Brother Against Brother Part 34

"My son is in command of that detachment, and the movement was made at his suggestion," replied the major, who could not help laughing in sympathy with the colonel. "The movement was made at his suggestion, and I think there is a great deal more military in Dexter's composition than in mine."

"Captain Deck has skill as well as pluck, and he has put the enemy in a tight place," added the commander-in-chief. "There they are like a flock of sheep in a pen, and they cannot get out. What are you going to do next, Major Lyon?"

"That is for you to say, for you command all the forces," answered the major.

"You have brought this sore to a head, my friend, and probably you can suggest in what manner the wound may be healed," returned the colonel, still laughing; for to a military man like him the whole affair appeared to be rather in the nature of a farce. "You have proved to be an able commander, and I need your advice."

"You seem to look very lightly upon the whole matter, Colonel Belthorpe," said the major, who could not understand why his superior officer indulged in his continued laugh.

"Not at all, my dear sir; I have looked upon it, up to the present stage of affairs, as a very serious matter; and I am confident that both your mansion and mine would have been in ashes before this time if we had not taken the bull by the horns as we did."

"You appear to be amused."

"I am amused at the present situation; and perhaps the victory we have achieved puts me in condition to be amused. My property and my daughters have been saved, and we have the ruffians pinched up in a tight place. I think you have as much reason to rejoice as I have, Major Lyon."

"Certainly I have; but, not being a military man, it looks more serious to me than to you. I thought you were inclined to make fun of the whole affair."

"Not at all. For a civilian you have done wonders. As we have won we can afford to laugh. But it is about daylight now, and this operation must be finished. What is your counsel, Major?"

"I think we had better get a little nearer to the enemy," replied the major. "I see a good many of your people in the field on our left."

"From mild, peaceable, and even timid people, they suddenly became as brave as lions, and as ferocious as fiends, and they have severely punished the ruffians who fled in this direction. I never supposed there was anything like fight in them before."

"If you are ready we will advance, Colonel," added Major Lyon, as he gave the order to march.

The commander took his place by the side of the planter of Riverlawn, and the column moved up the declivity. The fire was still burning brightly, and lighted up the whole of the surrounding region. It was evidently replenished with fuel frequently, in order to enable the entrapped foe to observe the movements of the visitors. The approach of the forces appeared to cause a decided sensation in the ranks of the ruffians, and presently a white flag was displayed in front of them.

"Captain t.i.tus seems to have a pa.s.sion for white flags," said the colonel. "He tried that dodge for the second time over on the new road."

"And for the third time on this road," added the major. "But there appears to be some reason for showing it this time."

The major did not give an order to halt this time; but the force marched to a point within twenty-five feet of the front rank of the ruffians, if there could be said to be anything like a rank in the mob. Then the command to halt was given.

"I shall leave you to do all the talking, Colonel Belthorpe," said the major, as he backed his horse so as to leave the commander alone at the front.

"I am quite willing to do the talking, but I may need your advice,"

replied the colonel.

The planter of Riverlawn could distinctly make out his brother at this distance, and he was glad that he had not been shot dead, or apparently wounded. Two men came from the direction of the fire, bearing lighted torches, and placed themselves one on each side of Captain t.i.tus and another person at his side, who carried the white flag.

"Do you know that man with the flag, Squire Truman?" asked Major Lyon, as he observed the proceedings on the other side.

"I ought to know him, for I prosecuted him for an a.s.sault not long ago,"

replied the lawyer. "That is Swin Pickford, a bully and a ruffian of the vilest sort."

"My brother is not very particular in the selection of his a.s.sociates,"

added Noah Lyon very sadly.

Captain t.i.tus advanced with the flag and the torches at a stately pace, as though he were the victor instead of the vanquished in the several conflicts of the night, and halted in the middle of the s.p.a.ce between the contestants.

"I desire to meet Noah Lyon," said he.

"I decline to meet him," called the owner of the name.

"He declines to meet you on the present occasion," replied the commander sternly. "This is not exactly a fraternal meeting, and there is only one question which is in order: Do you surrender?"

"Surrender? No! not as long as there is a breath left in my body!"

replied the leader of the ruffians, as fiercely as though he expected to have all his own way in spite of his disastrous defeat.

"What do you want, then?" demanded the colonel.

"I want justice!" stormed Captain t.i.tus.

"If you got it you would be swinging to one of these trees; and that is where you would be if you were not the brother of Major Lyon."

"Major Lyon, as you call him, is a thief and a robber!" yelled t.i.tus.

"The very guns and cannon you have turned against us to-night were stolen from me by him!"

"At a meeting of the Union men of this vicinity last night, a vote of thanks was pa.s.sed to Major Lyon for taking possession of the arms and ammunition found in a cavern; and we all stand by that vote," replied the colonel with dignity.

"What do we care for the vote of a set of traitors to the State!"

"This is not the time or the place to discuss the subject. I desire only to know what you and your mob are going to do about it."

"We are going to have justice if there is any such thing left in the State."

"It is your next move, Captain t.i.tus."

"I wish to be fair and reasonable," continued t.i.tus, moderating his speech and manner. "I have done my best to keep the gentlemen with me from doing violence to them that stole our property, and"--

"And for that reason you became their leader and captain-general in an attempt to burn your brother's house and mine!" interjected the colonel.

"No matter what we came out for; I have a plan to state that will settle the difficulty," t.i.tus proceeded, struggling to keep cool.

"State your plan, and be quick about it!"

"If the stolen arms and things are returned to us at once, we will go to our several homes and let the matter end here," said t.i.tus.

"That's enough!" exclaimed Colonel Belthorpe indignantly. "Have you come over here under a flag of truce to say that?"

"That is what I come here for; and I insist on't that the things be given up!" replied t.i.tus, waxing wrathful.

"Now you can retire with your flag of truce."

"I won't do no such thing!"

"If you won't I shall be obliged to open fire upon you and your mob; and you will be the first to fall," added the commander quietly.