Part 74 (1/2)

”How long have I slept?” asked Mary, hurriedly obeying.

”You couldn't 'a' more'n got to sleep. Sam oughtn't to have shot back at 'em. They're after 'im, hot; four of 'em jess now pa.s.sed through on the road, right here past my front gate.”

”What kept them back so long?” asked Mary, tremblingly attempting to b.u.t.ton her dress in the back.

”Let me do that,” said the woman. ”They couldn't come very fast; had to kind o' beat the bushes every hundred yards or so. If they'd of been more of 'em they'd a-come faster, 'cause they'd a-left one or two behind at each turn-out, and come along with the rest. There; now that there hat, there, on the table.” As Mary took the hat the speaker stepped to a window and peeped into the early day. A suppressed exclamation escaped her. ”O you poor boy!” she murmured. Mary sprang toward her, but the stronger woman hurried her away from the spot.

”Come; take up the little one 'thout wakin' her. Three more of 'em's a-pa.s.sin'. The little young feller in the middle reelin' and swayin' in his saddle, and t'others givin' him water from his canteen.”

”Wounded?” asked Mary, with a terrified look, bringing the sleeping child.

”Yes, the last wound he'll ever git, I reckon. Jess take the baby, so.

Sam's already took her cloze. He's waitin' out in the woods here behind the house. He's got the critters down in the hollow. Now, here! This here bundle's a ridin'-skirt. It's not mournin', but you mustn't mind.

It's mighty green and cottony-lookin', but--anyhow, you jess put it on when you git into the woods. Now it's good sun-up outside. The way you must do--you jess keep on the lef' side o' me, close, so as when I jess santer out e-easy todes the back gate you'll be hid from all the other houses. Then when we git to the back gate I'll kind o' stand like I was lookin' into the pig-pen, and you jess slide away on a line with me into the woods, and there'll be Sam. No, no; take your hat off and sort o'

hide it. Now; you ready?”

Mary threw her arms around the woman's neck and kissed her pa.s.sionately.

”Oh, don't stop for that!” said the woman, smiling with an awkward diffidence. ”Come!”

”What is the day of the month?” asked Mary of the spy.

They had been riding briskly along a mere cattle-path in the woods for half an hour, and had just struck into an old, unused road that promised to lead them presently into and through some fields of cotton. Alice, slumbering heavily, had been, little by little, dressed, and was now in the man's arms. As Mary spoke they slackened pace to a quiet trot, and crossed a broad highway nearly at right angles.

”That would 'a' been our road with the buggy,” said the man, ”if we could of took things easy.” They were riding almost straight away from the sun. His dress had been changed again, and in a suit of new, dark brown homespun wool, over a pink calico s.h.i.+rt and white cuffs and collar, he presented the best possible picture of spruce gentility that the times would justify. ”'What day of the month,' did you ask? _I_'ll never tell you, but I know it's Friday.”

”Then it's the eighteenth,” said Mary.

They met an old negro driving three yoke of oxen attached to a single empty cart.

”Uncle,” said the spy, ”I don't reckon the boss will mind our sort o'

ridin' straight thoo his grove, will he?”

”Not 'tall, boss; on'y dess be so kyine an' shet de gates behine you, sah.”

They pa.s.sed those gates and many another, shutting them faithfully, and journeying on through miles of fragrant lane and fields of young cotton and corn, and stretches of wood where the squirrel scampered before them and reaches of fallow grounds still wet with dew, and patches of sedge, and old fields grown up with thickets of young trees; now pus.h.i.+ng their horses to a rapid gallop, where they were confident of escaping notice, and now ambling leisurely, where the eyes of men afield, or of women at home, followed them with rustic scrutiny; or some straggling Confederate soldier on foot or in the saddle met them in the way.

”How far must we go before we can stop?” asked Mary.

”Jess as far's the critters'll take us without showin' distress.”

”South is out that way, isn't it?” she asked again, pointing off to the left.

”Look here,” said the spy, with a look that was humorous, but not only humorous.

”What?”

”Two or three times last night, and now ag'in, you gimme a sort o'