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THE WAR LIBRARY
Every available horse had been pressed
into the service.
The weather had turned cold, and the
und was covered with a thin coating of
sleet and ice.
The soldiers of both armies shivered in
their tents, or huddled round the bivouac
fires with few stories and fewer jokes.
The whole North, laboring under a mis-
apprehension of facts, thought Thomas hard
pressed, actually besieged b, Hood.
Grant. grew impatient—Grant, hundreds
of miles away, with his own hands full, and
confronted. by the ablest commander the
Confederacy had yet put into the field.
Thomas was ordered to move forward and
give Hood battle; but the Rock of Chicka-
mauga knew that soldiers cannot success-
fully storm ice-covered breastworks. .
- Wait until the sun would melt the ice,
and he would show the breathless North
what he could do. . .
During this time Nashville swarmed with
Confederate spies; but they obtained but
‘little valuable information, for Thomas
kept his plans to himself. |
Mountain Carl and his friends had reached
the city safely not long after the tragic
death of Captain Mably.
Kate found a home beneath the roof of a
loyal family, and the Websters were re-
_ united once more.
“JT do not urge the matter upon you,
sir, but we want _a capable man for the
. mission,’ General Thomas said one night to
a young man in his headquarters. .
*T will go, sir. If I have served the Union
army asa scout, there have been times when
my work has been that of aspy.” |
“We have no scouting for you justnow,
- and General Cox has informed me that you
* wish to be employed in some way.”
‘That is true,’”’ general.”
“Then, if that is the case,and you will
‘undertake the mission I have spoken of, I
shall intrust the duty to you.””
The listener, Mountain Carl, bowed and
* awaited orders. .
It was highly desirable at that time that
the Union commander should obtain cer-
' tain information from the Confederate army
*—information which could only be gotten
from frequenters of Hood’s headquarters.
The mission was regarded by Thomas as a
hazardous one, but Mountain Carl had not
hesitated to accept of it. co
- The inactivity of the Union army during
* the past week had irritated him.
_He was not used to being cooped up in a
city.
“He wanted work beyond the Union lines.
It is true that Kate was near and safe, that
Weldon Drake was once more his insepar-
able companion, but the excitement of war
was lacking. .
Weldon burned to meet Busby once more,
and the scout himself longed to encounter
Colonel Brashear, who had pursued Kate so
persistently ever since the engagement at
‘ranklin, .
Having received his instructions from
Thomas, Mountain Carl left Nashville by
_ the Hillsboro’ road, and entered the Con-
. federate lines without much difficulty.
- He was well disguised in a suit of Con-
federate gray, and felt confident that the
. keen eyes of Brashear would fail to detect
‘ his identity.
. “Keep an eye on Kate, Weldon,” were
among the last words addressed to his com-
rade before leaving the city. ‘There is no
telling what Colonel Brashear might seek to
do even if she is here.” .
“J wish he would show himself in Nash-
ville, Carl,” was Weldon’s quick reply. ‘* He
might not get off as easily as he did in Frank-
o
The friends separated, and Mountain Carl
“ began his journey, confident that the woman
- heloved would be protected during his ab-
sence,
- It was a cold, almost starless, night, but a
light in Hood’s headquarters relieved the
- gloom for ashort distance beyond the thresh-
old.
The Confederate general and several of his
chief commanders occupied camp-chairs
within, and were discussing matters which
were not expected to reach ears other than
their own. .
The guard had been removed a distance
from his usual post, lest his ears might hear
. the conversation going on beyond the all-
important door. .
Hood was freely discussing his Pans:
He had just had them approved by his gen-
erals, and wasin good humor. .
There were maps on the table in the mid-
dle of the room, and near by stood goblets
and several long-necked bottles, which told
that the expected victory had been toasted
in warming bumpers of champagne.
f Hood could have caught the gleam of
the pair of eyes which at that very moment
were regarding him from a certain spot
within easy earshot, he might have turned
pale and started up.
He could not see them from his position,
and, in ignorance of their proximity, he con-
tinued to frame and utter sentences wortha
great deal to Thomas, his opponent.
Allat once the Confederate generals were
startled to hear the guard halt some one,
and then a loud voice in remonstrance was
eard, .
“fT must see General Hood!” said this
voice.
“You cannot, sir. I have my orders to al-
low no one to pass me. General Hood is
holding a council at this moment——’
“That is just why I mustsee him,” was the
interruption.
“Stand back, sir!”
“Tam Colonel Brashear !’’
“T don’t careif you are President Davis.
You can’t pass here.”
At that moment General Hood left his of-
ficers, and hurried to the door.
“Let Colonel Brashear pass, guard,” he
said to the sentry. :
“T told you so,” growled Brashear. “Some
of you headquarter guards possess the pom-
posity of a Zulu king. I am all right now,
general.”
A moment later Archy Brashear presented
himself to the officers assembled in the little
apartment—Hood, Lee, Stewart, Cheatham
and Forrest.
He was greatly excited. His face was still
fiushed from his mad remonstrance with the
sentry. .
“T beg your pardon for disturbing the
council, gentlemen,”’ he said, after_a courte-
ous salute. ‘Iam here to say that Mountain
Carl, a character of whom you have heard,
has left Nashville on a secret mission. He
was closeted with Thomas just before leav-
ing. Hehas actually penetrated our lines,
and, if I may deliver an opinion here, I will
say that his duty is to listen, if possible, to
the discussions of an important council of
war like the present meeting.”
Hood manifested no alarm.
“Tf the Yankee scout can penetrate to m
headquarters and learn anything he is wel-
come to the news!” he exclaimed. ‘We
thank you for the interest displayed in this
matter, colonel, but for myself, I am not
afraid of this somewhat troublesome scout.”
Archie Brashear’s eyes seemed to flash re-
sentfully. ,
He was about to reply with spirit when he
caught Cheatham’s eye.
“We echo General Hood’s opinion,” said
this officer, mildly, ‘‘I would suggest that
the camp be searched for this Union spy.”
“T see no usein throwing the camp intoa
state of excitement about the fellow!”
snapped Hood. ‘As I was saying, gentle-
men, about our defenses on Montgomery
ill——’*
A half-muttered oath from Colonel Brash-
ear interupted the Confederate commander.
*T detai Xu for the duty you evidently
desire,’”’ said Hood, coloring, as he fastened
his eyes upon Brashear. ‘‘Hunt down the
Yankee spy, and deal with him according to
laws of war. Thatis all, sir.’
Biting his lip, the maddened colonel turned
away.
rihis is what a fellow gets for performing
aservice of incalculable value!’’ he grated,
ashe left the room with clinched hands.
Heavens! I wish I had kept aloof to-night
from the general, who deserves annihilation
for his pomposity. Hunt _the spy? No!
Mountain Carl, do your duty; I wouldn’t
apprehend you if I could. I have been a
fool for leaving Nashville to warn Hood of
his danger, Ican go back to the city and
leave him to his fate. I ought to do it.
willl”
Colonel Brashear did not see the figure
that crept after him from a point near the
Confederate headquarters.
It followed him through the camp, past the
graycoated pickets, and glided at his heels
toward Nashville.
Need we mention the tracker’s name?
CHAPTER XXIII.
A BOLD STROKE,
It was the ever memorable night of De-
cember fourteenth.
Thomas was ready to move on the mor-
row.
His last orders had been issued to his gen-
erals, and he felt confident that the trusts
imposed in them would not prove fruitless
0
There stood at the time of which we write
—and still stands, for that matter—near the
termination of one of the prominent streets
of Nashville a large frame house, plain-look-
ing but quite pretty.
Through the slats of the shutters of one of
the lower windows streamed the beams of a
lamp on the night mentioned at the begin-
ning of this chapter.
It was past midnight, but the room in
which the light burned was occupied by two
young women who were handsome and sym-
metrically formed.
They were Kate Kingford and Hetty Web-
ster, the latter Weldon Drake’s betrothed.
What had kept them up to such an unrea~
sonable hour?
A half opened note which lay on the table
might have answered our question.
It read as follows:
“Miss KATE:—If you will be awake at one o’clock,
you will receive an important visitor—one who has
your welfare at heart,and who requests an important
There was mystery about the note that
puzzled the mountain heroine.
Immediately upon receiving it, she had
sent Jack Bedloe to several places frequent-
ed by Mountain Carl, for the purpose of con-
sulting with him, but the scout had left the
camp on a secret mission for General Thom-
as, and could not be found.
She therefore sent for Hetty, who had re-
sponded in person, and Kate had persuaded
the major’s daughter to remain at her apart-
ments untilafter the hour designated in the
note,
“While you need not be present during
the interview, I want you to be within ear
shot,” said Kate, addressing Hetty. “Ido
not desire secret interviews, and will not
countenance them. Iam certain that some-
thing importent—a scheme of some kind—is
hidden in this note, though I cannot ferret
This is wby the two girls occupied the
room in the frame house in Nashville, after
the clock had struck twelve.
Suddenly the sound of carriage wheels was
heard, and the next moment a vehicle stop-
ped in front of the house.
“He is here!” exclaimed Kate, starting to-
ward the door. ‘Hetty, hide yourself in
yon room, quick! You can hear all, and
eside, you will be within call if needed.”
Hetty Webster immediately left the room,
and disappeared across a threshold as a door
closed behind her.
Kate was left alone.
Presently a knock sounded on the door
that opened upon the sidewalk, and thenext
moment she opened it.
On the stoop stood a tall man, enveloped
in a military cloak, like those sometimes
worn by officers of lofty rank.
Kate could not see much of his face, from
the manner in which he wore his hat, al-
though she attempted to see under its broad
brim and get a glimpse of his eyes. _
“T trust I have not kept you waiting, Miss
Kate,” he said, as the girl opened the door
far enough to admit of his entrance, for she
was confident that he was the sender of the
mysterious note. .
“Itis not quite one, I believe,’ she said,
noticing, as she closed the door, that the
carriage which had been driven to the edge
of the sidewalk remained there.
Stepping back ond preceding her noctur-
nal visitor, the Union girl admitted him into
the parlor of the house.
There he doffed his hat and threw back his
}.
=
oak,
Kate recoiled with a low exclamation of
astonishment.
**Colonel Brashear!”
A smile wreathed her visitor’s lips.
“You will pardon this intrusion, I trust,”
hesaid. “I had determined upon holding
this interview, although the means taken ~
for obtaining it may not meet with your ap-
roval.”
He stopped, and fixed his eyes on the girl.
“Go onl’ said Kate, glancing at the door
behind which Hetty Webster stood, hearing
every word, and probably seeing all. ‘Since
have reached me, Colonel Brashear, I
will listen to you.” :
“T thought you would!’’ exclaimed the
Confederate. “I risk my life in comin
here. Do you recollect the man who fe
from his horse when you discharged your
pistol not long ago, among the mountains?”
* I know that that person was you.”
“Tf you had not fired when you did, Kate,
Ishould have captured you.”
“Enough! Let us not discuss this. If past
recollections constitute your business here
torznigh ” ,
“They do not? I merely recalled the inci-