Activate Javascript or update your browser for the full Digital Library experience.
Previous Page
–
Next Page
OCR
+
THE WAR LIBRARY.
11
In the early dawn while the mist still
hung over the earth, [ espied a scarecrow in
the center of a large field, probably contain-
ing newly planted corn, which the vora-
cious crows in the neighborhood had a
weakness for.
My heart leaped at the sight.
Here was my opportunity.
Quickly I rushed toward the figure.
There were 2 coat, pants and a battered
hat, not very attractive garments, and at
which many anegro might have turned up
his nose, but to mein my present condition
they seemed a godsend.
{donned them.
Strauge what small favors will sometimes
awaken thespirit of gratitude.
Any person looking at me as I stood ar-
rayed in those rags after transferriug what
valuables I had to their pockets, would
lave surely thought I had small reason for
thankfulness, and yet never in all my life
did I become the recipient of a more accept-
able present.
Having disposed of my own tell tale gar-
mentsinahollow stump nearby, I started
off in the direction of a point where I had
told Pete [ would meet him.
f{ had covered about half the distance
when I heard a cry, und looking up hastily,
was astonished to see in frout of mesome
little distunce away, a stout rustic who car-
ried a long, two pronged pitchfork over his
shoulder.
Instantly I threw out my right arm—the
land of which was concealed in the sleeve
of the ragged coat—and ussumed the statue
esque position one could invest a respectable
scarecrow with.
The fellow stared first at me, then at the
stump back apiece and on his right,
where the scarecrow had been wont to
stand, afier which he rubbed his eye.
Then he began to cautiously advance.
Evidently T had not struck the proper
position.
Dropping my right arm, I threw out my
left, but as this did not appear to satisfy
him, I raised both arms on u horizontal.
till he advanced, and now taking his
long handled pitchfork from his shoulder he
helditas a soldier might. his gun in the
charge, und I began to see that, rustic
though theman might be, he had pluck, and
meant to asvertain what species of deviltry
possessed that old scarecrow to assume the
airs of a human being.
Determined to make one more effort to
frighten him before resorting to sterner acts,
I pointed one arm toward him ina highly
dramatic manner, and then, with the slow
and measured tread of the ghost in ‘*Ham
let,” I began advancing toward him,
He slackened his pace, but gripped his
pitchfork more firmly, as though his mind
was fully made up on the question of fight.
Run I could not, for I was tired, and a
glance at the long spider legs of the rustic
warned me that he could cover two feet to
my one, and thatif I showed flight, he would
probably overtake me and plunge that ugly
Weapou into my back ere I reached the
fence inclusing the fleld.
Drawing my revolver, therefore, without
letting him see the weapon, I managed to
tireitso that the leaden ball would whistle
past his ear.
The effect was just what I had anticipated,
and it could not have been a more complete
success.
No sooner had the lank rustic heard the
report of the firearm and the whistle of the
bulletin close proximity to his ears than all
his courage tied, and, turning, he shot off at
arate of speed that filled me with amaze-
ment, and which proved my suspicion cor-
rectinregard to being speedily overtaken
had I attempted flight.
I was dreadfully tempted to add wings to
his flight by sending unother shot after him,
but prudence forbade such a thing.
The flight of the lightning express was
nothing compared to his manner of getting
over ground, and at another time I would
have been lost in amazement.
Just then, however, I had something else
to think of, and this was also in the nature
of a tlight.
We both vanished from the field together,
and I have no doubt the astounded rustiv
never stopped until he reached the farm-
house, where he must have had a fearful
story to tell of the strange actions of the
scarecrow that had become imbued with
life, and could firea pistol with the best of
them.
Joining Pete, who laughed at my outland-
ish garb, we sought a hiding place a mile or
two away.
This we eventually found ina large hay-
stack thatjstood near the barn of a farmer.
We might have entered the latter but it
was locked, and besides did not seem to have
a loft of any kind.
Pete showed me how to burrow into the
haystack, and by following his directions I
soon found myself snugly ensconced in the
middle of it.
Evidently it had been used for this pur-
pose before, for we found quite a chamber
in the heart of it.
This promised to bea good resting place
without any danger, and hungry as we were,
we lay there and was asleep in less than five
minutes.
CHAPTER X.
IN THE HAYSTACK,
It seemed as though we could not do any-
thing without adventure.
One would think that when we were snug-
ly ensconced in the heart of the haystack
we would hardly be disturbed,
Before night came again we learned to be-
lieve that Fate was playing with us much as
i cat does with a mouse, and that no matter
what precautions we took, we could not se-
cure safety.
1 The morning, as usual, we passed in slum-
yer,
I dozed again at times during the early
afternoon, but could not do myself justice,
for whenever I fell into slumber it was to at
once dream of some royal entertainment
~vhere the tables fairly groaned under the
weight of good things upon them.
Each time, just as I was about to satisfy
my pressing demand for food, I found my
arm or jaws paralyzed, so that not a morsel
could I force into my mouth.
Then my struggles would be so great that
I would awaken myself from sleep to find
the feast all a delusion, and sober realit:
around me in theshape of a hollow haystac
and nothing to eat.
So much for au empty stomach.
About the middle of the afternoon, or
along toward evening, 1 heard the approach
of horsemen.
There was a place opposite the entrance to
the haystack, where I could peep out in the
direction of the house.
My observations were not without re-
sult.
Isaw half a dozen Confederate horsemen
ride up to the house and hastily dismount.
By the way in which they entered the
house, leaving one of their number outside
in front and anotherin the rear, I knew
they were looking for some one, and asI
felt sure it could not be us, my only idea in
connection with them was that they were
hunting for deserters. -
There were always many in the South who
were forced into the army against their will,
and who, whenever the opportunity came,
risked everything in the break for liberty.
This they were better able to do than thse
in the Union ranks of thesame notion, being
nearer their own homes and not in a hostile
country, as the Army of the Potomac gen-
erally was.
When it became known that Lee intended
invading the North at last, most of his sol-
diers were wild with delight; but these
weakbacks became alarmed, and all who
could do so made tracks, s0 that there was
much hunting and scouring the country in
search of the runaways.
I watched the fun, never dreaming that it
would come as near home as it did.
After a time the soldiers reappeared, and it
was easy to see from their gestures that the
search in the mansion had been fruitless.
One who seemed to be the leader then gave
directions.
Two of the men started toward the corn-
crib, a third in the direction of the fowl
house, while the other three tookup a lineof
march in our direction, though the barn
was their evident destination.
Isought the main opening, over which the
hay fell, concealing it.
From this point of observation I could
plainly see the barn, which was only some
twenty paces away.
Isaw the three men reach it, and the
leader unlocked the door with a key which
te had evidently procured from the lady of
the mansion.
As the door opened, himself and one other
stalked into the barn, the third fellow hold-
ing back.
At first [ thought he was to be the guard.
In this I soon found myself mistaken.
When his comrades had gotten well into
the barn this fellow looked after them, and
then turning cast a rapid glance around
m.
As if satisfied that the coast was clear, he
came with rapid strides, directly in the
course that would lead him to the haystack.
Immediately the truth flashed into my
brain.
This fellow knew of the hollow in the
heart of the great haystack. Perhaps he
had made it himself at some time in the past
when he worked on the place, to have ready
for any emergency.
As [realized this fact, I prepared for his
reception.
I knew that it was his intention to make a
brief examination of the haystack.
if he found the deserter in ita cavity he
would announce the result to his comrades;
but he did not want to give away the secret
without there was some benefit to be derived
from it.
‘There was only one thing to be gone.
That I had already determined upon, and
creeping back to where Pete lay I whispered
a few directions in bis ear.
Then we both crouched in the little cavit,
at the mouth of the little tunnel and waited.
We were as silent as death, and hence it
was easy to hearthe sounds made by the’
Confederate soldier.
knew when he reached the haystack, and
that he was either listening to discover if
there was any signs of life within, or else tak-
ing an observation to make sure he was not
watched.
There was little chance of his being seen,
for his companions were too busy in their
search, as the opening of the little tunnel
in the stack was away from the house.
Theu I heard him entering.
I could tell every advance he made, and
Pete was waiting there like a crouching
tiger, his brawny hands opened like great
traps, ready to clutch the throat of the un-
fortunate man when I gave the signal.
It was a thrilling tableau, or would have
made such a one, could light have been sud-
denly thrown upon it.
.At last I knew that the time had come.
The fellow’s head was within the opening.
As Pete felt my hand, clasped upon his
arm, make a sudden clutch, the signal agreed.
upon between us, he made a sudden dart
forward.
He was possessed in some degree with the
cat-like power of seeing in the dark, and [I
knew I could trust him to do the job.
Theard a half grunt, half exclamation.
Then there was the sound ofaslight strug-
gle as Pete drew the fellow bodily into the
cavity by means of the death clasp he had
upon his neck.
But for my injunction I believe Pete
would have murdered the fellow, for he
seemed to beimbued with the false idea that
they were hunting for him,
I drew him away just in time.
The soldier was insensible, and from his
condition it seemed probable that he would
remain so for some time.
His heart still beat faintly and I knew that
Pete had been forced to release his hold in
ct
ime,
Pretty soon the two fellows in the barn
came out.
I did not notice that they expressed any
surprise at the disappearance of their com-
de.
They proceeded at once to the mansion
where they were joined by the other three,
whose search of the hennery and corn-crib
had resulted without any good effects.
The whole five then entered the house
again, and it was not long before Isaw that
they intended dining there.
Out in the back yard there was a great
flutter among the fowls as they were fed by
the black cook, who was presently joined
by the leader of the little detachment, who,
selecting his victims, killed three fowls wu
rapid order, with his revolver.
It was not a great while ere the savory odor
of cooking meat was waftedin our direc-
tion, and in our hungry condition it almost
set us wild.
Leven contemplated exchanging clothes
with the soldier who wasin our power, and
had he resembled me in looks to any degree,
I might have been rash enough to have at-
tempted such a freak.
When I found his face smooth and boyish,
I was compelled to give over the idea, though
with considerable reluctance.
One thing that comforted us was the fact
the day was now almost spent.
As soon as the shades of darkness had de-
scended we could leave the place.
When the five soldiers had finished their
repast, they made their appearance in front
of the house.
They did not seem to be worried very
much over the absence of their comrade,