Mohun; Or, the Last Days of Lee and His Paladins Part 82

"Was.h.i.+ngton's statue!" murmured Mohun; and, turning to me, he added:--

"This is curious, is it not, Surry?"

I nodded.

"_Very_ curious."

I confess I believed that the strange woman was trifling with us, and had simply made up this story after the event. Mohun saw my incredulity, and said, in a low tone:--

"You do not believe in this?"

"No," I returned, in the same tone.

"And yet one thing is remarkable."

"What?"

"That a lady of the highest character a.s.sured me, the other day, that all this was related to her before Hunter even entered the Valley."[1]

[Footnote 1: Fact.]

And turning to Amanda, he said:--

"When did you see these things?"

"I think it was in March, sir."

The words were uttered in the simplest manner possible. The strange woman smiled as sweetly as she spoke, and seemed as far from being guilty of a deliberate imposture as before.

"And you _saw_ the fight at Reams's, too?"

"Yes, sir; I saw it two months before it took place. There was a man killed running through the yard of a house, and they told me, afterward, he was found dead there."

"Have you had any visions, since?"

"Only one, sir."

"Lately?"

"Yes, sir."

"What did you see?"

"It was not much, sir. I saw the Federal people on horses, watering their horses in a large river somewhere west of here, and the vision said the war would be over about next March."

Mohun smiled.

"Which side will be successful, Amanda?"

"The vision did not say, sir."[1]

[Footnote 1: Colonel Surry a.s.sured me that he had scrupulously searched his memory to recall the exact words of this singular woman: and that he had given the precise substance of her statements; often, the exact words.--ED.]

Mohun, who had taken his seat on a rude settee, leaned his elbow on his knee, and for some moments gazed into the fire.

"I have asked you some questions, Amanda," he said at length, "relating to public events. I _now come to some private matters_--those which brought me hither--in which your singular visions may probably a.s.sist me. Are you willing to help me?"

"Yes, indeed, sir, if I can," was the reply.

XI.

DEEP UNDER DEEP.

Mohun fixed his mild, and yet penetrating glance upon the singular woman, who sustained it, however, with no change in her calm and smiling expression.

"You know Nighthawk?"

"Oh, yes, sir. He has been here often."

"And Swartz?"

"Very well, sir--I have known him many years."

"Have you seen him, lately?"

"No, sir; not for some weeks."

"Ah! You saw him some weeks since?"

"Yes, sir."

"At this house?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know what has become of him?"

"No, sir; but I suppose he is off somewhere."

"He is dead!"

Her head rose slightly, but the smile was unchanged.