Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-07-12


chided he was one of them.
There was An interval in the passing
regiments. and no one was near but the
Captain and me.
What are you going to do?" Iasked
him.
l was sitting on the fence, with my
| feet dangling. 1t wasn't very grace
full position. but l was only a country
girl then. and didn't know any better.
Il don't know he said, YEARLY;
Il suppose must ride back to ".
There's a hospital there"
If he hadn't been Yankee and a
robber. or a presser. which is the same
thing, I'd have asked him to come into
the house at once, he looked so sick.
Aren't you ashamed Of yourself
said, to take horses that don't belong
to you?"
He did look ashamed. 1T isn't a
pleasant business he said. ''YOu'd
better get that pony of yours out of the
way: there'll be more troops along here
| by and by.
When he said this his voice sounded
so pleasant, and he looked so sick, that
/ made up my mind to ask him in.
| But couldn't bring myself to speak
kindly to him. couldn't forget that
he was Yankee soldier.
'.Come into the house." l said,
sharply.
He looked at me out of his melan-
choly. feverish eyes.
s.No. thank you. I'll ride back to
"" and he turned his horses head
to ride away.
called to him.to stop. He obeyed
me. and went out into the road and
took hold of his bride.
What do you mean by that:' he
asked. surprised.
Il am going to press your horse"
What for?''
Ito keep for the safe return of those
you've taken.'J
He looked at me sort o. dazed. He
put his hand to his head, and didn't
seem to know what to do. led his
horse up to the veranda. He dis
mounted and walked feebly up the
steps and sat down on bench, while
took his horse round to the barn.
Well. the Captain was put to bed.
He had typhoid fever, and very bad
case it was. Occasionally when troops
would come into the ncighborhood, l
would mount my pony, and ride over
to their camp and ask to have a sur
geon come and see him. Between the
surgeons and my nursing we got him
through the crisis. l nursed him for
six weeks. Then he became conval-
escent. and it was very nice to have
him sitting up in an armchair on the
veranda looking so pale and handsome.
used to sit by him with my work, and
he seemed so gentle and SO patient
not at all like he appeared to me when
] first saw him riding back to the barn
to press the horsestthat began to
feel sorry he wasn't one of our men in
stead of being nothing but destestable
Yankee.
One day while l was sitting on the
veranda beside him, sewing. he said:
Miss Molly. are you still holding
my horse as hostage?"
"Yes. Ours haven't come back yet.
"DOn't you think you could let me
take him when get well. if should
promise to 60 and find your horses and
have them returned?'
"I'll see about that when you get
we'll
He'd been talking already about go
ing on to join the army. but l didn' t
think him well enough. and didn't mean
to let him go. He couldn' very we'll go
without his horse, so l wouldn't let
him have ii.
what hostage do you require in
token of my appreciation of your
kindness since I've been sick?" he
asked.
You haven't any thing to leave.
Besides, I've done very little, I'm sure. "
He thought moment. Then he said,
somewhat sadly:
Yes: there's one thing 1 can leave
only one. I'll leave that with YOU"
lcouldn't think of any thing he had
except his revolver. and was sure he
wouldn't leave that. 1t wasn't appro-
PIRATE. / waited for him to tell me,
but he said nothing about it then.
At last he was well enough to go.
At least he thought so; didn't. He
was still as weak as a kitten.
but l saw how anxious he was,
and l didn't oppose him any
longer. So one pleasant morning.
when the air was soft and the roads
were dry. told one of the cOlOred
boys to bring the Captains horse
around from the barn.
The Captain stood on the veranda
ready to mount and ride away. His
blanket and rubber poncho were
strapped behind the saddle. just as he
had left them. and his horse was so