The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-18

ed back in the shadow of a sycamore
and watched Craig with pleasant eyes.
Presently Conner had bite and jerked
his line into the air.
Look yere." said Craig. that amt no
way for to ketch red-horse. You want
's ca fridge on fob a sinker, sonny"
What's that?' inquired Conner, sus-
piciously.
Put on a sinker."
Go on, Conner" said Alden.
Conner saw him smoking, and shifted
anXiously Alden tossed him the twist,
telling him to fill his pipe.
Presently Conner found a small pebble
ana lmprovised a sinker He swung his
Inc again into the muddy current, with
Mechanical sidelOnS glance to see what
Craig was doing, and settled down again
on his launches, smoking and grunting.
Emmy news, Alden?' queried Craig af-
ter a silence.
Nothing much; except that Richmond
Is 1aIlen," grinned Alden.
Quit foolin" urged the southerner;
amt there no news?"
NO. Some of our men down at Mud
pohd got sick eating catfish. They caught
them in the pond. 1t appears you John
nys used the pond as a cemetery, and
our men got sick eating the fish"
That 500" drawled Craig; too bad. Lots
OF yewr men was in Long Pond, too, 1
reckon"
In the silence that followed two rifle
shots sounded faint and duh from the dis
tant forest. 2
Mother great union victory, "drawled
craig. "EXtryi EXtry! Richmond Is took!'
Alden laughed and puffed at his pipe.
We licked the boots off the Goth Texas
last Monday" he said.
SHOP dBawled Craig; what did you
go lckin their boots for-'blackin'?'
"Oh, shut up" said Conner from the
bank; Il can't ketch no fish if you two
ntrff rit,f
The sun was dipping below the pine-clad
ridge, flooding river and wood with a
fierce radiance. The spruce needles gilt
tered, edged with gold; every broad, green
leaf were a heart of gilded splendor and
the muddy waters of the river rolled on
ward like flood Of precious metal, heavy,
FURNISHED, noiseless.
From a balsam bough thrush uttered
three timid notes; a great, gauzy-winged
grasshopper drifted blindly into d clump
Of sun-scorched weeds. click! click!
cr-r-r-r!
Purity, amt it," said Craig, looking at
the thrush. Then he swallowed the last
morsel of muddy bareback, wiped his
beard on his cuff, hitched up his trousers,
took off his green glasses, and rubbed his
eyes. "A he cat-bird sings purifier, though"
he said, with a yawn.
Alden drew out his watch, puffed once or
twice, and stood up, stretching his arms
in the air.
IT'S 4 O'clock" he began, but was cut
short by shout from Connor.
Gee whiz" he yelled, what have 1
got on this here pole?"
The ramrod was bending, the line sway
ing heavily in the current.
TITS 4 o'clock, Connor," said Alden,
keeping a wary eye on Craig.
That's all right!' called Craig; "tle
times extended till yewr friend lands that
there fish"
pulls like porpoise," grunted Common
II bet it busts my ramrodi"
Does it pull?" grinned Craig.
Yes, a dead weight"
Don't it jerk kinder this way an that,
asked Craig much Interested
Nav" said Connor; the bloody thing
jest pulls steady"
Then it amt no red-horse! it, a cat.
fshp
''Huh?' sneered Conner; don't know
catfish? This amt no catfish, lemme
tell yerv'
Then IT'S log" laughed Alden.
BY gum! here it comes" painted Con-
nor; here Alden, jest you ketch it with
my knife; hook the blade, blame YER
Alden cautiously descended the red
bank of mud. holding on to roots and
branches, and bent over the water. He
hooked the big-bladed clasp-knife like
scythe, set the spring, and leaned out
over the water.
NOW!' muttered COnnOr.
An oily circle appeared upon the sur
face of the turbid water-another and
another. A few bubbles rose and fioated
upon the tide
Then something black appeared just be-
meath the bubbles, and Alden hooked it
with his knife, and dragged it shoreward.
1t was the sleeve of a mans coat
Connor dropped his ramrod and gaped
at the thing. Alden would have loosed it,
but the knife-Blade was tangled in the
sleeve.
He turned a sick face up to Conner.
Pull it in" said the older man. Here
give 1t to me, lad -"
When at last the silent visitor lay upon
the bank, they saw 1t was the body of a
union cavaryman. Alden stared at the
dead face, fascinated; Conner mechani-
cally counted the yellow chevrons upon
the blue sleeve, now soaked black. The
muddy water ran over the baked soil
spreading out in dust-covered pools the
spurred boots trickled slime. After a
while both men turned their heads and
looked at Craig. The southerner stood
silent and grave, his battered cap in his
hand. They eyed each other quietly for
a moment, then with a vague gesture, the
southerner walked back into his pit, and
presently reappeared trailing his rifle
Common had already begun to dig with
his bayonet, but he glanced up sharply at
the rifle in Craig's hands. Then he looked
searchingly into the eyes Of the south
erner Presently he bent his head and
quietly continued digging.
II was after sunset before he and Alden
finished the shallow grave, Craig watch
ing them in silence. his rife between his
knees. When they were ready they rolled
! the body into the hole and stood up.
Craig also rose, raising his rifle to a
present" He held it there while the two
union soldiers shoveled the earth into
the grave. Then Alden went back and
| lifted the two rifles from the pit, handed
| Conner his and waited.
Ready" growled Connor. "Aimw
Alden's rifle came to his shoulder. Craig
also raised his rife.
| "Fire!'
Three times the three shots rang out in
| the wilderness, over the unknown grave
After a moment or two Alden nodded
| goodnight to Craig across the river, and
| walked slowly toward his rihe-pit. Con-
nor shambled after him. AS he turned to
lower himself TO the pit he called across
the river Goodnight, craigv
Goodnight, Connor," said Craig.