“Yes—yes—I did,” Andy replied, as he dropped his head forward. “I cannot deceive you, General. I heard everything.”
General Lee, astonished, gazed down at Andy in silence. When he spoke, the soft, suave voice showed a tone of anger.
“Lieutenant Campbell, guard this man until your sister awakens,” General Lee said, as he turned and entered the house.
Andy sat with his head lowered, wondering what would be his destiny. It seemed an eternity since anybody moved or spoke. The stillness was broken when he heard General Jackson call for his staff.
General Jackson, upon rising, refreshed himself from the cool water poured from the pitcher into the bowl that sat on the marble topped lavatory in his room. He dressed and started to look for his copy of the chart that he had discussed with General Lee He could not locate it in his bedroom. Remembering that he left it in the library, he proceeded there to retrieve it. Upon entering the library room, he failed to locate the chart. This is when he summoned his staff to the library and ordered them to search for the chart.
The sun was streaming in at the window when Molly awakened. It startled her because her first thoughts were that she had kept the escort that was taking her to Richmond waiting. She thought it strange that Andy had not aroused her. She sprang from bed, dressed, and opened the door to the stairway. Instead of departing from the room, she turned and went to the mirror to check her hair. Looking down, she spied Andy’s note lying on the dresser top. Quickly she picked it up, read the contents as she staggered from the room. Outside, in the hallway, she leaned heavily against the railing. Faint, her head in a whirl, and black shadows flitted before her eyes. Voices from below brought Molly to her senses. She pulled herself together and ran downstairs. She sought the voices from the hallway, but they were not there.
Realizing the voices were from the porch outside, she whirled and dashed for the door. She stopped outside just in time to see a guard remove Andy’s sock. Reaching into the sock, the guard withdrew the chart that the young dragoon had taken from the library table a few hours before and handed it to General Jackson.
General Jackson, crushing the chart in his hand, steel blue eyes flashing, trying to conceal the storm that was raging in his breast, emotionally confronted the dragoon, “A spy? I can’t believe, a spy in our very midst! For you, sir, a punishment befitting a spy. You shall be shot in one hour. Just one hour. Make the most of it.”
Jackson wheeled, entered the door, and had started down the hallway when Molly shouted, “General Jackson! General Jackson!” Running after the general, she caught his arm and clung desperately to him. “General Jackson, you cannot do this. This is my husband. You must not shoot Andy—you shall not—”
Jackson, swinging his arm forward, spun Molly in front of him. Sternly he stood facing her. The same invincible, subdued grin that had stood at Bull Run, nicknaming him Stonewall, was upon his face as he answered Molly, “Young lady, this man is a spy. Do you know what a spy is?”
“Yes, General Jackson, yes, yes,” Molly replied with tears in her eyes. “I know—and I know it’s terrible, but I love him. He’s my husband. General, you must not—can’t you understand?”
“Yes, I understand, young lady,” interrupted the general. “I deeply sympathize with you. Don’t you think I have no heart? I have. I would give my right arm to mitigate your grief. This is war. In war, military rules must be enforced. It would be unthinkable to pardon a spy caught red-handed in an act such as this. This man, enjoying our hospitality and our protection, has come to destroy us. In his seeking to betray us is evidence enough that he is an enemy of the South. If it be my own brother, I would do the same. There is no other way! He must die!”
With this he turned and walked into his room, leaving Molly standing there terror stricken with grief. She staggered and would have fallen if it had not been for the protecting arms of General Lee, who upheld her.
Half-rationally, Molly blurted, “You must save him, General Lee. You must save Andy, for I love him so.” With this, Molly wilted.
The kindhearted general carried her into the library and tenderly laid her on the library table. She opened her eyes and sat up.
“Molly, General Jackson is in command here,” said General Lee. “He is firm but a just man. Nobody could influence him to do other than what he believes to be his duty to the South. You must be brave, my little girl. You must be brave. Why don’t we go out on the veranda, where they are guarding Andy? Enjoy these last minutes together.”
The general put his arm around her waist, and they walked to the porch. Instantly Molly flung her arms around Andy and began weeping openly and profusely.
CHAPTER XVIII
The servants were bringing the horses around to the front, and final arrangements were being tended to before the parties departed. There was less than thirty minutes left when Molly asked her brother, “Levi, may Andy and I walk out into the garden where we can have a few minutes so that all of you can’t hear what we have to say to each other?”
Levi granted permission but ordered one of the guards to walk behind with orders to shoot if Andy made any suspicious move.
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the air was a little crisp on this early November morning. Andy and Molly walked out among the trees and flowers, stopping frequently to whisper to each other. It was their last minutes together, and words did not flow freely. Thoughts were sluggish and confused. As they walked near the gate to the lane, where the horses were hitched, Black Demon, at the sight of Molly, tossed his head and whinnied.
Molly’s face lit up as if a divine influence had immediately exerted some thought upon her mind. She guided Andy toward the gate with the guard trudging close behind. She stopped, placed her arms around Andy’s neck, and he was the only one that could hear her whisper.
“There is not a horse in Virginia that can overtake Black Demon. Walk slowly and let the guard come a little closer. When we are near the gate, spring into the saddle and be off. I’ll manage the guard. This, now, is the only way I can show my strength and everlasting love for you. My strength is strong enough to save you. They will not have me shot because General Lee would not hear to it. When the war is over, come for me. I’ll be waiting for you in Richmond or at the Pines.”
She kissed him as she removed her arms from around his neck.
Andy squeezed her waist, and in a trembling whisper, he said, “God bless you, Molly, you dear! I’ll come back for you through hell or high water. I’ll be there.”
He choked on his emotions as they edged closer to the gate. The guard had quickened his step and was now close behind and started to speak. With lightning quickness, Andy wheeled and dealt him a smashing blow directly on the point of the chin, knocking him to the ground, unconscious. Whatever he was going to say was never spoken.
With one large leap he was astride Black Demon and was on his way. Molly released the other horses that scattered from all the shouting. One shot fired from the rifle of one of the guards spooked them even more.
It was several minutes before anyone was able to catch and mount one of the horses. It was nearly an hour before they were all corralled. Andy was well on his way.
General Jackson remarked, “It is too late for a chase. He will never make it through our lines.”
It was midmorning before everything was made ready for the parties’ departures. General Lee had requested that General Jackson let Molly’s brother, Levi, ride along with them to Richmond. General Jackson obliged. Farewells were said. They departed Culpepper that morning. General Jackson and his party left for Manassas. General Lee with his party, Molly and Levi, started their ride to Richmond.