The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-14
CHAPTER III.
A DEFINITE OBJECT.

Enclosure"
This was my complaint as j paced my
room one morning shortly after the ac-
cidental reopening OF my wound. My i'm
patience was not without cause. / had
gone south. as I have said, with two op-
Ject-to ind my enemy and TO gather In
formation. i had failed In finding my
enemy but had gained complete knowl-
edge OF the points essentiol 10 the
capture OF north Alabama and
was carrying II to the general on the day
! was shot. Ii had occurred 10 me be-
fore setting out that, after finishing my
military mission, / might still wish TO
continue my search for my enemy. Be-
sides, there were other contingencies,
such as arrest or illness. which needed
TO be provided for. I had therefore ar
ranged that the generals favor.te scout
should be at Huntsville on the morning
OF the LIST of April TO receive any com
munication I might find II necessary 10
transmit II / were prevented from meet
ing him, / was TO send messenger and
had devised code of signals by which
he must be recognized The appointed
day was drawing near,I was not able 20
keep my appointment and there was no
one at hand to whom 1 could intrust the
message.
/ cbafed till had exhausted my small
store OF strength. then threw myself on
my couch. Little Ethel came I'm and, like
a soft ray OF sunlight breaking through
stormclouds, turned my thoughts into
gentler channels. She held In her hand
d bouquet OF flowers which. IL was easy
90 see, she intended for me. but needed
encouragement TO offer. finally induced
her To do so and 10 admit that she had
been out n long while looking for them
for me especially. / tried TO unloosen her
tongue, TO induce her to confide In me,
but In spite OF all could do she remained
nd I'll ha a wv
she had shown before OF one who had
taken a life.
why do you look at me In that way7"
i asked.
sho 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 These are
wartimes There are a great many soldiers
in the land who think nothing OF kill
ing one another"
Don't they?" She raised her eyes wide
open with surprise.
''Of course war Is cruel-but IL cans
out much that Is noble"
when they kill each other?"
What puzZling questions TO come from
such untutored lipsl / was casting about
for some explanatory reply when a sud-
den interruption relieved my embarrass-
ment A negro boy dashed into the room
was followed by the white boy ! had no.
ticed on the day of my arrival. who WAS
screaming:
"Doggone yo. Zac: I'll break every
bone I'm yo' consarned black bodyl"
The words we're scarcely out when ne
shot through the door by which the fusi-
tive had vanished. Little Ethel looked
after him with frightened eyes, evidently
dreading a catastrophe.
"Who's that?" | asked
Buck"
Your brother7"
Yes"
Don't be alarmed. That's only a boys
passion. 1t won't amount to anything"
'He says such dreadful words"
That's habit. He doesn't mean any
thing by 1t. But it's a habit that should
be broken"
i soon got her quieted. and she prattled
about her dolls. her playhouses. some pet
rabbits and a nook I'm the garden where
she kept them. How singular that war.
which absorbed all about her, should have
no place In her mind Amid all the tur-
moil, the rumbling of cannon. the tramp
OF men and horses. bushwhacking. skir-
mishing. battels, this innocent little maid
was strangely out OF place. Her mother
came In presently and took her away.
fearing that she would annoy me. I was
loath TO part with her. No healing balm
ing, so grateful, as was her prattle 10
my fevered brain and chilled heart
They had scarcely left me when Buck
stalked into the room. his boyish face as
free from passion as IL he had never been
ruffled. He had made several attempts 10
visit me. notwithstanding that he had
been forbidden the room. Seeing the coast
clear. he slipped in unannounced and be-
gan a fire OF questions.
Does Il hurt?"
My arm? Yes II hurts some
I'm glad yo' plunked him"
why do you sympathize with me in
stead OF the other? You have only seen
me a few times"
This was too much for him 10 explain.
! could see that he had conceived an
admiration for me. but he could not tell
why
what did he try TO kill yo fo'1" he
asked.
"wen. perhaps II was because my ex-
1stence annoyed him"
What did yo want TO kill him fo'?''
II found Il inconvenient 10 have him
shooting at me-"
''Id like 20 shoot a man. shot rab-
bit once, but that's purity small game.
Pop. he won't let me have a gun yet. He
Gays I may have one when I'm l6."
Buck" called a voice from the hall
The boy dropped behind a sofa. An old
negro woman entered and looked around.
'Yo', Buck Yo hidin' somwharl Yo'
maw'll spank yo' sho' ef she cotch yo'
hyar troublin the gemmlen. Come out
O. dari knows whar yo' air.
i was about 20 Interfere hut a natural
distaste at giving away fellow creature
caused me 10 desist.
II thought hearn dat chile talkin -
The woman stood still a moment. but.
hearing no sound. numbered out OF the
room The boy popped up from his hiding
place as soon as she had gone
u like yo'," were the first words ne ut
tered ''Yo' wouldn't tell on feller.
would yo'7"
How could when you are glad I
'plunked' my enemy? IL that your NAM
N.Y."
Yes: that's LIB"
'Nursed YOU from baby7"
Yes. an she reckOns she's goin' 20
nurse me all my life"
lis your name Buckingham"
Buckingham No: l Amt got any such
doggone name as that, my names Buck
eye"
How did you happen to get that
namef"
"'cause was borned thar"
"Where7"
I'm Buckeye"