Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-01-24
and while he was standing by the well.

the Rangers"
'.Rangerss"
Eyes, sir; the Texas cavalry-they
came across the hill just then. BE
started to run this way. but-but-"
| ..Weu?"
The girl looked down . moment.
colorcd, raised her head and said rap
idly:
II told him he never would get there
alive. I said they we're a hundred to
one, and he'd surely be killed I'm q
true Southern woman, sir; my father
is Captain Grayson, of the artillery
battalion, but I don't believe murder
is war. So made him come into the
house. He declared he wouldn't; death
was nothing to duty. But made him
come in
Indeed? What arguments did you
use, may I ask?"
Again the girl looked down and COL
ored deeply. Some of the younger of.
icers began to exchange winks.
HE declared he wouldn't," the girl
resumed, "but 1 made him. He
struggled with all his might, but"
II beg your pardon for interrupt
lng," said the Major. biting his lip.
"but-he escaped then?"
eyes, sir; but not a second too soon.
I hadn't more than got him into the
hogshead-"
"Hogshead?"
"Yes. sir; a big sugar hogshead in
the cellar, that we had meant to keep
sweet potatoes in-when two of the
rangers came in the front door. They
said they'd seen a Yankee at the we'll
and wanted him. I told them he had
seen them and made a dash for his
own lines. He really did, you know,
for a step or two, when-when-"
"When you warned him Of his
danger?
Eyes, sir. Well, they took my
word when l told them who my father
was and they went away"
"Ah! Where are the Rangers
now?"
"They went back, I don't know
where, hours ago."
"And caught him as they went?"
"Oh, no, sir; they couldn't. But he
was in dreadful excitement. He said
he had no right to be outside the lines;
he could be court-martialed for it and
disgraced, and may be shot, If things
went wrong in the fight. He went on
so that l wouldn't listen to him, and l
was afraid some of the Rangers might
come back and hear him, so I wouldn't
stay and listen to him."
"But why didn't he return after
they retired?"
because he couldn't, sir. 1
wouldn't let him. l didn't want him
to be court-martialed and shot, and all
of those dreadful things, so thought
it would be only right to come and tell
You it wasn't his fault"
1.-The enemy has been gone several
hours" said the Major, turning with
suspicious look to us. I'm afraid
there's some ruse in this" Then he
turned again to the girl and sternly
said: "Young woman, if your story
is true he should have returned by
this time. He knows he has nothing
to fear, and there is nothing to pre-
vent him coming back, if he knows
the enemy have disappeared"
"Oh, yes, there is, sir; there's q
cover to the hogshead and paddock
beside
"Oh-h-h!' said the Major, with
many infections. "He's your pris-
oner, is he? But, heavens, madam, if
he has been locked in a hogshead all
this time he's probably suffocated.
Confound-"
"Oh, no." said the girl, with an as
surfing smile. There's big bung-
hole in the hogshead, and l know he
has sense enough to breathe through
it, because when l went down and
whispered through it that the Rangers
had gone home again, he"
"What Gid he say?"
"Nothing-he-but know no was
alive and just like his old self" Then
the girl suddenly dropped her eyes
again ano colored deeply, while q very
young Lieutenant murmured:
.'Um!''
see," drawled the Major, very
slowly. Attention! First compa-
ny, deploy as skirmishers. For
wardr'
The girl turned her horses head
quickly, looked backward, set her lips
firmly, and exclaimed:
You're not going to court-martial
and shoot him?"
"Suppose were," said the Major.
as the men began to file from behind
tho "curtain" that commanded the
road.
Then" said the girl. I'm gallop
ahead at the risk of my life, and let him
escape on my pony"
~ NTo:o-