Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-07-23

CLEAN in his eyes
Eyes; they struck, and pretty hard,
too. But the general cut his way
through, rather crippled. No, there is
no blame attaching to you, Fitzhugh.
The fault lies with Maj. Conyer's
scout. He is under arrest. You seem
to have done your full duty"
81 tried to do my full duty, SIR" The
reply was unwonted in its meeizness;
and the spy's eyes were downcast, as he
queried: where did the general get
out? Has he made the river again?"
Eyes; but some regiments scattered,
and the stragglers come in slowly"
'They should be struck in detail
scattered along the river" Fitzhugh
said, slowly, half absently.
Damn, it, sir, you'd better give your
views to Gen. Sheridan" the infantry
major retorted, abruptly. 81 am not
commanding the cavalry of the army of
the Potomac"
beg pardon, SIR the spy answered,
not raising his eyes, in which the CLEAN
still fingered. Gam to go over? Any
orders for me?"
mo; you are to remain here-proba-
bly, accompany Gen. Baldwin on a
prison-inspection that has been de-
manded by these newspaper meddlers.
Goodnight, Caspar." The major rose,
sorting his papers, the spy turning
slowly to the door, as though regretting
something, when the officer added:
| ''By the way, what is this young fell
| low McKee?''
Nothing, SIR" was the prompt an
swer, as ~Fitzhugh glanced quickly at
| the questioner. ga society butterfly,
without brains. He is not suspected,
presume?''
''Oh, no. Only, he's always so devil
ish polite to me, for sake of getting
passes where none are needed, that il
amounts to a bore. He talked two
hours and wasted two bottles of wine
tonight to get permits to hunt in Prince
Georges. Good night
GOOD night, SIR" the spy answered
quickly leaving the room and descend
ing to the street.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Willie Mckee had
left the musicale and let himself quiet
ly into the darkened home of his wild
owed mother. Passing softly through
to the stables, he walked his groom
gave special instructions about feeding
his best horse, and ordered his hunting
trap to be in readiness at two o'clock.
laid out his corduroys and boots, Sc
lected Winchester rifle from the sew
eral cases, and, carefully inspecting tn,
grease on the cartridges, loaded it ant
tested the lock.
Next he unlocked cupboard, taking
thence and slowing in his bird-bag
strange outfit for a duck-hunt. Thert
were carefully tied parcels from tn,
druggist, hanks of silk and strong fax
papers of needles, postage-stamps, and
last, three large, fat TASKS of brandy
labeled $780," as though to equaliz,
the outfit. Packing finished, Mckee re
read the passes the federal had lately 81
condemned, made some careful memor
anda in finest writing upon thin sheets
, of paper, and drew an old pipe of briar
wood from his pocket. Carefully clean
ing the tube, he rolled the papers tight
ly, forced them in, and smeared a littl,
of the nicotine on top, to color the edge
from recognition.
Lastly, the youth arrayed himself il
hunting-rig as carefully as though pre-
pairing for his wedding, humming, dur
; ing the process, snatches of melod,
!; from late opera bouffes. Then, as tn
: cuckoo clock on his wall cooed out tn
, half-hour past one, he descended softl,
to the stable-yard.
!, The hunting-trap was already role
out; and, packing gun and bird-ba
carefully under the heavy fur robes, tn
master turned, to find his ebon groor
, close at his elbow.
"Mass' VIII, ent yo' gwine ter read d
note?"'
= "What note, Eijah9''
"Da note da WIFI man dun lef'. W.
} yo' doan' read it?' And, for the frs
time, the negro extended a dingy er
. velope.
''Who left this? Did you tell anyon
< Twas going gunning2' the master asked
0 anxiously.
GLOW rs gwine tell UNI, wen ain
t knowed it? an, sides, e amt a
t nuthin'," the man replied, with the NJ
q gro's usual indirection.
= "Wh0 left 1t, sir? Hold your lantern.
elbow know who lef' it, wen he III
beknownst to me an amt yeered hi
y entitle? Wen e ak is yo' in, 1 amt tie
}, him is yo'; I only ak i'm is yo' in? De
:. he say, gle I'm dis note, sho! Da's d
o note"
d Tearing open the envelope, on whic
!, the gum was still moist, Mckee bega
: to read by light of the stable lantern
s curiously at first, then eagerly, at la.
with amazement stamped on every fe;
y ture.
;. "Wait to hitch up till l come bacl
/, Lock this gate after me-" he orderet
= rapidly. Then he passed into the stree
u and the negro, hearing his rapid foo
d falls ring along the stones, showed h
n white teeth as he turned the key, an
L muttered:
'Reck'n e ent comm back! Dis yel
d hunt dun gone up. Da note cum fru
n q gal, sho' 'nuff!'
20
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