The Young Sharpshooter at Antietam Part 14

When at last he approached the grounds of the house he stopped once more and again listened intently. Still the silence was unbroken and there was no appearance of danger.

He decided to go to the door, which he believed would be in the rear of the house and that opened into the kitchen. Perhaps he might there find a shelter or some place of refuge which would protect him in a measure from the night. If such a place should be found, he planned to wait there until daylight before making his presence known to the inmates of the house.

To his great delight Noel discovered a lean-to or shed in the rear of the house. The floor was of brick, and though it was too dark to enable him to see what was inside, the fact that no dogs had challenged his coming encouraged him to enter. Stepping inside, he turned to look once more out into the night and make certain that his movements had not been seen.

The young soldier was startled when, appearing around the corner of one of the low buildings, he saw a man, who in the dim light seemed to loom head and shoulders above the height of an ordinary human being. At first Noel almost believed that it was the negro, Long John, by whom he had been led into the trap set by the Confederate soldiers. Certainly the man was as tall as the negro, but there was something in his movements which convinced the watching boy after a brief interval that this man was not colored.

Suddenly it occurred to him that the proprietor of the place, the man of whom Nick had spoken as "Ma.s.sa Hilton," might be the one who was approaching, though why he should be out of the house at such a time and in such a night the lad could not understand. Boldly advancing from his hiding-place, Noel approached the startled stranger, and in a low voice hailed him.

CHAPTER XII

THE GIANT

"Who's that? Who's that?" demanded the man in a voice which did not betray any alarm. Indeed, the huge form seemed to loom even larger before Noel in the dim light. It was plain that the man was not in any fear, and his deep, guttural voice produced a peculiar effect upon the listening young soldier.

Noel glanced hastily about him, somehow fearful now of others approaching from the barns. He had heard numerous stories concerning the bowie-knives with which it had been reported many of the Southern soldiers were armed. To the imagination of the young soldier not only did the size of the man who had halted before him seem to increase, but now he was fearful of enemies approaching from the rear. With all his heart he wished that he had never listened to the words of Nick. In his alarm it seemed almost as if his cap was being lifted by his hair and cold chills were pa.s.sing up and down his spine.

The strange man slowly advanced, and in a manner which still betrayed more of curiosity than of fear came closer to the frightened young soldier and looked intently into his face.

"Who are you, sir?" he demanded coolly. "What are you doing out here at this time of the night?"

"That's just what I was going to ask you," spoke up Noel, determined to be as bold as circ.u.mstances permitted.

"Oh!" the giant replied in unchanged tones. "I thought I heard some disturbance among the cattle and I came out to see if anything was wrong."

When the man spoke, he advanced as if he was about to pa.s.s the young soldier and enter the house. He was walking with a slow, calm, and almost measured stride.

He had, however, gone but a few yards before he halted once more, and turning again toward the young soldier remarked in an indifferent way, "'T is a pretty evening, sir."

Noel was well aware that the evening was being far from "pretty." The darkness still was intense and the dampness which had followed the storm had produced a chill under which the lad was s.h.i.+vering.

Taken aback by the cool a.s.surance of the giant, when the man resumed his walk, he had advanced halfway to the house before Noel again hailed him. "Look here, my friend," he called; "I'm sorry to detain you, but the captain might wish to see you."

"Well?" inquired the giant in a drawling tone.

"Who lives in this house?" demanded Noel.

"I do."

"Is this house frame or brick?"

"I don't know why it concerns you, but it's a frame house, not a brick."

"Are you the owner of this house?"

"I reckon I am."

"What are you doing out here this time of night?"

"I told you, sir, that I went out to quiet a disturbance among the cattle."

"Can you tell me where Mr. Hilton lives?"

"Yes, sir."

"Where does he live?"

"He lives here."

"Are you Mr. Hilton?"

"I reckon that's what my neighbors sometimes call me."

"Are you a Union man?"

"How does that concern you?" demanded the man, still without betraying any signs either of fear or interest.

"Because I'm a Union soldier myself."

Still the interest of the man apparently was not aroused. Calmly he asked, "And what may you want of me if you're what you say you are?"

"If you'll take me into the house I'll explain to you." Noel glanced about as he spoke, for the fear of men stealing upon him through the darkness was still strong upon him.

"I reckon we can talk where we are," said the man at last.

"Well," said Noel, determined, now that he had revealed his ident.i.ty, that he would venture to tell the rest of his story. "I came through the valley from Harper's Ferry and was taken prisoner by some of the Johnnies, but managed to get away. I have been traveling all night long and am soaked through and tired and hungry, and if you're what I understand you are, a friend of the Union cause, I hope you'll take me into your house and let me dry my clothes and give me something to eat--"

"And bring a dozen bands of Confederates around me like hornets," broke in the man, though still he was not excited and was speaking in the calm, deliberate tones which he had before used. "I have had trouble enough with my secesh neighbors. How do I know who you are or that you are what you tell me you are?" he demanded once more.

"You can see for yourself when we go where there is a light."

"I reckon you can come in," said the man at last; and eagerly Noel followed him as he led the way into the house.

As soon as they entered, the stranger seated himself near the door and bade Noel take a chair near him. A candle had been lighted and placed upon a rude table, and its beams enabled the young soldier to see more clearly the strange man before him. In spite of his apparent indifference Noel was suspicious that he was more excited than he cared to have his visitor know.

"What's all this rumpus?"

Noel looked up as he heard the words shrilly spoken and saw a woman standing in the doorway of a room which adjoined the kitchen.

"Who's this yo' have brought home, Jim?" she asked of Noel's host. Her words plainly were disturbing. She was a short, stout woman. Her hair was hanging down her back, and around her shoulders was a shawl which reached almost to her knees.

Startled as Noel had been by the sound of her voice, he hastily concluded, as soon as he was aware of the response which the tall man made to her words, that if he was supposedly the head of the house, evidently she controlled the head.

"That's just like yo'," she said tartly. "I've got all the mouths I want to feed now, and yo' keep bringing people in here--"