Evening star., 1901-02-23
CHAPTER XVI.

Little time was there to tell to the rejoic-
ing brigade the story of that episode. Lit
orally had Hannibal. of Harkless
obeyed his masters instructions TO the
younger brother among the prisoners at
Rome. An old southern inn had been used
"a a hospital for such Union soldiers as
were sorely wounded or too i'll to be sent
further south. Henry made occasional VS.
its from the front, and Hannibal went un-
molested to and fro. Great news reached
them. Grant was at Chattanooga. Sher-
man was coming with four strong divis-
tons. marching up the Tennessee, and Hook
er and Howard had joined with their corps
from the Army of the Potomac, and every
body knew there would be music before the
end of the month. Then came tidingS that
all prisoners should be started southward
within the week. DIR. Holt was away at the
moment. A remarkable thing had occurred
political speaker of the balloon type hay-
ing announced from the Ohio stump that he
Was ashamed TO live in the United States,
ashamed to dwell under the wing of gov
ernment that would attempt to coerce the
seeding states, had been actually taken
at his word by a bewhiskered general,
who would stand nonsense. and to the
amaze and discontinue of State Senator
Malloy, his political file leader was politely
sent over the line to the south With Gen.
Burnside's compliments, Mr. Vaandigham
of Ohio was transferred to Dixie. where
they had no earthly use for him. One man,
however. nau neeO 10 see Dlnl-Df- ffOlt
who had questions to ask concerning Mr.
Malloy and meant to have an answer. The
doctor was gone when the rumor came as
to the prospective move of the prisoners.
1t was perhaps only chance, and Nor
man took it, Henry's luggage, in part was
stored at Dalton. Hannibal had little trou-
BILE and no compunctions in abstracting
therefrom a worn suit of uniform. South
ern officers came and went about the halls
and corridors at all hours. and one evening
a tall. distinguished major of staff strolled
forth soon after the second relief had been
posted on the square. was passed with the
customary honors, and, mounting a horse
in the adjoining block, was away to Alpine,
bound for the Chattanooga valley. At in
the morning confederate pickets were pass
ing him toward the front, riding with dis
patches" he said. At dawn he tarried
near the head of McLemore's Cove. where
at nightfall another negro found him. as
prearrarged. bringing a fresh horse and
provisions. By that time all Rome knew Of
the escape. but no one could explain it.
The second night, guided by the negro
through many bypath, he at last. toward
daybreak, and foot now, slipped be-
tween the sentres along lower Chattanooga
creek, and "surrendered' at the hail of
SheridanS pickets a mile out from camp.
He was safe within the Yankee lines. and
shaking hands with buckeyes and Ken
tuckians by the score, when the news was
broken TO Henry in his roost on Mission
Ridge.
That was one valuable accession to the
old brigade before the coming battle and
the resources of brother officers were taxed
to fit him out with 'regimentals." The EN-
NETS beautiful sword, sash and belt, the
natty uniforms he wore when shot and cap
tured. were spois of war that disappeared
before even his father reached him on the
McMinnville plateau. There was another
accession. neither valuable nor requiring
uniform, but one that created almost as
lively an excitement as did the coming of
Norman Holt-one that was taken up on
the morning report of the Emmets from
November %. ten days after the fight of
Malloy-private Theodore Lane from de
serted to present in confinement
And when the Emmets heard the poor
lads story the rage against Malloy re-
doubled. There is joy over the sinner that
repenteth. but there was genuine grief
among many of the rough fellows of Com
pany c at sight of the new prisoners suf-
fering Assured by Malloy at Dalton that
the charge OF desertion against him had
virtually been removed. and that amnesty
was declared for deserters who returned
and reported for duty; then. intrusted with
urgent messages as well as a written scrawl
TO Nalloy, sr., Theodore had been hood
winked into an attempt to escape from the
confederate lines, had been discovered, fired
upon as he fled. and though he reached the
Union picket. 1t was only to fall in terror
and exhaustion, Enfield bullet had
pierced HIM through and through. The
surgeons said he might linger a few weeks,
but he had neither the stamina nor the
constitution to survive. Borne painfully to
hospital at Chattanooga. he would have
suffered even more but for the assiduous
care OF Norman Holt. 1t was at the cot
side that at last there met again the young
Kentucky soldier and the father of the
broken. contrite boy. and as Lane looked
into Normans face with eyes that filled
and lips that twitched uncontrollably. he
wondered IL the young man knew what was
uppermost in his thoughts-that this blow
seemed almost like retribution. Yet the
two pressed hands, gravely. sadly. There
was no reproach by word or look Then
Norman had to go. ITO arms" was sound
ing at the front. Sherman was in hiding
beyond the northward screen of hills. The
pontoons were at the river above and be-
low-the tug of war coming
VIII 1t ever be forgotten?-that soft No
yember morning, when the mists hung
low on the slopes of the mountains yelling
the valleys north and south. wrea thing the
placid flood of the Tennessee, rolling in
feecy pillows along the rugged scarp Of
old Lookout, as the guns flashed and thun-