Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-04-25

"Reckon thar's q powerful sight st
McAIinnvilleY'
"a division perhaps"
The man paused moment and then
went on:
"Thet's an all fred pert rife O. yourn.
Wouldn't mind letten me handle It,
wonll Vt
Mark cooked the piece, took Of the
cap aud handed II to his interrogation.
He still had his revolver, while the man
had weapon which coull not DO fired
without percussion cap.
"Waal, now, thet's quar-"
The man looked from the rife to the
soldier. not knowing which TO admire
most-the mechanism of the former or
the coolness OF the latter. Then he
handed II back.
"You amt no Yank."
"Why noty
"Yanks don't come down hysr all
alone. Besides Yankee Fojer wouldn't
ride u blooded mare like that s-one.
Morgan's men rides them kind O. critters
and wears them uniforms sometimes"
Mark smiled knowingly.
"You think I'm one Of Colonel Nor.
gan's ,nen. do your
"R.ckon yer one o. ourn anyway"
And the man walked away well salts.
fed with his penetration.
The soldier got up, went into the tav-
ern aud paid for his supper with one Of
the p.stal shinplasters used at the time
In lie, Of silver; then he came out and
called for his horse. While waiting he
stood leaning against post Of the gal.
lery. maintaining the same easy Conf.
dence that had characterized him since
his arrival. Presently u negro came
around from the barn, leading the slen.
der legged mare. and the soldier, saun.
tering up to her leisurely, stroked her
neck: then mounting, without once
looking ut his observers, he rode away.
But private Malone's confidence was
all assumed. He did not start on the
road he designed to follow; he trotted
of up the valley, intending later to find
a path or crossroad which would take
him southwark to the Chattanooga pike.
He suspected that the group he was
leaving would not suffer him to ride
that night in safety, and he did not care
to let them know his true route.
Mark trotted on mp the road while the
daylight was fading. He was musing
upon the difficult, the hazardous task
before him. The road was deserted ex.
cept by himself; the evening was still,
and his horses hoOfs beat loud on the
stones beneath him. When he was rid.
ing In the open he felt comparatively
confident. but upon entering u thicket
he would uneasily reach down and put
his hand upon his rifle. He knew the
bushwhacker Of the period, and fancied
that rifle or q shotgun lurked behind
every tree. Amid the peaceful quiet OF
summer evening In the country 1t was
strange that one should look for death.
None but q practiced scout would have
been thus on the alert.
The twilight was nearly faded. Mark
had gone about three miles from the
tavern when, nearing fork In the road,
he heard:
"Halt, thar!"
Instinctively his hand went to the
handle Of his revolver. for the sound
was near enough to indicate that pis.
tol rather than o rifle might be needed.
"Air you uns the sojer ez tux supper
Mt the tavern ut Jaspery" asked voice,
kingularly soft for bushwhacker.
"Well, suppose ! ami"
81 know v from yer voice."
"How's thaty" asked the soldier, puz-
zled.
"Kini O. deep and smoothlike. Y
mought us waal put up yer shooten iron.
| got a bead on y"
Mark could see no one, but judging
from the voice Of the speaker his alarm
partially subsidized.
IL reckoned y mought come along
hyar, 10 list squatted and waited"
"well, what do you want with meT
"I'm one o the Stacks. We're Union,
we Stacks air. They're goen to driveus
out soon, reckon"
Union, ehi What are you-man,
woman, boy or galr
elm gal"
"The dickens! What are You stopping
me for ut the inuzzle Of gunY'
"Lordy! How'd | know " Wrought
"a ben bushwhacker. Iwar ut the tav.
ern whar y TUX supper. The landlords
wife. she's my aunt. ! sor y come In
and hearn y talken to old Venables.
They reckoned y war Confederate till
" paid In Yankee shinplasters; then
they reckoned y mo-ght be Yankee
after ALL"
Mark began TO be interested. Il was
now evident to him that this person en-.
sconced behind q snake fence, holding
him under cover Of gun, was friend
instead Of an enemy.
"welly'
81 KEN out hyar to tell y bout It."
"Then let me SEQ you as well as hear
you."
A figure with gun climbed over the
fence and advanced toward the soldier.
When II came near enough Mark saw o
girl who might he anywhere between
sixteen and eighteen. for her skirt
only reached to the tops Of her shoes,
and her hair was cut square around her
neck. She came very near to him and
spoke In a low tone;
"After y left the tavern some on 'em
lowed y was Union. and some on 'em
lowed y was Confederate; leastaways,
they wasn't sartin. Uncle, he's bad
secesh. and he lowed y was Union and
bound ON some errant fur the Yankees.
SO he pursuaded several on 'em ter
mount n follow y. They was gitten
ready, and slipped out to the barn and
TUX my pony. what Irode over on this
afternoon. n Jakey's squirrel gun
(Jakey's my brother), what ] allus car
ries when I ride FOUND In these hyar
war times, n makes tracks cross coun.
try by trail sllus goes to uncle's n
comes hum agin while the men air
comen by the road. ! Jest rode sally
Maria among the trees thar and tied her
and squatted behind the fence till y
come along and-Lordy sakesr'
"whats the matter nowr'
"Listsnr' .I.
Thsv vsrs both ouist for r momsuk