The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-03-08

@/I%/
Sitting there comfortably the three sur
Veycd her 1Utth amusement.
OF the road was intercepted by tree
trunks and u little henhouse. However.
they could see many horsemen stream
ing along the road The horsemen were
in blue.
ooh, de-hide-hidep" cried the
girl, with sob in her voice.
wait minute" whispered gray
soldier excitedly. Maybe they're going
along by. No, by thunder, they hahn t |!
They are haltingl Scoot, boys"
They made noiseless dash into the
dark end of the barn. The girl, standing
by the door, heard them break forth an
instant later in clamorous whispers.
"Where'll we hide? Wherell We hide?
There hain't place to hide" The girl
turned and glanced wildly about tho
barn. 1t seemed true. The stock Of hay
had grown low under Santos endless
munching and from occasional levyings
by passing troopers in gray. The poles
of the NOW were barely covered, save
In one corner, where there was q little
bunch.
The girl espied the great feed box.
She ran to it and lifted the lid.
"Herel Herep' she called. "Get in
herel"
They had been tearing noiselessly
around the rear part of the barn. At
her low call they came and plunged at
the box. They did not all get in at the
same moment without good deal of a
tanRle. The wounded men gasped and
muttered, but they at last were fopped
down on the layer of feed which cover
ed the bottom. Swiftly and softly the
girl lowered the lid and then turned
ike flash tow ..fd the door.
No one appeared there, so she went
closer to survey the situation. The
troopers had dismounted and stood in
silence by their horses. A gray bearded
man, whose red checks and nose showed
vividly above the whiskers, was stroll.
ing about with two or three others.
They wore double breasted coats, and
faded yellow sashcs were wound under
their black leather sword BELTS The
s..y bearded soldier was apparently
giving orders, pointing here and there.
Mary tiptoed to the feed box. "They'v ve
all got off their horses" she said to it.
A finger projected from knothole near
the top and said to her very plainly,
Come closer. She obeyed, and then
q muffled voice could be heard, "Scoot
for the house. lady, and if we don't s.o
you again, why, much obliged for what
you have DONE.
"Goodby" she said to the feed box.
Shn f,.,@ n
dauntlessly from the barn. but each
time she faltered and failed just before
she reached the point where she could
have been seen by the blue coated troop
ers. At last, however, she made a sort
OF rush forward and went out into the
bright sunshine.
The group Of men, double breasted,
wheeled III ier direction at the instant.
The gray bearded soldier came toward
her. She atopped. She seemed about to
run away, out the soldier doffed his lit.
tie blue cap and looked amiable. "You
live here, presumed" he said.
"Yes. she answered.
well, we are obliged to camp here
for the night, and as we've got two
wounded men with us don't suppose
you d mind If we put them in the barn Z"
"In-in che barn2"
He became aware that she was agitat.
ed. He smiled assuringly. "You need
not bo frightened. We won't hurt any
thing around here. You'll all be safe
enough.
The girl balanced on one foot and
swung the other to and fro In the grass.
She was looking down at it. "But-but
/ don't think ina would like it if-if
you took the barn.
The old officer laughed "Wouldn t
she?" said he. "That's 80. Maybe she
wouldn't" He reflected for time and
then decided oheerfully: "Well, we
will have to ask her anyhow Where is
she-in the house2"
Eyes, replied the girl, "she's in the
house. She--she'll be scared to death
when she sees you"
"Will you 60 and ask her then?" said
the soldier, always wearing a benign
smile. "You go and ask her and then
como and tell me-. Z"
When the girl pushed open the door
and entered the kitchen, she found ii
empty. "Ma" she called softly. There
was no answer. Tho kettle was hum.
ming it's low song. Tho knife and the
curl OF potato skin lay on the floor.
She went to her mothers room and
entered timidly. The lonely aspect
OF the house shook her nerves. Upon
the bed there was confusion of cover.
ings "Mal" called the girl, quakine
in fear that her mother was not there
to reply. But there was sudden tur.
moil OF the quilts, and her motber't
head was thrust forth MARY" shs
Dried in what seemed to be q supreme
astonishment, ~ thought thought -
"Oh, ma, !" blurted Tho girl, there's
over H. 600 Yankees In the yard, and
pyesh hidden three OF our men ia the feed
box ghs elder women, hogeysr, ppor