Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-10

| WC1lhSi Wise, StEduSeE. i t0dC he ii
reply by asking you what kind Of
weather it was the day of the massa-
Gre"
what massacre? What's massa-
cre?'
Never mind that. Stick to the les
son I'm teaching you. You must say
Black as night Then he'll say
What's the word? and you can hand
him this note. Now, suppose I'm the
man with the pointed beard and you
go through the dialogue with me-"
put him through his lesson till he
had learned it perfectly. Then l sent
him away with the injunction that. in
! case anything should go wrong with
( him, rather than part with the paper he
was to swallow it. I rolled it into a
ball and put it into the lining of his
hat. Giving his little hand n squeeze
I babe him go, and he marched out as
proudly as If he had been appointed
military governor Of Alabama. | had
no doubt he would execute his mission
to the best of his ability, but he was
very young, and I feared he would
| udhe Soule UluuueF.
what fool 1 amp I exclaimed as
soon as he was gone. IT should have
failed to communicate rather than in
trust so important matter to boy.
However, I'll leave here tomorrow
morning, and, If my message mis-
carries, by the time it's discovered I'll
be somewhere else.''
Helen came in soon after Bucks de-
parture and began to set the room to
rights. She attended to her work ST.
lently and did not even look at me.
] watched her as she moved about, ar
ranging curtain here. moving chair
1here or piling books on the table more
neatly. She was a true type Of
southern woman-tall. willowy, head
set on her shoulders in way to make
an artist involuntarily reach for
brush. Her hair and eyes We're as
black rs night, while on her cheeks was
bright color. There was something
on her mind. could see that plainly.
fancied If gave her time it would
come out. At last she dropped her
work and stood looking out of the win
dow
What are you thinking about? I
asked, going at the subject with
brusque directness.
1.-THE man you came to Alabama to
kill"
you would shield him?'
She kept her eyes on the road, watch.
ing wagon that numbered by. "I
don't know whether would or not"
You want to know all about him?"
81 do
"In the first place you would like his
name?"
/ 1T might be well to begin with that"
"Then can't begin, for l don't know
his name"
Not know his name?
NO"
what is he like?"
Tall, well built; square shoulders,
which he throws back like an officer in
the regular army of the United States"
l paused. She waited for me to con-
tinue.
"You would also like to know wheth-
er his death would bereave any one-a
| father mother, sister, some woman
who hangs upon every word he says
when he is with her and dreams of him
constantly when he is away?" I spoke
the words bitterly. was thinking Of
my loss.
Eyes, would like to know that too"
II can't satisfy you. have seen him
only once and then at a distance
"Does he wish to kill you?"
"No; I don't believe he is aware of
| my existence"
Singular" she murmured thought
fully. Then she turned and looked me
in the face. "He has occasioned you
some great sorrow-done you some
mighty wrong?"
"You promised to ask me no more
questions"
"True. I beg your pardon"
Another woman would have pouted,
coaxed, done everything but asked
openly to have her curiosity gratified.
Helen Stanforth was made of sterner
stuff. She stood looking out Of the
window without another word. wait
| GU LII was SdLlSueu Ludt BIC was LOO
proud to ask for favor, then started in
again with the purpose of watching the
development OF some other mood.
"You are heart and soul a Confeder-
ate?"
II am"
"And you will not excuse those south
ern men and women who differ with
your
Eyes, II they do it openly"
This was cut at me which did not
care to notice. "Have you ever seen."
asked. "men forced at the point of the
bayonet to enter the Confederate army?
Have you ever seen families trying to
leave the south to join those with
whom they AFFILIATED shot down in
their traoks?'
"You are Union man, or you would
never talk that way" she interrupted.
II was born and bred in Tennessee"
"Yes 10 east Tennessee."
"May not have seen great wrong
Gone and yet given my heart and soul