Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-08-09


remain where | was and. If | chose.
after the departure of the troop, leave
the house. with Helen to bear the re-
sponsibilty of my going.
Nonsense, man" said, rising. "Do
you suppose I'm going to permit a wo-
man to stand between you and me?
You are a gentleman. If you are taking
1t upon yourself to arrest whom you
please, and I'm enough Of gentle
man not to avail myself of your prof
fered avenue Of escape. If must 60,
l must. Where do you intend to take
me, captain?"
BY this time several men who had
followed the officer pushed their way
into the loom. l received no reply to
my question. but was ordered to get
up and so with them. The members OF
the family, discovering that something
had gone wrong. fiocked about, and it
was easy to see that, though they did
not understand why I was arrested,
they were I'LL in sympathy with me.
Mrs. Stanforth seemed greatly dis
treSsed. Mr.. Stanforth attempted to
argue my case for me, of course TO no
purpose. The negroes were all indig-
nant. While waiting for my horse
back hall:
"Wha' TO dat mis'able osifer wild he
sleeves covered all ober wild dem COL
snakes goin t rest fine south'n gem
len like dat? Dat wha' yo' call free
dom? Colored folks got mo freedom
den dat. heah mas'r talkin bout
stutional libe'ty. Wha's de use O stu
tional libe'ty when de oder man got he
hand on yo' collarT'
heard no more, for I was conducted
out to the gallery. Just as | started
down the walk Ethel appeared. with
curious eyes, and | paused to take her
up and give her parting kiss. l cast
a glance at Helen. There was intense
interest in her face, but among SO
many emotions / could not discover
which predominated. ! went with the
soldiers down to the gate, where l
found my horse. and, mounting, cav
alryman on each side Of me, rode away
with the troop.
We proceeded up the pike for short
distance. then. crossing the railroad
track, struck a road which bent to the
east
Captain" said, II don't like the
direction you are going. If your i'll
tentions were not murderous, you
would take me TO Huntsville and exam
inc into the charge against me. 1t ap-
pears that you are taking pe into the
country to dispose of me-
81 am On my way to join my squad
ron near Erownsborough, sir, where
yo' will have an opportunity TO face
yo'r accuser II yo' are innocent. yo II
have no trouble. Yo' can enlist in my
company
Thank yo1. Do look like man
who would 20 begging for commits
sion"
81 beg yor pardon, sir" And be lift
ed his hat alphabetically.
| had retained my GOODNESS thus far,
but | confess did not like the si,ua-
ton. AS southern man, used to
southern people. l felt a certain conn
dence, yet If it were known that l was
a Union officer l would be put out Of
the way without benefit Of clergy.
Who was the man who had informed
against me? What did he know? The
more | thought about 1t the more in
tense became my anxiety. Suddenly
looked up and saw white tents.
knew at once by the looks OF the camp
that 1t contained one or two companies
of cavalry. There was railroad bridge
near by, crossing what l knew to be
Flint river. and judged that the cav
airy was guarding this bridge.
had forgotten my unlucky wound
and was intent on the camp when,
passing under overhangins branches,
a stiff bough scraped my arm. and
felt at once that it had been injured.
told the captain Of my fears. and we
halted to make an examination. TAX
ing Off my coat, there, as l expected,
was n stain of fresh blood on my shirt
sleeve.
you needn't trouble yourself to muir
der me" | remarked. THAT wound is
q better eueiuy tudA All LILY oIhSiS ~
gether."
The captain cast glances about him
for q house. He had no intention of
numbering me or being party indi-
rectly to my death. While lie was
making n survey Of the surrounding
country | was twisting my handker-
chief above the wound.
Can you get to that plantation" he
asked.
looked up and saw a large manor
house about half mile distant, with
its thanking rows of negro huts.
81 can try it."
We mounted and rode on and in
few minutes passed into the gateway
between imposing stone posts. proceed
ing by winding way to the house.
was glad to dismount and get inside
the spacious hall out of the sun. There
I sat down on an old fashioned hair
cloth mahogany sofa.
A number of white and negro chill
dren, who were playing together as
contentedly as il the pickaninnies were
not the property Of their fair skinned
playmates, stood gaping at me. A slim
man with d determined mouth. at the
corners of which were marks of to-
bacco juice-he turned out to be an