The Forrest City times., 1896-08-21

ehN "NNNS Ii UunRTH lOTdRillg
party had passed that way.
One day Dave was working among
the young potato vines in ar open arid
field behind the cabin. when Sue ran out
to him in troubled haste.
"0h, Dave, I'm pow'ful skeered!" she
painted.
'Skeered o. what?" he asked, without
intermission of the bent labor.
'Some-some soldiers just went down
the road, an they spoke to me-sassy
like" She hesitated, and Dave looked
up to see her pretty face scarlet and her
brows bent together in angry lines.
well, what did they all say ?" he de-
manded, in his accustomed slow drawl,
after waiting in vain for her to pro-
ceed.
'They lowed they all was a-comin'
back"
"Who was they, anyhow ?" he asked,
uneasily, his face blanching in antici-
patton of the martial visit.
They was Mosby's men, lowed, an
they was five of EN-
Our fellers?" little surprised and
Strengthening his back. "Come on back
to the house, Sue" and shouldering his
hoe, he tugged stolidly on before.
Don't you be askeered," he continued,
as they reached the yard. 81 reckon
they won't do nothin'."
OF the two it would have been mani
fest to the most casual observer that he
was the worst 'sskeered," but he walked
on till they reached the house and Sue
cried out:
"Yonder they come now-all FIVE"
Dawes face blanched to sallow
whiteness, but he pulled her quickly IN
side the door.
What you gwine to do?" Sue asked
nervously, keeping near her cousin.
but he apparently did not hear. He had
taken down rifle that had belonged
TO Sues brother, who had also offered
up his life on the altar of the cause,
leaving his weapon to his sister as
means of defense in just such emer-
gencies as this,
what you gwine to do Dave?" the
girl persisted, coming closer and lay
ing her hand on his arm. Dave put
cartridge into the barrel of the rifle,
end, waiting in silence, apparently not
aware that Sue had touched him. Only
a few more moments to wait, and then
the last act in the commonplace little
tragedy. A loud pounding at the
rickety cabin door, and a derisive i'm
perative voice, demanded:
"Hi, in there, open up, or we'll make
splinters of yer oil door!" The threat
ho1 hxyc s<r L.
uves, and accompanied with more
vicious pounding.
Then for answer went the spiteful
snap of the rifle, followed by surprised
howl of pain, more voluble profanity
and footsteps in rapid retreat.
Dave went to the window and through
a knothole in the shutter reviewed the
situation of the enemys Then through
the aperture the rife again spoke with
decisive, leaden emphasis, and when the
smoke cleared away the man inside be-
hind one of the besiegers lying prone
across the freshly-hoed potato rows,
while another limped painfully in the
rear Of the retreating trio.
They had disappeared into the swamp,
and Dave calmly refilled his rifle, wait
ing as though lost in thought. Present
ly from the rear of the cabin came the
harsh command:
You cowardly bushwhacker in there
come out an fight like mani If We
| don't, We'll burn ye an yer shanty an
=! the gal with ye."
There was no opening in the rear of
the cabin; the logs were thick and the
chinks were well stopped with clay, so
that Dave could not return leaden an
swer to this brutal challenge He fin
gered the rifle nervously and looked at
Sue.
''Oh, Dave, don't open the doorl" she
pleaded, meeting the earnest look bent
on her face from beneath the brim of
Dawes frowzy slouch hat. 81 amt
Altered toe burn"
His lips blanched, his knees were
wobbly with fear, but he had not for
gotten the one boast of his poor
pinched life, uttered so long ago. "Toe
purtec' yo' honoh an happiness l 'ud
throw away my wu'thless life" He ut
tered the words again monotonously.
lingering the rife that was held Imply
ia his shaking hands.
Poor Sue! There was no answering
laughter in her soul now for those gro
tesquely sententious words, which broke
in husky monotone on her hearing like
last prayer.
! In that moment Dave, VINO had al
ways been a coward, who had all his
life long borne meel1ly the scorn and
opprobrium attached to the character,
to whom heretofore nothing could
arouse to a sense of his degradation,