The National tribune., 1902-04-10
WHO GOES THERE?
CONTINUED from first paEeJ

somewhere in its rear. Is he yet with the
army? Is he yet alive? And Lydia? My
God, what might have happened to her in
so many long months. Yet, have trust.
| shall find the Doctor, and l shall find
Lydia, but | cannot go at once to them;
| must lose no time; to seek the Doctor
might be ruin. / must go as fast as pos
Sble to the general headquarters.
To the southeast | hear the boom of a
distant gun-and another. l hurry on.
What do they mean by fighting down
there?
keep looking out for horse, but l see
none-none in the fields or roads or pas
lures or lots. This war-stricken land is
bare. No smoke rises from the farm
| houses. The fields are untitled; the roads
are untraveled. There are no horses in
such land.
reach a wide public road running east
and west. footprints cover the road-
| footprints going west; our cavalry; | al
most shout and leap for joy. The cavalry
will certainly detect Lees movement That
is, if they go far enough west.
Again the dull booming of cannon in the
| far southeast. What does it mean? 1t
means-I know it, l feel certain of tit
means that Lee is preventing Meade'S re
treat by deceiving him. Those guns are
only to deceive.
On the wide public road l turn east
| WdEu-SITdlSHI uONH tHe Io'Id' olhcl
cavalry may be coming or going.
The road turns sharply toward the
northeast. l cease to follow it. L go
straight eastward, hoping to shorten the
way and find the road beyond the hill.
What is that | see through the trees? 1t
| looks like Il man. 1t is man, and in blue
uniform. From mere habit l cock my
rifle and hold it at the ready. l cannot
see that he is armed. | go straight to him.
IIn lt-irn lnn wifi arl
toward me. He hears me. He rises to
his feet. He is unarmed. He is greatly
astonished, but is silent.
What are you doing here!"
Il surrender" he says.
''Very well, then" | say. Guide me
at once to the nearest body Of your men,. y
He opens wide eyes. He says: All
right, if that's your game"
He leads me in a sOutherly direction,
takes road toward the west, and goes
on. Suddenly he says: You are coming
over to us?'
Yes"
"Then let me have the gun" he says.
l do not reply at once. Why does he
want the gun? Is it in order to claim
that he has captured me? If so, my in
formation will rot be believed; it may be
thought intended TO misead. Then again,
it is not impossible that this man is a
deserter; if that be the case, he wants TO
march me back to the rebels, just as / am
marching him back to the Union army. He
may be a Confederate spy. | shall not
give him the gun, but l will make him
talk.
What do you want with the gum"
"Oh, never mind. Keep your gun; it
don't make any difference" he says.
He keeps on, going more rapidly than
before We go up hill and down hill,
hardly changing direction.
Suddenly he says, without looking back
at me, Say, Johnny, what made you
quit"
My mind changed" / say.
He looks back at me; see contempt in
his face. He says: Il wouldn't say that
if | was you"
why not since it is truef"
1T will do you no good"
But why"
"True men don't change their minds.
But it's all one to me. Do as you please.
He is right, think Nobody will be-
lieve me if / speak the whole truth.
| say no more. Soon we see cavalry.
We walk straight to them. Their leader
speaks to my companion. Thomas, you
seem to have done good COB. How did
you happen to get him!'
Il didn't get him. He got me. He says
he has come over"
Captain" | say, "send me at once to
Gen. Meade. / have important informa
tion of extreme Importance to give him"
We'll, now, my good fellow" he says.
Just give it to me, if you please"
Il aIu ready to give you the informa-
ton l say, but L must make a condi-
ton"
What is your condition" he asks,
frowning slightly.
THAT you will not seek to know who
/ am, and that you will send me to Gen.
Meade at once"
1T seems to me that you are making
two conditions"
well, sir" l reply, "the first is per-
sonal, and ought not to count. If you OBJ
ject, however, l withdraw it.
Then who are you?'
Il decline to say"
well, it makes no difference to me
who you are, but l should like to know
how ] am to rely on what you tell"
Captain" / say, 1--WE are losing valu-
able time. Put me on a horse and send
me under guard to Gen. Meade; you ride
with me until l tell you what L have to
tell"
THAT sounds like good sense. Here,
Thomas, get your horse, and another for
this man."
Two minutes pass, and we are on the
road. The Captain says: You see, |
am giving you an escort rather than
guard. You served Thomas; now let him
serve you. What is it you want to tell?'
'Ewell and Hill are at this moment
marching around Our-I mean your flank"
THE devil you say! InfantryT"
'The whole Of Ewell's Corps and the
whole Of Hills-six divisions"
How do you know that? How am
to know that you are telling me the
TRUTH"
Il am in your hands. Question me,
and see if I lie in word or countenance."
when did Ewell begin his march"
81 do not know"
when did Hill march,"
'He began to move on the Sth."
"Where was he before that date:'
'In camp near Orange Court House"
"Who commands the divisions of Hills
Corps?"
"Hcth, Anderson, and Wilcox
(Which division is yours?'
"Please withdraw that question"
with great pleasure. Where didsIilPs
Corps camp on the night of the Stht'
Near the Rapidan on the south side"
"Where did Hill camp on the night of
the 9th?"
''About two miles this side of Madison
Court House"
where on the 10th?"
"The night of the 10th near Culpeper"
"And where on the 11th."
Last night Hills Corps was just south
of North Fork; only few miles from
Jeffersonton."
"And where was Ewell's Corps?"
81 know nothing Of Ewells Corps, eI-
cept one thing; it passed Hills yesterday
! afternoon"