The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-05-08
CHAPTER ".
SUPPER AND SONG.

supper was sorry for them, especially
for Old Put, whose great, Intelligent
eyes said in the purest English, Il, too,
am hungry. master. But could do
nothing ! had no proyender for horses,
and so told him to wait as best be
could until morning and would find
| something for him if l had to rob pa
triot farmer to do it He bowed his head
| in resignation like the wise horse he
was, while the brown hack, not so well
bred, tugged at his bride rein and
thrashed about until / threatened him
with big stick
After the chicken the girl served the
cold ham and drank from the canteen
again Ibid likewise Moreover. urged
her to wet her lips at the flask second
time rs a further precaution against cold,
which she did literally and no more. /
was liberal rather than literal, for was
a soldier and knew its value / took my
blanket from my saddle bow and urged
her to wrap it around herself, but she
said "No:" that her heavy cloak was
sufficient, and she would not deprive me
even if 1 was misguided rebel saw
that she spoke truly. as her cloak was
Of the most ample character. and so.
having no further compunction, | wrap
ped the blanket around me, Indian style,
and, sitting down on the dry leaves in
front of the fire, leaned my head against
the log She sat on the log at the other
end. leaning her head against dead
bough which was thrust straight up II
the air. had put the remains Of the
provisions back in my saddlebags
Triumphant, warm. we'll fed, my
cheerfulness ray satisfaction with N.Y.
self, increased. stared into the bed Of
red Goals and saw figures, pictures,
there. Near the center of the bed the
Goals had fallen into such shape that I
could trace distinctly the epaulets Of
general, and 1 knew that those epaulets
were for me. The Goals crumbled into
new shapes and built the house which
was to be mine when the war was vic
toriously over and was ready to retire
to it with my honors. She, too, seemed
to be engaged in the same business, for
she was staring with half closed eyes
into the dreamy Goals.
.Why are you a rebel?" she asked.
els it from pure perverseness, for they
say all you Americans are so?''
"They say many things about US in
England that are not true" I said,
land this is one of them. The English
themselves have often been rebels, and
their present royal family, one Of the
worst they have ever had, and they
have had the stuarts, was placed on the
throne by just rebellion. .
"You must know" she replied, "that
in England the character of the SOW
ereign is nothing. It is the sovereign
principle. The worse the sovereign the
better the court likes him. -
We relapsed into silence and our
study of the red Goals. Old Put whin-
MED gently, raised his head and looked
beyond the fire, as if he saw something
in the darkness impenetrable to all but
horse eyes
''I'd better see to that, " said "Old
Put is not going to give warning for
nothing. He has q character to lose. J"
ga wildcat may be, " she suggested
Perhaps, but I'll see.
I rose, still keeping my blanket wrap
ped around me, and ordered her to stay
where she was under pain Of being
bound again. She promised, and be-
lieyed that she would not stir from her
position on the log. The darkness and
the desolation were not inviting.
l walked out into the black bank of
the night. but could neither see nor find
anything I made complete circuit
around the oasis of light from the fire,
and all was peaceful and quiet. 1 re-
turned to the log, ready to scold Old
Put for giving false alarm, but re-
Trained, rejecting that he might be
nervous and irritable owing to his lack
of food
"What did you fnd?' asked the girl,
looking at me with bright eyes.
Nothing
81 thought you wouldn't 1t was
wildcat or maybe harmless little
squirrel
Aren't you afraid of the wild ami
mals?''
mot with such a brave rebel as you
near me. .
opened my eyes little wider and
looked at her 1t was the first time that
she had complimented me even in that
half handed way, and was surprised
Il thought you did not allow me the
possession of any desirable quality what
soever. said
"You are improving, she replied.
Perhaps it is due to my society. l may
yet make you loyal follower of King
George and save you from the hang
man
l had my doubts about the loyalty, >
which is a term devised for the protec-
tion of sovereigns in their crimes, but l
said nothing just then She, too, said
nothing more. The heap of Goals grew
and glowed in the depths with deep