The Colonel's Lady Read Online Free Page A

Thirty-sixth Alabama,” he said thoughtfully. “Weren't you at Cold Harbor?”
    “Yes, sir, we were there.”
    “And the battles of Johnson's Pond, and Three Fork Road?”
    I felt myself stiffen. “Yes, sir.”
    He kept looking at me, but his thoughts seemed to turn inward. “Perhaps,” he said, “you have already had the honor of meeting our commanding officer—on the field, that is. He was at Three Fork, you know. Led the regiment of Harrison's Brigade in the famous charge there. Famous, anyway, around here.” He colored slightly, as if he had said something that he shouldn't have.
    It didn't hit me at first. I was just thinking that it was a rather bitter coincidence having Three Fork Road mentioned, and then, slowly, the real meaning caught up with me. Weyland had led the charge of Three Fork. The man Caroline had married!
    “What's the matter, Reardon?”
    I pried my mind loose from the past, but it was an effort and it left me weak.
    “Nothing, sir.”
    “You looked strange for a moment there. I meant no slight to the Thirty-sixth Alabama because of Three Fork.”
    “It wasn't that, sir. It wasn't anything.”
    I forced a small grin. For just a moment I could feel myself walking the razor-thin edge of hysteria, and there was an almost uncontrollable urge to throw my head back and laugh, for I was beginning to understand just how big a fool I had been. But I choked the feeling down and after a moment it went away, and the captain was saying:
    “What I was going to say,” looking back at the enlistment form, “was that it won't be easy here for you. Have you ever served as a private soldier?”
    “No, sir.”
    “That won't make it any easier. We have men here who did time in your Confederate prison at Andersonville. Some of them will never forget it, I'm afraid.”
    “Was Andersonville worse than the Yankee stockade at Fort Delaware, sir?”
    He smiled faintly, without humor. “I know.” He started to say something else, but then a major came in and the captain stood up.
    “Are these the new recruits, Captain Halan?”
    “Yes, sir, there are six of them.”
    The major, a squat rock of a man, with a fierce sand colored dragoon's mustache hiding a thin line of a mouth, nodded impatiently. “I can see there are six of them. How are they to be split up?”
    “First Battalion has first priority on new men, sir. With the major's permission, I would like three of them. A Company is twelve men under strength.”
    The major quickly referred to the morning report in his mind and nodded again. “All right. Three to A Company, one to C, and two to B. Have them sworn in and assign them to their units, where they can draw arms and supplies.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    The major glanced at all of us, not particularly happy with what he saw. His gaze lingered for a moment on Morgan. He took a deep breath, almost a sigh, and walked out. Three first sergeants had appeared in the doorway in time to hear part of the major's speech. One of them, a big, rawboned Abraham Lincoln of a man, grinned widely while the other two glared about the room with bitter eyes. The grinning one, I guessed, belonged to A Company. He looked at Captain Halan and said:
    “Ready, sir?”
    “Pretty soon, Sergeant. Is the doctor on his way?”
    “Comin' across the parade now, sir.”
    The physical examination didn't take long. The contract doctor told us to take our shirts off and he thumped us and listened to our chests and noted scars and told us to put our shirts back on. He stood for a moment, studying Mayhew, then abruptly he closed a shutter over the doubt in his mind and said, “They'll do, Captain.” He walked out.
    “All right,” Captain Halan said, “line up here and raise your right hands.” He took up a book of Army regulations and began: “Do you solemnly swear...”
    A few questions, a few responses, and we were members of the United States Cavalry. Morgan smiled that cynical half-smile of his through it all. Steuber was