Part 8 (1/2)

”Oh, Mr. Huntsworth,” she cried, ”I have something to tell you,” and she rapidly related the incident of the young Lieutenant.

”Are you sure the fellow was telling the truth?” queried the old man smiling at her enthusiasm. ”Sometimes rascals tell all sorts of stories in order to get money.”

”This man was a gentleman and I know he was truthful. He didn't want to take the money at all. I had to plead with him to get him to do it.

Besides he did not speak to me until I had spoken to him first. He was not strong enough for duty and he showed it.”

”Then, my dear, you have done a n.o.ble thing. If the young man told the truth his position is indeed a sad one. His rebel kinsmen would turn from him if he espoused the cause of the Union and his duty is doubly hard that he must fight against father, home, neighbors and friends. I am afraid that we do not appreciate all that a man gives up when, a Southerner by birth, he throws his lot in with ours. Many high-minded men have gone with the South because their state went that way, and it takes n.o.bleness indeed to rise above the call of one's own state when the government demands the sacrifice. I should like to have seen the young fellow. Did he give his name?”

”Why, I did not think to ask it,” exclaimed Jeanne. ”But father will know of course.”

”So you really believe that he will go to your father's.”

”Certainly I do.”

”Oh, for the faith of childhood,” exclaimed Mr. Huntsworth. ”But whether he does or not you seemed to have infused new life into him and that is what a man needs most when he is discouraged. You are a true patriot, child. But now, my little Quixote, let's go to General Wallace. I have explained everything to him, but he desires to see you personally.”

The headquarters of Gen. Lewis Wallace who was at this time in charge of the city of Memphis were soon reached, and Jeanne and her friend were ushered into his presence. A man of medium height, rather slender in build, stern of feature but whose eyes beamed with kindness, serious of mien and visage and habited in a plain suit of blue flannel with two stars upon his shoulders denoting a Major-General in the United States Army, rose to greet them. Full of chivalric dash, possessing a cool head with a capacity for large plans and the steady nerve to execute whatever he conceived, the young General was an interesting figure and Jeanne gazed at him with some curiosity.

”So, my little maid,” said the General. ”You wish to go to New Orleans?”

”Yes, sir,” answered Jeanne returning his scrutiny modestly.

”Do you not know that it will be a difficult matter to do so? Farragut is still storming the batteries of Vicksburg and while a transport goes this morning to take supplies to Captain Davis, and you could go down that far on it, still it is scarcely the time for a girl to make a visit.”

”I must go, General,” said Jeanne firmly.

”Will you tell me why, my child?”

”I cannot, sir.”

”But I cannot let you subject yourself to danger unless there is some necessity for it. It seems to me that a mere visit could be postponed until a safer season. Now unless there are urgent reasons for it I feel compelled to forbid your going.”

”Sir,” said Jeanne blus.h.i.+ng at her temerity yet speaking boldly notwithstanding, ”there are urgent reasons for my going. I do not wish to tell them because they concern the government. But my father would not have let me come had there not been necessity.”

”You surely do not mean that you are an emissary of the government?”

exclaimed the General in surprise. ”Why, you are but a little girl.”

”But exceedingly patriotic, General,” interrupted Mr. Huntsworth. ”She has given a fair to raise money for the soldiers, made I don't know how many s.h.i.+rts, socks and handkerchiefs and just now emptied her purse to send a soldier home to her parents to be taken care of. Best of all she can relish a pun when she hears one which you will agree is a rare accomplishment for a girl or even a woman. Oh, she is capable of anything.”

”I believe it,” laughed the General. ”I fear that I shall have to give up before such a formidable array of accomplishments. Have you really done all those things?”

”All but the s.h.i.+rts,” answered Jeanne shyly, ”mother makes those. You see father works for the government, mother is in the Women's Relief a.s.sociation and d.i.c.k is in the army, so I just had to do something to help too.”

”I see,” said the General. ”What is your father's name?”

”Richard Vance, sir.”

”Richard Vance!” exclaimed the General. ”Oh! I understand everything now.

You shall go to New Orleans, child, if our boats can get you there. The transport will start in an hour. Can you be ready to go by that time?”