The Redwood gazette., 1895-02-28
CHAPTER II.
A WAR OF WITS.

Corporal Ratigan rode gallantly be-
side Miss Baggs, the two keeping up
constant picket firing, which occasional
~ warmed to the dignity Of skirmish.
Miss Baggs was in All excellent humor
and the corporal quite delighted at the
role he was playing. He pretended to
watch her carefully whenever anything
belonging to the army was passed OH
the road, while he was secretly forming
his plans for getting far enough on the
way to determine the proximity of the
enemy lie felt no suspicion as to Miss
Baggs carrying information. Being on
the flank Of the army, she would not be
likely to have much information to
carry. The country people were con-
stantly passing between the lines, and
considering their narrowing excuses no
one except with heart Of stone could
we'll prevent them.
whats in the box ye have with
YEP asked Ratigan, looking at a square
little box on the seat beside her. 1t had
been covered with shawl, which had
fallen from over it, exposing it to view.
'"Thet? Thet's philosophy machine.
You see, my friend, Sal Glassick, she
knows heap O. things. She's tryin ter
beat some OH 'em inter my pore noddle.
Reckon she won't hev no easy time"
"What branch does she teach ye with
that?'
"Waal, you see, mother, she's sufferin
with palsy, and this hyar box isa-waal,
Sal. she calls it a gal-gal''-
"Galvanic battery?''
''Thet's it. You hit it right thar A
galvanic battery. We uns re goin ter
try It on mother. Lord a-massy, what s
thet?"
She directed his attention from the
box to q cloud of smoke hanging over
the gaps in the hills far to the west.
They were crossing a mountain spur and
could see it quite plainly.
'There's foightin goin on there, " re-
marked the corporal.
"And you uns air gittin licked" CD
served the rebellious Miss Baggs.
''How dye know that?' asked Rati-
gan, surprised that she should know
anyCnlng ABOUT II.
''Oh, reckon!"
cts quare thing-the reckonin of
gurrels.
"Waal, you see, women hahn got the
big heads men hev. They can't reason
things out. They hev ter jump at 'em
mebbe, like ants. Ants is powerful
small, but they're most times right
when they reckon"
Ratigan made no reply. He was
thinking that Miss Baggs did not appear
to be SO plain parsonage as he at first
thought her. He looked at her hands,
incased in coarse gloves, and noticed
that they were small for ''poor white
trash -
Her attire was very cheap, and her
cowhide shoes did not betoken refine.
ment, but somehow he began to gather
a notion that Miss Baggs was not sc
dreadfully common as she appeared.
The corporal came of all excellent fam
lily in his native land, and under ordi-
nary circumstances could detect refine.
ment. He looked for Miss Baggs to use
some expression beyond the ken of a
''poor white" girl, but she did not Sc
he dismissed the matter from his mind
and began to wonder what excuse he
could make to go OH with her under flag
Of truce when she should pass the Union
pickets.
"We uns air goin slow enough tel
worrit SNAIL" remarked Miss Baggs
"And why should we be goin faster?'
Wizard you steal thet critter?'' she
asked, instead of replying, looking side.
wise at the corporal's mount. 'It's
likely nuff TO- Tennessee blood.
ooh! That's United States. Dom,
ye see the u. S. branded on him?''
"Can he trot?''
"He can beat anything in the bri
gade.'
"D'you think he can trot with this
hyar critter O. mine"
Ratigan looked at her rawboned brute
and burst into laugh.
"Waal, now, you needn't take on So
Reckon cd give you brush eff yor
was minded"
"All right, me dear. Here's a straight
bit of road"
$50 what stakes?''
IA $5 greenback.
"Agin Confederate money!"
"With pleasure.
The corporal drew forth crisp 81
bill And Miss Baggs put the thumb
and finger of one hand in the palm o1
the other under her glove and drew
ont a Confederate shinnlaster