The National tribune., 1901-05-09

his pipe, and chuckling at his own humor.
Gus fancy. That's some timid lover,
who wants to carry off the fair young
flower Of this happy household, yet fears
10 brave the wrath Of the justly ly-indignant
parents, and so must meet his love by
moonlight alone
She did kiss him, when she met him.
said Pete, always eager TO back up any
OF Shorty's theories.
Poor man. groaned Shorty. II hope
1t won't mortify. I'd rather be kissed by
a fly blister"
Il left Sandy to watch EN- continued
Pete, while 1 slipped around to tell you.
Here he comes now"
They've gone into the house." whis-
pered Sandy. She went first, and a few
minutes after he walked along, keeping
ont OF the light, until he came TO the
porch. when he walked boldly up, and
went straight TO her ROOM
1T eouldn,t've bin none Of u.s." said
gone ntO the house, and certainly none
would've bin bold enough 10 go 10 Miss
Sophrony's room"
No, indeed calculated Shorty, heart
lily.
Probably a rebel spy meditated
Shorty. We'll. he's welcome to all that
he can find out here. Still. we don't
want that class Of cattle peeking around.
Blast his impudence, to come right in
here among us
said Shorty, sardonically. "Feller that'd
make love 10 a woman like that has pun.
ishment enough He haint sense enough
to be dangerous. I'm going TO lay down
awhile"
81, gun in hand, got up. stepped noise
lessly across the porch, and pushed the
hall-doOr open. He knew that the mother
and Angelina slept in the rooms to the
left of the hall, and he could hear that
they were in deep slumber. he took
f..Nt
| in the hail, and came to the door OF the
Sittlng-roOm to the right. II was open,
| and looking diagOnally across he could
| see into the door OF Sophronia's room in
| the ell beyond. He kept under the shade
| of the jamb, and saw her sitting before
| the bright fire, and in another chair sat
| man, whose family likeness showed to
| be younger brother. He had thrown OFF
| his cap and oyercoat, revealing the uni
| form Of a rebel officer, with gold lace on
| double bars of a Captain on his collar.
Her brother Alfred" commented 81 to
| himself.
The man was making hearty meal off
| the food which Sophronia had evidently
brought TO the room in anticipation of his
| coming.
Yes" he said between mouthfuls.
| You needn't have any more fear of the
Backhouse gang. l didn't let one of them
get away. This neighborhOods free from
them until their children grow up. L
wasn't going to let such chance pass to
make clean work"
Now, finish your supper in peace" she
said as she rose. You needn't be at all
disturbed. You're safe as long as you're
in my room. The Yankees never come
a-nigh it. They have some points which
make me think that they're almost hu-
man. I'll go and wake mother, and An
gelina, and get them ready to see you.
You can stay here till towards morning,
and then slip out without being seen. I
heard the Sergeant say that he wasn't
going to put out any guards.
81 slipped back through the hall door,
and closed it again, SO that the draft
would not betray its opening to Sophro-
mia as she passed TO her mothers room,
and touched Shorty with his foot. who
sprang up instantly.
81 whispered the situation to him IN as
brief words as possible.
THE devil" said Shorty, rubbing his
eyes. 81 suppose we have got to take
him in"
of regret in his tone. Lets let him I'm
ish his supper first. Hes got mighty
nice one there"
why not let him alone altogether, and
let the fellows who are coming up take
himT'
"'TwouIdn't do at all. They'd have a
great laugh on us about not knowing hs
was here"
Il suppose that's So"
They waited what they thought was
ample time, and then stole noiselessly in.
Sophronia was still occupied in her moth
er's room
Good evening, Captain" said 81, ap-
pearing before SophrOnia's door, and in
terrupting the Captain in the act Of FL
ing his piPe: Don't be be- disturbed SpI ID 90 90
then step out here. Sorry, but we must
do our duty"
Great Godr' exclaimed the Captain,
rising in agitation, and dropping his pipe.
''This1l ruin me-"
NO" said 81, consolingly. Just throw
them Yankee tOgs out of the window, and
theI.'ll be no evidence against you as a
spy We didn't see you wearing them"
1T isn't that" groaned the man. 1T
isn't that. I've been in the hands of
your people ever since last Winter, and
have only been back with my command a
month. I've been talking of how we'll your
people treated me until I have got my
own suspicious Of me. They begin to
talk of me in the regiment as more than
half Yankee. Nothing will convince soma
of them that l didn't come back into your
lines on purpose"
Hearing the talking, Sophronia came
rushing into the room, and started tor
rent of abuse. The mother and other
daughter, divining that something was
wrong, began noisy lamentation, the
Stop" said 81, autf1oritatively to So
phronia. you're liable to make matters
much worse. Go, quiet your mother and
sister Mt once"
Besides" continued the Captain. "I
was under orders to join the regiment at
Waynesboro. 1 was to've marched this
evening But hadn't seen my poor old
mother for so long, and 1 didn't know
what hour she might pass away, and !
was so near. and so l took the risk. 1
can never recover from this"
81 and Shorty's eyes met.
They heard the sound of hoofs ap-
preaching on the road. 1t was Monty
and Harry coming back with detsch-
ment.
"Quick," said Shorty.
81 stepped back into the hall, and called
out to Miss Sophronia.
81 hear men coming" he said. I'm
going out to see who they are. l think
it is a force that l have sent for to re-
lileve us here. and take charge of the
house and these men. II you're harboring
anybody here that you shouldn't you'd
better get him out, for l don't know who'll
be in command. Come on, Shorty"
(To be continued9