The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-02-12

straight to the cabin. l expected somo
touslcd head to appear, reused by the
thunder Of so many hoofs, but mono
camo. The cabin remained silent and
lono. There was small garden, but no
fenco around either it or tho house.
Old Put dashed straight for tho door,
as if he knew what was wanted Of him,
which. III fact, he did, and stopped five
feet III front Of 1t so abruptly that the
girl would hayo shot over his head had
not held her
Sho sprang to tho ground. l slipped
tho bridlo off Old Puts head, gave him
q slap and cried:
coop
Ho galloped around tho house and
disappeared, his hoof beats dying away
IN tho darkness. Then l showed tho door
open and rushed i'll, dragging tho girl
after mo. / slammed back tho door and
looked for the bar that is commonly
used rs fastening in such frontier
houses. Thoro it was, and showed it
into its place. Nothing but q battcring
ram could break in that door nowl
"Safo for tho timo'' I cried. II defy
them to take us in this fortr'
Then / looked around mo. Tho girl,
half fainting, had staggered against tho
wall and was leaning there 1t was u
house of but n single room. On wido
brick hearth Il fire was still burning, or
rather smoldcring, yet it threw out
enough light to disclose tho contents of
tho room. No human being was there
Everything of valuo except tho heavy
furniture, which was Of tho rudest de-
scription and wcrth not much moro
than raw lumber, had been removed,
and tho whole appearance Of tho place
indicated that its occupants had taken
hasty departure. 1t was easy enough
to guess tho cause. SOmo poor family,
frightened by tho convcrging Of tho
armies upon this region, and with good
reason, too, for no other state was har-
rlcd III this war as was ours of South
Carolina, had gathered up their portable
goods and fed to safer quarters and per-
haps not an hour before our arrival, rs
tho fro still burning proved.
"Thcy might havo mado things u lit
tlo moro comfortable for us, said
chccrfully, for my spirits had gone up
with leap, "but it's good as it is, and
wc haven't any right to complain. Mr.
South Carolina farmer, whoever you are
and wherever you arc, wo thank you.
The girl smiled family and walked
mechanically to tho fire, whcro sho sat
down OH rudo stool and sprcadout her
fingers before tho Goals as if she wero
in her homo.
"Tako n little Of this" l said, for
saw that sho was half dazcd. There was
yet littlo whisky left in my flask, and
l handed it to her. Sho oboycd mo like
o child and drank it.
Then l turned my attention to tho
single window, which was closed with
heavy but ill fitting shutter, somo
wandering moonbcams finding i. way
through tho cracks. Pccping out, 1
could SEQ tho yucrrillas dismountcd be-
yond pistol shot and holding confer
onco.
"Thcy arc talking, but let 'cm talk,
my DEAR" l said to tho girl. "They
can't get lis in this cabin. What q neat.
stout littlo place it isl''
I really began to hnvo friendly feel
ing toward her. We had been through
so many dangers together, and besides
sho was my prisoner. 1t is much castor
conquered than for tho conquered to bo
generous to tho conqueror.
Sho did not reply either to my words
or my manner Her checks, which had
been SO white before, wcro family
flushed with pink, but 1 could not toll
whether it was tho fire or not. She
seemed to mo to bo in n state Of collapse,
natural to q girl, oven tho strongest and
bravost, after SO much.
"Now set tho table for u.s." said
"Wo must cat littlo after our long,
hard ride, for wo will need our strength.
SEQ if you can't find q candle in that
cupboard And here, tako my bundle
and got out tho food"
I'handcd hor tho wallet Of bread and
meat which l had snatched from Old
Puts back almost with tho samo mo-
ton with which I had swept Off his
bridle. She took it, drew tho rough pino
tablo to the center of tho room and
spread tho food upon it. Then, sure
enough, sho found in tho cupboard u
picco Of old tallow candle, which sho
lighted and stuck in tho middle Of tho
table. These simple household duties
seemed to rovivo hcr. Hor eyes bright
oncd, her color came back, and her first
thought was half to defend, half to
apologize. for her previous collapse.
Il was tired merely" she said. IL
did not loso courage. Don't think that.
Pm an English girl"
IL never said you lost courage, II re-
piled. II think that you have borne
II.