the red acorn-第53章
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ad heah tell ye git outside the town； an' then turn ter yer right an' make fur the Stone River。 Ford hit or swim your mar' acrost； an' make yer way thru or round the Rebel line。 Ef ye find a good road； an' everything favorable ye mout try ter make yer way strait thru ef ye kin fool the gyards with yer story。 Ef ye're fearful ye can't then ride beyond the lines； an' come inter ours thet…a…way Aunt Deby'll go ter the other flank； an' try ter git a…past Breckinridge's pickets； an' I'll 'tempt ter make my way thru the center。 We may all or none o' us git thru。 I can't gin ye much advice； ez ye'll hev ter trust mainly ter yerself。 But remember all the time what hangs upon yer gittin' the news ter Rosy afore daybreak。 Think all the time thet mebbe ye kin save the hull army； mebbe win the vict'ry； sartinly save heeps o' Union lives an' fool the pizen Rebels。 This is the greatest chance ye'll ever hev ter do good in all yer life； or a hundred more； ef ye could live 'em。 Good…by。 Ef God Almighty smiles on us we'll meet ter…morrer on yon side o' Stone River。 Ef He frowns we'll meet on yon side o' the Shinin' River。 Good…by。〃
He released her hand and her horse； and she rode forward into the darkness。 Her course took her first up a main street； which was crowded with wagons； ambulances and artillery。 Groups of men mingled with these； and crowded upon the sidewalks。 When she passed the light of a window the men stared at her； and some few presumed upon her homely garb so far as to venture upon facetious and complimentary remarks； aimed at securing a better acquaintance。
She made no reply； but hurried her mare onward； as fast as she could pick her way。 She soon passed out of the limits of the town and was in the country； though she was yet in the midst of camps； and still had to thread her way through masses of men； horses and wagons moving along the road。
The first flutter of perturbation at going out into the darkness and the midst of armed men had given way to a more composed feeling。 No one had stopped her； or offered to； no one had shown any symptom of surprise at her presence there at that hour。 She began to hope that this immunity would continue until she had made her way to the Union lines。 she had left the thick of the crowd behind some distance； and was going along at a fair pace； over a clear road； studying all the while the line of fires far to her right； in an attempt to discover a promising dark gap in their extent。
She was startled by a hand laid upon her bridle； and a voice saying：
〃Say； Sis； who mout ye be； an' whar mout ye be a…mosyin' ter this time o' night？〃
She saw a squad of brigandish…looking stragglers at her mare's head。
〃My name's Polly Briggs。 I live on the South Fork o' Overall's Creek。 I've done been ter Dr。 Thacker's in Murfreesboro； fur some medicine fur my sick mammy； an' I'm on my way back home； an' I'd be much obleeged ter ye； gentlemen； ef ye'd 'low me ter go on； kase mammy's powerful sick； an' she's in great hurry fur her medicine。〃
She said this with a coolness and a perfect imitation of the speech and manner of the section that surprised herself。 As she ended she looked directly at the squad； and inspected them。 She saw she had reason to be alarmed。 They were those prowling wolves found about all armies； to whom war meant only wider opportunities for all manner of villainy and outrage。 An unprotected girl was a welcome prize to them。 It was not death as a spy she had to fear； but worse。 Now； if ever； she must act decisively。 The leader took his hand from her bridle； as if to place it on her。
〃Yer a powerful peart sort of a gal； an' ez purty ez a fawn。 yer mammy kin git 'long without the medicine a little while； an'…〃
He did not finish the sentence； for before his hand could touch her Rachel's whip cut a deep wale across his face； and then it fell so savagely upon the mare's flank that the high…spirited animal sprung forward as if shot from a catapult； and was a hundred yards away before the rascals really comprehended what had happened。
Onward sped the mettled brute； so maddened by the first cruel blow she had ever received that she refused to obey the rein； but made her own way by and through such objects as she encountered。 When she at last calmed down the road was clear and lonely； and Rachel began searching for indications of a favorable point of approach to the river； that hinted at a bridge or a ford。 While engaged in this she heard voices approaching。 A moment's listening to teh mingling of tones convinced her that it was another crowd of stragglers； and she obeyed her first impulse； which was to leap her horse over a low stone wall to her right。 Taking her head again； the mare did not stop until she galloped down to the water's edge。
〃I'll accept this as lucky；〃 said Rachel to herself。 〃The ancients trusted more to their horses' instincts than their own perceptions in times of danger； and I'll do the same。 I'll cross here。〃
She urged the mare into the water。 The beast picked her way among the boulders on the bottom successfully for a few minutes。 The water rose to Rachel's feet； but that seemed its greatest depth； and in a few more yards she would gain the opposite bank； when suddenly the mare stepped upon a slippery steep； her feet went from under her instantly； and steed and rider rolled in the sweeping flood of ice…cold water。 Rachel's first thought was that she should surely drown； but hope came back as she caught a limb swinging from a tree on the bank。 With this she held her head above water until she could collect herself a little； and then with great difficulty pulled herself up the muddy； slippery bank。 The weight of her soaked clothes added greatly to the difficulty and the fatigue； and she lay for some little time prone upon her face across the furrows of a cotton field； before she could stand erect。 At last she was able to stand up； and she relieved herself somewhat by taking off her calico riding skirt and wringing the water from it。 Her mare had also gained the bank near the same point she had； and stood looking at her with a world of wonder at the whole night's experience in her great brown eyes。
〃Poor thing；〃 said Rachel sympathetically。 〃This is only the beginning。 Heaven knows what we won't have to go through with before the sun rises。〃
She tried to mount； but her watery garments were too much for her agility； and with the wet skirts fettering her limbs she began toiling painfully over the spongy； plowed ground； in search of a stump or a rock。 She thought she saw many around her； but on approaching one after another found they were only large cotton plants； with a boll or two of ungathered cotton on them； which aided the darkness in giving them their deceptive appearance。 She prevented herself from traveling in a circle； by remembering this aptitude of benighted travelers； and keeping her eye steadily fixed on a distant camp…fire。 When she at last came to the edge of the field she had to lean against the fence for some minutes before she could recover from her fatigue sufficiently to climb upon it。 While she sat for a minute there she heard some cocks； at a neighboring farm…house； crow the turn of night。
〃It is midnight；〃 she said feverishly； 〃and I have only begun the journey。 Now let every nerve and muscle do its utmost。〃
She rode along the fence until she came to an opening which led into what appeared in the darkness to be another cotton field； but proved to be a worn…out one； long ago abandoned to the rank…growing briars； which clung to and tore her skirts； and seamed the mare's delicate skin with bleeding furrows。 The flinching brute pressed onward； in response to her mistress's encouragement； but the progress was grievously slow。
Presently Rachel began to see moving figures a little way ahead of her； and hear voices in command。 She eralized that she was approaching the forces moving to the attack on the Union right。 There was something grotesque； weird； even frightful in the sounds and the aspect of the moving masses and figures； but she at last made out that they were batteries； regiments and mounted men。 She decided that her best course was to mingle with and move along wit
