The Red Mist/Chapter 28
CHAPTER XXVIII
THE TRAP CLOSES
THE lieutenant's fingers gripped my shoulder.
"By the Lord Harry, the fellows make noise enough for an army," he whispered. "I reckon they are all there."
"No doubt of it—how is your ammunition?"
"Sixty rounds to a man," he chuckled. "It will cost them something to get through these log walls. Still, we haven't much chance in the end," he added thoughtfully, "for they're bound to get us. Generally I pray for a fight, but now I hope those Yanks will be kind enough to ride by."
"And so do I," I answered soberly, feeling the quick pressure of Noreen's fingers. "There they come, Harwood—see! two horsemen ahead."
They were merely black shadows outlined against the white road, but as they drew somewhat closer the moonlight gave them substance, revealing dimly the shape and clothing of each. One was slender, sitting straight in the saddle, to all appearance a cavalryman; but the other slouched awkwardly over his pommel, a larger, more shapeless figure, the barrel of a rifle showing clear above his shoulder, a broad hat-brim flapping to the movements of his horse. They drew rein opposite the church, the cavalryman's horse turned partly about. In the distance, down the sharp slope of the hill, appeared the deeper shadow of an advancing column of mounted men. The only sound was the impatient pawing of a horse's hoof, and Noreen's whisper at my ear:
"The—the bigger one is Anse Cowan."
"And the other Raymond," I returned in the same low tone. "The two have apparently got together."
"It looks mighty odd to me," said a voice suddenly, clearly audible through the night, "that fellow being in Reb uniform. What could he be doing here?"
"A scout, I reckon," grumbled a reply, barely distinguishable. "Couldn't be no considerable force along yere, Lieutenant, fer we've both been over ther pike since mornin'. Thet wus just a stray we run into, but it mout be best ter take a look along this yere ridge afore we ride on."
"All right," asserted the other. "I'll wait here until Fox and Moran come up. Let some of your men ride back as far as those woods over yonder; and say, it wouldn't do any harm to take a look inside the church. You didn't stop coming out?"
"Naw;' we didn't stop fer nuthin'. We thought the way you fellers was a'ridin' yer hed a hot trail, an' so we rode like hell ter git in at the death. 'Tain't likely thar's enyone inside the meetin' house, but I reckon we may as well be sure as long as we're here. No damn fool would hide this close ter the pike. That you, Kelly?"
There was a meaningless growl from an advancing group of horsemen, and Anse swore, spurring his horse forward to meet them.
"By God, Kelly! I've had enough of your damned grouch. Either you'll do as I say, or I'll cave the side of your head in, and have done with it. I've had enough! do you hear? I reckon I'm just as interested in overhaulin' that cuss as you are. Now you obey my orders, an' be quick about it; give me another line of back talk, you Irish bastard, an' I'll blow the whole top of your head off! You're what? Joking! Well, let up on that kind, will you? I'm in no humor for it. Take three or four men, and ride over the ridge, back as far as the rock. The sojers are goin' ter halt yere a minute."
Kelly and his little squad trotted past us, circling the end of the building, the remainder of the group of horsemen, evidently composed of Cowan's gang of cut-throats, scattering along the roadside, with no semblance to military discipline. A few kept to their saddles, permitting their horses to browse idly among the weeds, but the majority dismounted, and flung themselves wearily on the ground. A dozen strolled across to the well a few yards away, and we could hear them laugh and joke among themselves, as the windlass creaked. Raymond drew his horse back, away from close contact with the fellows, staring at their antics a moment, and then looking toward the black silence of the church. He said nothing, but finally touched spur to his horse's flanks, and went trotting back down the road, as though intending to intercept the advancing column, which was not yet visible. Cowan looked after him with a sneer.
"The damned dandy," he growled to a man just behind, gesturing with one hand. "We're not quite good enough fer him, but I'll show him afore this job's done who's the boss. By God! I don't take orders from nothin' like that. Would you, Jem? "
"I should say not," responded the other, spitting into the road. "Whatever got us tied up yere with these Yanks, Anse, enyhow? I done thought as how we wus a fightin' against the blue-bellies a bit ago; an' now we're as thick as two fleas. Did yer git yer price?"
Cowan laughed grimly.
"Thar ain't no occasion fer yer ter worry, Jem," he confided, evidently willing the others close about should hear. "We ain't tied up with no Yanks, 'cept fer maybe a few hours. Hell! thar wasn't nothin' else ter do, but be friendly. Thar wus thirty o' us runnin' kerbump inter thet bunch o' cavalrymen, with ther wagon train a comin' a hundred yards away.
"We weren't in no shape fer ter fight about a hundred an' fifty sojers. I reckon tho' we'd a had to if that young popinjay hed been in command—he ain't got the sense of a dried louse. But Cap Fox, he rode out, an' we sorter talked it over. He don't feel very blame kind toward me since our fracas tother night, but he's a sojer, an' he knows what Ramsay wants. Thet's what I banked on, fer I knew the gineral had give his orders ter use every means possible ter git us ter help out the Yanks. So I just up an' told ther Cap thet we wus out huntin' fer ther same feller he wus; thet my father had been killed, an' I reckoned the Reb spy did it, an' thet frum now on we wus goin' fer ter fight on their side. I don't reckon as how he believed much o' what I sed, but all ther same, he had ter pretend he did, an' let us go 'long without no fightin'. So he done sent us on ahead, an' sent thet young snip along fer ter watch me. Thet's the how it happened."
"I see, an' termorrer we leaves them holdin' the bag—Hullo, Anse! look thar—it's Kelly comin' back, an', by Jinks! he's a leadin' two bosses."
The returning party came clattering out into the road, past the well, Kelly asking loudly where Cowan was, and then riding straight toward his chief, the two riderless horses trailing in the rear.
"They was hobbled back o' ther chimney rock," he reported shortly, "an' I reckon they'd been rid up the old trail from Silver Spring."
Anse swung down to the ground, and ran his hands over the animals, fingering the equipment.
"Not cavalry stuff," he said, "so tain't likely they belonged ter the Reb we shot back thar in the hollow. Didn't the lieutenant say thet the spy an' the gurl got off on horses hitched by the hotel?"
"I didn't hear tell."
"Well, I did; enyhow they wasn't army horses they took. By God! I believe they're a hidin' now in that church. Here, you Kelly," a new exultant tone to his voice, "scatter your men out around ther whol' buildin'; we've treed our game, I reckon. Hell! hurry up, man! don't sit there starin' at me. Hey, Jem! where are you? Oh, all right; ride back to the sojers, an' tell Fox we've got the coon. Go on now. Wait a minute, Kelly; leave ten of the fellers here with me. I'll look after the front. Don't forget thar's a back door."
The guerrillas came forward on foot, running, and scrambling up the incline, but inclined to keep well back from the silent church. Yet they did not seem to take their mission seriously, laughing and talking as they ran, Kelly's voice growling out commands. Even if their victim was within those log walls, they had little to fear from one man; there might be a shot or two fired, of course, but the odds were far too great for them to entertain any doubt as to the result. Anse remained out in the road motionless, holding his horse, a dark shapeless group of men gathered about him. Jem was clattering down the pike, the clang of his horse's hoofs dying away in the distance. Harwood dropped his gripping hand from off my shoulder, and stepped back from before the window.
"Sergeant."
"Here, sir," and Wharton moved slightly in the darkness, so as to signify his whereabouts.
"You attended to the door?"
"Yes, sir; we found an old iron bar to fit across; they'll have to crush in the wood to get through."
"Good; we'll give those devils a surprise party; there will be some dead men around here presently. I'll take charge here at the front; you have men at the other window?"
"Five, sir."
"Let Johnson and McIlvaine join me here; what is the name of that lad I was going to recommend for corporal?"
"O'Hare, sir; Jacob O'Hare."
"Put him in command of the south side, and you take the north; place benches to stand on under the windows, but keep your men down until you get the word. There is to be no firing until I give the order. Tell them they have got to fight for their lives. You understand?"
"Yes, sir; we'll do it, sir."
"Then get to your stations. Now, Wyatt, how about you? ready to take a hand?"
"I place myself under your orders."
"Then I give you command at the other end; there are two windows and a door. Here, take this gun, and belt; I can get another." He stopped, and drew in a quick breath, glancing out again through the window.
"Friend Cowan—if that be his name—seems to be waiting for the military to come up," he commented mockingly. "Prefers to let the Yanks pull his chestnuts out of the fire. Perhaps he has known you a long while—hey, Wyatt?"
"The acquaintance has been rather brief, but warm."
"No doubt; well, I'll help make it warmer presently. Fair cousin, I do not know where to hide you in safety. This is going to be a real fight, or I am greatly mistaken, and bullets fly wild through the dark."
"I suggest the tower," I interrupted, "with the ladder drawn up; the heavy puncheon floor will be sufficient protection."
"I thought of that expedient," he admitted, "but we will let the lady decide."
"If it is left to me," she said quietly, "I prefer to go with Tom Wyatt."
"But you do not understand," I broke in hastily, my pulses throbbing at her unexpected decision. "They may attack—"
"Oh, yes, the lady does, Wyatt," chuckled the lieutenant, his reckless good nature in no wise lost by the desperation of our position. "She is a Harwood, that's all. Lord! I knew what her choice would be before ever I asked the question. Greetings, fair cousin; now I know we are kin. Hullo! here comes the cavalry! Now, men, to your posts—and stand up to the music."
I caught her hand in mine, still doubtful as to her real purpose. In the reflection of the moonlight I could perceive the outline of her face, and knew her eyes were uplifted frankly to mine.
"You—you mean that, Noreen?"
"Yes; do not refuse. I am not afraid," she implored. "Take me with you."
I found the door, and the narrow aisle leading between the two rows of benches. Enough moonlight straggled in through the side windows to enable us to pick our way, and to note the dark, motionless shadows along the side walls where the troopers waited grimly, guns poised and ready. There was a tense breathlessness to the situation which made my heart leap, not a sound audible within but the low whispers as some order passed from man to man down the line. We came to the platform, and felt our way up the steps. It was darker here, yet my eyes, accustomed to the gloom, caught glimpse of crouching figures beyond the pulpit. Outside, sounding some distance away, Kelly's sharp, penetrating voice shouted an order, accompanied by an oath. One of the kneeling figures rose slowly until his eyes were even with the window sill.
"Men," I said quietly, barely loud enough to reach their ears. "I am a sergeant in the Staunton Horse Artillery. Your lieutenant has just assigned me to take command at this end of the church. How many are there of you?"
"Ten, sir," answered the one nearest, after a pause, turning his head slightly. "Three at each window, and four at the door."
"Door barred?"
"No, locked, and benches piled up against it."
"You have a prisoner, I understand."
He gave a muffled sound, as though stifling an incipient laugh.
"Nuthin' ter worry 'bout; he's a lyin' over thar in the corner with Jack Gold a guardin' of him. I reckon the cuss likes prayin' better ner fightin' any day o' ther week."
"All right, then; we'll give Jack Gold something more valuable to attend to." I dropped my voice to a whisper. "Noreen."
"Yes."
"It will give us an extra fightin' man if you will keep an eye on Nichols, and we'll need them all. You are willing to help?"
"Of course; I thought I could load guns, but—"
"I would rather have you there," I interrupted earnestly, "where I can feel reasonably sure you will be safe from stray bullets. I shall be less a coward if I believe you out of danger."
"A coward—you! Yes, of course, I will go."
I stepped across the platform, holding her arm.
"This you, Gold?"
"Yes, sir."
"The lady will watch the prisoner; you better join the others at the door."
He moved off, evidently glad enough to be relieved, and I stood erect where I could gaze out through the near-by window into the moonlight night without. I had a moment in which to think, to gather my scattered wits together, to face the situation. Behind me the tramp of approaching horsemen sounded along the pike, the gruff tone of an occasional voice, the clang of accoutrements. Then this noise ceased, as the head of the cavalry column came up to where Cowan and his men waited. I could barely make out the murmur of voices in explanation, muffled by the sound of approaching wheels, signifying the slower advance of the guarded wagons. I heard no orders given, yet the moonlight revealed more numerous figures in the thin line stretching across the open space.
"Thar's sojers out thar now, sir," whispered the man next the window, fingering his gun nervously, "a slew of 'em. Do yer know how many they got?"
"Only to guess at it: a couple of hundred altogether I should say—enough to make it interesting."
I leaned forward, attracted by the sight of two figures standing together in the full gleam of the moon—Cowan and Raymond. So they were to command the rear attack, while Fox and the infantryman remained out in front.
"Have you counted the fellows out there?" I asked.
"'Bout fifty near as I kin make out; they're movin' 'round some, an' the light is damned bad."
"Then the main body is still in front, and that is where the fight will likely begin. Pass the word no firing until you get the order."
I stepped back, whispering a word to Noreen as I passed, and took place beside the pulpit, where I could see and hear something of what was about to transpire.