The Guns of Bull Run

g his shoulder. It was yet dark outside

unsteadily. "Your horse, bridle and saddle on, is waiting. Your

ate breakfast by lamplight, and when he finished it was not yet dawn. Then t

this pocket-book you will find five hundred dollars, and here is, also, an order on a bank in Charleston for

of his waistcoat, and then his fath

ens, of South Carolina, or General Beauregard, who, I understand, is coming to command the troops there, and whom I knew in former days, or to General Ripley. It cont

ieved that his father had done so with his own hand. The boy sprang into the saddle, Colonel Kenton gave him a strong grasp of

Colonel Kenton was standing in the doorway, his figure made bright in the moonlight. Harry waved his hand and a hand was waved

almost from infancy an expert rider. His spirits rose. He had no fear of the stillness and the dark. But one could scarcely call it the dark, since b

red to his belt. The line of the mountains lay near the road, and he remembered Bill Skelly and those l

barked, but there was no sound, save the tread of the horse's feet in the snow, and his occasional puff when he blew the steam from his nostrils. Harry did n

d then something rose in his throat again. He remembered his father standing in the portico, and, strangely enough, the Tacitus lying in his locked desk at

te in the afternoon. Nor would there be any need for him to get there earlier, as no train for Nashville reached that place unt

t, and every tree was heavy with snow. A line between the trees showed where a path turned off from the main road and entered the hills. As Harry approache

, like Skelly. They wore fur caps; heavy blanket shawls were drooped about their shoulder

struck his horse sharply, shouted to him, and bent far over against his neck. Colonel Kenton had chosen well. The horse responded instantly. He seemed to gather his whole powerful frame compactly together, and shot forward. The nearest mountaineer fired, bu

ey had missed, confidence came. He knew that they could not overtake him, and they would not dare to pursue him long. He glanced back. They were a full hundred yards in the rear, riding all four abreast. He r

, and he might go four or five miles without seeing a single human being, save those who pursued. But he was not afraid. His confidence lay chiefly in the powerful animal that he rode, and he saw the distance between

ce and he counted the smoke of five farm houses. He believed that the men would not pursue him into the open country, but he urged his horse to greater speed, and did not turn in his saddle for a quarter of an hour. When he

rough the adventure. It would harden him to risks and dangers to come. He made up his mind, also, to say nothing about it. He could s

bridle at a livery stable, stating that they would be called for by Colonel Kenton, who was known throughout the region, and sought food at the crude little wooden hotel.

ke himself comfortable as best he could on the red plush seat, sprinkled thickly with ashes and cind

had kept him up. Now the swaying and jarring of the train, crude like most others in that early time of railways, gave him a sense of illness. The window at his elbow rattled incessantly, and the ashes and cinders sifted in, blackening his face and hands. Three or four smoking lamps, hung from the

ry. But he could catch only glimpses of snowy woods and fields, and, once or twice, flashes of water as they crossed rivers. The effort

as black and precise. His face was shaven smoothly, save for a long gray mustache with an upward curve. While the people abou

en he drew a small silver cup from the same valise, filled it at the drinking stand, drank and returned it to t

ys he gazed straight before him, and his mind seemed to be far from the people in the car. It was obvious that he was not the o

against the corner of the seat and the wall, drew his overcoat as a blanket about his

self, put on his overcoat that he had used as a blanket, and tried to look through the window. He saw only darkness rushing past, but he knew that he had

nk from the silver cup, seemed not to have been asleep at all. He still sat rigidly erect, and his melancholy look had not

ger. This town of Nashville was full of promise. It had been the home of the great Andrew Jackson, and it was one of the important

ked around, his eyes met Harry's-perhaps he had been observing him in the night-and he smiled. It was a rare, illuminating smile that made him wo

ille?" said the man with t

I am then going

ossible that this man could be planning anything against him o

rd South. "Your sleep was very deep, almost like collapse. You showed that you had been through great physical and m

with a little alarm. The strange man l

the Mason and Dixon line, I make no secret of it. I am Leonidas Talbot, of South Carolina, until a week ago a colonel in the American army, but now bound for my home in Charles

blue eyes set well apart, and Harry

people generally call me Harry-and I liv

Talbot, late colonel U.

ou joined us and the strong resemblance should have mad

said

ir, let me sha

l that Harry held out his hand, and

Cerro Gordo, and we were side by side at Contreras, Molino del Rey, and the storming of Chapultepec. He left the service some time after we came back from Mexico, but I remained i

ly, and he was not sorry th

er people are now on their way to this same city of Charleston, which sinc

ou," said Harry. "I know little of Charlest

alone. I know Nashville fairly well, and while it is of the undoubted South, it will be best for us, while

d wind blowing across the hills and the Cumberland River made Harry shiver in his overcoat. Once m

of wood, and low, showed dimly through the dusk. No carriages met the

know the best hotel, and for travelers who

en door. They entered the lobby of the hotel, one carrying his saddle bags, the other his valise, and registered in the book that the sleepy cle

n the last few days, as there was a great stir in the country owing to the

but positive voice. "My young friend and I

ready become absolute. This man must be what he claimed to be. There was no tra

e colonel put his valise at the foot of one bed, and walked to the window. The night had lightened somewhat and he saw the roofs of buildings, the dim line of the yellow r

but Harry saw Colonel Talbot's melancholy

e trouble,

down on the edge of the bed and smiled. It was

one out, and, Harry, because I'm a son of South Carolina I must go with it-and I don't want to go. But I've been a soldier all my life. I know little of politics. I ha

," said Harry

he moment, he wished for the sanguine decision of youth,

ors and the raid of John Brown has appalled me. But, Harry, pay good heed to me when I say it is not a mere matte

rstand you,"

eston and along the Carolina coast came by the way of the West Indies. They have strange superstitions. They believe that some of their number have the gift of second sight. In my childhood I knew two old women who claimed the power, and they gav

forgotten his presence. A vivid and powerful imagination had carried him not only from the ro

boy," he said, briskly. "To bed, Harry! To bed! Your s

present in his mind, that of Charleston, the famous city to which they were going. The effect of Colonel Talbot's ominous words had worn off. He would soon see the city which

the hour the dining-room was still crowded, and the room buzzed with animated talk. Harry knew very well that Charleston was the absorbing topic, just as it had been the one great thought in his own

was a country merchant of middle age, and the third was a young man of twenty-five, who had very little to say. The legislator, whose name was Ra

bot," he said. "One who can give up his commission in the army a

ot gave a re

p of one who will win many honors

l a grave," said Co

his stranger. He was built well, shaven smoothly, and did not look like a Tennesseean. His thin lips, often pressed

. All southern roads seem to lead to that town, and I, too, am go

t was so intent and comprehensive that the young m

a great city, and you must know something about the feel

pard. "No man can. But

ink?" persisted

ought to join her Southern sisters. As the others go out one by one, I think she wi

arolina swept him once more with t

I told my young friend here last nigh

ad become one of overwhelming interest. "Then Charleston, as its center

ard's face and a faint pink tint appe

Carolinian, "and I heard to-day that they are building earthworks, also. All are

ngly. "I believe you said you were l

hville. They do not need us yet in Charleston, although their tempers are pretty warm. There has been so much fiery talk, cumu

hem, or rather a thread of suspicion, a fine thread in truth, but strong enough to sustain something. He could see, too, that Colonel Talbot was giving Shepard a

e was a great amount of talk. Many of the older men sprinkled their words with expressive oaths. The oaths came so naturally that it seemed to be a habit with them. They chewed tobacco f

. He was dressed in a suit of rough gray jeans, with his trousers stuffed into high boots. He carried in

place. He took him for a mountaineer, and he judged by the

f Charleston

said the man, biting his wo

ght to take Tennes

oo. I 'low the South will get whipped like all tarnation, but if she does I'm a Southerner myself, an' I'll have to git whipped along with her. But ta

Harry in an extraordinary manner. It was direct and wonderfully convincing. The boy

litely. "I'm from Kentucky, and my fa

thought I'd look in here at Nashville an' see what the smart folks was doin'. I'd tell 'em not to let Tennessee go out of

" said Harry, "but I'm afraid we're

goes out, I reckon I'll go with her. It's hard to go ag'in your own gang. Leastways, 't ain't in me to do

tel. His walk was like his talk, straight and decisive. Harry saw Shepard in the lobby making friends, but, i