Part 9 (1/2)

”Sure,” Driscoll repeated. ”We're the big raiders come to gobble up all the blue bellies, 'less they walk out all nice an' peaceful, leavin'

their popguns behind 'em for better men to use. I'd say that theah was the inn, Rennie--”

They saw their first Yankees, a blot of blue by the horse trough at the edge of the center square. And Drew, surveying the enemy with a critical and experienced eye, was sure that he was indeed meeting either green troops or militia. They were as wide-eyed in their return stare as the civilians on the streets around.

Kirby chuckled. ”Strut it up, roosters,” he urged from the corner of his mouth. ”Cutthroats, banditti, hoss thieves--jus' downright bad hombres, that's us. They expect us to be on the peck, all horns an' rattles.

Don't disappoint 'em none! Their tails is half curled up already, an'

they're ready to run if a h.o.r.n.y toad yells Boo!”

To the outward eye the three riding leisurely down the middle of the Bardstown street had no interest in the soldiers by the trough. Drew in the middle, the white rag dropping from the barrel of his carbine, brought the black a step or two in advance. Just so had Castleman ridden into Lexington earlier, and that had been at night with a far more wary and dangerous enemy to face. The scout's confidence rose as he watched, without making any show of his surveillance, the uneasy men ahead.

One of them broke away from the group, and ran into the inn.

”Wonder who's roddin' this outfit,” Kirby remarked. ”That fella's gone to rout him out. Do your talkin' like a short-trigger man, Drew.”

They pulled rein in front of the inn and sat their horses facing the door through which the soldier had disappeared. His fellows edged around the trough and stood in a straggling line to front the Confederates.

”You!” Drew caught the eye of the nearest. ”Tell your commanding officer General Morgan's flag is here!”

The Yankee was young, almost as young as Boyd, but he had less a.s.surance than Boyd. Now the boy stammered a little as he answered:

”Yes ... yes, sir.” Then he added in a rush, ”General who, sir?”

”General John Hunt Morgan, Confederate Cavalry, Army of the Tennessee, detached duty!” Drew made that as impressive as he could, whether it was worded correctly according to military protocol or not. It was, he thought with satisfaction, a nicely rounded, important-sounding speech, although a bit short.

”Yes, sir!” The boy started for the door, but he was too late.

The man who erupted from that portal was short and stout, his face a dramatic scarlet above the dark blue of his unb.u.t.toned coat. He stopped short a step or two into the open and stood staring at the three on horseback, that scarlet growing more dusky by the second.

”Who ... are ... you?” His demand was expelled in heavy puffs of breath.

”Flag from General Morgan,” Drew repeated. Then to make it quite plain, he added kindly, ”General John Hunt Morgan, Confederate Cavalry, Army of the Tennessee, detached duty.”

”But, but Morgan was defeated ... at Cynthiana. He was broken--”

Slowly Drew shook his head. ”The General has been reported defeated before, suh. No, he's right here outside Bardstown. And I wouldn't rightly say he was broken either, not with a couple of regiments behind him--”

”Couple of regiments!” The man was b.u.t.toning his coat, his red jowls sagging a little, almost as if Drew had used the carbine across his unprotected head. ”Couple of regiments ... Morgan ...” he repeated dazedly. ”Well,” sullenly he spoke to Drew, ”what does he want?”

”You're a captain,” Drew spoke crisply. ”You'll return with us to discuss surrender terms with an officer of equal rank!”

”Surrender!” For a moment some of the sag went out of the other.

”Two regiments--an' you have maybe eighty or ninety men.” Kirby gazed with critical disparagement at such Union forces as were visible.

”One hundred and twenty-five,” the officer repeated mechanically and then glared at the Texan.

”One hundred and twenty-five then.” Kirby was willing to be generous.

”All ready to hold this heah town. I don't see no artillery neither.” He rose in his stirrups to view the immediate scene. ”Goin' to fight from house to house maybe--?”