Show T h e I 1 r rig da de A TORY STORY OF TIB ARMY OP OF THE POTOMAC by GEN CHARLES KING holt tbt colonous Colo daughter rort fort brayna etc copyright AW by 0 W dillingham co CHAPTER V you see the condition of my house sir bir it la Is a more wreck as the result of the cannonading canno calino it sustained ned from both sides ln in the battlo battle of last july we have been trying to make it habitable and have given succor here to alck neighbors or friends who had bad no roofs left to cover them only to the sick sir air benton paused irresolute tho the tall virginian spoke with so much dignity and sadness the house as he said seemed barely habitable the garret especially was little better than lian a ruin the face at that peep peephole hole ole on the eastern side and at the litt little 0 win low clow away up tip under the gable eaves caves at the north might well have been that of some of the household yet even at the distance and at the first glanco glance there was a something about it that caused ills his heart that leap of sudden joy and that kept it bounding still and thenia it should bo be true if what lie hoped and feared were really so what would be its hla duty to his general i to hla his country against t all ene ane rates or op posers whomsoever whom the words of his oath of office came ringing to ills his ears blazing before beford his eyes in letters of fire and without further ado add he briefly said 1 I ani am sorry to intrude sir air but what wha t I 1 8 saw aw at that window makes it necessary that I 1 should see the garret will you lead the way for a moment the virginian hesitated then lifting hla his hat stepped backward to admit his unwelcome visitor we are in your your hands sir air was ills his halt half reproachful answer enter you will but then came sudden barrier to fur ther progress quickly there stepped into view and stood confronting him at the doorway to the inner hiner room the tall and slender form of a young girl eighteen she might have been but not more moie though anxiety and grief hd fid paled her pretty face but hei great glorious dark eyes were all ablaze as she folded her slender arms and looking the young squarely in the face said bald this is my room sir air and not subject to search slowly fred bentons bensons Ben tons gauntleted hand band went up to the visor and the natty forage cap was uplifted thi kindly yet kindling eyes of blue gazed one moment into the unflinching eyes of deep deep brown then turning deliberately the aide de camp inquired la Is there another way to reach the stair only by going round the house to the other door sir air was tho the virginians reply whereat mr air denton benton with bow as ceremonious as though he too hailed from the shores of the james the york or Rappa bannock instead of the he bustling northwest looked once more long at tho the lovely oval face now surely blushing before beloro him then turned and left the room three minutes later ho he had searched both garret and the upper story and not a sign of occupant was there CHAPTER VI A STRANGER WITHIN OUR GATES when denton benton rode away from the henry house that sunshiny evening the long shadows were slanting across the lel lelela els and the dazzling shield of the day god was well down at the west shadows too had fallan on the blithe spirits that had been his in the earlier tours surer sura r hr hp could not llave lie been annai in nAi i about that fau tanned tb and bagg ba giehr ar as though from recent illness and evl with the consciousness of ent t peril and ami it if lie ho had ad not n at baen pils taher lat jt as s croly ho he had been ed trl ckel in nil all provability pro by that defiant ind and yet roost most attractive virginia girl virginian he bel believed lovel her to be partly because her achez accent it to tio resembled that of the very palpable virginian the owner and partly cause that courteous and wellman well man native in answer to somewhat imperious question said the young lady still mill la Is a daughter of old docton chilton of charlottesville to the very natural question that followed what was allis all is chilton doing there the virginian had an an awer equally prompt and dignified ifer her brother a lieutenant in stuarts cavalry had been shot bj b tio tho pickets the dark night of march ath had been left with an attendant at the thornton Thorn tun place across null bull run too badly wounded to bo be moved when johnson fell back from manassas Mana saas had bribed his friends to send him away in a cart when lie he heard of the union advance and cart and ancl contents had beon been run down by other troopers averella Ave before they reached manas naw aas the wounded boy delirious with fever was waa even now lying in tho the room his sister guarded dr alexander of gen Mc Dowells had twice been to soo him dr chilton Cl illon had come bringing his devoted daughter and then gone on oil to fairfax in hoppa hopes of obtain obtaining ing from gen clen mcclellan permission to take hla lits son homo home on oil parole by slow stages to charlottesville and miss chilton meanwhile remained thero there under tinder what was left of a root roof and what lie he mr henry could offer by way of care and protection brief conference with the gu guard a rd without did much to in 1114 hl faith in the truth ruth of the statement they assured him that it if anybody else waa harbored or there he could not escape tor for they were ordered to 0 the oc capants from frani leaving aswell as well as to protect tho the premises from harm at five therefore the young alde aide do de camp went his hla way not full satisfied by any means but content to fecek ceol explanation at corps headquarters and to investigate further ou on his return in point df it fact ho he was doubt fu duj ns as to his duties and prerogatives in the matter and needed his generals advice ile iio meant to tell him just what lie he feared or suspected that paul haduo himself in some unaccountable manner had become separated from his regiment possibly through illness or wounds and aap wis concealed within the shattered walls of the old virginia farmhouse but just justat at tho the time when lie most needed the instructions of his own division chief lie he was destined to bo be cut off from him and for many a day it was alter after sundown and long after when at last riding some miles at swift trot lie he overtook tho the corps commander with his staff on the road beyond ah said that soldierly leader the general is prompt what time did he start start sir air said denton his bis heart beating quick and hard again 1 I dont know I 1 was instructed to deliver this letter and to ask to have these others pent on to washington by your courier tonight to night but I 1 thought to find you west of centreville Cen treville not on the march air then my orders had not arrived when you left why what hour did you leave sir air ina and Dowells Mc face reddened as it would when he was annoyed about tour four general but four airl air then where on earth have you been all tills this time 1 I came by way of the henry house to look at the old battlefield battle field neld general we had no idea of your moving and there was plenty of time before dark answered poor fred noting with much concern the ominous silence of the listening staff and orderlies you must have stayed an unconscionable scio time there grumbled tho the general who had not yet ceased to feel touchy at any mention of dull bull run the first longer than he did last july laughed okane of the montgomery when told of it ali ah I 1 remember that pretty daughter of old cheltona chiltons Is there you saw her I 1 suppose 1 I suppose I 1 did general was the rueful answer though she in no wise sought to detain me quite the contrary well mr air benton your division la is doubtless following us by this time and should be across the run my compliments to the general and say I 1 will have his letters forwarded now dont get lost in the woods oo on your way back and thus summarily was the brief interview ended and tho the corps commander with ills hla staff rodo rode on now hero here was a plight for an aide decamp de camp ills tent and all his belongings were with those of division headquarters and would doubtless be taken care of by the staff quartermaster but where was he to find his general and how well he knew the division in marching arching in to follow or overtake the others of the corps and kearneas Kear jersey brigade was just striding by him at the moment would probably take false the shortest road from the camps about manassas would follow the winding wood roads roads and cross dull run at blackburns blackburnn Black burns or mitchells ford taking the of the triangle instead of the long way around the two adjacent sides aldea formed by the sud loy ley springs rud rod warrenton roads yet he had fully intended to be back at tho the henry house before this hour that found him still in saddle and crowded oft off the highway lie he and ills his orderly both beginning to get li hungry tingry and their horses showing signs of hard riding it ended in his picking a way past ahe flank of tho the marching column co lunin every now and then narrowly shaving some straggler along the dilapidated stong stona wall that skirted the pike and ald after half an hours groping finding himself once more at Cen centreville treVille as the I 1 HA of franklins franklin fine division violon di was deal cleat ng it on the we westward stAvard rice 0 the roadway just beyond the old a stone bone church jn in Cen centreville treville burns his orderly tt to work to rub down the horsek ho tn in the fenceless yard of the first lb big boade to the right of the road and denton benton banged at the door in quest of supper those wore were still the early tha th velvet days daya of tho the war when almost any thing but a square fight could be had for money and the aide was waa in III no wise surprised to find halt half a dozen field and staff officers eating heartily in n the kitchen and rather loudly and coarsely yet not really ill chaffing an elderly gray haired man who seated hy by himself at a little table answered their crude sallies with imperturbable dignity and patience one of the number knew denton benton and jovially hailed him by name what ho he thou limb of the west F fred red denton benton by all luckel well met my bold badger for were well nigh dead broke our boniface here wants a dollar apiece for our supper and five dollars for the lie demijohn of poach peach brandy hed been saying caving for joe johnston wo we can manage the tax for the victuals fred its the peach that staggers us and there was waa unconscious truth in the statement for the entire party showed symptoms of undue exhilaration ill stake you provided youve lift enough supper for me and my orderly laughed denton otherwise 11 11 II see aou ou hanged first ilow how is it friend what can you give me and lie he turned to the man mail of the house and lie he in I 1 0 a C OF HORSES FEET HEARD turn to the tall unkempt creature tn in faded calico hair and complexion just entering from the leanto lean to at the eastward side AL A shrug of the scraggy shoulders was wab the reply supplemented by the brief word Nu euthin Nuth thin ln somewhere out on the pike a cavalry trumpet sounded mount and the sex started by jovel there goes the escort so we must move cried a burly major come benten benan fork over and well have a stirrup cup with that he lugged the demijohn from underneath the table slung it by a deft turn of the wrist camp fashion across his bis right forearm and proceeded to pour a liberal shot into the glassed glasset 2 and cups held forth to him then the devil of over stimulation sent him lunging across the narrow floor to the table where sat the lonely virginian come old chat chap he cried youre all right weve been a little free per haps soldiers will be soldiers eis you know youre a gentleman join us in a drink sir air and a toast hey fellows lots lets a toast forward I 1 rang the trumpets on the soft night wind and tile me rumble ot of wheels gave way avay to the clack and clatter of countless hoofs come on major shouted ca capt pt cranston he be who had accosted benton and by this time had readily effected tho the needed loan with unneeded increment como come ont dont bother the gentleman we must bo be off dut but the major was bent on another drink and having the gray haired stranger share it despite the lat batters latter 8 plea to be excused ono toast just one shouted he of the demijohn I heres leres to little mac by jupiter the best beat general the best gentleman jn the whole army aint he old chap and to the surprise of all even in the midst of the boisterous talk and confusion ns as the party searched bed for discarded sabres fabres and gauntlets gauntlett gaunt lets the elderly stranger arose held forth hia hla glass and courteously said give me a thimbleful sir air ill join you in that with infinite pleasure bully for you old boy cried the major who had gulped a stiff three fingers whereas the virginian had merely sipped at his glass now me mc just two drops more on one more toast heres confusion to the confederacy an everything with it an an 11 oh come out of this mullen growled a comrada com rady grasping him by the arm come out or ill not till ive had bad a str rup cup with this gendeman gen leman not till he be drinks my ive drunk his UL rindy ady sir air heres contus hn to the confederacy an everybody what you wont drink that you a damned too and before ills friends could interpose tho the half crazed fellow had lunged threateningly forward at the pallid stranger who having set down his glass untouched stood facing them one hand uplifted in silent prot protest est it was denton benton who sprang apran between them and with apparently laughing ease whirled the major about and with his powerful hands on tho the burly shoulders sent him struggling and swearing to tho the doorway where the others closed about and bore him away one of their number a young staff staf zap zapala aln running back bac it to siy say a word of apology then fred nud and the stranger Bt ranger found them fot foi tho the coment alono alone you tato ilone clone me a kindness suh still sald babil tho latter akl I 1 catch the a V i 11 blout ut F ed den denton t on of vf of wisconsin benton yea wt vnus a tile te wary answer for though tho the word badger had been spoken wisconsin had not S some ome body had talked to this man of him before and now light flashed suddenly upon the situation are re you pardon me dr chilton of charlottesville asked denton benton the same suh at your su livice I 1 have been to gen mcclellan McClell nn for permission to take my son wounded and paroled back home sub bull lie ile treated me like the courteous gentleman lie he Is so I 1 drank ills his health now pardon me you have not oaten eaten and with that dr chilton arose and followed the whispering darby and joan into tho the leanto lean to and when he returned it was waa with an air of mild tri triumph you shall be au lived suh in a very few moments also your orderly he called it ol idly you ride on to fairfax no eald benton 1 I look to meet my division somewhere about here they come by way of the lower fords as aa I 1 am told I 1 then they are retiring from tho the junction too asked the veteran an eager light in ills his eye 1 I cannot say bay answered denton benton coldly now naw for the he sudden question put him on ills his guard pardon me bull buh if I 1 seem over pleased I 1 have no reason to rejoice I 1 am too old to serve even if my people had not opposed tho the ordinance oi of secession and no enemy could be so BO courteous and considerate cons lerate as geri gen mcclellan and the omens officers of your own division my son suh and any other virginia boy would do the same 1 reckon went with ills hla state went with job jeb stuart suh who Is his second |