the red acorn-第24部分

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The　weapon　rang　out　sharply。　　The　stricken　officer　threw　up　his　sword　arm；　his　bridle　arm　clutched　his　saddle…pommel；　as　if　resisting　the　attempt　of　Death　to　unhorse　him。　　Then　the　muscles　all　relaxed；　and　he　fell　into　he　arms　of　those　who　had　hurried　to　him。

Harry　fired　into　the　mass　the　next　instant；　a　few　random　shots　replied；　and　another　impetus　of　fear　spurred　the　mob　onward。

Fortner　and　Harry　sped　away　to　another　point　of　interception；　where　the　same　scene　was　repeated；　and　then　to　another；　and　then　to　a　third；　Fortner　muttering　after　each　shot　his　disappointment　at　not　finding　the　one　whom　he　anxiously　sought。

When　they　hurried　away　the　third　time　they　were　compelled　to　make　a　wide　circuit；　for　the　little　valley　suddenly　broadened　out　into　a　considerable　plain。　　Upon　this　the　long…drawn…out　line　of　fugitives　gathered　in　a　compact；　turmoiling　mass。

〃That's　Little　Rockassel　Ford；〃　said　Fortner；　pointing　with　his　left　hand　to　the　base　of　the　mountain　that　rose　steeply　above　the　farther　side　of　the　commotion。　　〃That's　Rockassel　Mountain　runnin'　up　thar　inter　the　clouds。　　The　Little　Rockassel　River　runs　round　hits　foot。　　That's　what's　a…stoppin'　'em。　　They'll　hev　a　turrible　time　gittin'　acrost　hit。　　Hit's　mouty　hard　crossin'　at　enny　time；　but　hit's　awful　now；　fur　the　Rockassel's　boomin'。　　The　big　rains　hev　sent　her　up　kitin'；　an'　hit's　now　breast…deep　thar　in　the　Ford。　We'll　git　round　whar　we　kin　see　hit　all。〃

Another　wide　detour　to　keep　themselves　in　the　concealment　of　the　woods　brough　Fortner　and　Harry　out　upon　an　acclivity　that　almost　overhung　the　ford；　and　those　gathered　around　it。　　The　two　Unionists　crawled　cautiously　through　the　cedars　and　laurel　to　the　very　edge　of　the　cliff　and　looked　down　upon　their　enemies。　　They　were　so　near　that　everything　was　plainly　visible；　and　the　hum　of　conversation　reached　their　ears。　　They　could　even　hear　the　commands　of　the　officers　vainly　trying　to　restore　order；　the　curses　of　the　teamsters　upon　their　jaded　animals；　the　ribald　songs　of　the　few　whose　canteens　furnished　them　with　forgetfulness　of　defeat；　and　contempt　for　the　surrounding　misery。

All　the　flooding　showers　which　had　been　falling　upon　hundreds　of　square　miles　of　precipitous　mountin　sides　were　now　gorging　through　the　crooked；　narrow　throat　of　the　Little　Rockcastle。　　The　torrent　filled　the　ragged　banks　to　the　brim；　and　in　their　greedy　swirl　undermined　and　tore　from　there　logs；　great　trees；　and　even　rocks。

This　wasthe　barrier　that　stayed　the　flight　of　the　fugitive　throng；　and　it　was　this　that　they　strove　to　put　between　thm　and　the　presumed　revengeful　victors。

On　the　bank；　field　and　line　officers　labored　to　calm　their　men　and　restore　organization。　　It　was　in　vain　that　they　pointed　out　that　there　had　been　no　pursuit　thus　far；　and　the　unlikelihood　of　there　being　one。　　When　did　Panic　yield　to　Reason？　　In　those　demoralized　ears　the　thunder　of　the　cannon　at　Wildcat；　the　crash　of　the　bursting　shells；　and　the　deadly　whistle　of　bullets　still　rang　louder　than　any　words　officers　could　speak。

The　worst　frightened　crowded　into　the　stream　in　a　frenzy；　and　struggled　wildly　with　the　current　that　swept　their　feet　off　the　slimy　limestone　bottom；　with　the　logs　and　trees　dashing　along　like　so　many　catapult…bolts；　and　with　the　horses　and　teams　urged　on　by　men　more　fear…stricken　still。　　On　the　steep　slope　on　the　other　side　glimmered　numbers　of　little　fires　where　those　who　were　lucky　enough　to　get　across　were　warming　and　drying　themselves。

〃Heavens！〃　said　Harry　with　an　anticipatory　shudder；　〃if　our　men　should　come　up；　the　first　cannon　shot　would　make　half　these　men　drown　themselves　in　trying　to　get　away。〃

Fortner　heeded　him　not。　　The　mountaineer's　eyes　were　fixed　upon　a　tall；　imperious　looking　man；　whose　collar　bore　the　silver　stars　of　a　Colonel。

〃He　has　found　his　man　at　last；〃　said　Harry；　noticing　his　companion's　attitude；　and　picking　up　his　own　gun　in　readiness　for　what　might　come。

Fortner　half…cocked　his　rifle；　took　from　its　nipple　the　cap　that　had　been　tehre　an　hour　and　flung　it　away。　　He　picked　the　powder　out　if　the　tube；　replaced　it　with　fresh　from　his　horn；　selected　another　cap　carefully；　fitted　it　on　the　nipple；　and　let　the　hammer　down　with　the　faintest　snap　to　force　it　to　its　place。

His　eyes　had　the　look　of　a　rattlesnake's　when　it　coils　for　a　spring；　and　his　breast　swelled　out　as　if　he　was　summoning　all　his　strength。　　He　stepped　forward　to　a　tree　so　lightly　that　there　came　no　rustle　from　the　dead　leaves　he　trod　upon。　　Harry　took　his　place　on　the　other　side　of　the　tree；　and　cocked　his　musket。

So　close　were　they　to　hundreds　of　Rebels　with　arms　in　their　hands；　that　it　seemed　simply　an　invitation　to　death　to　call　their　attention。

Fortner　turned　and　waved　Harry　back　as　he　heard　him　approach；　but　Glen　had　apparently　exhausted　all　his　capacity　for　fearing；　in　the　march　upon　Wildcat；　and　he　was　now　calmly　desperate。

The　Colonel　rode　out　from　the　throng　toward　the　level　spot　at　the　base　of　the　ledge　upon　which　the　two　were　concealed。　　The　horse　he　bestrode　was　a　magnificent　thoroughbred；　whose　fine　action　could　not　be　concealed；　even　by　his　great　fatigue。

〃Go　and　find　Mars；〃　said　the　Colonel　to　an　orderly；　〃and　tell　him　to　build　a　fire　against　that　rock　there；　and　make　us　some　coffee。　We　will　not　be　able　to　get　across　the　ford　before　midnight。〃　　The　orderly　rode　off；　and　the　Colonel　dismounted　and　walked　forward　with　the　cramped　gait　of　a　man　who　had　been　long　in　the　saddle。

Still　louder　yells　arose　from　the　ford。　　A　powerful　horse；　ridden　by　an　officer　who　was　trying　to　force　his　way　across；　had　slipped　on　the　river's　glassy　bedstones；　in　the　midst　of　a　compact　throng；　and　carried　many　with　it　down　into　the　deep　water　below　the　crossing。

The　Colonel's　lip　curled　with　contempt　as　he　continued　his　walk。

A　sharp　little　click　sounded　from　Fortner's　rifle。　　He　had　set　the　hair　trigger。

He　stepped　out　clear　of　the　tree；　and　gave　a　peculiar　whistle。　　The　Colonel　started　as　he　heard　the　sound；　looked　up；　saw　who　uttered　it；　and　instinctly　reached　his　hand　back　to　the　holster　for　a　revolver。

Down　would　scarcely　have　been　ruffled　by　Fortner's　light　touch　upon　the　trigger。

Fire　flamed　from　the　rifle's　muzzle。

The　Colonel's　haughty　eyes　became　sterner　than　ever。　　The　holster　was　torn　as　he　wrenched　the　revolver　out。　　A　clutch　at　the　mane；　and　he　fell　forward　on　the　wet　brown　leavesdead！

Dumb　amazement　fille　dthe　horse's　great　eyes；　he　stretched　out　his　neck　and　smelled　his　lifeless　master　inquiringly。

A　shot　from　Harry's　musket；　fifty　from　the　astounded　Rebels；　and　the　two　Unionists　sped　away　unhurt　into　the　cover　of　the　dark　cedars。





Chapter　XI。　　Through　the　Mountains　and　the　Night。




God　sits　upon　the　Throne　of　Kings；　And　Judges　unto　judgement　brings：　　　　　Why　then　so　long　　　　　Maintain　your　wrong；　And　favor　lawlesss　things？

Defend　the　poor；　the　fatherless；　Their　crying　injuries　redress：　　　　　And　vindicate　　　　　The　desolate；　Whom　wicked　men　oppress。　　　　George　Sandy's　Paraphrase　of　Psalm　XXXII。


Fortner　and　Glen　were　soon　so　far　away　from　the　Ford　that　the　only　reminder　of　its　neighborhood　were　occasional　glimpses；　caught　through　rifts　in　he　forest；　of　the　lofty　slo