Brings the Lightning (The Ames Archives Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

horses.
    “That’s better. Bring your saddlebags an’ blanket roll into the guardhouse. I’ll search them for contraband.”
    Walt bit his tongue. Lee’s troops hadn’t been searched at Appomattox.
They were all fighting men there, on both sides,
he reminded himself.
They understood each other. These are garrison troops—second-raters. They don’t have the respect one
battle-hardened
veteran has for another.
    The formalities didn’t take long. The sergeant wrote his name, rank and unit in blank spaces on a pre-printed form that listed the conditions of parole, had him swear an oath to observe them and sign the form, then signed and dated it on behalf of the Union Army. He applied a rubber stamp below his signature, entered Walt’s details in a log book, then pawed through his saddlebags and blanket roll.
    “You ain’t got much. Travelin’ light?”
    “I’m broke. Been on short rations all the way here. I hope my folks will have enough to feed me.”
    A flicker of sympathy appeared in the sergeant’s eyes. “Where d’you live?”
    “Their farm is north o’ here, up near Jamestown.” It was actually a few days’ ride east of Crossville, but he figured there was no need to tell the Union Army where to find him, just in case anyone looking for the sutler’s stolen gold ever managed to connect him to it.
    “That’s the best part of forty miles. You’ve got a long walk ahead of you, ’less you c’n hitch a ride on a farm wagon.”
    “I’ll take it slow. Been gone three years. A little longer on the road won’t kill me.”
    “Uh-huh.” The sergeant handed him the form certifying that he’d been properly paroled. “You’re free to go.”
    Walt didn’t bother to reply. He folded the paper and thrust it into his shirt pocket, slung his saddlebags over his shoulder, picked up his blanket roll, then turned on his heel.
    “Take this too,” he heard the sergeant say. He looked back. The man was holding out a greenback.
    “That hoss is worth more’n that.”
    “Ain’t for the horse. Man needs to eat.”
    Walt met the sergeant’s eyes. There was no contempt or satisfaction in the big man’s eyes, so he allowed himself to take the proffered bill. “Thankee,” he said gruffly.
    The sergeant nodded, and Walt walked out .
    The gate sentry glanced at him as he passed and said mockingly, “Enjoy the walk home, Johnny Reb.”
    Walt ignored him as he turned north towards Jamestown. He had to give the impression he was heading that way until he was out of town and out of sight of the garrison, when he could turn up the hill to retrieve his other horses and belongings. He trudged along in the heat and the dust, boiling with indignation.
Maybe he had to take the horse, but that
sergeant had no right to search my belongings. It’s a good thing I hid so much before coming into town. If I hadn’t, I’d probably have lost everything!
    Nevertheless, the man had still given him enough to pay for two, maybe three meals. Was it out of guilt for his army-sanctioned thievery? Or was it just compassion for a hungry traveler on his way home? Walt shook his head. If he’d learned one thing from the war, it was that there was good and bad in every man. It was only the proportions that varied.

Walt used his spyglass to examine his parent’s farm carefully in the afternoon sunlight. From his position on the hillside two miles away, it looked calm enough. A saddled horse was hitched to one of the front porch rails. He frowned as he saw a blue-uniformed figure come through the front door, followed by a young lady. For a moment he couldn’t figure out who they were, then he suddenly recognized the woman.
That’s Katie! Dang, she grew up!
He felt a warm flush of pleasure as he looked at his baby sister, a child no longer.
    He watched as she said something to the Union soldier, her hand on his sleeve. He laughed, then swung into the saddle. They chatted back and forth for a moment, then the man turned his horse and