The National tribune., 1899-08-03

their number, tall, lank mountaineer
! who seemed beside himself with rage. HI
had grasped his empty gun by the stock
and was swinging 1t around his head, yell
/ ing fierce insults and defiance to the Who
race o. Yankees.
Come on, you internal pack o. white
livered, nigger-stealin'. house-robbin', he'll
desarvin hypocrites," he shouted. Il kir
lick the hull bilin' o yo'uns. This Is my
/ wounded pardner here, and yo'uns cam
have neither me nor him till yo'uns dowT
me, which y can't do. Come on, y pigeon
livered towards"
The foyS,who had pressed up near him
shrank back little, out of possible range
of that violently brandished musket, and
began loading their guns.
Shorty had stopped for an instant to turn
over into an easier position the rebel he had
shot
ST paced up. His gun was loaded. and
| he could have easily brought the rebel down
But the rebels devotion to his partner
touched him.
Don't shoot, boys" he commanded
'leave me TO tend to him. Say, Johnny
he addressed the rebel, in placatory way
don't make a fool O. yourself. Come
down, we've got you, dead. Drop that
gun"
Go TO birthstone blazes," shouted the
rebel. IF yo'uns have got me, why don't
! y take me. | kin lick the hull caboodle
| SAiNttAALi AiAtAAStSLo' SOhLO OAiJ WHY
don't y'?"
Give him a wad. ST." said Shorty, re-
loading his own gun I'VE haint no time
to lose. They need us over there"
NO. don't anybody shoot" commanded
ST; hes just crazy about his partner. He's
a little sense. We haint goin' to hurt your
partner, nor you, if you'll behave. Drop
| that gun at once, and surrender"
go to blazes," retorted the rebel, swing
| ing his gun more wildly than ever. "Youns
is all liars. No dependence kin be placed
Shorty had begun to think the thing
Johnny said he, wouldn't o you like f,g; big
| chaw O. navy terbacker-br bright plug?
Genuine Yankee plug? Swingin' that ere
gun that way is awful tiresome."
"Eh-What's thatY said the rebel,
startled by the new proposition and its
GOODNESS.
Il say, don't you want a big chaw O.
terbacker? You must need it. I always
do after I've bin workin' hard. Drop
your gun, and have one with me. We're
lnjiannians. and we don t mean no harm to
your partner, nor to you Wen take care
O. him. if he's hurt. Here, cut off your own
chaw."
"Air yo'uns from Injianny?" said the
rebel, bringing his gun down to less
menacing attitude. I've done got two
brothers in Injianny, and hear they uns
va done Unlisted in Yankee rijimints.
Mebbe yo'uns know EN-
"Mebbe We do" said Shorty, handing
him 4 long plug and his knife. But we
haint time to talk it over now. Well do
that in the mornin, when business amt SO
pressin'. LIE me hold your gun while you
cut Your terbacker.'
"Now, look here" said ST, times jumpin',
and We must talk quick. If we parole you.
viii you stay here, and take care o your
partner and the others, and he here in the
mornin', when we send for you?'
You won't send for me, if yo'uns is
a-gwine on terfoutwe'uns up at the mill.
We'uns ii chaw yo'uns up, or run y outen
the country
Wen take care O. that" said 81 sharply.
will you promise on your honor TO stay
with these men, and take care o them till
daylight, if we don't come sooner?"
"Sartin.-'pon honor" answered the
rebel, with his mouth full of tobacco
"All right. then. Load at will. Load, |
Forward!-March!" commanded ST.
81 moved on cautiously, for he feared |
that the runaways had told those attack
ing the mill about his advance, and would |
bring them all down upon him. The dying |
this opinion. He warned his boys to make
as little noise as possible, and went ahead
o{ them some distance, to reconnoiter, slip
ping along the side of the road, under the
shadow of the trees. He arranged a sys-
tenn of signals with Shorty, by which one
click of his gunlock meant halt, and two to
come ahead. Presently he came in sight of
the broad race which ran to the mill. The
starlight was sufficient to show its width
and its banks, with the logs lying along,
which had been cut when it was dug. A
bridge crossed the race for the road to the
mill Beyond tho ground rose sharply,
and looking at the crest against the sky,
ne could see the rebels, one by one, file over,
and come down to where they could crouch
behind the logs and ambuscade the bridge
81 clicked his gunlock. and waited till he
had counted % rebels gathered there, which
seemed to be all. as no more appeared.
Then he slipped back to Shorty, and hur-
iedly explained the situation.
The boys listened with sinking hearts.
lore than three times as many rebels as