done. I hev set it down pertic'lar,--'To my oldest sister, 'Liza, Igive, bequeath and leave and likewise devise one pair of shoestrings.'"
"Well, I'd rather hev a pair of shoestrings and be loyal to my Statethan I would to hev all your money and be a Yank."
"Of course, _you_ would, 'Liza," snapped Sairy Ann. "That's because yo'don't know no mo'. If yo' knew mo', yo' wouldn't talk sech nonsense."
Whether or not the woman's argument was deemed sufficient, at all eventsthe conversation abruptly ceased when the visiting man said, "Now, I hevcome fo' yo' yere, 'Liza, and I don't intend to stay very long. You hevgot to make up your mind right sma't whether yo' 're goin' to come withme, or whether yo' 're going to stay here with your sister."
"That's right," sobbed Eliza. "That's right. First Sairy Ann picks on meand then my own husband he picks on me, too. I'm jest distracted. Idon't want to stay and I don't want to go."
"Yo' 're as bad as McClellan," broke in her husband. "I've come tenmiles out o' my way just toe get yo' and take yo' home, if yo' don'twant toe stay yere. If yo' think yo' 'll be safer along with theseYankee sympathizers, why jes' say so and stay yere. It doesn't mattervery much toe me either way. The only Yanks I can put up with are Jimand Sairy Ann, and I wouldn't put up with them very long if we allweren't members of the same family."
"I expect to be shot by the secesh, anyway," broke in Sairy Ann, "and Ihope yo' 'll go because I don't want to get shot by any o' my folks."
"We're goin' toe go," said the man.
To Noel's great relief preparations for departure were at once made.
It was not until the man and his wife had left, however, that themistress of the house brought the waiting young soldier his uniform.Tossing it inside the room, she called out in a voice, which in spite ofits sharpness was not unfriendly, "There's yer soldier clothes. Yo' allcan put them on and come out and get your breakfast."
Only a brief time had elapsed before the summons had been obeyed byNoel, and refreshed by the rest of the night and the clothes which SairyAnn had made thoroughly presentable, he entered the kitchen.
The tall form of the gaunt head of the house seemed to Noel to be eventaller than when he had first seen it in the dim light of the precedingnight. The expression of the man's face was so doleful that the youngsoldier felt a fresh sympathy for the sharp-toned woman for whom herhusband's slow and undecided ways were a constant source of irritation.As for Sairy Ann herself, Noel saw that her hair was of the tinge whichis sometimes associated with certain warlike propensities and also thatshe was cross-eyed. Indeed, the young soldier decided that never beforehad he seen any one whose eyes to all appearances might each serve theduty and the place of the other. He was uncertain when she spoke to himwhether or not she was looking at him, and he was somehow aware that thewoman was keenly aware of the impression which she made upon him.
However, his feeling of hunger was now supreme, and as soon as he wasbidden to take his place at the table, he began to do ample justice tothe simple fare which was provided. The manifest curiosity of the womanwas to have no occasion for gratification until the meal was more thanhalf done. Then, unable longer to restrain her feelings, she abruptlyinquired, "Now, then, what yo' all doin' here?"
"Just now I'm doin' my best to get ready to leave."
"Did yo' all hear any voices this mornin'?" inquired Jim slowly.
Aware that the interest of the woman in his reply was keen, Noel said,"Why, I heard some talk. Was there anything of special interest?"
"Naw. I reckon not
hin' what would be interestin' to yo' all," said Jim.
"Hey!" exclaimed Sairy Ann suddenly. "Here comes the Jew peddler. He washere day before yesterday. I told him then I didn't want anything, and Idon't see what for he comes around here pestering us again."
Noel looked up quickly as she spoke, and saw the peddler standing in thedoorway of the kitchen.
Instantly he recognized the trader as Levi Kadoff, the sutler whoseexperiences in the camp had been of such a trying nature that he haddeparted with many threats for the mischievous soldiers who hadtormented him.
He was positive that the peddler also recognized him, although not aword was spoken by either.
Entering the room, Levi whiningly begged the woman to make somepurchases.
"I don't want nothin'," declared Sairy Ann. "I told yo' so yesterday andday befo' when yo' were here. Yo' ought to take better care of yo'selfthan to be here where there's so many soldiers so near. Suppose yo' gotcaught right in the middle of the fight?"
"Dere vill be no fight," said Levi positively.
"How do yo' know there won't?"
"Because dere vill not be any."
"But how do yo' know?" protested the woman.
"Dot is vat der men says."
"What men?"
"All kinds of men. Now, please, mine goot voman, let me show you vatfine spectacles that I have?"
"What do you mean by that?" demanded Sairy Ann, abruptly rising fromher seat and facing the little peddler. "Yo' ain't gettin' personal, beye? What makes yo' think I need glasses?"
"Spectacles is all der styles now. I sells more glasses to young vimminsthan I do to der old vimmins."
Appeased by the explanation, the hostess resumed her seat, and a fewminutes later, when the little Jew displayed certain ribbons in hiswares, Sairy Ann hesitated and was lost, much to the disgust of theelongated Jim. She invested some "real Yankee money" in several stripsof bright yellow ribbon, doubtless selecting this particular colorbecause she fancied it would match both her hair and her eyes, for nowNoel was aware that even her eyes shared in the tawny color of her hairand skin.
By the time the trading was completed, Noel had finished his breakfastand was eager to be gone. He was desirous also of having someconversation with Levi, when later the little peddler, after onesearching glance at the face of the young soldier, left the place andNoel abruptly decided to go with him.
Thanking his hostess for her kindness in receiving and caring for him,he shook hands with her and her husband and taking his cap left thehouse.
Calling to Levi to wait for him to join him, he soon was in the roadwhere the sutler was standing. Advancing to his side, Noel prepared toaccompany the little peddler on his way, a decision which within a shorttime he had cause deeply to regret.