The Guns of Shiloh

ot follow into the deep mountains where his army might be cut off. So he rem

emely cold. General Thomas had shown no undue elation over his victory. He was as silent as e

, waving his hand t

luting, sat do

that you are a lad of courage and intelligence. Courage is common, intell

there too, but late in the day it

airo, Illinois, and attempt the reduction of the Confederate forts on the Cumberland and Tennessee. General Buell, one of your own Kentuckians, is advancing southward with a strong Union force, and in a few days his outposts will be on Green River. It will be of great advantage to Buell to know that the Confedera

o, s

at you know the country well between here and Green River. Because of that, and because of your intelligence, real intelligence, I mean, you are chosen for this task. You are to change to ci

Dick with quiet confidence, "a

iked his tone. "Return here in an hour with all your

o go on a secret mission of great importance, but

nce of mind counts for at least fifty per cent. Have a qu

t a place you get into you can get into one tighter. Think of

new that he would serve him well. He carried double blankets strapped to the saddle, pistols in holsters with another in his belt, an abundanc

ern part of the state. It also tells General Buell what reinforcements he can expect. If you are in imminent danger of cap

e boy's memory was good. In fact, every word of the dispatches w

you may help us greatly. I would not send a boy upon such an e

e the slightest doubt that he would get safely through. He wore a strong suit of home-made brown jeans, a bl

nd the head of the horse was pointed west slightly by north. The g

hed out his long neck, neighed joyously, and broke of his own accord into an easy canter. It was a lonel

his blood into a quicker torrent. He hummed snatches of the songs that he had heard Samuel Jar

weep of hills. Here the guerillas rode, choosing their sides as suited them best, and robbing as paid them most. Nor did these rough men hesitate at murder. So he rode mos

of grain to mill. Dick greeted him cheerfully and the boy

your way?"

from the way you are comin' we heard tell there was a great battle, hundreds

ld me of it, but the armies were not quite so large

to them. An' which way be you goin', Mister?" s

oking after some land that my people own in the mountains. L

op thar. Ben says he ain't goin' to be troubled in these war times by visitor

edn't take down his double-barreled sh

he middle of summer, but right now it's full of cold water, 'nough o

advice," said Dick. "I'll

e boy had stopped on the crest of a hill, and was looking at him. But Dick knew that it w

rue to his word he gave Ben and his shotgun no trouble, and continued straight ahead over the frozen road until he came to the ban

t since the boy had last seen it. In the middle the horse was compelled to swim, but it was no tas

wind blew. He saw the smoke of three cabins nestling in snug coves, but it was a full three hours before he met anybody else in the road. Then he saw two men riding

is pistol in such a manner that it was concealed by his heavy overcoat. His left hand rested lightly on the reins as he rode forward

ignificance in such times in such a region, but they did not have the look of mountaineers riding

o either side of the road to compel him to go between them. But he pulled his own horse out still further, and as they

said together, when the

n, without checking his speed. But one of th

t friendly to ride by witho

t very band of Skelly's which had already made so much trouble for both sides, and he s

get back to my home. Besides the day is very cold, and the two facts depri

eined across the road. "These be war times an' it's important to kno

y would immediately claim to be on the opposite s

your side?

uestion first," t

ed to bar the way. He was alarmed, deeply alarmed, but he lost neither his courage nor his presence of mind. Luckily he had already su

the spurs he made a blind but mighty leap forward. The horse of the first stranger, smitten by so great a weight, fell in

impulse he drew his own pistol and fired back. He saw the man's pistol arm fall as if broken, and he heard a loud cry. That w

d him. Sparks flashed from the stones where the shod hoofs struck, and Dick exulting felt the col

knew that for the present at least he was safe from any hurt from them. But he allowed his horse his head for a long t

avest, and the truest. I was sorry to make those red stripes

that bad-but they might have deprived him also of his precious dispatch. He was proud of the confidence put in him by General Thomas, and he meant to deserve

on at a brook-they seemed to occur every mile-and bathed with cold water the red streaks his spurs had made on either side of his

he carried in his knapsack, meanwhile keeping constant watch on the road over which he had come. But h

hand. He was riding over one of the bare ridges, when first he noticed how late the day had grown. All the sky was gray and chill and the cold sun was setting behind the western mountains. A breeze sprang up, rustling among the leafless bra

n smoke. By that time night had come fully, though fortunately it was clear but very cold. He saw

rom the road, and the sight of the heavy log walls made Dick all the more anxi

napping at the horse's heels, the usual mountain welcome. But when a kick fr

lo!" called

rly, but dark and strong, with the high cheek bones of an Indian stood in the door, the light of a fire blazing in the fireplace on t

shelter and food. This was his inalienable right in the hills or mountai

ated behind the house, their tails drooping. Then he s

your horse. Mandy will have supper r

staggered a little at first f

, who Dick knew at once had a keen eye a

the war," replied Dick. "In fact, you see ma

y and he realized it at once. The man

then?" he said. "Mebbe

my family," said Dick. "My name is Mason, Richard Mason, and I live

is right name, as it would

an, "or you wouldn't hev knowed 'bout so man

Eastern Kentucky. My business took me near them,

day that there w

called Mill Spring, and resulted in a complete vic

an' bad news to others. 'Pears to me, Mr. Mason, tha

eard of on

ll, an' I live here alone, 'ceptin' my old woman, Mandy. All we ask of people is to let us be. Lots of us in the mountain feel that way. Let

rses. They put his own horse in one of the stalls, and gave him corn and hay. Then they walked back to t

It'll make the fire an' supper all the better. We're just plain mountain people, but you're welcome to the best we have.

ge as her husband, and with a pleasant face,

" she said. "Supper's ready, Seth

ticed that it was large enough for five or six persons. He put his s

Corn cakes, vegetables, and two kinds of meat were cooking over the coals and a great pot of coffee boiled

ell heartily, "an' see who's te

te with them. For a time the two masculine human beings ate and drank with so much

you growin'

owi

aller than you was when you set, an' you're broader 'cross the chest. No, 'tain't wuth while to 'pologize. You've go

"you'll make the young stranger think you're plum'

s me, Mrs. Leffingwell, is the fact that Mr. Leffingwell will only nibb

rty," said Leffingwell, "or I'd kee

rposes, kitchen, dining-room, sitting-room, and bedroom. An old-fashioned squirrel rifle lay on hooks projecting from the wall, but there was no other sign of a weapon. There wa

inally ceased. Then Leffingwel

parts. Thar ain't nothin' to keep us up in the evenin's, an' as y

supper and the heat of the room pulled so hard on his eyelids that he could scarcel

imed Leffingwell heartily, "'cause I don't th

ithin his alcove, taking his saddle bags. There was a small window near the foot of the room, and when he noticed it he resolved to let in a littl

m before morning. Nevertheless he awoke before midnight, and it was a very slight thing that caused him to come out of sleep. Despite the languor produced by food and heat a certain nervous apprehension had been at work in the boy's mind, and it follo

remembered the window, and softly drawing two pegs that fastened it in ord

is head ceased to ache. He had not noticed at first the cause that really awakened him, but as he settle

hour, and it was natural that they should lie awake a while, talking about the coming of this young stranger or any other event of the day that interested them. Then

down except a few coals which cast but a faint light. Yet it was sufficient to show Dick that the two Leffingwell

striking that he had no doubt they were their sons. Now he understood about those empty stalls. The third man, who had been sitting with his shoulder toward Dick, turned his face presently, a

ar the words they spoke. The woman was pleading with them to let him go. He was only a h

an' strong enough, I tell you. You should have seen h

st brute I ever laid eyes on. Sech power an' sech action. I noticed him at once

ed," protested the woman. "What

" said Leffingwell. "I know places where sojers wouldn't find

at this boy rode straight from the tent of General Thomas hisself. He's a Union sojer, an' young as he is, he's an officer. He wouldn't be sent out by General Thomas hisself 'less it was on big business. He's got messages, dispatches of some kind t

fingwell, "I seed it in his belt. If he

Kerins

said. "Why, after all he went through to

Kerins is right. We ought to grab them dispatches. L

as got the big dispatches you say he has, an' he's missin', don't you think that sojers will come after him? An' they'll trace him to

gain that it would be enough to take the horse. As for the dispatches it wasn't wise for them to fool

his fear was greatest lest he might lose the precious dispatches that he bore. For a few moments he did not know what to do. He mi

idth, and dropped quietly to the ground outside, remembering to take the precaution of closing t

ed and bridled his horse in two minutes, and in another minute was flying westward o