Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-07-25
Copyrighted, 1881
CHAPTER III-CONrINuEp.


Captain Smart, remembering the ad-
vantage Luke's suggestions had been to
him, said:
"ru give We any four men in my compa-
ny We want, If We think they'll be enough to
protect the people. I've tried Z stop their
stealin', but it don't seem in my power. II
you KIN do it, yer welcome t. the detail"
Having the privilege Of making his own
selection, Luke chose his mess-Arkansaw
Tom, Ned Cotton, Bill Swain and Corporal
Max. Bills wound was trifing, and did
not disable him.
"What We want US T. doa" asked Arkan.
saw Tom, as they hurried down the road
past the advance guard.
"You are to protect q house."
''Whose."
"Mr. Jordan Neff's."
"Union or secesh!"
'The family are divided. The only son is
in the Confederate army"
"They'll burn the house,
"You must not let them. The house and
inmates must be shielded from insult"
eff We say It, We'll perfect 'em, eff it costs
US our lives.''
''That is what want You to do"
ats settled" said old Ar!1ansaw Tom.
Gwen perfect 'em, ur bite the dust tryin'."
The old familiar farmhouse was at last
high with hope and expectation as he neared
it.
81 will see her once more,'' he thought.
She will know that l have done this for
her sake, and that next to my country she
is the dearest object of life"
How peaceful and quiet seemed the pleas
ant old country home. The tall popiars
and stately elms lowered above the broad
lawn, and their leaves rustled in the breeze
The f1ocks were bleating on the hills, and
distant tinklng of cow-bellS came to his
ears. Pigs were granting in the fence
corners, and busy bees hummed from flow
er to flower. The strange silence about
the house caused an uneasy feeling to come
over him. When they reached the gate
they saw that the house was closed, and had
the appearance of being deserted.
Followed by his comrades. Luke has
tened toward the front door, hoping by his
sudden return to give his betrothed a pleas
ant surprise.
Only hollow echoes answered his knocks,
and at last, growing impatient, he turned
the knob and opened the door. The room
was unoccupied. There was Mr.. Neff's ia
vorite couch, with one cushion on the floor,
as if the occupant had quilted the room
hurriedly. A few embers still smoldered
on the hearth. and Lilies favorte chair,
with her sewing on the floor near it, was
at the side of the couch. A crumpled news
paper in the middle of the floor and the dis
arranged furniture all bore evidence of a
hasty flight.
Filled with a strange dread, Luke has
tened to the next room, calling the name of
Lille, with no answer save the hollow echo
OF his own voice.
He soon satisfied himself that the house
was deserted. A warm dinner was smok
ing on the table in the dining room, which
convinced him that the house had been but
recently occupied.
Hoping that the owners might be near,
he ran to the garden, then to the negro
quarters, but they could nowhere be
found. He was about to return when
black face peeped out from cluster of
woodbnes at the rear of a chimney to one
Of the negro huts, and a voice said:
'Massa Luke, am dot you?"
Blackhawk, why are you hiding there!"
Luke asked.
sHidin', massa; all de others am done
gone an hided, an so did l."
"Who are you hiding 'FRONT.'"
"Dun no, massa. All de odders dey
runs an hided, an dis chile did. too"
'Blackhawk, where is Miss Llllie!"
''Dun no, boss; she an ole massa runs
like de debll war after 'em down into de
hided heah."
$50 after them-tell them they shall not
be harmed"
Couldn't find 'em, massa."
"Go and try. / must see Lille, and
have but a short time to stay. / must see
her father, too. left so suddenly that
night that l did not get to say all I
wished"
81 kin go, massa, but ten to one I don't
find um.''
THE head withdrew into the woodbines,
slight rustling noise and the negro was
gone over the low fence into the wood be-
yond.
When Luke returned he found his COM
rades seated at the farmers table helping
themselves to the ready cooked dinner.
'As they've all vamoosed we thought it
best ter keep this ar grub from spllin',' said
old Tom.
Luke felt inclined to deny them the right
to appropriate the dinner of others, but, the