Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-19

him till they hev his life. I'm not fig gerin on myself tall. If they don't shoot me offhand, I'll git court mar. tialed and be chained up sumwhar till the eand of the war. Fact is, Miss Per cy, I've jest about dun cut loose from this glorious old southern confederacy and gone over to the Yanks!'
 "Then what would you adviser"
 Leave he un right yere fur awhile. We uns' got two guns and revolver, and if the crowd comes we kin stand 'em off a good deal better than at the house. Meanwhile let Uncle Ben sot out down the valley to find the Yankee sol diers and tell 'em what's up. If huff of 'em cum, and they cum in time, we will be all right. If not, we might as well say our prayers!"
 i Both Marian and Kenton realized the situation as he presented i and within five minutes Uncle Ben hs l his instruc- tions. It was believed that he would 1 run across Federal cavalry within 10 miles of Rest Haven. He was to ask for ! General Custer, and if he found that commander to ask him in the name of | the Percys to come at once. He was to call at the house and say to Mrs. Baxter that Marian would be home within an | hour.
 And while yo' un's yere to look out fur the patient" said Steve Brayton to the girl as the old man moved away, "Ill jest git ready fur the call I'm ex- 1 pectin!'
 The camp had plenty of natural de- fense, but by moving some of the bowl ders with lever and using such stones as he could lift as 'chinking" he had the place proof against anything but ar tillery within an hour. While he works and Marian and Kenton plan let us fol- low Uncle Ben. He had been intrusted with a message to Mrs. Baxter, but on his arrival at the house he failed to find her. Entering her room in the "quar- ters" in his search, he found things in such disorder that he felt certain she had packed up a few articles and fled from the place. Under no other circum- stances would he have dared to look into the bedroom of the "missus" in the other house. Alarmed at the thought that she was helpless and abandoned, he ventured to intrude. She was lying with her face toward him. and the first glance brought a moan to his lips. He called to her, passed into the room, called again and finally reached out and touched the white and wasted hand resting on the cover. It was cold as ice. He pushed forward an old black hand which had served her and hers for half a century and more and laid it on her face.
 "Fo' de great Lawd in heaben, but de missus has dun died!' he cried aloud as he hurried from the room with chat tering teeth and trembling limbs. She had seemed to be sleeping when Marian left the house an hour or more before, but she might have been dying then. The old mans s first thought was to hur- ry back to camp and tell the girl what had occurred, but as he moved away he checked himself and muttered:
 ''Jest wait now till we fgger leetle. De good Lawd has dun tooken de missus away, an my ole hearts ready to break wid sorrow. but mustn't give up to de feelin. Oars Miss Sunshine, an dar's Mars Kenton an dat soger Steve, dey's all alive an in danger. If 1 tole Miss Sunshine, she couldn't do muffin now 'cept to wing her hands an cry. No, won't go back dar! I'll hurry up an find dem Yankees au tell 'em to cum as quick as dey kIn!"
 He had turned about in his tracks when he heard great chatter up the road, and next minute he was surround ed by about 20 mounted men. Some were in uniform, and among these he noticed one with his head bandaged and at once identified him as Ike Baxter. There were others in citizens dress, and while he was wondering who they might be one of them laughingly exclaimed:
 "HelIo, yo' old son of satan! How does yo' un feel after the lickin 70 got last night?"
 There was sergeant in command of the squad. but Ike Baxter appeared to direct operations. He at first drew his saber as if 10 give the old negro a cut, but checking himself he said:
 Now, men, look alive! Some of yo' uns search the house and drag out that cussed Yankee and Steve Brayton, and the rest of us will drive stake and find a chain and some frewood! I'm goin to burn this old nigger alive fur tryin to kill me last night!'
 CHAPTER XIV.