The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-09-24
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90efNsesfT " AMERICAN PAE9o A0oootATtoA, boeA
"Did Captain Wyle bring you news
of your husband?"
"Yes'm. Ike has got back to Win
chester, along with the others. The
Yankees got afeared that Ike woulu
break loose and do awful damage, and
SO they let him go.''
He was wounded, wasn't he?"
''Yes IN, and he un won't be ftten
to go back to the army fur some weeks
yit. When he un does, he'll hev crit
ter and sword and ride around with
Captain Wyle."
perhaps they'll make him an officer
for his bravery
"He un deserves it, fur suah--of
co'se him does!" replied Mrs. Baxter,
with a good deal of vigo1. eff it
wasn't fur that onery Yankee"-
do you mean MIR. Kenton?" asked
Marian as the woman caught herself.
IL dun forget" she stammered.
"Thar's bin SO much fussin bout war
that I'm talkin bout YANKEES half the
time. Yes, hope they'll make Ike an
ossifer right away
She excused herself and was hasten
ing away when Marian detained her to
ask:
Mrs. Baxter, has there ever been
any trouble between your husband and
Mr.. Kenton?'
CT Jest can't declar'!'
but you feel bitter toward Mr.. Ken
ton. Will you tell me why?"
why, he un stands in Ike's way, and
/ orter feel hardwise, hadn't l?'
Il can't understand how he stands in
1ke's way
Nor | either, but that's what Ike
says, and that's what Captain Wyle
says, and him jest orter be driv' over
into the Yankee army whar he belongs!
He un's spy, Miss Percy, regular
Yankee spy, and him. mean as pizen.
and somebody orte1 shoot him, and Cap
tain Wyle says''--
But she checked herself again. Her
feelings had been aroused, and she had
said far more than she intended. She
was half laughing, half crying as she
begged Marian's pardon and withdrew.
Now Marian knew why Mrs. Baxter
had come to her. She had suspicion
as to the flight of her servants. The
queer actions spoken of by Uncle Ben
were now explained.
1t looked as if Captain Wyle and Mrs.
Baxter were conspiring together, and
the object was very plain. For reasons
of his own the captain had aroused Mrs.
Baxter's enmity toward Kenton and
made Ike an enemy to be feared. There
was a complication which puzzled Ma
rian, and as the days went by she was
no wiser. If Uncle Ben made any new
discoveries, he kept them to himself,
and the mother was too i'll to be worried
over anything that could be kept from
her.
Three days after Captain Wyle's visit
there were clatter of hoofs and jan
gle of sabers, and the road was alive
with Federal cavalry for miles. It was
a portion of Custer's brigade making
reconnaissance in force, and Custer him.
self rode at the head. While the COM
mand halted at creek below the house
to water their horses and eat noon
day meal from their haversacks the
general and his staff halted at the door
In search of refreshment. They were
politely and even kindly received by
Marian, who insisted upon supplying
them with whatever the house afforded.
Captain Wyle had boastfully announced
that there was not Yankee in uniform
within so miles of Rest Haven. Here
was proof that they even held the terri
tory round about her. When General
Custer understood that she was refu-
gee from Winchester, he informed her
that the Federals then held nearly all
the Shenandoah and Luray valleys, and
there was every prospect of their per-
manent occupation. He kindly offered
her all possible assistance If she desired
to pass through the lines in any direc-
tion, but it was plain that the mother
was then too ill to undertake even the
shortest journey. He begged her to ac-
cept some commissary stores-coffee.
sugar and meat-and realizing the
spirit which had prompted him she did
not refuse. The first two articles had
not only become luxuries in the war
ridden valley, but were not to be had
even in exchange for gold.
That was Marian's first sight of Gus
ter, but it was not to be her last.