Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-12-15

A>zSssss,s
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1t 1ras tho only DIT Of hnerv she possessed.
"Tell me something about yourself.
What's your name"
"Souri."
"Souri what?"
"Slack."
ooh, yes! You're one of the Stacks,
you told me. Isn't Souri, q singular
name for girl:"
"Waal, dad, he ken from Missouri.
So thets what he named me-"
"Have you mother:'
"Yas."
"Brothers and sisters?"
"Henery and Jakey."
Glow old are thev?'
"Henery, he's bout twenty-five. He's
in Jim Browns company o east Ten
nessee cavalry
what? Union cavalry?"
"Yas."
"You mean regiment, not company. |
know Brown well. How old is youl
other brother
"Jakey, he's thirteen"
cat homer"
"Yas."
"What are You going to do with me
when you get me to your home"
Take y to the barn, reckon"
"Why not to the house? Aren't your
folks all right? thought you said they
were Union"
"Oh, they're al Union. But mebbe
they mought suspect at the tavern
(seein I'm gone 'thout sayen goodby and
knowen I'm Union tibet I've put y up
to somep'n or tux " hum
"Souri," said Mark meditatively, "dO
you know that since | met you | have
been"-
dozen job y thinken:'
you've hit it exactly"
"What BOUT
GIVE been thinking that you're no.
body's fool"
The girl laughed, or rather chuckled.
She enjoyed the compliment and was too
unsophisticated to pretend that she did
not.
They soon struck dirt road leading
directly south, which they followed till
they came to the Sequatchie river, strik-
ing a ford at the same time. Souri, led
the way into the ford, Mark following
Her pony was used to such crossings,
this one in particular, while Marks horse
preferred to feel his way slowly; conse-
quently Souri, reached the opposite bank
before Mark had got half way over.
T. i, l,,,.. =.
half moon cast its faint light upon the
land and the river. Mark suddenly
looked up from the water and saw Souri,
on the bank watching him Had he
been near enough he would have seen
anxiety depicted Oh every feature of her
face
Keep up the stream!" she called,
pointing at the same time.
He turned his horses head as she di-
rected. hut soon lowering his eyes 70 the
water began to 90 down stream again.
Look at me- she called: don't look
at the water. Its runnen makes it
seem sif " war goen straight when yer
goen crooked. Thar's ledge o rocks
below thar and deep water beyond"
Mark fixed his eyes on his guide, and
turning his horses head toward her
urged her forward. She picked her way
slowly. as if conscious of danger. and at
last coming to the brink stepped quickly
out of the water and shook herself.
"What makes you tremble so:" he
asked of Souri,.
81 amt" she said, coloring.
"Is that dangerous ford?"
EFF va a-tumbled often the ledge va
"a drownded.'
"I'vo done some scouting before this,
but SEQ now that | haven't learned to
cross IL current till today. Next time
Ill look out for something on shore to
steer by"
Another ten minutes brought them
home. They came upon the house from
its rear. 1t fronted Oh the road running
northward and faced east. Souri, led
the way to rickety barn, where both
horses were stabbed. She left Mark III
the barn while she went into the house
TO inform the inmates of his presence.
Presently she came out.
Dad lows y mought come in fur a
spell 'thout much resk. They won't know
o yr bein hyar yet awhile. Least
always thar's no hurry. But dad reckons
" mought sleep i'll the barn with one
eye open"
II shall not sleep anywhere tonight.
I must go ON. But III go in with you
for awhile
\ man met them at the door with
white, shocky hair and stubble beard.
He looked sixty, though he was len or
fifteen years younger. Ho walked as If
he were following the plow. His trou-