He hunched over and silently moved toward an outbuilding he could see. He made it to the fence and prepared to cross over when a twig snapped under his foot.
“Who goes there?” a challenging voice demanded. “Halt.”
The Gray Dragoon lay flat down on the ground and strained his eyes to see who challenged him. He could see no one, but the pounding of his heart rang in his ears like hoofbeats.
Then he heard a rasping sound and knew the guard was raking the end of his musket along the fence. Yes, there he was, climbing over the fence. He took advantage of the noise the guard was making and eased in under some shrubbery growing against the fence.
He heard the same voice once again demand, “Halt! who goes there?” Then silence—then, from the guard’s lips, a sharp whistle came forth. From near the mansion it was answered by another whistle.
Andy knew if he was to get away, he would have to make his move at once. Just at that moment, the guard stopped right in front of where he lay. He could see his boots. Unarmed but desperate, he felt strong as a gorilla. He rose upon his knees and sprang forward, his shoulder striking the guard fully under his chin, knocking him unconscious. As the guard went down, his rifle flew out of his hands. Andy grabbed it. He wheeled toward the fence, and with one leap he was over, but from the corner of his eye he caught sight of two dark forms running from the mansion in his direction.
He heard them command, “Halt before we fire. Halt, damn you, or you are dead.”
Andy was now running full speed toward the forest, but through the intervention of fate, his foot landed in a hole and the fall winded him. The guards were now upon him. Before he gained his feet, they seized him, dragging him upright. With force, Andy came around with his right arm, slamming one of the soldiers directly in the face, causing him to release his left arm. Then he immediately fell to his knees, causing the other guard to release his hold from around his neck. Twisting and rolling to one side, he was free and back on his feet, but so was his pursuer. Immediately they grabbed each other, but the young dragoon was dealt a stunning blow from behind. The butt of a rifle had struck the back of his head. His legs quivered; his knees gave way, and he fell to the ground, insensible.
A little later he began to come to himself. There were strange voices and familiar ones. Voices of birds, voices of men were in his ears. Was it morning? What happened? He moved slightly and called out, “Molly. Molly, dear, where are you?”
Then he heard a jeering, mocking voice. “Molly, dear! Molly, dear! Do you hear? Listen to that damn yellow-bellied Yankee dog. I told her—I told that little slut what the spineless coward would do. I knew he would desert her at the first opportunity. She will listen to me now.”
Andy was fast regaining consciousness and recognized it was Levi speaking. He lay perfectly quiet, listening and remembering what had happened.
“Listen, men, I tell you what I think,” Levi continued. “He knows too much. It would be better for the South and better for Molly and save our superiors time if we shot the son of a bitch.”
“Lieutenant, you can’t mean that,” exclaimed one of the guards. “You cannot shoot this man without a formal trial and conviction by court-martial—”
“Sergeant, who’s in charge here?” interrupted the young lieutenant. “Why not? Tell me why I can’t shoot this damn Yankee right here on the spot. We caught this damn spy trying to escape to Northern lines with all the information that Southern hospitality has permitted him to gather. He was deserting his wife. He would kill each of you if he had a chance. Shoot him. Bury him there in the woods, and let her think he escaped. It will be easier than letting her see the general have him shot while she watches.”
“He nearly killed me when he hit me under the chin. I agree. Let the lieutenant shoot him,” said one of the guards. “Tell his sister that he escaped, but tell General Lee and Jackson the truth. We can’t let them think he escaped to the North.”
The blood froze within Andy’s veins. The Gray Dragoon was turned over and raised upon his elbows and was grabbed by each shoulder and pulled to his feet.
“To the task. Place him over against that large white oak,” commanded Levi.
CHAPTER XVII
The two guards grabbed Andy’s arms, pinning them behind his back, and with force started toward the large oak. Andy’s blood froze within his veins. This was the first time in his life that he knew fear, but it did not affect his thinking. He quit struggling and began to move forward at a faster pace, hoping to get the guard off balance. Flatfooted, he came to an abrupt stop, fell forward onto both knees, using the forward motion of his captors to flip them over his back. Instantly, he turned, to strike Levi, but the lieutenant, closer than he thought, kicked Andy in the pit of the stomach, rendering him breathless.
“You slimy, filthy snake. I’ll shoot your damn brains out right here,” barked the lieutenant.
Andy turned over, raised upon one elbow, and looked upward at the instant Levi cocked his side arm for the fatal shot.
“Just one moment, Lieutenant Campbell,” a soft, suave voice demanded.
Andy knew it was the voice of General Lee. All three turned and were shocked to see General Lee standing there half-dressed. Surprised, they snapped to attention and saluted in their recognition of the presence in which they unexpectedly found themselves.
“It was by accident that I heard your plans, Lieutenant,” said Lee. “It’s well that I did overhear, for you must not do this thing, Lieutenant. At ease. It’s a good thing for all that I did hear and did not come too late. I admire your honor, loyalty, and devotion to the South, but no true son of the South contemplates such a heinous crime as murder in her name. The only offense I see is that Sergeant Yates has made an unsuccessful attempt for liberty. Isn’t that all, Lieutenant?”
“Yes, sir,” answered Levi.
“That is not punishable by death in the military code of the South,” replied the General. “If you had carried out your plan, it would have been deliberate murder. I happen to know a great deal about this young man. First, he is your sister’s husband. He loves her very much to have subjected himself to the insults, threats, and barbs that he had taken from our men these past few weeks without complaining. He loves her enough to have killed his own men in her defense. And she loves him dearly. He has been the victim of adverse and trying circumstances for the past few weeks. His case is an unusual one, but the young man is outstanding in more ways than one. Bring him to the house, Lieutenant.”
The three saluted and began executing the general’s orders. They assisted the prisoner to his feet. Andy was barely able to walk and then only with assistance of the two guards. They walked back to the house, Levi leading the way, the two guards and Andy and General Lee behind them.
As they mounted the stairs to the big porch at the front of the house, a cock sounded his warning of the approaching day. A grayish-pink hue appeared in the east. Andy was ordered to sit in one of the many chairs on the veranda. He selected a comfortable one, sat down, and began to regain his breath as General Lee spoke with him about his injury. The Gray Dragoon, still dazed somewhat, seized his hand and clung tenaciously to it, and the words he spoke came spontaneously.
“Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir—you have, once again, saved my life,” Andy murmured. “But, General, what will our fate be when hordes from the north sweep down in a few months?”
General Lee, shocked by the question, jerked his hand away from Andy and drew back from the Gray Dragoon. “I can’t believe it! Those are the words of General Jackson,” exclaimed Lee. “Did you hear?”