the red acorn-第52部分

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。　　I　could　git　'long　'ithout　quite　ez　menny　'quaintances　ez　I　hev　gethered　up　lately。　　More　'specially　o'　the　kind；　fur　menny　on　'em　ar'　only　waitin'　a　good　opportunity　ter　gin　me　a　gran'　interduction　to　'tarnity。　　I'd　ruther　know　fewer　folks　an'　better　ones；　ez　I　wunst　heered　Harry　Glen　say。〃

〃What　do　you　know　of…〃　Rachel　started　to　say；　but　before　she　could　finish　the　sentence　Fortner　resumed：

〃I'm　now　'bout　ter　start　on　the　most　'portant　work　I　ever　done　fur　the　Gover'mint。　　Things　ar'　ripenin'　fast　fur　the　orfulest　battle　ever　fit　in　this　ere　co'ntry。　　Afore　the　Chrismuss　snow　flies　this　ere　army'll　fall　on　them　thar　Rebels　'round　Murfressboro　like　an　oak　tree　on　a　den　o'　rattlesnakes。　　Blood'll　run　like　water　in　a　Spring　thaw；　an'　them　fellers'll　hev　so　menny　fun'rals　ter　tend　thet　they　won't　hev　no　time　for　Chrismuss　frolics。　　They've　raced　back　an'　forrard；　an'　dodged　up　an'　down　fur　a　year　now；　but　they're　at　the　eend　uv　ther　rope；　an'　hit'll　be　a　deth…nooze　fur　'em。　　May　the　pit　o'　hell　open　fur　'em。〃

He　watched　Rachel's　face　closely　as　he　spoke。　　She　neither　blanched　nor　recoiled；　but　her　eyes　lighted　up　as　if　with　anticipation　of　the　coming　conflict；　and　she　asked　eagerly：

〃O；　are　you　only　quite　sure　that　our　army　will　be　victorious？〃

His　eyes　shown　with　gratification。

〃I　knowed　thet's　the　way　ye'd　take　the　news。　　I　knowed　the　minit　I　sot　eyes　on　ye　thet　ye　war　good　grit。　　I　never　git　fooled　much　in　my　guess　o'　people's　backbone。　　Thar　wuz　Harry　Glenall　his　own　comrades　thot　he　wuz　white　'bout　the　liver；　but　I　seed　the　minit　I　laid　my　eyes　onter　him　thet　he　hed　ez　good；　stan'…up　stuff　in　him　ez　ennybody；　w'en　he　got　over　his　fust　flightiness。〃

Had　this　man　some　scheme　that　would　bring　her　lover　and　her　together？　〃But　what　do　you　want　of　me？〃　　Rachel　asked；　with　all　the　composure　she　could　summon。

〃Suthing　a　cussed　sight　more　hon'rable　an'　more　useful　ter　ther　Gover'mint　then　stayin'　'round　heah　nussin'　these　loafers；〃　he　answered　roughly。　　〃Hist！　thar's　a　shadder　nigh　yon　winder。〃　　He　crossed　the　room　with　the　quick；　silent　tread　of　a　panther；　and　his　face　darkened　as　he　saw　the　objectionable　red…headed　and　black…bearded　men　walking　away　toward　the　parade…ground；　with　their　backs　to　the　window。　　〃Yer　orful　cute；〃　he　said　talking　to　himself；　and　alluding　to　the　retiring　figures；　〃but　ef　I　don't　gin　ye　a　trip　afore　long　thet'll　make　yer　heels　break　yer　pizen　necks　I　hope　I　may　never　see　Rockassel　Mountings　agin。　　I'd　do　hit　now；　but　I'm　a…trailin'　bigger　game。　　When　hit's　my　day　fur　killin'　skunks　look　outthet's　all。〃

Returning　to　the　expectant　Rachel　he　continued：

〃I　leave　ter…night　fur　the　Rebel　army　at　Murfreesboro。　　Ole　Rosy　hisself　sends　me；　but　I'm　ter　pick　out　the　messengers　ter　send　my　news　back　ter　him　by。　　I　must　hev　sev'ral　so's　ter　make　dead　sho'　thet　ev'rything　reaches　'im。　　I　want　ye　fur　the　main　one；　becase　ye've　got　brains　an'　san'；　and　then　ye　kin　git　thru　the　lines　whar　a　man　can't。　　thar'll　be　nothin'　bad　'bout　hit。　　Ye'll　ride　ter　Murfreesboro　an'　back　on　yer　own　hoss；　ez　a　young　lady　should；　an'　if　ye　accomplish　ennything　hit'll　be　a　greater　sarvice　tew　the　country　then　most　men　kin　do　in　ther　lives。　　Hit'll　be　sum'thing　ter　be　proud　of　ez　long's　ye　live。　　Will　ye　try　hit？〃

〃Why　don't　you　bring　back　the　information　yourself？　　Can't　you　come　back　through　the　lines　as　easily　as　you　go？〃

〃I　mout；　an'　then　ag'in　I　moutn't。　　Every　time　I　go　inter　the　Rebel　camps　the　chances　get　stronger　thet　I'll　never　come　back　ag'in。　Ez　Harry　Glen　sez；　the　circle　o'　my　onpleasant　acquaintancesthe　fellers　thet's　reachin'　fur　my　top…knotwidens。　　Thar's　so　many　more　on　'em　layin'　fur　me　all　the　time；　thet　the　prospects　keeps　gittin'　brighter　every　day　thet　by…an'…by　they'll　fetch　me。　　the　arrant　I'm　a…gwine　on　now　is　too　important　ter　take　any　resks　'bout。　　I'm　sartin　to　git　the　information　thet　Gineral　Rosy　wants；　but　whether　I　kin　git　hit　back　ter　him　is　ruther　dubersome。　　I　must　hev　'some　help。　　Will　ye　jine　in　with　me？〃

〃But　how　am　I　to　know　that　all　this　is　as　you　say？〃

〃By　readin'　these　'ere　passes；　all　signed　by　Gineral　Rosencrans's　own　hand；　or　by　takin'　a　walk　with　me　up　ter　headquarters；　whar　they'll　tell　ye　thet　I'm　all　right；　an'　ez　straight　ez　a　string。〃

〃But　how　can　I　do　what　you　want？　　I　know　nothing　of　the　country；　nor　the　people；　and　still　less　of　this　kind　of　service。　　I　would　probably　make　a　blunder　that　would　spoil　all。〃

〃I'll　resk　the　blunders。　　ye　kin　ride　critter…back　can't　ye？〃

Rachel　owned　that　she　was　a　pretty　fair　horse…woman。

〃Then　all　ye　hev　ter　do　is　ter　git　yerself　up　ez　ye　see　the　young　women　who　are　ridin'　'round　heah；　an'　airly　on　the　day　arter　to…morrow　mornin'；　mount　a　blooded　mar　that　ye'll　find　standin'　afore　the　door　thar；　all　rigged　out　ez　fine　ez　silk；　an'　go　down　the　Lavergne　turnpike；　at　a　sharp　canter；　jes　ez　though　ye　war　gwine　somewhar。　　Nobody　on　our　lines　'll　be　likely　ter　say　anything　ter　ye；　but　ef　they　do；　ye'll　show　'em　a　pass　from　Gineral　Rosy；　which；　howsoever；　ye　'll　tar　up　afore　ye　reach　Lavergne；　fur　ye　'll　likely　find　some　o'　t'　other　folks　thar。　　Ef　any　o'　them　at　Lavergne　axes　ye　imperent　questions；　ye　must　hev　a　story　ready　'bout　yer　being　the　Nashville　niece　o'　Aunt　Debby　Brill；　who　lives　on　the　left　hand　o'　the　Nashville　pike；　jest　north　o'　the　public　squar　in　Murfreesboro；　an'　ye　're　on　yer　way　ter　pay　yer　ole　Aunty　a　long…promised　visit。〃

〃there　is　such　a　woman　in　Murfreesboro？〃

〃Yes；　an'　she's　talked　a　great　deal　'bout　her　niece　in　Nashville；　who's　comin'　ter　see　her。　　I　thought〃the　earnestness　of　the　eyes　relaxed　to　a　suspicion　of　a　twinkle〃thet　sometime　I　mout　come　across　sich　a　niece　fur　the　ole　lady；　an'　hit　wuz　well　ter　be　prepared　fur　her。〃

〃But　suppose　they　ask　me　about　things　in　Nashville？〃

〃W'll；　ye　must　fix　up　a　story　'bout　thet　too。　　Ye　needn't　be　ver　partickelar　what　hit　is；　so　long's　hit's　awful　savage　on　the　Yankees。　　Be　keerful　ter　say　frequently　thet　the　yankees　is　awful　sick　o'　their　job　o'　holdin'　Nashville；　that　their　new　Dutch　Gineral　is　a　mean　brute；　an'　a　coward　beside；　thet　he's　skeered　'bout　out'n　his　wits　half　the　time；　an'　he's　buildin'　the　biggest　kind　o'　forts　to　hide　behind；　an'　thet　he　won't　dar　show　his　nose　outside　o'　themleastways　not　this　'ere　Winter。　　Talk　ez　much　ez　ye　kin　'bout　the　sojers　gwine　inter　Winter　quarters；　'bout　them　being　mortally　sartin　not　ter　do　anything　tell　next　Spring；　an'　'bout　them　desartin'　by　rijimints　an'　brigades；　an'　gwine　home；　bekase　they're　sick　an'　tired　o'　the　war。〃

〃My；〃　said　Rachel；　with　a　gasp；　〃what　awful　things　to　tell！〃

〃Yes；〃　returned　the　scout　complacently；　〃I　s'posed　hit'd　strike　you　thet…a…way。　　But　my　experience　with　war　is　thet　hit's　jest　plum　full　o'　awful　things。　　In　fact　hit　don't　seem　ter　hev　much　else　in　hit。　　All　ye　hev　ter　ax　yerself　is　whether　this　is　nigh　on　　ter　ez　awful　ez　the　the　things　they　'uns　do　to　we　'uns。　　Besides；　we　'uns　are　likely　ter　give　they　'uns　in　a　few　days　a　heap　more　interestin'　things　ter　think　about　then　the　remarkable　stories　told　by　young　ladies　out　fur　a　mornin'　ride。〃

〃I'll　take　some　hours　to　think　this　matter　over；〃　said　Rachel；　〃and　give　you　your　answer　this　afternoon。　　T