"Not the slightest," she answered, "except that you appear on the roll as 'James Brown, No.23,' no company or regiment given.""Very good.D'ye reckon thet enny o' them in thar hev?"--pointing over his shoulder with his thumb to the ward.
"Of course I can not tell as to that.I never hear them say anything about you.They seem to think that you are one of the loyal East Tennesseans that are plentiful about here.""I've been afeered fur the last few days that some uv 'em were Rebels in disguise, an' thet they sort o' suspicioned me.I hev seed two on 'em eyein' me mouty hard.One has a red head, an'
'tother a long black beard."
"I can perhaps set your anxiety at rest on that score.They ARESoutherners, but loyal ones.They were forced into the Rebel army, but made their escape at the first opportunity.They naturally watch every Southern-looking man with great interest, fearing that he may be an unpleasant acquaintance.""Desarters from the Rebel army, be they? Thet makes me so'.Ithot I'd seen 'em afore, an' this makes me sartin.They're mouty bad pills, an' they hain't heah fur no good.but whar did I see 'em? In some Rebel camp somewhar? No; now I remember.Ef I hain't powerfully fooled them's the two laddie-bucks thet Harry Glen an'
me gobbled up one fine mornin' an' tuck inter Wildcat.They're bad aigs, ef ther ever war bad aigs.""Harry Glen, did you say? What do you know of Harry Glen?" Her heart was in her mouth.
"What do I know of harry Glen? Why, jest heaps an' more yit.He's one o' the best men thet ever wore blue clotes.But thet's nuther heah nor thar.Thet hain't what I brung ye out heah ter talk on.""Go on," said Rachel, resisting her eagerness to overwhelm him with questions concerning the one man of all the world she most desired to learn about."I can spare you but little time.""All right, Miss.Ter begin with, my name's not Brown.Nary a time.Hit's Fortner--Jim Fortner--the 'noted Scout,' ez I heered ye readin' 'bout 'tother day, when ye war givin' the boys the war news in the papers.I'm well-known ez a secret-sarvice man--tu well-known, I'm afeered.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 Isot eyes on ye thet ye war good grit.I never git fooled much in my guess o' people's backbone.Thar wuz Harry Glen--all his own comrades thot he wuz white 'bout the liver, but I seed the minit Ilaid 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 Imay 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 out--thet'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.
