The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-27

into the fighting almost purely from
love of fighting.
They cumber uS-tneSe blacks
he said often. They ruin discipline.
too. Then how shall YOU keep, army
secrets when they go in and out like
the air." But now even he had taken
one into his service. 1t had happened
in this wise. Three days earlier he
had been accommodating when his de
tachment was charged upon by q
SINGLE mounted man. riding at full
speed, and crouching low over the
plain. Behind came half IL dozen
men in gray. also mounted, squirting
rs for life and shooting as they rode.
IT seemed n miracle that some bullet
did not touch the fugitive. The Fed
eral cavalry parted to let him through
as soon as they saw his face. He was
:. mulatto. evidently "a camp servant
mal<ing dash for liberty, since he
wore over his jean trousers a cast-of1
gray overcoat.
"Shoot me please. Don't send me
back" he said. riding straight up to
the colonel. Flowtow eyed him Il
minute. then asked gruffly: why
did YOU run away"
For answer the mulatto flung off
his coat and barred his back. 1t was
marked all over with cruel crimson
welts. Nobody ever dared to touch
me befO'." he said: Il was a house
nigger-and don't belong to the man
that done il"
How came you in the army?'
Flowtow asked suspiciousIy. The ne
gro looked full in his eyes and said:
81 went to take keer of my marster's
SON. IIe-hes dead now | wanted
to 90 and they tried to make me
stay"
Hump! Who is your master?'
FiOwtow asked.
Maj or IlilIiard-that is, he used to
be major. He's colonel now under
old Mister Forres' If he had been
there, nobody wouldn't a-dared to
touch me-" the negro said. That's
how come | to know all this country
so we'll. | used TO live at Wake For
c&'"
so" The exclamation was one OF
pleasure. Then YOU may be worth
keeping-if YOU will be true guide.
Flowtow said pursuing his lips, then
brutally: This major-he is your
father. too, Ell?
said, looking down. Please. sir take
me to wait on you. can cook"
Il may have better use for YOU"
Flowtow interrupted. Ride you here
beside me little. If YOU serve me
well YOU shall have money and free
dom. IT, with a stern look, you try
TO trap me-then will cut you, alive,
into little teeny bits.
Il don't want money, only TO be
free, and to learn readin' and writin'.' -
the negro said. '.\s to trappin' you
10 niger CANT do that. You are
too smart for even our white folks"
So yellow Ned came to be free of
FlOwtow's quarters. following the col
oneI like a dog wherever he went,
crouching patiently beside the hearth
while FlOWtow wrote or talked, alert
for any service, but seemingly heed
less Of all he heard. He had found
an old note book and stub of pencil.
The sentry at the door had set him
copies Of letters and figures. These
he reproduced in Il thousand unheard
of combinations. The sentries. as
they changed, were much amused at
his efforts, and said one to another
yellow Ned must be crazy-yOu simp-
~ could not teach him that two and
two made four. or that was not 4.
1t was mid May. four years from
the month when Col. billiard had
sent the Hintons away. Old Nat had
come back very soon after the Fed
eral victory He claimed, indeed, to
have a mysterious connection with
those in authority, and staggered
among the other fisher folk as 10 the
vengeance he meant to take on the
slave-holding aristocrats, who had
formerly so oppressed him. A year of
riotous living had wasted the billiard
money. Luce and Prude now chose to
90 their own way. but Swan came
with her father because her mother
came perforce.
With the wreck and remnant of