Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-05-13

him daring TO lay hands on thIs
.ady. Madame, sincerely hope you re
not injured. II is impossible for me 70
say how I deplore this outrage. These
men shall suffer for il, assure you"
With rapid step the corporal of the
guard, bringing with him 4 couple OF
men and another lantern. came hur-
riedly to the scene and stood silent ard
alert. glaRciug eagerly from face TO
face Two or three frightened negroes
mad crept around the rear portico and
hung trembling behind their mistress.
With a shawl thrown over her head
and shoulders, Q quadToOn glrl halted
half way down the steps from the side
door. her eyes dilated. and her ilps
Iwitching in terror, until a low voice
from within badc her go on. and iall,
dark-haired. pale-faced girl in long,
loose wrapper fairly pushed her for
ward and then stepped quickly to the
elder woman's side.
Go buck to the house at once, my
child This is no place for you. Go to
katherine and tell her | say she must
not leave her bed Col" And. silent
" as she came. but with an infinite and
evident reluctance. the tall girl turned
and obeyed. Mrs Walton had spoken
slowly and with effort OF Mr.. Lambert
and his party she had as yet taken no
notice whatever. Again Murphy bera~
to squirIa in his uncomfortable COZ
al mingled mud and broken glass an
head lettuce, and the cracking lc-
compartment 10 his moaning once more
made him the object of the lady's atten-
ton.
Lie still, sub" she said. low and
sternly. "You have broken mob glass
now, sub. than youh captain can re-
place. Lie still whuh you are until my
suhvants lift you out-Henry!" she
called.
"Ye-asSum," was the answer, us one
OF the negroes came reluctantly for
ward humbiy twirling a lattered hat
In his hands.
$50 fetch your barrow"
Indeed. Mrs. Walton" interposed
Lambert, You need not trouble your
self. The guard shall carry these two
scoundrels to CAMP. and son life Mt
Ship island or Tortugas will put stop
TO their prowling. 1t is on your ac-
count I am distressed. We have no
surgeon at hand; l will send at once for
doctor in town"
She raised slender white hand, re-
linquishing her grasp upon the cane,
which now went gathering upon the
gravel of the walk. 1t was a sign to
check him, and respectfully he broke
off In his hurried words. Then again
she turned to the negro. who stood
with twitching face, irresolute, beside
her.
Did you hear me, Henry? Co."
Again Riggs begun to groan and
stretch f.. h feeble hands. Burns
looked uppealingly 20 his young officer,
then as apPealingly to the lady. Clear
ly. she was mistress OF the situation.
Lambert had quickly stopped and
picked up the cane. but she did not
see, apparently. that he wished to re-
store 1t TO her. In the light of the Ian
terms the mark of Riggs clutch was
plainly visible at her white and rounded
throat.
1.-TWO OF you lift this fellow" said
Burns to the corporal; and between
them Riggs was heavea to his sprawl
ing feet Get him over to camp now
and battle his head. Put n bayonet
through him il he tries to bolt. I'll be
there presently"
Erpvs rrrnovuf -1nucr -gtfcrcf'- rf1c-fse'y /
of the Walton homestead took no note
whatever. Rebuffed, yet sympathetic.
Lambert again cssayed to speak, but
the rattle OF the barrow was heard and
Henry once more loomed up within the
zone Of lantern light.
Lift hat-puhson-out," she said.
And when Burns would have lent
helping hand she interposed: No,
beg you. My suhyants viii attend to
this" And neither Lambert nor his
sergeant made further effort. Murphy,
lifted from the wreck of the ruined hot
bed, abiect and crestfallen, scratched
and bruised and bleeding. yet neither
so deadened by drink nor so stunned
by the rain OF blows which he had suf-
fered as not to appreciate the humilia-
ton OF his position, wa, squatted in the
barrow. Al an imperious gesture from
Mime. Walton Henry started to wheel
him away, the corporal Of the guard
in close attendance.
And then, with calm dignity and re-
covered breath, the lady turned to the
boy officer:
~ have not thanked you yet"
ooh, Mrs. Walton, 1 beg you not to
speak of thanks. II you knew how
4 N1,t r-nfri-
ment Will be-that any of our men
could have dared" The very intensity
OF the young fellows indignation
choked him and gave her the floor.
"Oncs before this they came, and
then I warned. This time, having no
men TO call up" (negrocs, 1t seems,
could not be counted as such), 81 was
compelled myself to chastise. May !
ask the safe return of our barrow-it is
the only vehicle the war has left us
and that we may now be permitted to
retire2" And she swept stately cour.
tesy.
fBut, madam began Lambert, ut
terly chagrined Mt the attitude OF cold
and determined avoidance in which she
persisted, "you have been brutally
handled; ] insist on sending for our
contract doctor; It Is the best we can
offer tonight"
Neither tonight, nor at any other
time, would his suhvices be acceptable
sub / need no doctoh. We learned
we had to Iearn-how to do without
luxuries OF eyry kind during the war;
and DR.. Hand-I think that is the name
of the physician you refer to-would
be too much of n luxury ut any time
regret that your men should need his
suhvices. but they brought it on them
selves"
"Thcy win need him more before
the captain gets through with 'em,
ma'am," said Sergt. Burns, seeing that
his young superior was at loss what
TO say. AS he spoke, the tall, dark
haired girl once more appeared. and
swiftly, noiselessly stepped to her
mothers side. "There'd be no need
Of n court-martlal or of your having &c
testify, if Capt. Close could settle thie-
or let us do H."
"Mother, come in-please do-and let
these gentlemen CO." said the girl. In
deed, we are very much obliged to you"
she continued, addressing Lambert
"for coming so quickly. That one. who
seemed intoxicated, might have killed