The Steel Angel by Ray Hogan

Author:Ray Hogan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 2018-06-14T16:38:23+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

From the dark safety of a thicket dominated by towering sycamores, Angela and Bernal watched the capture of Adam Rait and his teamsters.

The general shook his head in frustration and anger. “Nothing goes right. Now this Yankee Army takes possession. It would seem our mission is doomed from the beginning.”

Angela, dressed in boots, split riding skirt, dark-colored shirt, and wide-brimmed hat, and listening to one of the Yankee officers shouting commands, scarcely heard Bernal. She had watched Adam Rait go down before the charge of the one with the saber, waited breathless until he rose again. When it was apparent that he was not badly hurt, she felt a sense of relief.

She should have no such emotion, she told herself, and firmly turned her thoughts to the problem at hand.

“They leave the wagons,” she said. “A pity your soldiers are not near.”

Offended, Hernando shrugged. “If it were possible to foresee all …”

“An observation only, my general.”

The prisoners were being lined up into a column. She moved on a few steps, endeavoring to locate Rait. The men were all on the opposite side of the fire, and the intervening glare was somewhat blinding. Finally, she saw him standing near the center.

Adam Rait seemed docile enough, and that was surprising, completely out of character for him. He would not be giving up so easily. No doubt, he had something in mind. Although she had but a brief acquaintance with him, she recognized him as one of strong will and not likely to be turned aside without considerable effort.

The column was ready to march, but there was a delay for one reason or another. The officer in command was addressing the prisoners; just what he was saying Angela could not hear. The interlude ended shortly, and the teamsters and all of the soldiers, with the exception of those left to guard the wagons, moved out.

“This will be difficult to explain,” Bernal said morosely. “I have no liking for the welcome that will await us in Mexico City.”

“You surrender too quickly,” she said, tucking a stray lock of hair back under her hat. “It is not finished.”

“Surrender? Not finished?” the officer echoed stupidly. “How can that be? The Confederate Army has taken possession of our rifles and ammunition … will convert them to their own use. We are powerless to prevent it.”

“It is not the real army, General,” she replied impatiently. “Had you listened closely you would know this. The American war is truly over. These soldiers are but renegades.”

“Renegades or not, what is the difference?”

“None, perhaps … except they have no right to the cargo we hope to possess, and it is likely that Adam Rait will not yield with so small a struggle.”

“I have seen braver men.”

“That is my point. A thought was in his mind, an idea. He looks ahead. A fool would have fought and lost. He did not.”

Hernando Bernal sighed. “All is not clear.”

“It will be to our advantage to assist him, aid him in an escape.”

He nodded vaguely.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.