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Three Miraculous Soldiers
by
She became calm enough to scan them more attentively. They were much begrimed and very dusty. Their grey clothes were tattered. Splashed mud had dried upon them in reddish spots. It appeared, too, that the men had not shaved in many days. In the hats there was a singular diversity. One soldier wore the little blue cap of the Northern infantry, with corps emblem and regimental number; one wore a great slouch hat with a wide hole in the crown; and the other wore no hat at all. The left sleeve of one man and the right sleeve of another had been slit, and the arms were neatly bandaged with clean cloths.”These hain’t no more than two little cuts,” explained one.”We stopped up yere to Mis’ Leavitts–she said her name was–and she bind them for us. Bill yere, he had the thirst come on him. And the fever too. We—-“
“Did you ever see my father in the army?” asked Mary.”John Hinckson–his name is.”
The three soldiers grinned again, but they replied kindly: “No, m’m. No, m’m, we hain’t never. What is he–in the cavalry?”
“No,” said the girl.”He and my uncle Asa and my cousin–his name is Bill Parker–they are all with Longstreet–they call him.”
“Oh,” said the soldiers.”Longstreet? Oh, they’re a good smart ways from yere.’Way off up nawtheast. There hain’t nothing but cavalry down yere. They’re in the infantry, probably.”
“We haven’t heard anything from them for days and days,” said Mary.
“Oh, they’re all right in the infantry,” said one man, to be consoling. “The infantry don’t do much fighting. They go bellering out in a big swarm and only a few of ’em get hurt. But if they was in the cavalry– the cavalry–“
Mary interrupted him without intention.”Are you hungry?” she asked.
The soldiers looked at each other, struck by some sudden and singular shame. They hung their heads.”No, m’m,” replied one at last.
Santo, in his stall, was tranquilly chewing and chewing. Sometimes he looked benevolently over at them. He was an old horse, and there was something about his eyes and his forelock which created the impression that he wore spectacles. Mary went and patted his nose.”Well, if you are hungry, I can get you something,” she told the men.”Or you might come to the house.”
“We wouldn’t dast go to the house,” said one.”That passel of Yanks was only a scouting crowd, most like. Just an advance. More coming, likely.”
“Well, I can bring you something,” cried the girl eagerly.”Won’t you let me bring you something?”
“Well,” said a soldier with embarrassment, “we hain’t had much. If you could bring us a little snack–like–just a snack–we’d–“
Without waiting for him to cease, the girl turned toward the door. But before she had reached it she stopped abruptly.”Listen!” she whispered. Her form was bent forward, her head turned and lowered, her hand extended toward the men, in a command for silence.
They could faintly hear the thudding of many hoofs, the clank of arms, and frequent calling voices.
“By cracky, it’s the Yanks!” The soldiers scrambled to their feet and came toward the door.”I knowed that first crowd was only an advance.”
The girl and the three men peered from the shadows of the barn. The view of the road was intersected by tree trunks and a little henhouse. However, they could see many horsemen streaming down the road. The horsemen were in blue.”Oh, hide–hide–hide!” cried the girl, with a sob in her voice.
“Wait a minute,” whispered a grey soldier excitedly.”Maybe they’re going along by. No, by thunder, they hain’t! They’re halting. Scoot, boys!”
They made a noiseless dash into the dark end of the barn. The girl, standing by the door, heard them break forth an instant later in clamorous whispers.”Where’ll we hide? Where’ll we hide? There hain’t a place to hide!” The girl turned and glanced wildly about the barn. It seemed true. The stock of hay had grown low under Santo’s endless munching, and from occasional levyings by passing troopers in grey. The poles of the mow were barely covered, save in one corner where there was a little bunch.