the red acorn-第56章
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Everywhere were evidences of the terrible work of the day before; and of preparations for renewing it。 The soldiers; utterly exhausted by the previous days' frightful strain; lay around on the naked ground; sleeping; or in a half…waking torpor。
An officer rode up to the wagon。 〃There seems to be some flour on this wagon;〃 said the voice of Dr。 Denslow。 〃Well; that may stay the boys' stomachs until we can get something better。 Go on a little ways; driver。〃
〃O; Doctor Denslow;〃 called out Rachel; as the wagon stopped again; 〃what is the news?〃
〃You here again?〃 said the Doctor; recognizing the voice: 〃well that is good news。 When I heard about Wheeler's raid on our trains I was terribly alarmed as to your fate。 This relieves me much。〃
〃But how about the army?〃
〃Well it seems to have been a case of hammer and anvil yesterday; in which both suffered pretty badly; but the hammer go much the worst of it。 We are in good shape now to give them some more; if they want it; which so far they have not indicated very strongly。 Here; Sergeant Glen; is a couple barrels of flour; which you can take to issue to your regiment。〃
Had not the name been called Rachel could never have recognized her former elegant lover in the salwart man with tattered uniform; swollen face; and head wrapped in a bloody bandage; who came to the wagon with a squad to receive the flour。
A tumult of emotions swept over her; but superior to them all was the feminine feeling that she could not endure to have Harry see her in her present unprepossessing plight。
〃Don't mention my name before those men;〃 she said to Dr。 Denslow; when he came near again。
〃Very good;〃 he answered。 〃Sit still in the wagon; and nobody will see you。 I will have the wagon driver over to the hospital presently; with the remainder of the flour; and you can go along。〃
All the old love seemed to have been out at compound interest; from the increment that came back to her at the sound of Harry Glen's voice; now so much deeper; fuller and more masterful than in the fastidious days of yore。 She lifted the smallest corner of the wagon…cover and looked out。 The barrel heads had been beaten in with stones; and a large cupful of flour issued to each of the hungry men。 They had mixed it up into dough with water from the ditch; and were baking it before the fire on large flat stones; which abounded in the vicinity。
〃I'll mix up enough for all three of us on this board;〃 she heard Harry say to Abe and Kent。 〃With your game arm; Kent; and Abe's battered eyes; your cooking skill's about gone。 You ought to both of you go to the hospital。 You can't do any good; and why expose yourself for nothing? I've a mind to use my authority and send you to the hospital under guard。〃
〃You try it if you dare; after my saving your life yesterday;〃 said Abe。 〃I can see well enough yet to shoot toward the Rebels; and that's all that's necessary。〃
〃I enlisted for the war;〃 said Kent; 〃and I'm going to stay till peace is declared。 I went into this fight to see it through; and I'm going to stay until we whhip them if there's a piece of me left that can wiggle。 Bragg's got to acknowledge that I'm the best man before I'll ever let up on him。〃
Rachel longed to leap out of the wagon; and do the bread…making for these clumsy fellows; but pride would not consent。
The dough was browning slowly on the hot stones; but not yet nearly done; when the spiteful spirits of firing out in front suddenly burst into a roar; with a crash of artillery。 A bugle sounded near。
〃Fall in; boys;〃 shouted Harry; springing to his feet; and tearing off the flakes of dough; which he hastily divided with his comrades。 〃Right dress。 Right face; forward; file rightmarch!〃
〃If there is anything that I despise; it's disturbing a gentleman at his meals;〃 said Kent; giving the fire a spiteful kick; as he tucked the bread under his lame arm; took his musket in his other hand; and started off in the rear of the regiment; accompanied by the purblind Abe。
Rachel's heart sank; as she saw them move off; but it rose again when the firing died down as suddenly as it had flamed up。
Soon Dr。 Denslow took the wagon off to a cabin on a high bank of Stone River; which he was using as a hospital。
She called some question to him; as he turned away to direct the preparation of the flour into food for his patients; when some one cried out from the interior of the cabin:
〃Rachel Bond! Is that you? Come in heah; honey。〃
She entered; and found Aunt Debby lying on the rude bed of the former inhabitants of the cabin。
〃O my lovemy darlingmy honey; is that you?〃 said the elderly woman; with streaming eyes; reaching out her thin arms to take Rachel to her heart。 〃I never expected ter see ye ag'in! But God is good。〃
〃Aunt Debby; is it possible? Are you hurt; dear?〃
〃No; not hurt child; on'y killed;〃 she answered with a sweet radiance on her face。
〃Killed? It is not possible。〃
〃Yes; honey; it is possible。 It is true。 The gates open for me at last。〃
〃How did it happen?〃
〃I got through Breckenridge's lines all right; an' reached the river; but thar was a picket thar; hid behind a tree; and ez he heered my hoss's feet splash in the ford; he shot me through the back。 An' I didn't get through in time;〃 she added; with the first shade of melancholy that had yet appeared in her face。 〃Did YOU?〃
〃No; I was too late; too。〃
〃An' Jim must've been; too。 Hev ye seed him any whar?〃
〃No;〃 said Rachel; unable to restrain her tears。
〃Now; honey; don't cry for medon't;〃 said Aunt Debby; pulling the young face down to where she could kiss it。 〃Hit's jest ez I want hit。 On'y let me know thet Bragg is whipt; an' I die happy。〃
All day Thursday the two bruised armies lay and confronted each other; as two bulldogs; which have torn and mangled one another; will stop for a few minutes; to lick their hurts and glare their hatred; while they regain breath to carry on the fight。
Friday morning it was the same; but there was a showing of teeth and a rising fierceness as the day grew older; which was very portentous。
While standing at the door of the cabin Rachel had seen Harry Glen march down the bank at the head of the regiment; and cross the ford to the heights in front of Breckenridge。 She picked up a field…glass that lay on a shelf near; and followed the movements of the force the regiment had joined。
〃What d' ye see; honey?〃 called out Aunt Debby。 She was becoming very fearful that she would die before the victory was won。
〃Our people;〃 answered Rachel; 〃seem to be concentrating in front of Breckenridge。 There must be a division over there。 Breckenridge sees it; and his cannon are firing at our men。 He is bringing men up at the double quick。〃 She stopped; for a spasm of fear in regard to Harry choked her。
〃Go on; honey。 What are they doing now?〃
〃Our men have formed a long line; reaching from the river up to the woods。 They begin to march forward。 Breckenridge opens more guns。 They cut lanes through them。 Now the infantry begins firing。 A cloud of smoke settles down and hides both sides。 I can see no more。 O my God; our men are running。 The whole line comes back out of the smoke; with men dropping at every step。 If Harry were only safely out of there; I'd give my life。〃
Aunt Debby groaned。 〃Look again; honey;〃 she said after a moment's pause。
〃It's worse than ever。 Breckenridge's men are swarming out of their works。 There seems to be a myriad of them。 They cover the whole hillside until I can not see the ground。 They yell like demons; and drive our men down into the river。 They follow them to the water's edge and shoot them down in the stream。 Ah; there goes a battery on the gallop to the hill in front of us。 It has opened on the Rebels; and its shells dig great holes in the black masses; but the Rebels still come on。 There goes another battery on the gallop。 It has opened。 There is another。 Still another。 They are galloping over here from every direction。〃
〃Glory!〃 shouted Aunt Debby。
〃There's a fringe of trees near the water's edge; whose tops reach nearly tot he top of the hill。 The cannon shots tear the branches off and dash down th