The National tribune., 1901-05-02

| swoOning with fright. Sophrunias stony
| face looked as if carved from gray lime
stone, and the hand that held the cradle
trembled violently.
Where is he gomez" she gasped.
| Don't know" answered ST, Indifferent
| ly, as he set down his gun. Far enough,
probably. If he kept up the gait he
struck at starting he'll be acrost the Sa-
vannah River, into the middle O South
| Carolina, before midnight
That man." stammered Miss Sophro>
mia, that Ieke Backhouse, is the very
| worst man in the whole world
That's saying Il good DEAL" com
| mented 81. "GeOrgy seems to run to bad
men, and one appears to be just about
| as cussed as another. Shake em all up
| in bag. and it'd be hard to tell which d
come out first. Little choice, far as l
| can see.'
I'm more afraid of him." she said,
than anything that liyes-even i rattle
| snake or painter"
We'll, you didn't act like it for holy
second" said Shorty, who had come up,
and was wiping the sweat from his face.
IF ever man got it hot from the griddle,
it was the way you laid it into him.
Its the only way to deal with this
poor white trash, and scoundrels of that
KIND" she answered. They're like paint
ers and catamOunts. You must face them
down, and never let on you're scared, to
keep them from jumping you. The min
ute you finch, or take your eyes off them,
you're gone"
Why is he SO much worse than the
others!' asked 81.
20, he comes of vicious stock from the
beginning of time. My grandfather bought
his off a convict ship, and paid for him in
tobacco. But he was such lazy, THEY
ing, murderous brute that grandfather
finally drove him off the place, off into
the woods, and he and his breed have
lived there ever since on what they could
steal from us and others. When Zeke
was little boy his father got so auda-
cious that my father had to hang him and
make 4 warning to the rest. Zeke grew
up even worse than his fOrebears, and he
had that grudge against us, but he was
powerfully afraid of Brother Albert. and
never wanted to start Brother Albert ont
on hunt for him, such as father made
for his father. AS soon as the war begun
they put Zeke BackhOuse into regiment
and they've kept him there as close as
they could, Now, he's got away from the
regiment, and he knows that Brother Al
bert IS at Point Lookout, if he's alive at
all, and now's his chance. What in heav-
ems name are we going to dog
Well, he won't bother you any more
the rest of the night to walk back here
from where he's run by this time"
You don't know him, You don't know
him" she walled. You never know
where that wretch is. Why, when they
would say that he was in camp, there
would be cattle hamsnung and fodder
stacks burned 10 miles away. Why, he's
got more appetite, activity and cunning
for deyiltry. than fox and Il catamount
rolled together
well, he'd better keep out of guushot
of us" said ST, ''0r his name'I be car
rion."
''You don't know him, you don't know
him, | tell you. Even now he may be
fixing to burn us out of house and home
and then charge it to you Yankees
Shorty's quick eyes, peering into the
thick darkness, had caught the faintest
gilmmer of a spark in the distance. He
quietly slipped down and out to investi- !
gate. He passed by the negro-quarters,
and out to the end of the stable grounds. |
and halted by large shed filled with the |
tops and blades of corn. The spark be
waverlngly and uncertainty, but came on. |
Shorty was puzzled at the eccentric ac- |
ton, but he sageiy concluded that it was !
too late in the year for FREELY, too big |
for mere chimney spark, and that bits |
OF hre that large did not go wandering |
about without human impulse. Therefore |
he kept very quiet and waited.
He could make out, few rods in front |
OF him, the outlines of a fence surround |
ing the stable yard. Presently the spark |
reached this, and jiggled up and down, as |
the man tried to climb over
Shorty then made out that it was |
small piece OF fat pine, which the man |
carried in his right hand, while he shield |
ed it from sight from the house, and from |
the wind, with his hat, carried in his left |
He occasionally blew upon it to keep it |
alive.
Hist! Hist, therem said Shorty, in
stage whisper.
The spark executed tremulous dance. |
Don't you move" laid Shorty, in the
there anything about there to catch fire?' |
"N-n-n-o. Nothing at a-l-lr' said |
the bearer in quayering voice, that ac.
corded with the motion of his hand.
Drop that brand to your feet, then, and |
come right in here"
The spark fell to the ground, and the |
sound of footsteps indicated obedience.
Who's out thereW whispered Shorty.
his muzzle in the others face.
Ouch. Don't! That thar guns likely
to go off"
at will go off, for sure, if you don't
talk fast and to the point. Who's out
there?"
''Zeke Backhouse. and passel o. 9th
ers.n
How many?"
"a hull lot A dozen, mebbe."
Where are theyP
Right back here, kivvering me with
their guns, { see that / didn't finch with
the glim
You've got a rocky job-shot if, you
do. and shot if you DON'T
Yes, an they'uns wuz a-gwine t. hang
me, anyhow, onless / did"
We'll, you are poor life insurance.
Who are you, anyway"
I'm Sarjint in Zeke's company, and
wouldn't desart when him an the rest did.
but they'uns made me come with 'em.
They uns we a grudge agin me. useter
have t do the buckin' AN -gaggin', an
tyin' up by the thumbs, an sich. They'uns
wuz a-gwine t hang me, but'd let me off
il I'd sot fire t the fodder"
We'll, you
"Hi there" came in a shrill whisper
from the fence, you guard-drap that
gun or IN bust you"
Lord Almighty" gasped the rebel,
'Zeke's crep' up On me-"
Hi, there, yourself" whispered Pete,
who had noticed Shorty go out and fol-
owed him. Drop your own gun, or III
"Yo' will, will yo':" caIled another
voice from the fence. 1--WE done seed
Yo' all the time. Drap yer gun, if yo'
lon't want t. be busted right off"
whats that you say?' demanded
Sandy. who had naturally followed Pete.
I've had you covered right along. Drop
four gun and hold up your hands, or
,ou'l start the busting in holy second"