Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-01-06

"Murfreesboro"
81 don't know"
"Reckon thar's a powerful sight at
McMinnvilleg'
"a division perhaps"
The man paused moment and then
went on:
"Tnet's an all fred pert rifle O. yourn.
Wouldn't mind letten me handle it,
would VI"
Mark cooked the piece, took off the
cap and handed it to his interrogation.
He still had his revolver, while the man
had weapon which could not be fired
without percussion cap.
"Waal, now, thet's quar-"
Tho man looked from the rife to the
soldier, not knowing which to admire
most-the mechanism of the former or
the GOODNESS OF the latter. Then he
handed it back.
You amt no Yank."
"Why not?'
"Yanks don't come down hyar all
alone. Besides q Yankee sojer wouldn't
ride q blooded mare like that acme.
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 men, do your"
Reckon 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 postal shinplasters used at the time
in iiec Of silver; then he came out and
called for his horse. While waiting he
stood leaning against a post Of the gal
lery, Maintaining the same easy conf
dence that had characterized him since
his arrival. Presently a 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 at 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
off up the valley, intending later to find
. path or Q 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 up 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 Q thicket
he would uneasily reach down and put
his hand upon his rife. He knew the
bushwhacker Of the period, and fancied
that . rife or shotgun lurked behind
every tree. Amid the peaceful quiet Of
. summer evening in the country it 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 rife might be ns-.lefl
"Air you uns the sojer ez TUX suppe.
st the tavern at Jasper? asked voice.
singularly soft for q bushwhacker.
"Well, suppose amp
II know y from yer voice."
SLOWS that?" asked the soldier, puz-
dsd.
kind o deep and smoothlike. Y
mought as waal put mp yer ahooten iron.
I got bead ON ~"
Mark could see no one, but Judging
from the voice Of the speaker his alarm
partially subsidized.
II reckoned y mought como along
hyar, 80 List squatted and waited"
"Well, what do you want with me?'
I'm one O. the Stacks. We're Union,
we Stacks air. They're goen to drive rs
ont soon, / reckon"
"Union, chr What are you-man,
woman, boy or gal2'
"I'm . gal"
1.-THE dickens! What are you stopping
me for 1t the muzEle of q guny'
"Lordy! How'd I know " Y mought
= ben bushwhscker. Iwar ct the tav-
ern whar y tux sapper. The landlords
wife, she's my aunt. / sor y come In
and hearn y taken to old Venables.
They reckoned y war Confederate till
y paid in Yankee shinplastsrs; then
they reckoned y mought be Yankee
after all"
Mark began to DO interested. It 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.
"Wellr
II kem out hyar to tell y bout it,"
''Thsn let mo zee y0u a. well e. hear
you" -
A figure with . gun climbed over the
fence and advanced toward the soldier.
When it came lear enough Mark saw .
girl who might be 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 . 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 Grant fur the Yankees.
So he persuaded several on EN- ter
mount n follow y. They was gitten
ready, and I clipped out to the barn and
Tux my pony. what l rode over on this
afternoon, n Jskey's squirrel gun
(Jakey's my brotherl. what allus car
ries when ride round In these hyar
war times, n makes tracks cross coun-
Try by trail I sllus goes to uncle's n
comes hum agin while the men air
comen by the road. ] jest rode Sally
Maria among tho trees thar and tied her
and squatted behind the fence till y
come along and-Lordy sakesy"
whats the matter nowY
"Listenr'
They were both quiet for q moment,
the girls two big black eyes denoting
her anxiety. They could distinctly hear
the tread Of horses coming on . brisk
lope.
Without word the girl seized Marks
bride rein and led horse and rider of
the road into the wood. At q short dis
lance behind rise in the ground she
stOnppd Marx waa incIined IN On M,