The Tree of Appomattox

d the lofty slopes clothed in forest looked menacing. Many sharpshooters might lurk there, and the three colonels were anxi

rk were Shepard and Whitley, were chosen, and Dick, owing to his experience, was put in nominal command, although he knew in his heart that the s

he pass, led the way. The column behind, although it was coming forward at a good pace, disappeared with remarkable quickness. Dick, looking b

wind began to blow. All of them carried cloaks or overcoats rolled tightly and tied to their saddles, which they loosed and put on. The wind rose, and, confin

ul Cotter, had been a great woodsman too, and, as he drew on the buckskin gauntlets and wrapped the heavy cloak about his body, his second sensation was one of actu

eproduced the wilderness. It was there in all its savage loneliness and majesty. He could readily imagine that the Indians were lurking in the brush, and that

d his face. "On the plains when we were so well wrapped up that the icy winds whistling around us couldn't get at

about what they were going to do after the war

ting's done I think I'll go back to it. I can swing an axe with the best of 'em, but I mean after a while to have

in Harry Kenton, a reconstructed rebel, is going to deliver an address there to the new president's young men, while Mr. Pennington and I, as the president's guests, are going to sit on the stage and smile.

u predict I'll accep

e against the prophecy, but it al

f the thickening darkness. They reached very soon the crest of the pass and halted there a little while to see or hear any sign of a human being

ss, examining as well as they could the dripping forest on either side of the road. Shepard was a bit ahead, and Dick and the serg

Confederate forces must be gathering far up the valley to meet Sheridan, and the South was too much reduced to raise new men. Yet after a half hour's mode

w that the feeling was due to sounds as of someone moving lightly through a wet thicket, but unable to keep the boughs from givi

Dick whispered to

we are. They're enemies or they'd have come out. They're on foot, too, as they couldn't manage horses in those deep woods. Lik

" said Dick, and he a

the left, men,

hat they had heard the sound of the wet bushes rustling together, as a dozen rifles flashed in the dusk on the other side of the road. Bullets cut the leaves about them. Tw

ed Dick, "but don'

but, for the present, they were compelled to wait. Yet if their enemy was hidden from them they also were hidden from him. All the conditions of an old Indian battle in darkness and ambush were reproduced, and Dick was d

ot much larger than ours. They must have expected to

ick. "If so, Harry Kenton and his friends would certainly be

pleases. The condition of the country and these mountains give such fellows a chance. I'm going to lie down and c

t take too big risks, sergeant. W

dropping almost flat upon his f

tor, Paul Cotter. Several more shots were fired by the foe, but they did not hurt anybody, all of them flying overhead. Dick's men were anxious to send random bullets in reply into the thickets, but

out from the general darkness. But he still saw it faintly, a darker blur against the dark earth. Yielding a little to his own anxiety, he han

side. The sergeant was already beyond cover, but he lay so l

ing up a howling and whistling in the pass, a most sinister sound to one n

ead crowned by an enormous flap-brimmed hat. His imagination also made him see small, close-set, menacing red eyes, and he knew at once that it was Slade, the same guerrilla leader who had once pursued him with such deadly vindictiveness through the Mississippi fo

Dick to the sergeant wh

kill you down there in the Vicksburg campaign. If we get another r

as Slade cumbers the earth. Besides, he

was a dead shot, and he believed that he would not miss, but when the ray ca

it may never come again. I'd have sa

his shot, showing that some one had received his bullet, but Dick knew instinctively that

f his rifle betray him. A dozen shots were fired by Slade's band, but no harm was done, and t

e can divide our force, and taking them

y, wary and weather

up in time, while it's not likely that anybody can come to help Slade. It's true too, sir, that this rain is

est for Mr. Shepard to return and hurry

nce through the forest, then mount and gallop up the road. They may be go

ifles against any rush made

e return journey. Then he mounted and galloped at great speed up the pass. Dick heard the distant thud of hoofs growing fainter and fainter until they died

silvery light over the woods and thickets drove away the deep darkness, and when Sergeant Whitley crept forward again to spy out the enemy he found that they were gone. He trailed them up the lofty slope and discovered, as he had sur

s Slade!" sai

ick. "I saw him plainly, a

that he and Skelly have joined bands is true, because if they are in this region they

r have to fight them here than have them attacking our innocent people at hom

e nothing to him. He'd rob, and murder,

antic and faithful Juliana. But Juliana was an armed host herself, and Dick smiled at the recollection of the strong and honest black face that h

erate only from ambush, and so far as Virginia is concerned, in the mountains. Shepard says we'll be out of the pass in another hour, a

, despite the difference in age, into a friendship which nothing could break. The meeting with Slade was forgotten quickly, by all except those concerned, and by most of those too, so vast was the

earth began to dry. The three colonels felt it necessary to give their men rest and food, and let t

offee and cooked their breakfasts, Dick's heart leaped. This was the great valley once more, where so much history had been made. Lee and Grant were deadlocked in the trenches before Petersburg, but here in the valley history w

see any further attempt to stop their march to Sheridan. The three colonels shared in the view, and when the men had finished breakfast and dried themselves at their fires they

my cottage,

waits

sweetness

ppines

the splendi

e and f

can my pe

blessed

my cottage,

waits

sweetness

piness

k them as they rode across the fields, y

they sing," he said

hear it myself. It's a wonderful effect, a thousand or more st

They finished "Gentle Maid" and then, with the same lad leading them, swung into a song that made Dick s

tain, ling'ring fal

untain, breaks

endor, where the warm

tender, speak the

Ask thy soul if

a! Lean thou

ng moons like these

aming prove thy

lenting, for thy

onsenting to a

! Let me ling

a! Be my own

and Dick still saw Sam Jarvis, the singer of the hills, and his valley, wher

last verse again!" and with increase

ng moons like these

aming prove thy

lenting, for thy

onsenting to a

! Let me ling

a! Be my own

nd the hills gave it back in

he South," said Dick t

fined to one section. They were the common property of both

continually unfolded its beauty before them. The mountains were green near by and blue in the distance, and the fertile floor that they enclosed, lik

en and the children would answer nothing. The women were not afraid to tell the Yankees what they thought of them

s and saluted. Yes, it was true, they said, that Sheridan was gathering a fine army and he and all of his men were eager to march, but C

Dick saw a horseman followed by a group of about twenty men galloping towa

ridan!" excl

examined him closely through his glasses, and he saw the young, tanned face under the broad brim of his hat, and the keen, flashing eyes. He noticed also how small he was. Sheridan was but five feet five inche

to speak to Colonel Hertford, who sat his saddle before it, Colonel Winchester

ring for a moment on their broad blades. Then they swept in might

Sheridan!

curve, sank back into their sca

received the magnificent salute. His own sword sprang out, and made the salute in re

diers, but I see that you are even greater and more gallant men than I had hoped. The Army of the Potomac has sent i

eir glittering curve, and again from mu

Sheridan!

introduced, and with Sheridan himself at their head the whole column swept off toward the