Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-03-02

The fault lies with Maj. Conyer's
scout. He is under arrest. You seem
to have done your full duty"
Il tried to do my full duty, sir" The
reply was unwonted in its meekness;
and the spy's eyes were downcast, as he
queried: ''Where did the general get
out? Has he made the river again?''
s'Yes; 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. ST 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. ''Am 1 to go over? Any
orders for me?''
mo; you are to remain here-pro ba-
bly, accompany Gen. Baldwin on a
prison-inspection that has been de
Goodnight, Caspar'' The major rose,
sorting his papers, the spy turning
slowly to the door, as though regrettinC
by the way, what is this young fell
low Mckee,"
Nothing, SIR was the prompt an
the questioner. ga society butterfly,
without brains. He is not suspected, I
presune?''
''Oh, no. Only, he's always so devil
ish polite to me, for sake of getting
passes where none are needed, that it
amounts to 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
LETT the musicale and let himself quiet
1y 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.
Then, mounting to his own suite, he
laid out his corduroys and boots, Sc
lected a Winchester rifle from the sew
eral cases, and, carefully inspecting the
grease on the cartridges, loaded it and
tested the lock.
Next he unlocked cupboard, taking
thence and slowing in his bird-bag a
strange outfit for duck-hunt. There
were carefully tied parcels from the
druggist, hanks of silk and strong flax,
papers of needles, postage-stamps, and,
last, three large, fat TASKS of brandy
labeled $780," as though to equalize
the outfit. Packing finished, Mckee re-
read the passes the federal had lately so
condemned, made some careful memoir
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 little
Of the nicotine on top, to color the edges
from recognition.
Lastly, the youth arrayed himself in
hunting-rig as carefully as though pre-
pairing for his wedding, hunning, dur
ing the process, snatches of melody
from late opera bouffes. Then, as the
cuckoo clock on his wall cooed out the
half-hour past one, he descended softly
to the stable-yard
The hunting-trap was already rolled
out; and, packing gun and bird-bag
carefully under the heavy fur robes, the
master turned, to find his ebon groom
close at his elbow.
Mass viii, ent yo' gwine ter read da
note?'
''What note, Elijah?''
''Da note da WIFI man dun lef'. wy
yo' doan' read it?" And, for the first
time, the negro extended dingy en-
velope.
''Who left this? Did you tell anyone
Twas going gunning?" the master asked,
anxiously.
knowed it? an, sides, e amt AK
nuthin'," the man replied, with the ne
gro's usual indirection.
"Who left it, sir? Hold your lantern
''How l know who lef' it, wen he I'M
beknownst to me an amt yeered his
entitle? Wen e ak is yo' in, amt tell
him is yo'; only ak i'm is yo' in? Den
he say, gle un dis note, sho! Da's de
note"
Tearing open the envelope, on which
the gum was still moist, Mckee began
to read by light of the stable lantern
curiously at first, then eagerly, at last
with amazement stamped on every fea-
ture.
''Wait to hitch up till I come back
Lock this gate after me- he ordered,
rapidly. Then he passed into the street;
and the negro, hearing his rapid foot
falls ring along the stones, showed his
white teeth as he turned the key, and
muttered:
''Recl<'n e ent comm backi Dis we're
hunt dun gone up. Da note cum frum