The Red Cloud chief., 1888-09-07

50 cy
stepped behind her and whispered: moi so
&c. nc,Iscr, not SO t;crcc, Or they will
surely Inspect something"
Don't fret; perhaps you would Ike me
20 90 upto them, and shake hands Ni.a EN-,
and say why GidI'. they come before, and
hcpc they'll stay, oh the wretchcs,' and tho
Old lady shook herself with a grim vehe-
.ncccc.
The two invaders were not so fierce aud
itcrriolclooi.ing, indeed, for soldiers who
lad jus: Won Il victory; they looked strange
ly Worn. weary and Gishcartcned. Mistress
Patty felt q Stir OF sympathy in her heart,
for the younger man reminded her SO vivid
~ of her husband, who was so bravcly fight
ing in the true cause: III fact, little Dorothy
went up 10 him, laid her dinplcd hand on
his knee. looking t-istfuily Up in tho hand
sellc face bent over her, and said: "Pap2."
"Anl where is papa, my dearg' he asked.
gently i.fCing the child On his knee.
Wa, wy OF, Gght!n' the"
Dorothy" her grandnother's voice
sounuci like gravel crUnched viciorsly to-
geticr, ''yCUr mother Us going to feed the
chickens and you'd better help her. with
tia. she began to busily clear of the table.
"Idon't suppose you want any thing n'orc:"
she suddenly slid, when the table was al
most cleared.
"No. we have had sufficient, thanks to
your ~k,ndncss,'' c~ourteously replied the
older man.
"'Tain't no thanks to me at all,' she re-
turned. tartly, you're soldiers, so l had to
do it."
What an exceedingly curious cream
cup" exclaimed the younger man, taking
the curious piece of workmanship up and
examining it, with the air of a connoiS-
seCr. That was the last drop in Mistress
Dorothy's cup Of bitterness which was al
ready Overflowing. She had let them enter
Eer house, given them their breakfast, and
now, alter allowing them all these liberties,
always under protest. that they would now
{ begin to Contiscate her property was too
much; she Snatched the cream cup out OF
the astonished mans hands. and began eX-
Citedly: you'd better 80 uDW, you'd better
go, you've hal your breakfast and 4 little
rest, and I: this tine o day visitors amt
wanted round the flrIi."
But, my dear madam" the young man
broke in, "Iassure you meant no harm,
and really my friend and l need 4 rest so
badly that We are afraid we must tres
pass on your hospitality" here 4 faint
smile crossed the young mans face, "a
little longer; give us but a bed to rest our
weary limbs 4 little while and then VIC will
depart"
Dame Dorothy looked at the young man
sternly. "In n days, young man, when
folks told Us We want wanted VIC got out"
But. madam the older man intcrposcd,
circumstances alter cases. remember that
these are strange days, and strange things
happen in them; but by the way, madam,
are you 4 Tory or q rcbcl!"
"'Taint none of your business was the
uncorpromising reply.
"Well, will you allow Us a bed!" he
asked.
81 think it's time you was a startin',-
was the laConic answer.
"Then since it becomes q necessity l de-
maud it in the nam Of" Here something
seemed to choke him, for he seemed unable
to 60 on.
"Well, If l must l suppose I must. but if
ever l wished q feather bed was filed with
Pine needles, l wish that thar one was"
and with that she opened q door disclosing
. comfortable bedroom. They silently en-
tered the room, and she, with a bang of the
door. fled to the kitchen. There, I've gone
and done it" sho said, In high wrath, "I've
barbored two British soldiers under my
root, and if any body ought to be taken be-
fore General Washington and convicted as
q spy I feel like that ono. Joel Ashley"
she said, suddenly, turning to the boy who
was the sole occupant Of the room and who
was gazing at her in ~bewilderment, give
got an errand for you" "Yes'm," he said,
moekly enough. Joel was always meek
when tho madam was in such q wrath.
lyon know where the Contincntals are
stationed about ten miles from here, chi"
Joel nodded. "Well, you Just stir yourself
and 60 over there and tell their commander
there are two redcoats in this house and II
they want them to come for them right
away, right away, mind you; now hurry"
And Joel did hurry.
Madam sat rocking herself violently to
and fro. "There, you've gone and dcae an
other mean thing" she said to herself, an
grily, "Doin' q mean thing is jist like tell
in q lie, you do one aud ycu'n surely do an.
other; I guess I'll just peck in the room
and see if they've set it afirc yet" She
tiptoed across the hall and looked through .
crack in the door, then her conscience
smote her worse than ever; carelessly ly-
ing on the bed, bis tair, handsome face
looking so worn and thin even in sleep,he re-
minded her also Of her soldier boy. The
older man was YEARLY writing at q table,
resting every once in the vhlle, but soon re- |
suming his task.
"rm q mean old woman" she solilo- |
quized. "But- they're Britishers." That
settled the question, and she returned to |
her work.
Morning entered into afternoon, and aft |
slowly melted into carly evening. !
the shadows were gently creeping over the |
land, the birds were twittcring q good night, |
and still the soldiers slept. Softly, eau
tiously, q band Of fifteen men were wend- |
ing their way towards the Whitcombe farm
house; nearer and nearer they got, until
you could see that they wore the Cont |
mental uniform. They reached the house
and were met by its mistress; she pointed
to the room where the soldiers were, then |
sat herself rigldly down in her rocking.
chair to have an argument with her con
science.
Suddenly-what is that she hears: A
hearty laugh re-echoed throughout tho
house. She hurried to the door wherc the
soldiers were. And what did she sect Her
two red-coats shaking hands heartily with
the Continentnls. And what does she heart
Captain" one Of the men says, two bad
given you and the Colonel up for lost, and
the camp was in sore distress about you"
And he, the admirer Of the cream jug, an
swers in q full, rich voice: Tho Colonel
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