the red acorn-第41节

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　own　hoss；　ez　a　young　lady　should；　an'　if　ye　accomplish　ennything　hit'll　be　a　greater　sarvice　tew　the　country　then　most　men　kin　do　in　ther　lives。　　Hit'll　be　sum'thing　ter　be　proud　of　ez　long's　ye　live。　　Will　ye　try　hit？〃

〃Why　don't　you　bring　back　the　information　yourself？　　Can't　you　come　back　through　the　lines　as　easily　as　you　go？〃

〃I　mout；　an'　then　ag'in　I　moutn't。　　Every　time　I　go　inter　the　Rebel　camps　the　chances　get　stronger　thet　I'll　never　come　back　ag'in。　Ez　Harry　Glen　sez；　the　circle　o'　my　onpleasant　acquaintancesthe　fellers　thet's　reachin'　fur　my　top…knotwidens。　　Thar's　so　many　more　on　'em　layin'　fur　me　all　the　time；　thet　the　prospects　keeps　gittin'　brighter　every　day　thet　by…an'…by　they'll　fetch　me。　　the　arrant　I'm　a…gwine　on　now　is　too　important　ter　take　any　resks　'bout。　　I'm　sartin　to　git　the　information　thet　Gineral　Rosy　wants；　but　whether　I　kin　git　hit　back　ter　him　is　ruther　dubersome。　　I　must　hev　'some　help。　　Will　ye　jine　in　with　me？〃

〃But　how　am　I　to　know　that　all　this　is　as　you　say？〃

〃By　readin'　these　'ere　passes；　all　signed　by　Gineral　Rosencrans's　own　hand；　or　by　takin'　a　walk　with　me　up　ter　headquarters；　whar　they'll　tell　ye　thet　I'm　all　right；　an'　ez　straight　ez　a　string。〃

〃But　how　can　I　do　what　you　want？　　I　know　nothing　of　the　country；　nor　the　people；　and　still　less　of　this　kind　of　service。　　I　would　probably　make　a　blunder　that　would　spoil　all。〃

〃I'll　resk　the　blunders。　　ye　kin　ride　critter…back　can't　ye？〃

Rachel　owned　that　she　was　a　pretty　fair　horse…woman。

〃Then　all　ye　hev　ter　do　is　ter　git　yerself　up　ez　ye　see　the　young　women　who　are　ridin'　'round　heah；　an'　airly　on　the　day　arter　to…morrow　mornin'；　mount　a　blooded　mar　that　ye'll　find　standin'　afore　the　door　thar；　all　rigged　out　ez　fine　ez　silk；　an'　go　down　the　Lavergne　turnpike；　at　a　sharp　canter；　jes　ez　though　ye　war　gwine　somewhar。　　Nobody　on　our　lines　'll　be　likely　ter　say　anything　ter　ye；　but　ef　they　do；　ye'll　show　'em　a　pass　from　Gineral　Rosy；　which；　howsoever；　ye　'll　tar　up　afore　ye　reach　Lavergne；　fur　ye　'll　likely　find　some　o'　t'　other　folks　thar。　　Ef　any　o'　them　at　Lavergne　axes　ye　imperent　questions；　ye　must　hev　a　story　ready　'bout　yer　being　the　Nashville　niece　o'　Aunt　Debby　Brill；　who　lives　on　the　left　hand　o'　the　Nashville　pike；　jest　north　o'　the　public　squar　in　Murfreesboro；　an'　ye　're　on　yer　way　ter　pay　yer　ole　Aunty　a　long…promised　visit。〃

〃there　is　such　a　woman　in　Murfreesboro？〃

〃Yes；　an'　she's　talked　a　great　deal　'bout　her　niece　in　Nashville；　who's　comin'　ter　see　her。　　I　thought〃the　earnestness　of　the　eyes　relaxed　to　a　suspicion　of　a　twinkle〃thet　sometime　I　mout　come　across　sich　a　niece　fur　the　ole　lady；　an'　hit　wuz　well　ter　be　prepared　fur　her。〃

〃But　suppose　they　ask　me　about　things　in　Nashville？〃

〃W'll；　ye　must　fix　up　a　story　'bout　thet　too。　　Ye　needn't　be　ver　partickelar　what　hit　is；　so　long's　hit's　awful　savage　on　the　Yankees。　　Be　keerful　ter　say　frequently　thet　the　yankees　is　awful　sick　o'　their　job　o'　holdin'　Nashville；　that　their　new　Dutch　Gineral　is　a　mean　brute；　an'　a　coward　beside；　thet　he's　skeered　'bout　out'n　his　wits　half　the　time；　an'　he's　buildin'　the　biggest　kind　o'　forts　to　hide　behind；　an'　thet　he　won't　dar　show　his　nose　outside　o'　themleastways　not　this　'ere　Winter。　　Talk　ez　much　ez　ye　kin　'bout　the　sojers　gwine　inter　Winter　quarters；　'bout　them　being　mortally　sartin　not　ter　do　anything　tell　next　Spring；　an'　'bout　them　desartin'　by　rijimints　an'　brigades；　an'　gwine　home；　bekase　they're　sick　an'　tired　o'　the　war。〃

〃My；〃　said　Rachel；　with　a　gasp；　〃what　awful　things　to　tell！〃

〃Yes；〃　returned　the　scout　complacently；　〃I　s'posed　hit'd　strike　you　thet…a…way。　　But　my　experience　with　war　is　thet　hit's　jest　plum　full　o'　awful　things。　　In　fact　hit　don't　seem　ter　hev　much　else　in　hit。　　All　ye　hev　ter　ax　yerself　is　whether　this　is　nigh　on　　ter　ez　awful　ez　the　the　things　they　'uns　do　to　we　'uns。　　Besides；　we　'uns　are　likely　ter　give　they　'uns　in　a　few　days　a　heap　more　interestin'　things　ter　think　about　then　the　remarkable　stories　told　by　young　ladies　out　fur　a　mornin'　ride。〃

〃I'll　take　some　hours　to　think　this　matter　over；〃　said　Rachel；　〃and　give　you　your　answer　this　afternoon。　　That'll　be　time　enough；　will　it　not？〃

〃Heaps　an'　plenty；　ma'am；〃　he　answered；　as　he　rose　to　go。　　〃She'll　go；〃　he　added　to　himself。　　〃I'm　not　fooled　a　mite　on　thet　'ere　stock。　　I'll　jest　go　to　headquarters　an'　git　things　ready　for　her。〃

He　was　right。　　The　prospect　of　doing　an　important　service　on　a　grand　occasion　was　stimulous　enough　for　Rachel's　daring　spirit；　to　make　her　undertake　anything；　and　when　Fortner　returned　in　the　afternoon　he　found　her　eager　to　set　out　upon　the　enterprise。

But　as　the　evening　came　on　with　its　depressing　shadows　and　silence；　she　felt　the　natural　reaction　that　follows　taking　an　irrevocable　step。　　The　loneliness　of　her　unlighted　room　was　peopled　with　ghostly　memories　of　the　horrors　inflicted　upon　spies；　and　of　tales　she　had　heard　of　the　merciless　cruelty　of　the　Rebels　among　whom　she　was　going。　　She　had　to　hold　her　breath　to　keep　from　shrieking　aloud　at　the　terrors　conjured　up　before　her　vision。　　Then　the　spasm　passed；　and　braver　thoughts　reasserted　themselves。　　Fortner's　inadvertent　words　of　praise　of　Harry　Glen　were　recalled；　and　began　glowing　like　pots　of　incense　to　sweeten　and　purify　the　choking　vapors　in　her　imagination。

Could　it　be　that　Harry　had　really　retrieved　himself？　　He　had　certainly　gained　the　not…easily…won　admiration　of　this　brave　man；　and　it　had　all　been　to　render　himself　worthy　of　her！　　There　was　rapture　in　the　thought。　　Then　her　own　heroic　aspirations　welled　up　again；　bringing　intoxication　at　the　prospect　of　ending　the　distasteful　routine　of　nursing；　by　taking　an　active　part　in　what　would　be　a　grand　event　of　history。　　Fears　and　misgivings　vanished　like　the　mists　of　the　morning。　　She　thought　only　of　how　to　accomplish　her　mission。

She　lighted　a　candle　and　wrote　four　lettersone　to　her　mother；　one　to　Dr。　Denslow；　one　to　Harry　Glen　in　care　of　his　mother；　and　one　to　the　Hospital　Steward；　asking　him　to　mail　the　letters　in　case　he　did　not　receive　any　contrary　request　from　her　before　the　10th　of　January。

She　was　too　excited　to　sleep　in　the　early　part　of　the　night；　and　busied　her　waking　hours　in　packing　her　clothing　and　books；　and　maturing　her　plans。

She　had　much　concern　about　her　wardrobe。　　Never　in　all　the　days　of　her　village　belleship　had　she　been　so　anxious　to　be　well…dressed　as　now；　when　about　to　embark　upon　the　greatest　act　of　her　life。　　She　planned　and　schemed　as　women　will　in　such　times；　and　rising　early　the　next　morning　she　visited　the　stores　in　the　city；　and　procured　the　material　for　a　superb　riding　habit。　　A　cutter　form　a　fashionable　establishment　in　Cincinnati　was　found　in　an　Orderly　Sergeant　in　one　of　the　convalescent　wards；　and　enough　tailors　responded　to　the　call　for　such　artisans；　to　give　him　all　the　help　required。　　By　evening　she　was　provided　with　a　habit　that；　in　material　and　that　sovereign　but　indescribable　quality　called　〃style；〃　was　superior　to　those　worn　by　the　young　ladies　who　cantered　about　the　streets　of　Nashville　on　clean…limbed　throroughbreds。

As　she　stood　surveying　the　exquisite　〃set〃　of　the　garment　in　such　mirrors　as　she　could　procure；　she　said　to　herself　quizzically：

〃I　feel　now　that　the　expedition　is　going　to　be　a　grand　success。　　No　woman　could　fail　being　a　heroine　in　such　an　inspiration　of　dress。　There　is　a　moral　support　and　encouragement　about　a　perfectly　made　garment　that　is　hardly　equaled　by　a　clear　conscience　and　righteousness　of　motive。〃

The　next　morning　she　came　forth　from　her　room　attired　for　the　journey。　A　jaunty　hat　and　feather　sat　gracefully　above　her　face；　to　which　excitement　had　given　a　striking　animation。　　One　trimly…gauntleted　hand　carried　a　dainty　whip；　the　other　supported　the　long　skirts　of　her　riding　habit　as　she　moved　through　the　ward　with　such　a　newly…added　grace　and　beauty　that　the　patients；　to　whom　her　appearance　had　become　familiar；　raised　in　their　beds　to　follow　the　lovely　spectacle　with　their　eyes；　and　then　turned　to　each　other　to　comment　upon　her　beauty。

At　the　door　she　found　an　orderly；　holding　a　spirited　young　mare；　handsome　enough　for　a　Queen's　palfrey；　and　richly　caparisoned。

She　sprang　into　the　saddle　and　adjusted　her　seat　with　the　easy　grace　of　an　accomplished　horsewoman。

A　squad　of　〃Convalescents〃　standing　outside；　and　a　group　of　citizes　watched　her　with　an　admiration　too　palpable　for　her　to　be　unconscious　of　it。

She　smiled　pleasantly　upon　the　soldiers；　and　gave　them　a　farewell　bow　as　she　turned　the　mare's　head　away；　to　which　they　responded　with　cheers。

A　few　hundred　yards　further；　where　an　angle　in　the　street　would　take　her　from　their　view；　she　turned　around　again　and　waved　her　handkerchief　to　them。　　The　boys　gave　her　another　ringing　cheer；　with　waving　hats　and　handkerchiefs；　her　steed　broke　into　a　canter　and　she　disappeared　from　view。

〃Where　is　she　going？〃　asked　one　of　the　soldiers。

〃I　don't　know；〃　responded　another　gallantly；　〃but　wherever　it　is；　it　will　be　better　than　here；　just　because　she's　there。〃

The　sight　of　an　orderly；　coming　with　the　morning　mail；　ended　the　discussion　by　scattering　the　squad　in　a　hurry。

Rachel　cantered　on；　her　spirits　rising　continually。

It　was　a