University of Virginia Library

XXXIX.
THE LAST KNOT IN THE STRING.

Landon had scarcely uttered the words which I
have just recorded, when a horseman in gray suddenly
made his appearance, coming at full gallop
across an extensive field west of the house.

“Look!” said Landon; “that is Touch-and-go.
I sent him out to reconnoitre, and he has something
to report.”

“An attack, do you think?”

“It is probable. We are not far from the main
camp of the enemy's cavalry.”

“True; and Ratcliffe escaped; he has probably
given the alarm.”

“He has certainly done so.”

“Then look out!”

Landon's cool smile responded.

“I expect an attack,” he said; “did I not tell
you this morning that to-day would be an era in my
life, — would bring some singular event? Well, I
think the event is coming.”

And Landon rode to meet the young scout.

“You will be attacked in ten minutes, captain!”
said Touch-and-go, quickly.

“From what quarter?”

Touch-and-go pointed in the direction from which
he had come.

“Their number?”

“About a hundred!”

“Good! that is not too many.”

“Look out!” said the scout, pointing to the
woods; “there they are!”

As he spoke a dark mass of blue cavalry appeared
suddenly in the edge of the wood, formed line of
battle, and came on with loud cheers.

Landon was ready. I saw in his flashing eye the
gaudium certaminis, — that fierce joy which drives
the stern soul of the born soldier to combat, bracing
his muscle for the hard struggle.

Drawing up his men in the open field near the
smoking ruin, Landon placed himself in front, gave
the order “Charge!” and went at headlong speed to
meet the enemy.

The two lines came together with a thundering
clash. In an instant the blue and gray cavaliers
were slashing at each other furiously; and Landon
met the assault upon his little band with a dash and
obstinacy which I had never seen in him before.

All at once, in the very middle of the mad and
whirling crowd of horsemen, — amid the hissing bullets,

the clashing sabres, and the trampling hoofs, —
I saw the white robe of Miss Adair, and her proud,
fearless face.

“Look! they are coming yonder!” she exclaimed,
with extended arm.

I turned and saw a dense column of Federal cavalry
approaching at full gallop over the White Post
road. They were at least a hundred in number;
had been evidently sent round to surprise us; and,
what was worst of all, Landon, fighting the other
column, did not see them, as they came thundering
on to cut him off.

“For Heaven's sake, go back!” I exclaimed to
Miss Adair.

And with three bounds of my horse I was beside
Landon.

“Look out!” I shouted, and I pointed to the
approaching column.

Landon looked, and his teeth were clenched. In
his eye I saw the stern glare of the tiger at bay.

“Well,” he said, in his brief tone, “there is Ratcliffe
in front of them. I don't intend to retreat.
We can die here.”

And the Partisan turned his head and looked
toward Miss Adair, who was gazing at him.

“Good!” he said; “it is something for her to see
me die!”

And, throwing himself into the melée of clashing

sabres, with the fury of a wild beast, Landon shouted
to the Rangers to form line and meet the assault on
their flank.

It was too late.

The Federal reinforcement came on with triumphant
shouts, their hoofs shaking the ground, and
among them I recognized Ratcliffe.

In an instant we were surrounded; two hundred
men, nearly, were opposed to twenty-five or thirty;
there was evidently little hope of extrication from
that fatal cordon.

Landon was fighting like a tiger, in the midst of
twenty enemies, and beside him were Arden and
Touch-and-go.

Suddenly Arden's horse was shot, and fell with
him under the trampling hoofs.

At the same moment I saw Touch-and-go totter in
the saddle and close his eyes.

I reached out my arm to hold the brave boy in his
seat, but a single glance told me that he was shot
through the heart.

He fell, half rose, and then, with a convulsive
movement, drew from his pocket the knotted string.
His fingers twitched at it; succeeded in tying a last
knot in the string; then Touch-and-go fell back,
with a childlike smile on his lips, closed his eyes,
and expired.

That was the last I saw of the combat.

Suddenly a blow from behind hurled me out of
the saddle. I had a confused idea of iron hoofs
within a few inches of my face; above me resounded
shouts, cheers, cries of triumph, mingled with shots
and sabre-strokes; then a horse's hoof struck me; I
felt the blood gush over my eyes, and lost consciousness.