Part 103 (2/2)

I had just raised the cup of tea to my lips, amid warnings from the family, to take care or I would be captured, when a cavalryman galloped up the hill, and stopped in front of the door.

”Look out, the Yankees are coming!” he cried.

I glanced through the window, and recognized a man of Mohun's command, who also recognized me.

”How near are they?” I said, attempting to swallow the burning tea.

”Not a quarter of a mile off, colonel!”

”That will give me time,” I said.

And I applied myself again to the tea, which this time I poured out into the saucer, in order to cool it.

”Look out, colonel!” cried the man.

”Where are they?”

”At the gate.”

I finished the tea, and the goblet of cream just as the man shouted:--

”Here they are, right on you, colonel!”

And I heard the sound of a galloping horse, accompanied by shots at the retreating cavalryman.

I went quickly to the window. A column of Federal cavalry was rapidly ascending the hill. By the last beams of day I recognized Darke at the head of the column; and by his side rode Mr. Alibi. I thought I could see that Darke was thin and very pale, but was not certain. The light was faint, and I had only one glance--discretion suggested a quick retreat.

I just grazed capture--pa.s.sing through the door, in rear of the mansion, at the very moment when a number of the enemy, who had hastily dismounted, rushed in at the front door.

Tom was mounted, and holding my horse, which the good boy had saddled with his own hands. I leaped to saddle, and had scarcely done so, when a pistol bullet whizzed by my head. It had crashed through a pane of the window from within--and a loud shout followed. We had been perceived.

Under these circ.u.mstances, my dear reader, we always ran in the late war. Some persons considered it disgraceful to run or dodge, but they were civilians.

”Don't run until you are obliged to, but then run like the ----!” said a hard-fighting general.

And one day when a lady was telling General R.E. Lee, how a friend of hers had dodged once, the general turned to the laughing officer, and said in his deep voice, ”That's right captain, dodge all you can!”

I have often dodged, and more than once have--withdrawn rapidly. On this occasion, Tom and I thought that retreat was the wisest course. In a moment we had disappeared in the woods, followed by pistol shots and some of the enemy.

They did not pursue us far. The Federal cavalry did not like the Virginia woods.

In ten minutes their shots were no longer heard; their shouts died away; and returning on our steps, we came once more in sight of Disaways and reconnoitred.

The enemy were not visible, and riding up, we dismounted and entered.[1]

[Footnote 1: ”I have taken up too much s.p.a.ce with this trifle,” said Colonel Surry when I read this, ”but that hot tea was a real cup of tea! I was really burned nearly to death, in attempting to swallow it!

The dialogue with my friend, the cavalryman, was real; and it is just these trifles which cling to the memory, obscuring the 'greater events!'”]

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