"
"Will this business take you without the lines?"
"That is as it may be, sir. I do not know the bounds of the outposting."
The colonel wrote us passes to come and go at will past the sentries,
and I drew Dick away.
"What is it, Jack?" he asked, when we were by ourselves.
"'Tis the fulfilling of my promise to you, Richard. Get your horse and
we will ride together."
"But whither?" he queried.
"To Appleby Hundred--and Mistress Margery."
XLVIII
HOW WE KEPT TRYST AT APPLEBY HUNDRED
'Twas late in the afternoon of the last day of January when we set out
together, Jennifer and I, from the camp of conference at Sherrard's
Ford.
The military situation, lately so critical for us, had reached and
passed one of its many subclimaxes. Morgan's little army, with its
prisoners still safe in hand, was on its way northward to
Charlottesville in Virginia, and only the officers remained behind to
confer with General Greene.
For the others, Huger and Williams were hurrying up from Cheraw to meet
the general at Salisbury; and General Davidson, with a regiment of North
Carolina volunteers, was set to keep the fords of the Catawba.
As for the British commander's intendings, we had conflicting reports.
Two days earlier, Lord Cornwallis had burned his heavy baggage at
Ramsour's Mill, and so we had assurance that the pursuit was only
delayed. But whether, when he should break his camp at Forney's
plantation, he would go northward after Morgan and the prisoners, or
cross the river at some nearhand ford to chase our main, none of our
scouts could tell us.
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