The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-10-08

served to intensity the sectional hate OF
the poor whites. - Thus it was that
Ike Baxter, picking up his crumbs of
history and his bits of Information on
current events at the docs of the livery
stable or around the stove of the bar
pion in the matter of Yankee hating. If
Kenton had not stood between him and
military glory, he would still have felt
a bitterness toward him as man born
in the north. Uncle Ben's cautious ap-
preach to the house on this night had
reference only to Mrs. Baxter. There
was another man stealing through the
darkness and making a noiseless ap-
proach at the same time-Ike Baxter.
caught sight of him, but he noticed
their every movement and drew his own
conclusions. The gun which the old
man had been told to secure was in his
room in the little house. He had de-
parted from Rest Haven without being
seen or his absence noted by the wom-
an, but his return aroused her, and her
sharp eyes were upon him as he carried
away the firearm and loaded himself
with the bundles Marian had prepared
and brought to the door. She was dress
ing to follow him as he disappeared
down the highway, having dim sus
picion of the state of affairs, when Ike
knocked at her window and was admit
ted. In less than minute he had re-
lated what he saw outside, and she had
told him of Uncle Ben taking the gun.
"Whar's he un bound fur?'' queried
Ike.
Dunno, but sunthin' s happened sum-
whar! Yo' must foller himi''
HAS that Yankee bin yere?'
mo, but the gals hearn news, fur
shore! Reckon he un may be lyin out
around yere sumwhar. and the nigger's
takin out stuff to him! Git right arter
he un. Ike, and if yo' find the Yankee
go'n tell Captain Wyle and hev him
cum with his critter company
"I'll do bette1'n that!" grimly 1e-
piled the man as he stepped out into
the night. 'It find that Yankee around
yere, I'll put bullet into him fust and
tell Captain Wyle next!''
Uncle Ben had only a few hundred
yards the start, and the man on his
trail soon lessened the distance until he
could hear the old mans footsteps and
make out shadowy form through the
darkness. There seemed nothing more
certain than that he would follow on
and uncover the hiding place of the fu-
gitives. For nearly three-quarters of
mile the slave messenger had but one
idea-to return to Steve Brayton as fast
as possible. He was hurrying along
when sudden thought flashed through
aside and halted to listen.
"How do know but what dat wom-
an dun heard me git de gun an is fol-
lerin me?'' he whispered to himself.
She'd do it! She's powerful wicked,
she am! An mebbe some mo- of dem
gorillas am waitin long yere to grab me
an Civ me anodder whippin!''
He was listening as well as whisper
ing, and after a minute he heard the
sounds of footsteps coming down the
road. He drew back into the deeper
shadow of the high bank, dropped his
bundles, and taking a firm grip of his
gun he mentally resolved to make a
fight for it if he was overhauled by the
same crowd as before. A few seconds
later he realized that only one person
was approaching. The footballs were
too heavy for woman. He had just
decided this point when man loomed
up in the darkness before him and halt
ed almost within arm length to NUT
ter:
''Drat my hide, but has that ole mig
ger left the road an Civ me the slip? 1
heard he un only mint ago, but him's
dun gone now!'
1t was Ike Baxter of course. He stood
peering and listening for half a minute
and then growled:
81 orter hev run he un right down
an made him show me the way! Now
the cussed Yankee may git away from
me! No, he won't thought I'll hunt
over every foot of this country but what
I'll find him an hev his scalp!'
Uncle Ben did not recognize the man
at all, as it had been many months
since he had heard Ike Baxter's voice.
1t was instantly plain to him. however,
that the man was determined enemy
and was seeking Royal Kenton's life.
Ike took three or four steps forward and
stopped again to listen. Noiselessly
and with such a feeling as he had never
before Uncle Ben dubbed
his gun, took one silent step forward