The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-03-22
CHAPTER VII.
THE TEMPER OF OLD PUT.

| My fears found ample justification,
for the men soon turned their attention
to the horse, and two rose and approach
ed him. looked upon him as one inn
pounded and he alone was to blame,
for he should have known better. One
of the mon made wide circuit and
came up carefully behind, while the
other approached with equal caution
from the front, whistling in soft and
coaxing way and holding out his hand.
evidently the men appreciated the value
of good horse, and no doubt they had
stolen enough from patriot farmers to
have experience. Old Put never raised
his head to look at them, but continued
his hunt for blades of grass. He certain
| ly heard their approaching footsteps, and
l was convinced now that his dotage
was really at hand.
81 thought you said he was the most
intelligent of us three" said the girl
ironically. land here he is, gone to sleep
and letting himself be taken, to be used
perhaps as common cart horse. "
Her words were an insult to us both,
Old Put and me, but knew no timely
reply and endured them in silence.
The man in 'front.' emboldened by Old
Puts gent,eness, approached more rap
idly and was soon within Is feet of tho
horse. Old Put raised his head, aid
looking at the man moment lowered
it and went on nipping the grass
The man holding out his hand stepped
forward and seized Old Put by the neck.
The horse, with neigh that was human
in its anger, turned and bit deep into bis
shoulder. A scream, wilder, more fear
full than any have ever heard before or
since, rose from the mans throat as the
horse reared high in the air and smote
him to the earth with his fore feet The
girl turned her eyes away in horror as
the man was crushed to pulp beneath
the fierce beat of the steel shod hoofs,
time for but one cry being given to
him, but kept mine at the crevice,
though ] will confess that tie blood
was rather a chilly torrent i'll MY veins.
The other man, the one behind faced
about and fed when he saw the death
Of his comrade. and the one look that
had of him showed fright to the mar
row. The horse, raising his head, trot-
ted away over the hill The moonlight
fell upon him there in distorted rays
and enlarged him into gigantic figure.
In the gray light he looked like some
phantom horse a wild creature that
brought death.
The band, recovering from the mo-
mentary paralysis caused by the sudden
acquaintance of their comrade with
death, snatched out their pistols and
fired at the horse as they would have
fired at man in his place, but their
aim was wild, for the horse gave no
sign of bullet, trotting steadily on,
his figure growing larger and more
threatening III the exaggerating rays of
the moonlight, until he disappeared be-
yond the swell of the earth. The thing
that had been living lay in the dead
grass and | was glad that it was hid
den almost by some rocks and the roll
of the earth.
"He is gone, Julia, said, "and |
don't think those men will try to take
my horse again. -
laughed a little, with rather forced
gayety, for the influence of the sudden
tragedy was still upon me. Yet l was
| glad that Old Put had redeemed him
self so conclusively from the charge Of
incaution and dotage, which l would
never again bring against him, even
should they come to be true in the
course of the years.
The girl came back to the crevice, and
we watched the British for some min
ptes. After the hasty discharge of the
pistols they returned to the fire, making
no movement either to pursue Old Put
or to remove the body of their dead
eomrade. They would have liked we'll
enough to obtain a good horse, but they
were not going to bother about such a
trifie as a dead man.
"Do you think they will attack us?'
asked the girl
well, no; not yet, at least, re-
piled 1.-THE advantages of the defense
are too great, and these men are mere
raiders and robbers They are not going
into dangerous venture unless the
chances are on their side. Perhaps they
think we will become frightened and
surrender tomorrow
"You surely will not do that?''
"I7had no such intention, worthless
rebel as am, but if you say surrender
l will go out and notify them this min
ute. ("
"You know meant nothing of the
kind -
She spoke rather sharply, and leav-
ing the window went back to the table,
which she began to clear away. She
gathered up the scraps and put them
back neatly. Then she brushed the
crumbs off in her hand. for lack of any.
thing else, and threw them in the fire,
and having done that pushed the table
to one side against the wall. made no
offer to help her, as she did everything
with such skill and dispatch, and was
content to watch her Nor did she say
anything to me, but, her work done,
took her stool again and sat down at the
corner of the hearthstone, leaning her
head against the wall of the chimney
apd gazing into the dying fire.
The last log was smoldering ON the
hearth and threw bpt feeble light. !
blew out the candle, thinking we might
need it in case our enemies made any
hostile movement, and the darkness
Qathered mt once in half the room onlv