The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-09-18
CHAPTER III.
a DEFINITE OBJ ECT.
ssXAy'I"scy "cyrs ,s'I nta': "i;"STy Tm" %9"%' "'"s'
" W and |; who should be
IN md doing am rnHpl

up ana uOllS, am Gagged
like II tiger walking back and forth
within the limits Of It's inclosurc"
This was my complaint as l paced
my room one morning shortly after the
accidental reopening OF my wound My
imputience was not without cause.
had gone south as l have said, with
two Objects-to find my enemy and to
gather information. | had failed In
finding my enemy. but had gained
complete knowledge of the points es-
sential to the capture Of north Ala
bama aud was carrying 1t to the gen.
er2' on the day was shot. 1t had oc-
Cured to me before setting out that,
ai,Sr finishing my military mission, |
might still wish to continue my search
for my enemy. Besides, there were
other contingencies. such rs arrest or
nlnesg. which needed to be provided
for. had therefore arranged that the
generals favOrite scout should be Mt
Huntsville Oh the morning Of the 1st
OF April to receive any communication
l might find 1t necessary to transmit.
If | were prevented from meeting him,
l was to send messenger and had de-
vised code Of signals by which ho
might be recognized. The appointed
day was drawing near. I was not able
to keep my appointment and there was
no one Mt hand to whom l could In
trust the message.
chafed till had exhausted my small
store Of strength. then threw myself
on my couch. Little Ethel came In
and. like "A soft ray Of sunlight break
Ing through stormclouds. turned my
thoughts into gentler channels. She
held in her hand bouquet Of flowers
which. 1t was easy to soc. she intended
for me, but needed encouragement to
ofrer. | finally induced her to do so
and 10 admit that she had been out a
long while looking for them for me es-
pccinlly. tried to unloosen her
tongue. to induce her to confide In me.
but In spite OF all l could do she re-
malned shy. and there was ever present
that awe she had shown before Of one
who had taken q life.
why do you look at me In that wayW
I asked.
She made no reply, casting down her
eyes at my brown hand, which held her
dimpled fingers.
you mustn't dread me because am
obliged to fight" continued. "Theso
are wartimes. There are great many
soldiers In tho land who think nothing
Of killing one another"
Don't theyT She raised her eyes,
wide open with surprise.
"Of course war is cruel, but-but 1t
calls out much that is noble"
when they kill each otherY'
What puzzling questions to come
from such untutored lips! was cast
Ing about for some explanatory reply
when sudden interruption relieved
my embarrassment. a negro boy dash
ell Into the room. through 1t and out
Of another door. He was followed by
the white boy had noticed on the day
Of my arrival. who was screaming:
"Doggone yo'. Fac: I'll break every
hone In yo consarned black body"
The words were scarcely out when
he shot through the door by which the
fugitive had vanished. Little Ethel
looked after him with frightened eyes,
evidently dreading a catastrophe.
who's thatf" asked.
Buck"
Your brotherr'
"Yes"
Don't be alarmed. That's only a
boys passion. 1t won't amount to any
thing"
"He says such dreadful words"
That's habit. He doesn't mean any
thing by 1t. But It's habit that should
be broken"
soon got her quieted. and she pratt
tied about her dolls. her playhouses,
some pet rabbits and a nook In the gar.
den where she kept them. How singu-
Ia hat yol Ill
her, should have no place In her mind.
Amid all the turmoil. the rumbling Of
cannon. the tramp OF men and horses.
bushwhacking skirnishIng, Lattlcs,
this innocent little maid was strangely
out or place. Her mother ca me- In pres
emily and took her away, earring that
she would annoy me. was lonth f.
part with her. No healing balm had
been applied to my wound so soothing.
10 grateful, as was her prattle to my
feverea brain and chilled heart.
Ihey had scarcely left me- when
Buck stalked into the room. hIa boyish
race as free from passion ns II lie Lnu
never been rufiied. He had made scy-
eral attempts to visit me, notw!-hstand
hg that he had been Forbidden the
soom. Seeing the coas. clear he slim
pea In unannounccd and bcgar , fro OF
Questions.
Does 1t hurtr
MY arm7 Yes. 1t hurts some"
I'm glad yo' plunkcd him
why do you sympnthizc with me In.
ktead Of the othcrf You have e,ly seen
he a few times"
This WAS too much for him to OK
plain. could sc that he had nonceiv.
ID an admiration for me, but Re could
hot tell why.
What did he try to kill ys' ~ p he
asked.
"Well, perhaps 1t was becausn my ex-
btence annoyed him."
What did yo' want to kill him fo'3"
Il found 1t inconvcnient to have him
shooting at me-"
I'd like to shoot a man. shot n
rabbit once. but that's purity small
game. Pop, he won't let ms have a
gun yet. He says I may have one
when I'm TO-"
Buck" called voice from the hal,
The boy dropped behind a sofa. An old
negro woman entered and looked
around.
"Y0, BucHH Y0 hidin soinewbari
YOs maw'll sDank yo, aho, 90 che oo.o.