The National tribune., 1900-03-29

HE DRAGGED AND PUSHED
That night ST and his boys worked with
such desperate energy that they pushed the
tunnel forward nearly the length of Sis
arm. But they were so tired that when the
word was given to stop, Gid and Monty fell
in a faint of fatigue, and Harry Joslyn, and
even ST himself. were scarcely any bOtter.
The next day they could scarcely move
barely get out to roll-call.
Them pardnerS o Your n is comm down
with the scurvy," Tibbetts remarked. as
he noticed the listless way in which they
lay on the pinc-boughs. Some gifts hit
sooner'n others, but hit fetches all on 'em
sooner or later. They'uns 8 young and
green. and jest meat for hit"
The next night Shorty, Alf, Sandy and
Pete attacked the work in the same spirit
and made almost as much progress. They
were now six or seven feet beyond the stock
adc. The excitement was now at fever
heat, and it required all of Shad Graham's
force of character - keep the workers
within bounds.
Shorty and his boys came back to the
tent as badly done up as ST and his squad
had been. They were too tired to even
wash up. but flung themselves down on the
ground to rest and sleep. ST noticed this
when he reused them for rol-call. and sent
them down to the creek to wash the tell-tale
red clay from their hands and faces. They
hurried back to the tent to lie down again.
In the afternoon Tibbetts came TO the
tent for his usual seance with Shorty. He
was i'll high glee, because his session with
Wad Greene the night before had been
successful, and a large share of Wads
Confed was in his possession. He was
again in full belief that he was the "smartest
keard-player in the camps" and anxious
10 demonstrate his superiority over Shorty.
But the latter was too dull and stupid to
exhibit his usual skill, with the result that
Tibbetts won several pots, and his elation
grew reSpondingly.
He haint got his conJlIre on, Same'S he
larned me-" he mu:tered to himself, gIanc-
ing at Shorty's very dirty hands. 'Pve
got the bulge on him, an I'll jest win his
eyes away"
But dull though Shorty was. he would
not permit such barefaced stealing as lib
belts tried to practice. There was S25 i'm
the pot, and Tibbetts, having dealt three
queens TO Shorty. and two jacks To- himself.
was unblushingly pulling the other two
jacks from thep covert in the blanket.
20, come oil, You blink-eyed sardine,"
said Shorty irritabiy. Put them jacks
down. | see their legs. You can't play
You haint got sense enough 10 steal from
one of the Aztec children, in spite o all I've
learned YOU.
"Now, rare up an git mad, Jest 'kasc
yo'rc losn'." retorted Tibbetts. "A man
what hain't no better temper'n yo' haint
no bizniss playin' keards. What's IL
eatin yo' I'd like ter know? What was
yo' a-doin' last night that's soured on yo'?
Wizard yo' git that red clay on yer hands?
Bin a-diggin' somewhar?"
TibbettSs one eye lighted up with the
glare of suspicion.
None o Your business what was doin'. :"
said Shorty. too cross 10 be prudent, and
l.,
proceeding 10 divide the pot None o.
your business what was doin', YOU gander-
legged rebel. haint goin' to play no more
with you to-day. | won't play with 10
man who thinks he kin ring in barn-door
on me for face-card."
Shorty turned around to lie down. As
he did SO. his shirt front flew open, and eX-
posed TO Tibbetts the sight of his bare
breast covered with red clay. Tibbetts
went away with a Sardonic look making
his face uglier than ever.
For another week the work on the tunnel
went ON without incident. but ever in
creaSing excitement on the part of those
engaged in 1T. The mass of the prisoners
We're shaken by various tumults; by rumors
of exchange. by reports of the arrival of our
vessels at Charleston and Savannah to ia Ike
the released prisoners home; by stories o.
the rapid advance OF Sherman To Atlanta
and Macon: by talk of daring raids by
everybody. arm those that We're able to
march. and cut IL swath through Georgia
to- the ocean: by news of overwhelming
victories and crushing defeats 10 Grant and
Sherman. which would change the whole
military situation and end the imprison-
ment one way or the other. But the tlin-
nelers cared nothing for any of these
They scarcely heard them. They We're go
ing to achieve their own liberty in their own
way. and every day brought it nearer to
hand
Shorty was worried over Tibbetts. He
had re-esta blished relations with him, but
not such as formerly existed. He was
conscious that the rebel was Watching him,
and he had to resort to all sorts of devices
daily to throw him off the scent
At the end of the week the tunnel was
four full lengths of ST beyond the stockade.
All We're consumed with eagerneSS-Shad
Graham. in spite OF his self-control, no less
than the otherS-to break the ground
and bring the issue, whatever it might be.
Graham, ST, Shorty and Decide held many
desperately earnest consultations in the
darkness of the night, with their heads
close together. and speaking in guarded
the character of the ground where they
were going to come out, and how clearly it
would be i'll view of the guards on the
stockade. The hewed palisades were set
so close together that they could not see the
ground beyond. except through an Occa-
sional narrow crack, and there was none
of these near.
Finally, Ike Deeble hit upon a scheme to