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14
THE WAR LIBRARY
my mind that here might be an opportunity
fora display of a little rashness.
If Miss Worth would stick by me and call
mean old friend of hers, I might pass mus+
ter even in a squad of graycoats, who would
never think of suspecting one who wasa
niece of a general. -
No sooner had I discovered who the men
were than this plan received its death blow.
I wore the garments of their missing com-
rade, which, no doubt, were well known to
them, and once suspicion was aroused, no
earthly power could save me.
It was, therefore, decidedly best that I
take to a hiding-place as quickly as pos-
sible.
Turning, I looked at Miss Worth.
I found her eyes fastened upon me, and I
knew therefore that she had been thinking
**Come!”’ she said, quietly. =
Ifoliowed her to a back hall, and she
stopped before a door that was closed.
“That leads to the cellar. Hide down
there whileI try to distract their atten-
ion.”
I saw by her words that she understood
the soldiers were after me, but had no time
to say aught, though I caught her little hand
and pressed it warmly.
Another moment and the cellar door was
quietly shut behind me.
I was alone in the dark.
Quickly I groped iny way down the stairs.
When I reached the bottom I knew not
which way to turn, and drew out a match
with the intention of striking it.
There was dunger in this, of course, for
the cellar undoubtedly had windows, and
these might not be below the surface of the
ground, in which case one of the sentries
outside might catch a glimpse of the sudden
light and thus discover my presence.
AsIstruck the match I could hear the
heavy thump of cavalry boots ou the veran-
da,as the lieutenant and his comrade as-
cended the steps.
With the light I sent my eyesaround to do
their full duty.
The general’s cellar was not. different to a
material extent from other cellars.
There wasn goodly stock of material in
the way of food, considering how man
Southern families of formmer wealth and af-
fluence were in a starving condition just
then, and [ could not but think how nice it
would be if Pete and I had a portion of those
munitions of war in the shape of a ham and
canned goods.
That was no time for such reflections, how-
ever, and Iut once banished these thoughts
to turn my full attention to the business on
a
nd.
Isaw that while there was no chance of
the light of the burning match betraying
me, the windows being several. feet under
ground witha bricked opening outside, at
the same time I had little hope of escape
from them, as iron bars had been so placed
asto prevent any marauding negro from
entering the cellar and store-room on a
plundering expedition, and therefore what
was suflicient to keep the darkies out must
be strong enough to retain me a prisoner.
Isaw but little more than this when the
flame of the match burned my fingers, and
I let it drop in a hurry.
Before I could light another I heard the
gruff voice of the rebel lieutenant, the same
that had bellowed out ‘*Tom Harris’? when
that worthy was lying senseless beside Pete
and [in the haystack.
Instinctively I stopped to listen.
The conversation was highly entertaining,
and I realized at once that the lieutenant
had been indulging in frequent potations,
else he would nof. have so far forgotten him-
self in the presence of the wife and niece of
the famous Confederate general.
*“Madam, we are here to search your
house.”’ :
‘Search the house!’’ cried the lady's
oice.
‘Search the house; pray what for?’’ echo-
ed a second voice, which by its sweetness I
recognized.
“Wor adeserter who escaped from us yes-
terday afternoon and for whom we have
been searching ever since.”
“ But what reason have you for believing
he isin this house?) Do you know that this
lady is the wife of General Stiles?’ ques-
tioned Miss Worth.
“That don’t alter the matter a bit, I have
information to the effect that our man_was
seen entering this house, and I mean to have
him, I’ll beanswerable to the general for
myaction. My orders were to search any
suspected house, no matter if it was Presi-
dent Davis’ in Richmond, and I intend todo
it, you bet.”
“Then you mean to declare that we have
secreted ‘a Confederate deserter in the
house?” demanded the lady,
“Oh, no, madam; notatall. It is not for
me to say such a thing He wes seen enter-
ing here, but I have little doubt he either
deceived you as to what he was, orelse crept
into the house by stealth.”
“What manner of man was he?’ pursued
the lady.
ib knew that her suspicions had been ex-
cited.
The lieutenant then gave a hasty descrip-
tion of the deserter, and I saw that in a gen-
eral way it tallied with my own looks.
his was decidedly unfortunate.
“*Well, sir,” said the general’s wife, ‘‘ there
was aman of that description took dinner
with us not half an hour ago, but he was a
gentleman. Besides, he said he was Captain
Albert Sidney of the —th Alabama regiment,
now detailed on secret business.””
“No doubt,” Iaughed the lieutenant,
“that’s my regiment, und I chanced to know
thar’s no captain of that name in it. Thar
can be no doubt but what the fellow is our
man. Whar is he?” .
J could fancy the lady turning to her
niece-
‘Lottie, [left him with you. Let the cap-
tain speak for himself.”
“Aha! we have him now,” growled the
lieutenant.
How eagerly I listened for the young lady’s
words.
Would she betray her enemy ?
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE DRAIN,
I had not very long to wait.
“T am sorry. gentlemen, but you have
madea mistake. The gentleman who was
here I can vouch for. ‘This was not the first
time [had met him. Hehas gone now.
think aunty has made a mistake in the
regiment, that is all. The deserter you seek
is not here.”’
very good, young miss, but all the same,
Iintend to do my duty. My information
was sound, and unbeknown to you, the
wily scamp may be even now secreted some-
whar about the premises. Duty is duty,
madam. At anyrate you can’t object if
you know thar’s no connivance atween you
and this deserter.”
Other words followed.
I did not stop to listen to them, however,
forI realized that the fellow intended search-
ing the house, and that if I intended hid-
ing, it must be done quickly, or else the ef-
fort would be fruitless.
Again I drew out a match.
As the blaze flared up I cast my eyes in all
quarters eagerly.
I could see the whole of the cellar from
where I steod near the center.
There were plenty of boxes and barrels
behind which I might have hidden, but such
a thing was not to be thought of, as the tirst
act of the rebels in entering the cellar
would be to search back of all these things,
and discovery would be immediate.
There was a large hogshead near me which
had once contained wine.
I thought it was possible I might hide in
thisif the lid was in such a shape that I
could pull it down after me, but upon bend-
ing over it, I was compelled to give up the
idea entirely, for while the hogshead was
probably empty, its former contents had
een taken out by means of a faucet, and
both heads were in their proper places.
While [ was looking around, | could hear
the half intoxicated lieutenant and the gen-
eral’s wife still hard at it in the hall over-
head, and the fellow was even growing in-
sulting in his manner.
Seeing no means of a safe hiding place
above or around me, I turned my eyes
own.
There was the cemented floor of the
cellar.
Ah! what was that?
Just as my match was dying out my eyes
had caught sight of a wooden trap-door not.
five steps away from my feet.
With a new hoperising within me, I struck
a third match.
Bending over the trap, I lifted it.
Ifound no difficulty in doing this, for it
was not secure in ay way.
Then anexclemation of chagrin escaped
me.
What I had hoped for it would be hard to
say, but I had certainly expected to find
some means of escape from the cellar.
Perhaps dim visions of an underground
passage, such as were in use during the feudal
days of old had flashed through my brain.
t the least I had expected to find a sec-
ond cellar below, in which I_ might hide, or
find some secret means of exit.
I was cruelly disappointed.
It was only a drain.
The aperture was almost two feet square,
andafter descending that far below the
floor of the cellar, went off in an almost
horizontal line.
It had never seen much use—indeed, Iam
inclined to think that its only purpose was
to drain the cellar in very wet weather, as
the house was built in a low piece of
ground, and the fact that the cellar sloped a
tritle in its direction favored this belief.
I was disappointed, for I believed, as was
natural, thatafter proceeding a little dis-
tance from the cellar the drain would end
in amass of open rocks through which the
water might filter, but which would bean
effectual bar to my escape.
As I crouched there in the dark, for my
match had now gone out, holding on to the
edge of the wooden trap, there came to my
ears 2 sound that made me start.
It was the crash of hoofs. .
Being underground, I could hear the noise
very plainly, and the very first thought that
came to my mind was that the general's
wife had been too doughty for the lieuten-
ant and his men,and that it was these
worthies whom I now heard galloping
away.
What seemed to corroborate this idea was
the fact that I no longer heard the sound of
conversation above me,
So thorougly convinced was I that such
was the case that it was only with some lit-
tle difliculty that I_ refrained from giving
vent to my exultation in a shout.
It turned out well for me that I re-
frained,
Even while the smile of satisfaction still
rested upon my Yankee face there came a
hailfrom tbe front piazza in the lieuten-
ant’s voice:
“Hallo thar!”
The trampling of horses’ feet ceased.
Then I felt badly.
It was very plain that instead of the lieu-
tenant and his four men leaving, they were
onthe point of receiving new reinforce-
ments.
Rather than stuff myself into the dismal
looking drain, I had felt asif it would be
better for me to hurry up stairs, boldly face
the half drunken lieutenant, and declare
myself us Captain Albert Sidney, at the
same time, as his superior officer, order
him from the house of my friend, the
general.
If he was either too drunk or not drunk
enough to be deceived by this bombast,
then, if he tried to arrest me or pierce me
with his sword, I believed I coul et the
better of both him and his companion be-
fore the others outside could come to his as-
sistance.
As forthe rest, the three guards would
probably come rushing in one at a time
to fall victims to my ready revolver, or else
give mean opportunity to escape from the
ack while they made for the front door.
Now all this was useless.
I heard what passed between the lieuten-
ant and the leader of the newly arrivea
squad, who was a sergeantin charge ofa
dozen men.
The lieutenant ordered him to station his
men around the mansion and join himin
thesearch for the deserter, whom he believed
was in the house,
This settled my case,
All that was left now was to crawl into
the drain and trust to Providence to escape
discovery, for to face my enemies now
would be madness only warranted by a more
desperate strait than that in which I now
found myself.
I proceeded to carry out this idea.
It was no easy task but Laccomplished it
finally letting the trap settle down in its
place after me.
Iwas novv entombed in the drain.
Wriggling along inch by inch,in a few
minutes I had placed some five feet between
my head and the entrance to the drain.
t was asnug fit,and I was compelled to
make use of my elbows as propellers.
When I bad gone thus far I halted.
It was not long ere I heard the murmur of
voices and the jarring of disturbed boxes
and barrels, which told me what my fate
would have been had I remained in the cel-
lar behind some of those articles.
From the fierceness of their search it was
evident that the rebels were entering body
and soul into it.
I wondered if their vigilance would be