Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-19

tonlShment, and for halt minute not a word was said. It was Marian Percy. | She was known by sight to at least half of the gang, and the others at once iden- ! tified her as "the gal" they had expect ed to find in the house. Let us go back little. When Uncle Ben left the camp among the rocks, she had intended to | follow him within an hour. It had | been settled that Kenton must remain | where he was until force of Federals | was brought to the rescue or until it l was known that he was in no peril from tho Confederates. While it was hoped that Uncle Ben's mission would be suc- cessful all realized the chances of its failure. Both armies were scouting and raiding up and down and across. A hamlet or crossroads or bridge held by the Federals one day would be in posses sion of the Confederates on the next, and vico versa. Uncle Ben might en- counter troop of Federal cavalry and bring them to tho rescue, or he might be picked up by Confederate troop or a gang of guerrillas and sent off some- where to work on Notifications.
 "Mebbe the Tanks will come fust, and mebbe the Confederates, replied Steve Brayton when appealed to for his opinion. Its goin to be nip and tuck, reckon, but with the chances leetle ill favor of the Confederates. Kin I make bold to offer some advice?"
 "Why, certainly" answered Marian and Kenton in the same breath.
 "Then let Miss Percy head fur home to once. We can't tell what may be &o yere. She's Percy and good Conted crate, and nobody'll dare disturb the house, Them blamed guerrillas which follered us yesterday may open fire yere any mint, and once they do she can't git away"
 The advice was full of wisdom, and Marian prepared to start at once.
 "Got any we pins in the house?" asked Steve as she was ready.
 "No."
 "Kin yo' shoot pistol?"
 "Of course. I have been sorry that left mine behind us in Winchester. y
 Then take this revolver. It's a big un, but guess yo' kin handle it. Bein yo' ar a southern gal, no southern man orter trouble yo, but yo' cant allus tell what may happen. . If wuss comes to wuss, bullets will count fur mo- than words"
 Kenton advised her to take it, and Brayton assisted her down to the high way and said as he left her:
 "Yo' may hear some shootin up this way doorin the day, but don't be nary us about it and don't run any risks to cum and see what the trubble is.'
 On approaching the house Marian caught sight of the horses and men and realized what had happened and was happening before she had made out the figure of the loyal old slave chained to the post. She had felt terribly anxious about her mother as she came along the road, and she had grown faint at thought of the troubles and perIls surrounding her, but everything was forgotten the instant she saw that circle of men. It was no wonder every man in the gang looked at her as if spell bound when she suddenly appeared in their midst and cried out to stop Ike Baxter's uplifted arm. As women despise cowardice in a man, so do men admire anything ap- preaching heroism in a woman. Mar ian rested one hand on the naked shoul- uCI OI luO O1O clofO "HO tAOlIC0 hC1 on his knee as child thousand times, and holding the revolver ready for in- stant use in the other, her slight form drawn up, her brown eyes flashing, her handsome face hahdsomer than ever be- fore, she demanded:
 "Who are you, and what is the mean ing of this?"
 Every man instinctively fell back a step or two. Ike Baxter let his arm fall, and no one dared look the girl full in the face. For long half minute no one spoke. Then Ike, shifting from one foot to the other and looking past her instead of at her, muttered:
 "We uns cum yere to captur' that cussed Yankee and pay this nigger off fur smashin my head last nighti''
 "Yes, that's what we uns cum furl' added two or three others.
 Marian deposited her weapon on the ground and proceeded to cast of the chain by which Uncle Ben was secured to the post. Some of the men crowded a little nearer. and some muttered and cursed, but no one interfered. When the slave was free, she signed to him to put cn his garments, picked up the weapon, and sweeping her eyes around the circle she said:
 "You speak of capturing Yankee. Who is he-where is he?"
 ''Yo' know who we mean," replied Ike Baxter, who was recovering his as- surance sooner than the others. We uns want Kenton, that cussed Yankee spyi"