The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-04-13
lad. That's all. Goodbye, dear

She put one soft arm about his
black neck. drew down his black
nerk, drew down his loyal old woolIy
pate, and kissed him twice. Then
she went. and left him sobbing as
though his heart would break.
IL was soundless gallop over the
the new-fallen snow. past so many
familiar places and objects. Now
came the old mill. now the barn. now
the spot where she and Boughton
had climed the straw-staeks that
other December day. Now the leap
over the mill-stream. She noticed
that the marshmallows seemed
abloom again, with their brown cups
full of snow.
Suddenly thee was flash to one
side. A saber lying on the snow.
There was blood on it. All. the one
Dick had thrown away, of course.
She dismounted and took it into her
hand, and got up again. The blood
was stiff with the keen air, and did
not come off when she grasped the
hilt. On and on. Nearer and even
She had ridden as often on a mans
saddle in her childish days as on
any other, and she had a light. beau
tiful seat in her bows clothes.
All. yes! there they were. How
the smoke hung in the still air. Some
crows actually flew cawing away, as
she rode under the dead sycamol e
tree where they had their nest.
Nearer, nearer, nearer. That was
what Hautboy's hoofs. as they sud
denly struck the frozen road, seem d
to say to her.
Then all at once came some
thing close Ivy her ear. The sound
of wasp alighting to sting.
Another and another. Then
she realized what it was. She was
within range of the rifles. A bull
let stung Hautboy's ear and he
reared little.
Suddenly he swerved sharply aside.
They had nearly ridden over some
thing that lay on the ground. Some
thing huddled, and dark. and small
looking in a gray uniform. A sort
of horror got hold on her; she looked
back at it again and again as she
rode on. Then came another and
yet another.
Then some lying in this way and
that, and across one another, and
then, somehow, she was IN a whirl of
smoke, and of noise. and of leaping
blades. and Philip was beside her.
And he, too, had lost his cap, and
there was great ugly cash all across
his cheek, and he was saying:
Dick! You? Thank God! thank
God! thought you we've killed
Come on-this once will finish 'em,
and then she was rushing on with
Philip, and on, and on, and on
And then 1t was red as though
blood had been poured into her eyes
and she could see it. And then
golden as though with a great sun
set. An then came darkness uD
utterable, and the noise as of thou
sand rivers about, and above, ano
! above, and underneath her.
When Boughton rode up to Cary
lon with Dick, as he thought, on the
saddle in front of him, old Eden was
the first who met him, and in spit.
of all his agony (for he though
the boy was dead Philip couldn'
help noticing, with dull sort O.
since yesterday.
He shook in every limb, as he fol
lowed them upstairs, and then, whe1
Boughton had laid down his burden
on the bed, in Dicks room, turned
and shut the door and went and fel
on his knees beside the bed, and 90
hold of the coverlet with both hands
painting rather than sobbing, like on,
who has run long way.
Boughton stood it as long as h,
could, walked up and down the room
forgetful of exhaustion in his tremen
dous excitement, then he came an,
sat down on the edge of the bed an
put one hand on the old mans shout
der.
"Don't-don't, Eden,' he said, un
steadily: HE died so galiantly-
poor little chap didn't know it wa
in him." he added in hushed voice
Then cried the old man, lifting u
his shaking hands with certain un
couth majesty.
"Fo' Good, sab, you mus know
you mus know. | CYAN stan tu1
heah yuh call huh dat. Oh my lit
tie miss-oh! my honey Mars Phil
sab, she tole' Inc not tub tell, but yu
mus know sab. Hits right-hit'
| right. OH Marse Phil, dat ain
Marse Dick, OATS Miss Judif herse'
/ -herse's !"
, WHAT" said Boughton.
His blood stood still in his vein:
There was one instant of absolut
nonenity for him. And before b
!, could speak again there rushed i
and past him a wild figure and fun
itself on the bed, and moaned an
, wept and called the name of judith
many times. And this pale fgu1
had Dicks pale gray eyes, and tn
, eyes of the figure on the bed we,
5 closed. Also there was much bloc
in the red-brown curls.
3 And when at last the poor repen
ant creature had swooned for ve1
e grief and horror, Boughton pushe
1 him aside with his foot, and Gale
, him hound added an ugly wol
back of his teeth.
But when the women came to DIRE
l her again as a maiden, he was knee
ing there beside her with his face u
: on her hand and they thought TIL
he. too. were dead,
!. So the days wore away, and ii WI
e Christmas Eve again when the do
= tor, coming from Judith's room. sa
that for the first time he could tie
= them to ''hope.n On Christmas NOR
y ing she turned her sweet face wit
recognition toward the half-curtai
|, ed window, and said:
e "Don't l hear the bells, dada"
He answered Eyes," 1t was all
!? could say, the dear old Colonel. Al
+bo, che sold. s.Why If muSt