On to Richmond (75 page)

             
“My name is Ike Adams,” Adams responded immediately.  There was no reason to antagonize these men any further.

             
“Who’s unit are you with?” he snapped. 

             
Adams shook his head.  “I’m not a Confederate soldier,” he said firmly then flushed angrily when derisive laughter met his statement.  “Look,” he said a little desperately.  “If I were a soldier do you really think, I would be wandering around by myself in the dark?”

             
“Don’t see anything to indicate you’re just wandering around,” their spokesman said caustically.  “Looks to me like you’re on the road to Richmond.  What kind of information were you thinking about taking back to your commander?” he demanded.  “Besides, I thought most of your army had retreated to cower in front of Richmond by now.  This country cleared out pretty quick after we whipped you soundly yesterday.”

             
Adams opted for honesty.  “Look, I’m really not a Confederate soldier.  I stole this uniform from a man a little while ago.  I thought it would make it easier to get into Richmond.”

             
One of the soldiers laughed.  “That would be my next indicator you’re really as stupid as I thought.”

             
Adams gritted his teeth as the soldiers once more broke into laughter.  He decided to play their game.  “You’re right.  It was really stupid.  I was being held at gunpoint by this soldier in the woods.  When I finally got the best of him, I decided to help myself to his clothes.”

             
“When did this supposed act occur?” the spokesman asked in an amused voice.  Then he turned to the rest of the men.  “You have to give this man credit for being entertaining.  I’m sure the other boys in the prison camps will be glad to have him join them.  We might as well let him entertain us for a while first, though.  I don’t reckon we have much else to do till it gets light.  Can’t find much food in dark like this.  We  cleaned out this store already.”

             
Adams’ mind was racing as the spokesman turned back to him.  He was coming up with a plan.  But first he would answer the soldier’s question.  “It was less than thirty minutes ago.  I was on my way through the woods when the Rebel got me.”

             
One of the men bent over almost double from laughter.  “You’re right, Captain.  This man will provide great entertainment.  He actually expects us to believe he came through those woods.  Why, they’re so thick no one could make their way through them at night.  This guy is hallucinating.”

             
Adams fought to keep his voice calm.  “It’s impossible unless you know the trails around here.”  He paused.  “Unless you know the trails that will lead you to the plantations that will provide you with the food you need.”  His voice was pregnant with meaning.  Adams knew he had finally gotten the captain’s attention when the man quit smiling and leaned forward to stare at him.  He had no delusions he had convinced him, but at least the captain was listening. 

             
He decided to press the advantage while it at least swayed in his direction.  “Look, Captain.  I want to go to Richmond.  You don’t believe me, but I’m really not a Confederate soldier.”

             
Another soldier spoke up this time.  “What’s a healthy man like you doing not serving in the army?  No wonder you Rebels can’t field an army that can stop us,” he said boastfully.

             
Adams shrugged.  “I’m a plantation overseer.  I’m exempt from conscription.”  He saw no reason he had to tell the complete truth.  For all he knew these Yankee soldiers were nigger lovers.  He wasn’t about to tell them he was a slave hunter.  Then he turned back to the captain.  “Like I said, I want to go to Richmond.  You want to get food to feed your army.  I know just the place for you.”  He paused, waiting to see if his words were having any effect.

             
“I’m listening,” the captain said coldly.

             
Adams resisted the urge to smile.  At least he was making progress.  “Cromwell Plantation ain’t too far from here.   The plantation owner’s daughter is all by herself.  Her father is an official in the Virginia government.  Carrie Cromwell’s been running the place by herself for almost a year.  She’s been growing massive crops of produce to help feed the city.  If you need food for your army, that’s the place you should go.”  He finished and waited quietly. 

             
“Why are you telling me all this?”  the captain demanded. 

             
“Let’s just say Carrie Cromwell and me aren’t great friends.  And I want to get to Richmond.  It’s really very simple,” he said flatly.

             
“Survival of the fittest?”  the captain asked sarcastically.

             
Adams shrugged but didn’t say anything else. 

             
“He could be telling the truth,” one of the soldiers said thoughtfully.  “Seems to me I remember hearing about a man named Cromwell who’s been working with Governor Letcher.  He’s supposed to own one of the biggest plantations around these parts.”

             
Adams nodded.  “That’s Cromwell all right.”  Then he thought of something else. Men were men - whether Yankee or Rebel.  “I guess you guys been traveling a long time, ain’t you?”  He paused but didn’t wait for an answer.  “I reckon you boys will never find a woman as pretty as Carrie Cromwell.  Me and her might not see eye to eye right now, but I can tell you she makes a mighty fine lover...”  He allowed his voice to trail off suggestively.

             
“We are not here to enjoy women!” the captain responded angrily.

             
“You may not be, Captain,” one soldier protested, “but that don’t mean the rest of us can’t enjoy a little fun.  Adams is right.  We been without a woman for a right long time.  We could make the colonel real happy if we came back with a lot of food.  Ain’t no reason we can’t have a little fun while we get it.”

             
“I will have no such actions by people under my command!” the captain insisted, more weakly this time. 

             
Adams smiled to himself.  The captain couldn’t be everywhere at once.  Adams was fairly certain one of the soldiers would get what they wanted.  At the very least, they would rough Carrie up and scare her to death.  He could obtain much satisfaction from thoughts like that. 

             
Another of the soldiers spoke up.  “Hey, Captain.  We got this soldier’s gun.  He ain’t gonna hurt nobody.  And what’s he gonna tell people when he gets back to Richmond?  That the Union army is close?  They know that.  That’s why this country is so darned empty.  We haven’t seen a soul for miles.”  He laughed easily.  “I think this scumbag is telling the truth.  I say we head for Cromwell Plantation and reap the benefits.”  He paused.  “All of them.”

             
A chorus of laughter and cheers erupted, and Adams sagged in his saddle with relief.  He couldn’t relax yet, though.  There was no telling what the captain would decide.  He might head for Cromwell and make him go along.  Or now that he had his information he could shoot him.  He held his breath while the captain made up his mind.

             
Finally the captain nodded.  “How do we get to Cromwell?” he asked abruptly.

             
Adams answered quickly.  “Go down this road five miles until you get to the next fork.  Take a left and go another three miles.  You will see a set of brick pillars on your left.  The road leading to their house is almost two miles long.  You won’t have any trouble finding it.”  He tried not to sound too eager, but the sardonic grin on the captain’s face told him he had failed. 

             
“You’re a lucky man, Adams,” the captain said coldly.  “You caught me in a good mood.  Frankly, I have no use for men like you, either Yankee or Rebel.  You’re the kind that would sell out your own mother if you thought it would do you any good.”

             
Adams clenched his fist in anger as the captain continued to stare at him.

             
“I’m going to let you go because I hate having to deal with scum.  But you better get going fast.  I might change my mind any minute.”  Then he turned to his men.  “We’ve wasted enough time with this man.  I promised the colonel food.  Food he will get.” 

             
The captain touched his hand to his hat, then spurred his horse and galloped off down the road.  His men, whooping with delight, followed him.

             
Adams took a deep breath and tried to steady his trembling limbs.  Once more he had managed to save himself with his wits.  Pride began to salve his wounded ego.  The Union soldiers may have amused themselves at his expense, but in the end he had won.  He was free, and Carrie Cromwell was soon going to have more trouble than she had ever imagined.   He smiled with deep satisfaction. 

             
The moon emerged then from behind a bank of clouds, and the darkness was suddenly illuminated. 

             
“I wouldn’t smile so quick if I were you, Adams,” a deadly serious voice spoke from the bushes to his left.

             
Adams jumped and peered around him.  Had one of the soldiers stayed behind?  He was sure they had all ridden away.  He reached quickly for his waist and then remembered they had taken his gun.  Before he had time to move, a large figure stepped from the bushes and grabbed his horse’s bridle.

“Moses!”  Adams breathed in shocked amazement.  Then fury blazed through his body.  “What are you doing around here?” he hissed.

              Moses quickly reached up and hauled Adams from the saddle.  Adams fell heavily, once again wondering if this night was ever going to end.  This one had been nothing but trouble for him from the minute he laid eyes on him.  Somehow he would have to kill him and end his troubles. 

             
Moses glared down at him.  “I ought to just kill you and rid the world of you now.  The captain was right.  You aren’t anything but scum.”  His eyes glittered with rage. 

             
Adams scowled up at him.  “You ain’t one to be talking, boy.  You ain’t nothing but a good-for-nothing runaway.”  He battled the fear threatening to choke him.

             
Moses shrugged, going suddenly silent as he stared at him.

             
Adams broke out into a heavy sweat.  He knew what kind of damage a brute the size of Moses could do.  Then realization hit him.  “You’re a spy for the Union, ain’t you?”  He laughed abruptly.  “Now won’t that make you even more popular around here?  Not only are you a runaway.  You’re a Union spy to boot.”  He laughed again.  “I reckon your neck will be stuck in a noose just any time now.”

             
Moses eyes blazed, and he took a step forward.

             
Adams shut up, but he could tell the mention of a noose had unnerved the giant man.  He looked for a gun but didn’t see one.  “Let me guess.  Those Union boys won’t give you a gun.  At least they’re smart enough to know not to put a gun in a nigger’s hand.”

             
Moses’ hand clamped on his shoulder and drew him up close to his face.  “Shut up, Adams.  If I had my way, I’d kill you with my bare hands right now.  And you know I could do it.”

             
Adams shut up.  The vice-like grip on his shoulder verified what Moses was saying.  But the question remained.  Why didn’t he just kill him?

             
Moses shook his head.  “I decided one thing in the last few months - that I wasn’t going to lower myself to the same level as scum like you.”

             
Adams watched him quietly.  If Moses knew what he had done to Rose, he was sure he would not hesitate to kill him instantly.                

             
“Take off your clothes, Adams,” Moses ordered suddenly.

             
“What? Ain’t no way I’m taking off my clothes,” Adams sputtered.

             
Moses just shrugged.  “It doesn’t seem to bother you that some Confederate soldier is knocked out with no clothes on somewhere.  I figure it will do you some good to find out how it feels.”  Suddenly his voice sharpened with impatience.  “Hurry up, Adams.  I’m running out of time and patience.”

             
Adams stared at him but refused to move.  There was no way he was going to follow the orders of a runaway slave.  Then his eyes sharpened.  “You thinking you’re going to go help our Miss Cromwell out of the nice mess she is about to land in.  Don’t waste your time.  Something tells me your captain won’t be happy if you interfere with his plans.  Them soldiers looking forward to a little loving ain’t gonna be too happy with you either.”

             
Suddenly he stopped.  The look in Moses’ eyes said he had gone too far.  Pain exploded in his head as Moses fist slammed into his face.  He felt the pain shoot through every part of his body before darkness claimed him.