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In a little time, some one emerged from the Pharaoh's tent, and came through the guard-line to the messenger. It was Nechutes. The cup-bearer took but a single glance at Kenkenes and started back. "Thou!" he exclaimed in a hoarse whisper. "Out of Amenti!" "And nigh returning into it again," was the tired reply. In a daze, Nechutes took the offered hands and stared at Kenkenes through the dark.
She produced the one furnished her, which was signed by Gen. Rosencrans. While the Sergeant was inspecting it it occured to her that now was the time to begin the role of a young woman with rebellious proclivities. "Is this the last guard-line I will have to pass?" she asked. "Yes'm," answered the Sergeant. "You're quite sure?" "Yes'm."
"Don't talk so loud. Come, let's walk on toward your home. We kin talk on the way." The proposition appeared reasonable. She took the bridle of her horse in her arm, and together they walked out through the guard-line. The sentries gave Shorty a deep, knowing wink as he passed.
"I see it, an' I never saw a piece o' cat-brier move endwise before," said Shorty, fixing his eyes on the string-like green. "As sure's you're alive, it is movin'," said Si, starting to rise. "Set still, keep quiet an' watch," admonished Shorty. "You'll find out more." Si sat still and looked. The direction the brier was moving was toward the guard-line, some 100 feet away to the left.
An open field from which the small growth had been recently cut away lay beyond, and between the camp and the guard-line ran a broad road of soft sand noiseless to cross, but so white in the moonlight that a leaf blown across it by the wind could scarcely escape a vigilant eye.
There was no stockade or other enclosure about them, and one night they forced the guard-line, about fifteen hundred escaping, under a pretty sharp fire from the guards. After getting out they scattered, each group taking a different route, some seeking Beaufort, and other places along the seaboard, and the rest trying to gain the mountains.
This was set back some ten feet from the sidewalk line proper, and marking the outer boundary stood a row of iron posts of old and dubious origin, formerly connected by chains. Hal had a wish that they were still so joined. They would have served, at least, as a hypothetical guard-line.
Ostensibly they were rebels, but this did not prevent their preying upon the rebels when occasion offered. Some were deserters from the rebel army, some were evading the conscript laws, two or three were deserters from our army. Shorty and the woman had reached a point nearly a half-mile outside of the guard-line when he stopped and said: "I can't go no farther now. I must go back."
There was no stockade or other enclosure about them, and one night they forced the guard-line, about fifteen hundred escaping, under a pretty sharp fire from the guards. After getting out they scattered, each group taking a different route, some seeking Beaufort, and other places along the seaboard, and the rest trying to gain the mountains.
He got the usual chin-music from those whom he set to enforced toil, about the injustice of their sentences and "the airs that some folks put on when they wear a couple of stripes," but he took this composedly, and after awhile went the rounds to look over his guard-line, taking Shorty with him. Everything seemed straight and soldierly, and they sat down by a cool spring in a little shady hollow.
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