Dorothy slipped down the stairs, and for a moment looked into the library. “Please do not look so frightened,” she called to the others, “Sallie Tom and I will manage.” Then she went on to the door. A furious gust of wind blew wildly around the corner of the house, and a voice outside called out: “There is no use in resisting, you might as well open at once.” Dorothy pushed Sallie Tom aside, and threw open the door. Two officers stood without with pistols in hand, and as the light fell full upon the slight, girlish figure standing in the doorway, they drew back, as if startled themselves. For a moment no one spoke, then the taller of the two stepped forward and lifted his cap. “I am sorry to trouble you,” he said courteously, putting his pistol in his belt as he spoke, “but I understand General H.’s scout, Robert F. Taylor, is here, and we are under orders to search the house, and produce him, if possible, and also any other soldiers who may be found here.”
Sallie Tom gave a most vicious snort, and Dorothy laid her hands upon her. “You are at perfect liberty to search the house, gentlemen,” she said quietly, trying hard to control her voice, as she motioned them to enter that she might close the door, “but I am afraid you will have your trouble for nothing, you are just a little too late; the gentleman you are looking for did take his Christmas dinner with us, but that was five hours ago; he left immediately afterwards.” She looked up almost provokingly into their faces, and the least bit of a smile quivered on her lips, as the officers exchanged glances.
It was impossible that this slip of a girl, this beautiful thing, could be fooling them. They must search the house anyhow—could they be allowed at once?
“Certainly,” she answered promptly, “Sallie Tom will show you every inch of it.” “It is terribly cold,” she continued, seeing them rub their hands together, “won’t you let the rest of the men come in also? they can at least get warm while waiting.”
“Oh, they don’t mind,” one of them smilingly rejoined, “they are accustomed to waiting, and cold, too, and besides I would not care to fill your whole house.”
“I hardly think half a dozen men would do that,” she answered gravely. “I suppose you would like to begin your search at once, however,” she continued as she threw open the parlor door. “You can walk in and examine at your leisure. You will pardon my leaving you, we have friends to tea. Sallie Tom will show you every inch of space in the house.” She bowed to them courteously and left.
The two men looked at each other blankly for a moment, and then the younger one began to laugh at the expression on the other man’s face. “This beats my time,” he said softly to the one in command—a lieutenant, evidently, from his uniform. They lowered their voices so that Sallie Tom couldn’t hear. “I’ll bet an even hundred that fellow’s about here somewhere, and that girl’s determined to save him. She’s the coolest thing I’ve struck since I entered the service, and by long odds the prettiest. Did you notice her eyes?” “Hush,” said the other, “that old woman’s a regular hawk, she’s pretending not to notice. Come, we must search the house thoroughly, though it’s a nasty piece of business. I wish that girl hadn’t been so polite.” The two men began to walk around the room, looking more at the many old and elegant things it contained, than with any expectation of finding a clue here to the hiding place of any rebels that might be in the house. Their looks and bearing gave evidence that they were gentlemen, who, while they disliked their invasion of private property, were determined to obey to the letter the orders they had undertaken to fill. These orders were to capture the daring scout of General H⸺ and bring him to where their company was camping temporarily, some five miles below “White Point.”
A scouting party of some six or seven men, under their young lieutenant, had volunteered to make this capture, if possible, having heard that young Taylor, as they thought the name was, would no doubt spend his Christmas at home. They knew very well the importance attached to this holiday by the Southern people, and what a time for home-coming it was, and were confident of springing a trap and catching their unwary victim in it. So confident of success had they been, that they would take only some six or seven in their party, and now to be met in this coolly prepared-for manner, and by such a demoralizing pretty girl, was upsetting to their soldierly dignity and calculations. They moved slowly round the room for a minute or two, talking in an undertone. Sallie Tom, snorting in a suppressed kind of way, was walking about moving chairs and sofas, shaking out curtains, and opening the doors of cabinets full of bric-a-brac, but still not a word did she utter. How on earth was she going to keep Bobbie away, and give him the signal of danger, was what she was turning over her mind. Her cabin was a good distance from the house. If she could only get there without exciting suspicion, or if Peter Black had already gotten there with Dorothy’s message, all might yet be well. She lifted herself up straight and changed her tactics—that is, she ceased to snort; she would do the amiable act. It was Christmas night; perhaps she could make the whole crowd drunk; and, if so, the Colonel and Doctor could slip off with Bobbie.