Just after dark I went to his house alone, he greeted me in a very cordial manner and remarked:
“Well, Mr. Hildebrand, I‘m glad to see you—hope you are well—and are yet too smart for the Feds.”
“Are there any Feds in Greenville?”
“None, sir, none at all; I was there to-day; the place is entirely clear of the scamps. By the way, Mr. Hildebrand, are you alone?”
“Oh yes; I am taking this trip by myself.”
“Glad to assist you, sir; you must stay with me to-night; I‘ll hide you to-morrow in a safe place; can go on to-morrow night if you like; would like for you to stay longer.”
I thanked him for his proffered assistance, but told him that as I had troubled him so often, I would go to a neighbor‘s about a mile off and stay until the next night. I went back a short distance to where my men were and waited about an hour.
My two men after putting on the Federal uniform, rode around the place and approached the house from another direction; they rode up in a great hurry and called Mr. Stokes out. Tom Haile in a very confidential tone commenced:
“Well sir! we are on the hot track of Sam Hildebrand! he is here again; he robbed a man down on the Greenville road, five miles below here, about sunset; he came in this direction, and we concluded to ride down to your house thinking that you might have seen or heard something of him.”
“I reckon I have, by George! Sam Hildebrand was here not more than an hour ago, and I tried to detain him; he was alone and said he was going to stay until to-morrow night at a certain house; I know the place; hold on a minute! I‘ll get my gun and coat and will go with you—we‘ve got him this time, sure!”