上外版大学英语写作精选第三册(2)

    "I'll take proof，" Bettie said. She went to the loft and came back with a blood-stained paper bearing the official War Department seal. "This is a record of his last promotion，" she said. "When I show it， they'll have to believe me."

    She made the doctor writer out list of the medical items he needed. Early the next morning she set off.

    For five hours she drove， stopping only to rest her horse. The sun was almost down when she finally stood before the commanding officer at Harpers Ferry.

    Gen. John D. Stevenson listened， but did not believe her. "Madam，" he said， "Bedell's death was reported to us."

    "He's alive，" Bettie insisted. "But he won't be much longer unless he has the medicines on that list."

    "Well，" the general said finally， "I'm not going to risk the lives of a patrol just to find out." He turned to a junior officer. "See that Mrs. Van Metre gets the supplies." He brushed aside Bettie's thanks. "You're a brave woman，" he said， "whether you're telling the truth or not."

    With the medicines that Bettie carried to Berryville， Dr. Osborne brought Bedell through the crisis. Ten days later Bedell was hobbling on a pair of crutches that Dick had made for him. "I can't go on putting you in danger，" Bedell told Bettie. "I'm strong enough to travel now. I'd lie to go back as soon as possible."

    So it was arranged that Mr. Sam， one of Bettie's neighbors and friends， should go and help Bettie deliver Bedeel to Union headquarters at Harpers Ferry in his wagon.

    They hitched Bettie's mare alongside Mr. Sam's mule. Bedell lay down in an old box filled with hay， his rifle and crutches beside him.

    It was a long， slow journey that almost ended in disaster. Only an hour from the Union lines， two horsemen suddenly appeared. One pointed a pistol， demanding money while the other pulled Mr. Sam from the wagon. Shocked， Bettie sat still. Then a rifle shot cracked out， and the man with the pistol fell to the ground dead. A second shot， and the man went sprawling. It was Bedell shooting！ Bettie watched him lower the rifle and brush the hay out of his hair. "Come on， Mr. Sam，" he said. "Let's keep moving."

    At Harpers Ferry， the soldiers stared in surprise at the old farmer and the girl. They were even more amazed when the Union officer with the missing leg rose from his hay-filled box.

    Bedell was sent to Washington. There he told his story to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Stanton wrote a letter of thanks to Bettie and-signed an order to free James Van Metre from prison. But first James had to be found. It was arranged for Bedell to go with Bettie as she searched for her husband.

    Records showed that a James Van Metre had been sent to a prison camp in Ohio. But when the ragged prisoners were paraded before Bettie， James was not there. A second prison was checked， with the same result. Bettie Van Metre fought back a chilling fear that her husband was dead.

    Then at Fort Delaware， near the end of the line of prisoners a tall man stepped out and stumbled into Bettie's arms. Bettie held him， tears streaming down her face. And Henry Bedell， standing by on his crutches， wept， too.

    NEW WORDS

    tell v.  act as an informer 告发

    Yankee n.  （in the Civil War） a native of any of the northern states； a citizen of the U.S. 北方佬；美国佬

    great-aunt n.  an aunt of one's father or mother； sister of one's grandfather or grandmother

    civil a.  国内的； 民间的

    Confederate a.  of or belonging to the Confederacy 南部邦联的

    capture vt. make a prisoner of； seize 俘虏；夺得

    unknown a.  whose name， nature， or origin is not known