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knife. If this lie didn’t work, maybe she could run for the door. Her heart pounded as she realized what nonsense that would be. A woman with a four-inch knife was no match for three men with guns. If they didn’t shoot her, they’d surely discover her to be female in the scuffle. Perry had heard stories of lone women found by soldiers, and these three looked capable of any crime.
    A booming voice echoed down the ladder. “The kid’s right. There
is
a wounded man up here. Looks half dead.” The stout man appeared at the edge of the loft. “Catch, Jack,” he yelled, throwing his rifle down at the same time. “I’ll carry him down.”
    “Fine, Luke,” the man who caught the gun answered in a hollow, dead tone. Perry studied the two men before her and realized neither cared if Hunter lived or died. They must see men die daily; one more was of no consequence.
    Brusquely descending the steps, the huge man returned with Hunter flung over his shoulder. Perry cringed as bloodonce more stained the outside of Hunter’s dressing. She wanted to yell out for the man named Luke to be careful but was afraid her voice would give too much away. As she saw Hunter’s pale face she blinked threatening tears away. How she wanted to comfort him. If only she could tell him that soon he would have a real doctor. If only she could brush the blond hair from his face—but there was no time, and three men were watching.
    Luke turned to face Perry as he stepped off the ladder. He seemed unhampered by the burden on his shoulder. “Where’s his uniform jacket and cap, kid?” he demanded gruffly.
    Swallowing hard, she tried to think of an answer. She lowered her head and kicked at the dirt again. “Well, sir…well,” she said, stammering, stalling for time.
    “Well, what?” Luke demanded, moving within a foot of her. His breath fouled the air between them.
    Perry tried to make her voice whine as she whispered, “I sold ’em to a Negra woman for food.” She closed her eyes, praying she sounded convincing. If Hunter was a Union soldier, he would be safe. If not, maybe he could get doctoring before anyone discovered otherwise.
    Perry’s eyes flew open as she heard the soldier’s laugh. “Enterprising little bastard, ain’t he, fellows? Sonny, you may come out of this war rich, after all,” Luke said, chuckling. “Well, come along with us, Johnny Reb. If this officer of yours does live, maybe you will get somethin’ out of it. In the meantime, reckon we’ve got enough grub in camp to feed the likes of you a meal. Lookin’ at those puny arms, I’d say you haven’t been fed in weeks.”
    The other two men glanced at each other, as though wondering why Luke was bothering with a wounded man and a kid, but they didn’t seem to find it worth the effort to comment.
    With Hunter still folded over his shoulder, Luke moved out of the old barn that had been Hunter’s refuge for two days. Perry followed quietly behind the men. She knewthey glanced back often to ensure her progress. It would be foolish to run. Where would she go? How could she leave Hunter now without knowing if he lived or died? Her best plan of action seemed to be to follow along, then backtrack when she wasn’t being watched. Luke was a gruff fellow, but he cared enough to carry a wounded man to camp, which was more than she could say for the other two.
    Conflicting thoughts battled in Perry’s mind as her feet plodded in the oversize boots. Maybe the camp wasn’t too far from the barn and she could sneak back tomorrow to see if Noma had returned. Surely Noma would wait in the barn, or would she? Perry pictured Noma arriving, finding both Perry and Hunter missing. She wasn’t sure Noma would remember to go to Granddad’s old place. As one mile turned into another, then another, Perry planned.
    Cannon fire rumbled around her in low moans. At first it seemed as harmless as the thin trails of smoke that drifted slowly into the clouds. Then the smell of impending