The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10

vLn uiu not yet lhciude watches. but ne
held the negro idea that personal property
out of place might be regarded as lost; and
mat thing lost became the property of the
finder was JiIns firm belief
So II was not till 10 o'clock that night
that the watch and thimble were inferred
under the white rose tree.
Two hours later OalEville was reused from
Its beauty sleen by discharge of musketry
streets.
The foe had come.
When morning arrived. Oakvile found
Itself conquered city. However. few if
any OF its fears were fulfilled. The com
that municipal authority was necessarily
suspended by martial law. stationed SEN
leading citizens to protect their property.
One soldier was deemed sufficient to
guard the cottages Of Miss Melinda and the
When Corporal Jones arrived. Miss Me-
linda was much fiustered; but as the cor
poral was well-conducted young man, and
her fears soon subsidized. The professor had
called after breakfast to give her the par
tle tic of the concealment, and to say that
all was. so far, well. Further, he had said
he would come every day till the federals
were gone ard their treasures exhumed
War" said Miss Melinda TO her Hitting,
"is not so dreadful when one has a sympa-
thetic friend to share it's hardships."
But the professor greatly missed his
watch. So much had he relied upon 1t that
he had let bis clock run down years ago.
Suppose Corporal Jones should ask the
timei He made haste to wind the clock.
Corporal Jones, however, was not inquisi-
tive. He passed most of his time sitting on
the veranda smoking or walking III front Of
the house. The professor noticed approx
ingly that the corporal never smoked at
Miss Melinda cottage. Indeed, so well be-
haved was the young soldier that the pro-
fesscr was almost sorry he had concealed
his watch. and he nearly decided to dig IL
up, when he suddenly thought that If he did
so he must return to Miss Melinda her
thimble, and there would be no excuse for
the daily morning calls that he looked fors
ward to with so much pleasure.
Thus the bright April day waned to even,
with peace and love following in the wake
Of war
Jirn's mind alone remained perniciously
active.
Had Jim been reared from birth by old
Nancy. his morals would have been better.
The professor had bought him by Nancy'ss
entreaty to keep him from going the old
.'Marse Richards mighty. tuck up wild
Miss Melindy." said the boy to Nancy.
Hes been to see her dis mornin. an sense
he come back he DIES looks ober all de time
Don't you poster bout Marse Richard.
Ef it hadn't been for Marse Richard you
to shake to death wild de chills."
wei, Use free now Marse Linkurns
Free. is yer?'' said Nancy, contemptu-
ousy, as she wiped plate. Free or no
yer. got to work for yer Twin. Jes lif' yer
self up and fetch me some stove wood
The boy went to the wood pile muttering
Jim was peculiarly gifted His mental en-
dowment fitted him to become equally emf
nent as detective or thief. His knowl-
edge was that OF an Indian. He noticed
everything and forgot nothing. Just now
ne was in doubt whether to go away with
the raiders, or to remain and taste the
sweets of freedom at Oakville. For Jim.
with more shrewdness than many of the
whites, believed the raid foreshadowed the
end of the war.
Further, Jim had been to Zion. the negro
church. few nights before, and the negro
preacher had taken for his theme the spoil
ing of the EgyDtians. The white slavehold-
ers were the Egyptians, and the negroes
were the lsraeltes, whose past labors en-
titled them to something more than freedom
win TINS sermon fresh in mind stimulated
by the excitement of the raid, Jim was ripe
Tor treasons, stratagems, and spois.
From corner in the wood Pile Jim had
witnessed Miss Melindas interview with the
professor the day before. What was It Miss
It was small but it might be very valuable.
II might be diamond! Jims eyes grew
IN regard to precious gems, but he knew
they cost great deal Of money.
:, What was the professor going to do with
TINS unknown thing? Here was a mystery
going on right before him that he might
turn TO his advantage, for was not Miss
Melinda an Egyptian?
jim did not think this out in five min
utes. He arrived at these conclusions after
rwe ai1t hours of brain work, and the
lessor day and night.
The night after the arrival of the raiders
PECAN very peacefully for the professor He
Wakefui, and he soon went 20 Sleep But
ms slumber was not dreamless; a throng of
tancles passed in succession through his
brain. He saw Miss Melinda She was
CARRIED in white and wore a bridal veil But
now strange-instead OF orange flowers her
forward to lead her to the altar and she
burst into tears and a. ked him for her Thin
pie, Then all turned dark. and he seemed to
near the ticking of his watch. 1t grew loud
er and louder, till the ticking took the form
OF words: "You-haves-, not-wound-me-
lie sprang suddenly from the bed.
My God! 1 haven't wound my watchw
He sat upon the side of the bed in a cold
o'clock. What time was 1t now? He struck
match and looked at the clock: ten min
utes to IL. He did not know how long the
watch would go without being wound. Per-
h2pS only an hour.
His lonely life had made him morbid. He
felt as if the watch were dying, and imag-
ined he could hear the ticks growing more
and more feeble, like the passing throbs of
q human heart. The thought was anguish;
watch at all risks; but at night in the dark
ness he might go without being observed
LIE he dressed S hurriedly, opened the door
so1ty and looked down the veranda.
Corporal Jones was just knocking the
ashes from his pipe. Was he going to light
up S again 9aI. No; ne put the pipe in his pocket
ana lay down on his blanket. AT the end of
i've minute she had not stirred, and the pro-
lessor, supposing he was asleep tripped
the angle of the house the little man
Dreathed a bit easier and threaded his way
brlskl y through the shrubbery to the white
rose tree.
The professor was wrong; Corporal Jones
was not asleep. AS soon as the professor
had gone around the corner of the house the
soldier rose from his blanket and watched
him by the dim light of the stars until he
saw him digging beneath the white rose
tree. Before the professor returned to his
room the corporal lay down again in his
blanket.
With Feeling of unutterable relief the
professor went to bed again.
When he had become still Jim crept out
among the chips in silent laughter. BY and
Dy, when he had given partial relief to his
inward JOY in this vicarious manner, he
slowly rose to his feet and readjusted his
brushed the chips and pine from his kinky
head and cautiously approached the pro-
lessons back window and peeped through
the shutters. The professor was evidently
the patting motion familiar to those who
have watched a woman cradle sleeping
child.
The boy then started to the flower garden.
To reach it he must come nearer the front
of the house. He knew that the corporal
had spread his blanket on the front veranda
and ii were wise to be careful, On oeca-
sions like this Jim rejoiced in his black
skin, that made detection difficult.
He crept on all tours till he reached the
garden. Then. with last look at the
veranda, he glided through the bushes like
a black snake.
The rose tree was an easy bourne Its
snowy blossoms, wet with dew cleaned in
the starlight like tiny elfin lamps, and the
grass beneath was white with the shattered
petals. AS he reached 1t he bent his black
woolly head close to the turf in search of
the buried treasure. but he relied more upon
Of Oh 10. edo O. -