The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-05-15

| feet in front Of it SO abruptly that the
girl would have shot over his head had
not held her
She sprang to the ground I slipped
the bride off Old Puts head, gave him
slap and cried:
Cop
He galloped around the house and
disappeared, his hoof beats dying away
In the darkness. Then showed the door
open and rushed in, dragging the girl
after me. I slammed back the door and
looked for the bar that is commonly
used as a fastening in such frontier
houses There it was, and I showed it
into it's place. Nothing bit battering
ram could break in that door now!
''Safe for the time" cried 81 defy
them to take US in this fortp'
Then I looked around me. The girl,
half fainting, had staggered against the
wall and was leaning there. 1t was q
house of but single room. On wide
brick hearth fire was still burning, or
rather smoldering, yet it threw out
enough light to disclose the contents Of
the room No human being was there.
Everything Of value except the heavy
furniture, which was Of the rudest de-
scription and worth not much more
than raw lumber, had been removed,
and the whole appearance Of the place
indicated that it's occupants had taken
hasty departure. 1t was easy enough
to guess the cause. Some poor family,
frightened by the converging Of the
armies upon this region, and with good
reason, too, for no other state was har-
ried in this war as was ours Of South
Carolina, had gathered up their portable
goods and fed to safer quarters and per-
haps not an hour before our arrival, as
the fire still burning proved.
'They might have made things lit
tie more comfortable fer us, said
cheerfully, for my spirits had gone up
with leap. "but it's good as it is, and
we haven't any right to complain. Mr..
South Carolina farmer, whoever you are
and wherever you are, we thank you.
The girl smiled family and walked
mechanically to the fire, where she sat
down on rude stool and spread out her
fingers before the Goals as if she were
in her home
"Take little Of this, - said, for I
saw that she was half dazed. There was
yet little whisky left in my flask, and
I handed it to her. She obeyed me like
a child and drank it.
Then I turned my attention to the
single window, which was closed with
a heavy but i'll fitting shutter, some
wandering moonbeams finding a way
through the cracks Peeping out, I
could SEQ the guerrillas dismounted be-
yond pistol shot and holding confer
ence.
"They are talking. but let 'em talk,
my dear, - said to the girl ''They
can't get us in this cabin What's neat
stout little place it is!''
really began to have a friendly feel
ing toward her We had been through
so many dangers together, and besides
she was my prisoner. It is much easier
for the conqueror to be generous to the
conquered than for the conquered to be-
generous to the conqueror
She did not reply either to my words
or my manner Her cheeks, which had;
been so white before, were family
flushed with pink, but could not tell
whether it was the fire or not. She
seemed to me to be in state Of collapse,
natural to a girl, even the strongest and.
bravest, after SO much
''Now set the table for US, % said
'.We must eat little after our long,,
hard ride, for we will need our strength.
See if you can't find candle in that
cupboard. And, here, take my bundle
and get out the food. %
1 handed her the wallet Of bread and.
meat which I had snatched from Old
Puts back almost with the same mo-
ton with which I had swept off his
bride. She took it, drew the rough pine
table to the center Of the room and
spread the food upon it. Then, sure
enough, she found in the cupboard
piece Of old tallow candle, which she
lighted and stuck in the middle Of the
table. These simple household duties.
seemed to revive her. Her eyes bright
ened, her color came back, and her first.
thought was half to defend, half to-
apologize, for her previous collapse
~ was tired merely she said. "L
did not lose courage. Don't think that
I'm an English girl.
.sI never said you lost courage, re-
piled ~ think that you have borne
yourself bravely. almost as well as am
American girl would have done in the
same situation I"
"Show me the one who would have
done better" she said with a snap Of
the eye
But that was manifestly impossible.
at the time, and made no such at
tempt
1.-THE table is ready. and we wait only
for the army to take a seat and enjoy
ITSELF she said in light tone