THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAINS
It was the second day after Lawrence had left the valley of La Belle, and so far nothing of interest had occurred. Lawrence and Dan were riding along side by side, when suddenly a stone struck in the road just ahead of them, causing their horses to rear and plunge. The road ran close to the bluff, and no doubt it was from the top of the bluff that the stone was thrown.
A careful scrutiny of the bluff revealed nothing, and they were about to ride on, when Lawrence suddenly exclaimed: "Hold on! there's a paper wrapped around that stone." Springing from his horse, he secured the paper. It proved to be a rude scrawl, telling them they were being pursued by a hundred men, and that another hundred had been sent to head them off.
"What do you think of that?" asked Lawrence, handing the scrawl to Dan.
Dan deciphered it, after some trouble, and then remarked: "A hoax, probably."
"It's no hoax, Dan. We may as well be prepared."
"But where did the two hundred men come from?" asked Dan. "Even if those fellows who were paroled turned back, they had no arms."
"It's a raiding party from the South, in all probability," answered Lawrence, "and we left just in time to miss them."
"Whew! Why couldn't we have stayed a few hours longer?"
"What! And fought the two hundred?"
"Sure; we could have licked them easily."
"Well, I am not sorry we left. I am not aching for a fight against such odds; but if they overtake us, we will show them what we can do. What puzzles me is, who gave us the warning?"
"Give it up," said Dan.
Harry was now called, and told what had happened. "You take Jack and Bruno and guard the rear. Don't let those fellows get close to us, without our knowing it."
"No danger, as long as Bruno is alive," laughed Harry.
"What about the front?" asked Dan. "We may run into those fellows who have gone to head us off."
"They haven't had time to head us off yet," said Lawrence, "and before they meet us, I want to teach those fellows in the rear a lesson."
The horses began to show signs of weariness, and, coming to a settler's cabin, around which grew a fine field of corn, Lawrence, concluded to halt, rest and feed the horses, and allow the men to make some coffee. There were some fine pigs running around, and two of these were slaughtered. The owner of the corn and hogs made strenuous objections to this appropriation of his property. He was a tall, gaunt mountaineer, and his face showed that he was both cunning and crafty.
"Are you Union or Confed?" asked Lawrence.
After emptying his capacious mouth of an enormous quid of tobacco, he drawled: "I don't know. Yo' uns be the first Yanks I hev seen. I allers reckoned I was a Confed, but now that yo' uns hev tuk my cohn and hawgs, I reckon I be Union. If I be Union, I get pay for my cohn and hawgs, don't I?"
Laughing, Lawrence handed him ten dollars, saying, "I'll bet you a ten against that one that you will be Confed before night. There's a band of Confederate cavalry chasing us."
"Is thar? Then I won't bet," replied the fellow, grinning. "It's too risky. They might p'int a gun at me, and make me yell for Jeff Davis."
"I reckon you wouldn't wait for the gun to be pointed before you yelled," said Lawrence; "but you're welcome to the ten."
"Ought to be fifty," growled the fellow, as he turned and went into the house, and they saw him no more.
That night Major Powell camped on his place, and made free with both his corn and hogs, but he made no objection; neither did he hurrah for Jeff Davis, for he was not there.
The Federals had not gone far from the cabin when the valley narrowed down and the mountains arose steep and precipitous on each side.
"It's lucky," said Dan, "that these hills are not filled with guerrillas, or they would be taking pot-shot at us. I will feel safer——"
He did not finish the sentence, for there came the sharp crack of a rifle from the hillside, and a piece of the crown of Dan's hat went flying through the air. He pulled off his damaged headgear and, gazing ruefully at it exclaimed: "A blame good hat spoiled; but my head is safe."
"Charge the bluff!" shouted Lawrence; but there was no need of the order. A half dozen troopers had already dismounted, and were scaling the bluff to where a small wreath of smoke was seen curling. Before they were half way up, there came the sound of another shot, but this time the whiz of no ball was heard.
Soon the men reached the spot where the smoke had been seen, and their exclamations of surprise were heard.
"What is it?" shouted Lawrence.
"Dead man up here. No signs of any live one."
"Well, look around sharp, and then come down," replied Lawrence.
The men soon returned, and told a strange story.
"We found," said the sergeant in charge, "whom do you think? Our friend who sold us the corn and hogs. He was lying behind a rock; his gun, loaded and cocked, was on the rock, and no doubt he was just going to take another shot at us, when some one shot him through the head from behind. He had just been shot, for the fresh blood was gushing from the wound as we came up. But we neither saw nor could we find any trace of the one who shot him. It's blame curious. I feel creepy. These mountains must be haunted."
"If they are, the spirits who haunt them must be very friendly to us," said Lawrence; "but, as you say, it is a singular circumstance. I can't make it out. Why doesn't the fellow show himself, if he is our friend?"
Many and various were the opinions expressed, but no satisfactory solution was arrived at.
The day closed dark and gloomy; great clouds swept across the sky, and the wind roared through the forest. It became so dark, and traveling so difficult, that Lawrence decided to camp for the night, and risk the chance of being overtaken. The place chosen to camp was a natural amphitheater which ran back into the mountains. It was overhung by the giant trees growing on the mountain.
Supper over, the men sat for some time around their little campfire, talking over the events of the day; but gradually the camp became quiet, and nothing was heard but the stamping of the horses and the roaring of the wind.
It was nearly midnight when the soldiers were aroused, not by the guard, but by Bruno, who came bounding into camp, growling fiercely, every hair on his back erect. He was trembling violently, either from fear or excitement.
"Why, what's the matter, Bruno?" cried Harry. "I never saw you act like this before."
"I believe he is scared," said Lawrence. "Andrew Jackson! Bruno scared!"
"I never knew him to be scared," said Harry, "but I believe he is. See how he trembles."
Before an investigation could be made, the horses began to rear and plunge, and the sentinels called out they were breaking loose.
"See to the horses," shouted Lawrence.
The men were just in time, as several of the horses had broken their halters. As it was, they had hard work to keep them from getting away.
"The horses are badly frightened. They are trembling like leaves," said the men.
"It must be some wild animal," said Lawrence. "Men, stay by the horses; Dan, Harry and I will investigate."
Lawrence took a burning brand from the fire, and all three, well armed, started to find the cause of the trouble. Bruno at first hung back, but when he saw Harry start, he followed; but it was noticed he kept close to his master's side.
The dog kept looking to the cliff back of their encampment. A large tree grew close to the cliff, and an animal could spring into it from the cliff. Cautiously the three men advanced.
"See there," said Dan, pointing up in the tree.
Lawrence looked, and saw up in the tree what looked like two coals of fire.
"Hold your brand where I can see the sights of my gun," whispered Dan.
Lawrence did so. Dan took a quick aim and fired. There came a terrible scream, a crashing among the branches, and then a huge panther lay struggling on the ground, tearing up the earth in his death agony.
Bruno seemed to have recovered from his fright, for he was about to spring on the struggling animal, when Harry cried, "Back, Bruno, back!"
Still Bruno would have rushed to his fate if Lawrence had not struck him a sharp rap over the nose with the burning brand.
At last the beast lay still.
"That was a good shot, Dan," said Lawrence. The ball had struck the panther squarely between the eyes.
"What could have induced him to visit our camp?" asked Harry.
"The smell of the meat the boys roasted for supper," replied Dan. "You know, we brought along some of those pigs we had for dinner."
Some of the soldiers insisted on skinning the beast and taking the skin along as a trophy. As it was, there was little more sleep in the camp, for the horses continued to be restless, and it was hard to keep them quieted.
"The panther's mate may be around," said Dan. "It is well to be on the lookout."
Bruno was of no more use, for he had become sulky and gone and lain down. He could not understand that the blow Lawrence gave him had saved his life.
If there was another panther around, he did not show himself, and at the break of day the troop was once more on the way.
Along in the afternoon, Harry came rapidly riding from the rear, saying the foremost of the pursuers had been sighted. Hardly had he made his report when the faint sound of three or four shots was heard.
"Harry, you, with Dan and Bruno, now take the advance," commanded Lawrence. "That is where we will have to look now for a surprise. Dan, take command, and ride at a good pace. I, with ten men, will look to the rear, and hold back the enemy."
"Why not stop and fight them?" grumbled Dan. "I don't like this idea of running."
"Because I don't wish to have a battle here, if I can help it," replied Lawrence. "If we fight, especially on anything like even terms, some of the men will be sure to be killed or wounded. Think of leaving any of the boys here in the mountains, wounded! It would be better for them to be shot than left wounded, for they would be sure to be murdered by guerrillas."
"Reckon you are right; but it is against my principles to run," sighed Dan.
"Don't be downhearted, old fellow," laughed Lawrence. "I expect to give them a fight; but I want to choose the ground and the manner of fighting."
Dan's face brightened. "That's all right, Captain," he exclaimed. "I might have known you were up to some of your tricks."
Lawrence now rode back to take charge of the rear. Major Powell, knowing he had two men to Lawrence's one, eagerly pressed forward; but his enthusiasm was a little cooled when his advance was driven back with a loss of one killed and two wounded, and he began to be a little more careful.
By taking advantage of every little inequality of ground, Lawrence was able to hold the enemy well in check for some miles; but at length they came to a place where the valley spread out, and flank movements were easy, and it soon became a test of speed and endurance of the horses.
"This will never do," thought Lawrence. "I must find a place to stop and fight them, and that soon."
Leaving the rear guard in charge of a sergeant, he rode rapidly to the front.
"Horses getting winded," said Dan. "We will have to stop and fight."
"At the first favorable place, Dan. Tell the boys to keep up the pace a little longer."
Lawrence now urged his horse to his utmost speed. He rode two or three miles without finding a favorable place for an ambuscade, and was about to halt and choose as good ground as possible and give battle. He had no fears of the result—only that many of his men might be killed or wounded. Just as he came to this conclusion, to his delight, he saw the valley close in front of him. A great hill pushed into it, leaving only a narrow gateway. Beyond this the valley turned, and the force would be entirely concealed by the hill. It took Lawrence but a minute to form his plan of battle. Just before the gateway was reached, the road ran close to the base of the mountain, which was thickly wooded.
Dan, in command of the advance, now dashed up. "Captain, we must fight. The horses are all in."
"Yes, Dan, it's fight now. Dismount your men, and have the horses taken around that point, out of sight. One man can care for six horses. Conceal the rest of your force in the brush along the base of the mountain. Be quick. If I succeed in leading them into the trap, you will know what to do." Thus saying, Lawrence clapped spurs to his horse, and rode for the rear.
Lawrence found the rear guard hard pressed.
"Look out, Captain; they are flanking us, and you are in range," called one of the men.
Just then three or four balls whizzed close to Lawrence's head. Wheeling his horse, he shouted, "Follow me!" and the rear guard went down the road as if in swift retreat. The enemy followed with wild cheers.
The rapid pursuit had strung out the Confederates, and Major Powell had ridden back to hurry up the stragglers, leaving the advance in charge of his senior captain. This officer, thinking the Yankees in full retreat, and that he might gain some honor, pressed the pursuit with vigor.
Straight past where Dan and his men were concealed, Lawrence rode, but he halted his little squad where the valley narrowed.
If the Confederates had not been so eager in the pursuit, they might have seen the bushes tremble or caught the gleam of a gun barrel; but they only had eyes for the flying Yankees. When they saw the Federals had halted, they also halted, taking time to close up, and that was just what Lawrence wanted.
Ordering his men to fire a volley, Lawrence again wheeled as if in retreat.
"Forward!" shouted the Confederate captain. "Charge! Ride over them!"
Suddenly, from the side of the road, there came a crashing volley. The destruction was awful; men and horses went down in heaps.
"Wheel and charge!" shouted Lawrence; and down on the terror-stricken Confederates came Lawrence with his ten men. The panic became a rout. The enemy thought only of getting away. In vain Major Powell tried to stop his men; he, too, was borne back in the confusion.
Quickly as possible, Dan had the horses brought up, and he and his men joined in the pursuit. For two miles it was kept up; then Lawrence ordered a halt. He saw that Major Powell had succeeded in rallying some of his men, and taken a position that could not be carried without loss.
All along the road lay dead and wounded men and horses, and where the first volley was fired the road was filled with the dead and dying.
It was a sight that made Lawrence's heart ache; but he could not stop even to give relief, for Harry and Jack came back with the startling news that there was a large force in front, not more than three miles away.
Lawrence rallied his men, and, to his intense relief, found he had only three men slightly wounded. It was almost a bloodless victory. The question was, what to do now. While debating, one of the men suddenly exclaimed, "Look, there!"
On a rock on the mountain-side, some three hundred yards away, stood the figure of an old man. A long white beard swept his breast, and he was bent with age. He stood leaning on a staff, as if weary.
