“Yes, though I despise you for the steps you have taken, I will grant your request. Don’t be afraid that I will betray you.”
“Where shall I go?” he asked, with a perceptible tremor in his voice.
“While I am out here seeming to prop up these shrubs, make your way to the kitchen and enter its front door, and don’t close it after you, but let it remain wide open. But be still until I tell you to start.”
As if going for something, I walked hastily around the house and kitchen, and entering the latter brought out an old hoe, and seemed to use it quite industriously in banking up earth around fallen shrubbery. Watching an opportunity—for in those war times all things, animate and inanimate, seemed to have ears—I said:
“When I go into the house, you must go into the kitchen, and be certain to let the doors remain open.”
I never knew how Everett made his journey, whether upright as a man, or upon all-fours like a beast.
From sheer exhaustion my poor mother was sleeping still, and Toby’s breathing and general appearance as he lay upon his pallet, plainly indicated the presence of deep seated disease. I looked around for Telitha, and not seeing her, went into the dining room where I found her sitting by a window. By unmistakable signs she made me understand that she had witnessed the entire proceeding connected with Everett through the window blinds.
Soon the loud tramping of horses’ feet caused me to run again to the front door, and I beheld a number of our scouts approaching. I went to meet them and shook hands with every one of them. No demonstration, however enthusiastic, could have been an exaggeration of my joy on again seeing our men, our dear Confederate soldiers, and yet I thought of Everett and trembled.
“Have you seen any Billy Yanks this morning?” was asked by several of them; and I replied:
“No, I have not seen any since our men ran them out of Decatur yesterday.”