The Cavalier

The Cavalier

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cavalier, by George Washington
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Title: The Cavalier
Author: George Washington Cable
Release Date: February, 2006 [EBook #9839] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on October 23,
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Language: English
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CAVALIER ***

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[Illustration: "Stand, gentlemen! Every man is covered by two!"]
THE CAVALIER
BY
GEORGE W. CABLE
1901

CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
She Wanted to Laugh II. Lieutenant Ferry III. She IV. Three Days'
Rations V. Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty VI. A Handsome Stranger VII.
A Plague on Names! VIII. Another Curtained Wagon IX. The Dandy's
Task X. The Soldier's Hour XI. Captain Jewett XII. In the General's
Tent XIII. Good-Bye, Dick XIV. Coralie Rothvelt XV. Venus and
Mars XVI. An Aching Conscience XVII. Two Under One Hat-Brim
XVIII. The Jayhawkers XIX. Asleep in the Death-Trap XX. Charlotte
Oliver XXI. The Fight on the Bridge XXII. We Speed a Parting Guest
XXIII. Ferry Talks of Charlotte XXIV. A Million and a Half XXV. A

Quiet Ride XXVI. A Salute Across the Dead-Line XXVII. Some Fall,
Some Plunge XXVIII. Oldest Game on Earth XXIX. A Gnawing in the
Dark XXX. Dignity and Impudence XXXI. The Red Star's Warning
XXXII. A Martyr's Wrath XXXIII. Torch and Sword XXXIV. The
Charge in the Lane XXXV. Fallen Heroes XXXVI. "Says Quinn, S'e"
XXXVII. A Horse! A Horse! XXXVIII. "Bear a Message and a Token"
XXXIX. Charlotte Sings XL. Harry Laughs XLI. Unimportant and
Confidential XLII. "Can I Get There by Candle-Light?" XLIII. "Yes,
and Back Again" XLIV. Charlotte in the Tents of the Foe XLV. Stay
Till To-Morrow XLVI. The Dance at Gilmer's XLVII. He's Dead--Is
She Alive? XLVIII. In the Hollow of His Right Arm XLIX. A Cruel
Book and a Fool or Two L. The Bottom of the Whirlwind LI. Under the
Room Where Charlotte Lay LII. Same Book and Light-Head Harry LIII.
"Captain, They've Got Us" LIV. The Fight in the Doorway LV. Rescue
and Retreat LVI. Hôtel des Invalides LVII. A Yes and a No LVIII. The
Upper Fork of the Road LIX. Under Charlotte's Window LX. Tidings
LXI. While Destiny Moved On LXII. A Tarrying Bridegroom LXIII.
Something I Have Never Told Till Now LXIV. By Twos. March
ILLUSTRATIONS
"Stand, gentlemen! Every man is covered by two!"
"I surrender," he said, with amiable ease
"Well, you air in a hurry!"
With the rein dangling under the bits he went over the fence like a deer
Ferry saluted with his straight blade
"Don't you like him?" she asked, and tried to be very arch
Ferry fired under his flash and sent him reeling into the arms of his
followers
Springing to the ground between our two candles, she bent over the
open page

I
SHE WANTED TO LAUGH
Our camp was in the heart of Copiah County, Mississippi, a mile or so
west of Gallatin and about six miles east of that once robber-haunted
road, the Natchez Trace. Austin's brigade, we were, a detached body of
mixed Louisiana and Mississippi cavalry, getting our breath again after
two weeks' hard fighting of Grant. Grierson's raid had lately gone the
entire length of the State, and we had had a hard, vain chase after him,
also.
Joe Johnston's shattered army was at Jackson, about forty-five miles to
northward; beleaguered Vicksburg was in the Northwest, a trifle farther
away; Natchez lay southwest, still more distant; and nearly twice as far
in the south was our heartbroken New Orleans. We had paused to
recuperate our animals, and there was a rumor that we were to get new
clothing. Anyhow we had rags with honor, and a right to make as much
noise as we chose.
It was being made. The air was in anguish with the din of tree-felling
and log-chopping, of