The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-15
A WAR-TIME INCIDENT.
BY WILL M HARDEN. =
100 pyrisht. 1897. y the Bachelor syndcatel
100 pyrlsht. 1897, by the Bachelor syndicase.l
eeeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeceeee NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

I me-" said the boy; 81 hain't had moth
/ in but canned meat an hard tack fol
month. Hungry as ! om. I've sortel
turned agin it,"
| After supper they drew their chairs
back TO the fireplace. for the night all
was cool. Rising TO help Mrs. Iarbor
cugh put log of wood on the fire, the
young soldier dropped his haversacl,
| from his arm 10 the floor There was
| a Jingle Of gold and silver coin. as lit
| tie bag filed with money rolled into
sight As he hastily. and with some
embarrassment. picked it up and re.
stored il 70 the haversack. the boy
caught Coot Yarborough's eye.
81 may as well own mp that I've been
tryin' 10 keep it hid all this time" he
said. flushing. II wastn't afeerd o YOU
uns. but ii belongs to a feller in the
army. an he axed me to take IL TO his
folks nigh whar live. an made me
promise not 10 let soul know it was
on me-"
"It's mighty reesky in these noun
tains 10 he toatin' money about, ur 70
be astradle Of fire hoss." put in Mrs.
Marlborough at her dishpan on the
table, just out of the freight. "You
never know when you are with honest
people"
"That's So" agreed the boy: "an' I
don't like TO be responsible for any
body's property. / made shore ! was
goin' 10 he robbed about an hour ago
/ met two shabby-loollin' fellers on
mules. ] noticed that they liked the
appearance of my boss. an that they
turned and followed me after passed.
Ny hoss was purity fresh. and when
got over the rise of the hill / whipped
up an got away from 'em."
How fur back was that?" asked
Mrs. Marlborough, with stern anxiety
Her eyes rested on her husbands face
-Four or five miles. / reckon"
"Was one tall, dark-complected man,
an t'other little stunted feller with a
gray goateee?"
Exactly; you must know EN-"
IL do, ef anybody does. Thar amt
two blacker-hearted scoundrels un-
hung; they'd murder a sick woman fur
her last quarter"
The boy put his hand on the butt Of
his pistol. and his face was very serious.
II wouldn't a-run frum them as l did,
butt had this money an had lost my gun
when my hoss was swimmin' the river.
/ didn't think my pistol would do any
good, unless l could use both hands to
reload"
The old woman dried her hands on
her apron, came into the freight, took
his pistol and examined it.
"Is IL loaded?" t
"Yes'm, but the powder may BE-
damp"
"They are helpless kind of thing"
she said holding the weapon down near
Yarborough's knee, as she lifted the
hammer and cap, and carefully looked
at the powder in the tube. Looks
damp to me; my eyes are bad; you'd
better not take any chances" Then, as
If actuated by sudden impulse. and
despite the glare OF opposition in Yar-
borough's eyes, she took down a shin
ing revolver from the mantlcpiece. and
bS'O aN w ohc wy We u Dett<-T
swap" she said. "Your'n will do fur
me; besides, we've got two guns, an
my husband has Smith an Weston
that he always carries under his coat"
Yarborough's glare swept from her
to the fireplace. He was afraid that
she might go further in her insinua-
tions.
"It's mine," she said to Marlborough.
IL traded good cow fur It. an can dis
pose of IL as like"
IL am mighty much obliged" said the
boy. II wouldn't take it. but I've got
a good deal of responsibility on me. an
may need it bad"
I'D sleep with IL cooked in my hand
every night, on this road" she said, as
much to her husband, as to her guest.
This is awful country fur wounded
boy like you to be in. You don't know
who TO trust"
IL know that, but spealsin' about sleep
in reminds-me that need IL bad. kim