There was a call, and the hurried steps of some one running, just outside the door, and Lucy Ann burst into the room, her face ashy pale.
"The yard"s full o" mens--Yankees," she gasped, just as the General and Hugh rose from the table.
"How many are there?" asked both gentlemen.
"They"s all "roun" the house ev"y which a-way."
The General looked at his sweetheart. She came to his side with a cry.
"Go up stairs to the top of the house," called the boys" mother.
"We can hide you; come with us," said the boys.
"Go up the back way, Frank "n" w.i.l.l.y, to you-all"s den," whispered Lucy Ann.
"That"s where we are going," said the boys as she went out.
"You all come on!" This to the General and Hugh.
"The rest of you take your seats," said the boys" mother.
All this had occupied only a few seconds. The soldiers followed the boys out by a side-door and dashed up the narrow stairs to the second-story just as a thundering knocking came at the front door. It was as dark as pitch, for candles were too scarce to burn more than one at a time.
"You run back," said Hugh to the boys, as they groped along. "There are too many of us. I know the way."
But it was too late; the noise down stairs told that the enemy was already in the house!
As the soldiers left the supper-room, the boys" mother had hastily removed two plates from the places and set two chairs back against the wall; she made the rest fill up the s.p.a.ces, so that there was nothing to show that the two men had been there.
She had hardly taken her seat again, when the sound of heavy footsteps at the door announced the approach of the enemy. She herself rose and went to the door; but it was thrown open before she reached it and an officer in full Federal uniform strode in, followed by several men.
The commander was a tall young fellow, not older than the General. The lady started back somewhat startled, and there was a confused chorus of exclamations of alarm from the rest of those at the table. The officer, finding himself in the presence of ladies, removed his cap with a polite bow.
"I hope, madam, that you ladies will not be alarmed," he said. "You need be under no apprehension, I a.s.sure you." Even while speaking, his eye had taken a hasty survey of the room.
"We desire to see General Marshall, who is at present in this house and I am sorry to have to include your son in my requisition. We know that they are here, and if they are given us, I promise you that nothing shall be disturbed."
"You appear to be so well instructed that I can add little to your information," said the mistress of the house, haughtily. "I am glad to say, however, that I hardly think you will find them."
"Madam, I know they are here," said the young soldier positively, but with great politeness. "I have positive information to that effect.
They arrived last evening and have not left since. Their horses are still in the stable. I am sorry to be forced to do violence to my feelings, but I must search the house. Come, men."
"I doubt not you have found their horses," began the lady, but she was interrupted by Lucy Ann, who entered at the moment with a plate of fresh corn-cakes, and caught the last part of the sentence.
"Come along, Mister," she said, "I"ll show you myself," and she set down her plate, took the candle from the table, and walked to the door, followed by the soldiers.
"Lucy Ann!" exclaimed her mistress; but she was too much amazed at the girl"s conduct to say more.
"I know whar dey is!" Lucy Ann continued, taking no notice of her mistress. They heard her say, as she was shutting the door, "Y" all come with me; I "feared they gone; ef they ain"t, I know whar they is!"
"Open every room," said the officer.
"Oh, yes, sir; I gwine ketch "em for you," she said, eagerly opening first one door, and then the other, "that is, ef they ain" gone. I mighty "feared they gone. I seen "em goin" out the back way about a little while befo" you all come,--but I thought they might "a" come back. Mister, ken y" all teck me "long with you when you go?" she asked the officer, in a low voice. "I want to be free."
"I don"t know; we can some other time, if not now. We are going to set you all free."
"Oh, glory! Come "long, Mister; let"s ketch "em. They ain"t heah, but I know whar dey is."
The soldiers closely examined every place where it was possible a man could be concealed, until they had been over all the lower part of the house.
Lucy Ann stopped. "Dey"s gone!" she said positively.
The officer motioned to her to go up stairs.
"Yes, sir, I wuz jes" goin" tell you we jes" well look up-stairs, too," she said, leading the way, talking all the time, and shading the flickering candle with her hand.
The little group, flat on the floor against the wall in their dark retreat, could now hear her voice distinctly. She was speaking in a confidential undertone, as if afraid of being overheard.
"I wonder I didn"t have sense to get somebody to watch "em when they went out," they heard her say.
"She"s betrayed us!" whispered Hugh.
The General merely said, "Hush," and laid his hand firmly on the nearest boy to keep him still. Lucy Ann led the soldiers into the various chambers one after another. At last she opened the next room, and, through the wall, the men in hiding heard the soldiers go in and walk about.
They estimated that there were at least half-a-dozen.
"Isn"t there a garret?" asked one of the searching party.
"Nor, sir, "tain"t no garret, jes" a loft; but they ain"t up there,"
said Lucy Ann"s voice.
"We"ll look for ourselves." They came out of the room. "Show us the way."
"Look here, if you tell us a lie, we"ll hang you!"
The voice of the officer was very stern.
"I ain" gwine tell you no lie, Mister. What you reckon I wan" tell you lie for? Dey ain" in the garret, I know,----Mister, please don"t p"int dem things at me. I"s "feared o" dem things," said the girl in a slightly whimpering voice; "I gwine show you."
She came straight down the pa.s.sage toward the recess where the fugitives were huddled, the men after her, their heavy steps echoing through the house. The boys were trembling violently. The light, as the searchers came nearer, fell on the wall, crept along it, until it lighted up the whole alcove, except where they lay. The boys held their breath. They could hear their hearts thumping.
Lucy Ann stepped into the recess with her candle, and looked straight at them.
"They ain"t in here," she exclaimed, suddenly putting her hand up before the flame, as if to prevent it flaring, thus throwing the alcove once more into darkness. "The trap-door to the garret"s "roun"
that a-way," she said to the soldiers, still keeping her position at the narrow entrance, as if to let them pa.s.s. When they had all pa.s.sed, she followed them.
The boys began to wriggle with delight, but the General"s strong hand kept them still.
Naturally, the search in the garret proved fruitless, and the hiding-party heard the squad swearing over their ill-luck as they came back; while Lucy Ann loudly lamented not having sent some one to follow the fugitives, and made a number of suggestions as to where they had gone, and the probability of catching them if the soldiers went at once in pursuit.