Rebel Heart: (Swept Away) Of Life and Love during the American Civil War

Awakened with guns

* * *

Both Daniel and Hank had a good night's sleep that night on the comfortable hotel bed.

In the morning, they put on their clothes and looked forward to the wonderful breakfast that the hotel offered, included in their charge. Both men carried some food in their haversacks for the long journey over the mountains, but that was only sustenance food, fairly unappetizing, though enough to keep body and soul together. What they looked forward to, especially when the aroma drifted to their room, was real food. Wanting to get an early start on their long journey, they didn't delay on arising, and soon appeared in the dining room.

Though they were among the first there, the food was ready. Coffee, hotcakes with maple syrup, bacon, eggs, cut up potatoes and fresh bread with plenty of butter. Knowing they had a long journey ahead of them, they stuffed themselves.

Then they went back to their room, packed their limited belongings, and as the sun was beginning to make an appearance in the east, they began hiking out of town. Mount Jackson wasn't a large town, and as they took the upper trail, its houses soon grew smaller and smaller whenever they looked back. The sun's appearance was only brief, for soon it was obscured by gray skies.

Long before noon, they reached higher altitudes, and though they kept going, their breathing was heavy.

"We're going to need a break soon," said Hank, in a belabored voice, now ten paces behind Daniel.

"I was waiting for you to say something," Daniel replied, looking down from his spot a few feet above him.

"Could have mentioned it much sooner then." Hank joined him, looking down and breathing hard.

"This is tough, but let's wait till we come to a flat place where we can take a break and stop for a bite to eat."

"Agreed, if it doesn't take too long. Lead on."

Not long afterwards they reached a fairly level spot, stopped, took a drink from their canteens, and got out some cornbread from their haversacks. They were perched on a spot overlooking a river far below and what in the distance looked like miniature houses across the valley.

"Look at that view," said Hank, in an awe inspired voice.

"Pretty as a picture," agreed Daniel.

After resting, they took up again where they had left off, knowing that there were many miles to cover. Later, darkness began to fall, and with it the evening seemed to be growing cooler.

"This looks like a good place to stop for the night," said Hank. It's relatively flat, and we can get some shelter from the wind there by those shrubs."

Daniel looked up at the sky which now was clear. "There's a full moon rising, Hank. Should be enough to light our way. Why don't we continue as far as we're able to maybe get to the downward side. It will be easy going down, and if we can keep at it, we may be able to make it home by morning."

"Really? If you think we can do it I'll try to keep going. Bury me along the trail if I don't make it," he said, with something of a strained smile.

Daniel noted the smile and flashed Hank a big smile back. His friend was considerably bigger than himself, which made all the more weight to carry across the mountains. "OK, let's try. What keeps me going is thinking of a warm bed and family awaiting me. But if at any time you want to stop, we'll do that."

"OK." Standing up from where he had seated himself, he said with enthusiasm, "Let's go."

They continued for at least two hours, and then for some more, noting that now they were definitely going more downward than up. Daniel saw the winter constellation of Orion rising higher and higher in the sky, which meant it would soon be midnight.. Though he didn't mention it, he was secretly glad that Hank had been willing, despite his weariness, to continue hiking. But now they were both exhausted.