Free The Deserter by Jane Langton

part of a set.” Bart extracted the little case, wrapped it in tissue paper and handed it over. “Belonged to a member of the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, a guy named Pike. Otis Pike—he died at Gettysburg.”
    â€œPike?” Homer looked at Mary. “He’s on the wall, remember? Otis Pike—his name’s on one of the tablets.”
    â€œWhat tablets?” said Bart.
    â€œOh, Homer, so he is.” Mary explained it to Bart. “In Memorial Hall at Harvard. There are a lot of tablets inscribed with the names of students who died in the Civil War.”
    â€œNo kidding.”
    â€œIt’s part of a set?” Mary tried to sound casual. “What else is in the set?”
    There was a pause. “Oh, a lot of things,” said Bart. “I’ve got ’em out back.”
    â€œWell, may we see them?” said Homer.
    The pause was longer. “Well, they’re pretty precious. Because it’s a whole collection, you see. For one thing, there’s a letter.” He looked at them to see the effect of this delicious item.
    â€œA letter?” said Mary. “Who is it addressed to?”
    Instead of answering, he listed something else. “And a play.”
    â€œA play?” Mary was puzzled. “You mean a play in a book?”
    â€œRight, with the words for one part underlined.”
    â€œWhat play is it?”
    But Bart had saved the best for last. “And a coat, a Union army sack coat.”
    â€œA coat!” Homer and Mary said it together.
    He leaned forward and whispered, “Bloodstained.”
    Homer glanced at Mary, then asked again, “May we see them?”
    Bart blinked. “Well, it would be a whole lot of trouble.” Instead of leading the way to some treasury in the back of the store, he stayed put.
    Mary controlled her irritation and said softly, “Would twenty-five dollars pay for your trouble?”
    â€œFifty,” he said at once.
    Disgusted, Homer jerked at Mary’s elbow, but she reached into her bag and counted out the bills. “And twenty-five for the stereoscope.”
    Bart dropped the stereoscope and the set of cards into a bag. “Wait here,” he said, walking briskly away. “I’ll be right back.”
    Homer growled, “What a creep.”
    â€œOf course he’s a creep,” murmured Mary, “but I want to see what he’s got. Because there’s some connection with this woman, and I recognize her, I know I do.”
    â€œBut she was Otis Pike’s girlfriend. Are you people related to Otis Pike?”
    â€œNot that I know of. But I do know her, I swear I do.”
    â€œWell, good for you.”
    When Bart came back he was carrying a dusty blue coat. He laid it gently on the counter, then lifted the chain pinned to the collar. “Identification tag.” He tipped the metal disk toward the light. “Not government issue, they ordered them special.”
    They bent to look. “George Washington,” said Homer.
    â€œOther side.” Bart turned the metal tag between his fingers. “See? 2 Reg Mass Volunteers . That’s the Second Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. His name sort of curves around the outside.”
    â€œSo it does,” said Mary, turning her head sideways. “It says Otis M. Pike .” Trying not to show her excitement, she murmured to Homer, “Second Massachusetts, the same regiment. Seth Morgan was in the Second Massachusetts. Homer, they must have known each other.”
    â€œMmm.” Homer looked doubtfully at Bart. “You said the coat was bloodstained? I don’t see any blood.”
    â€œInside.” The proprietor lifted one side of the coat.
    They touched the fabric. It was true. The lining was stiff and stained brown where blood had clotted.
    â€œHow much for the whole collection?” said Mary boldly.
    He answered promptly this time, having worked out the price in the back