Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-08-30

For a time she lay quiet again, hold
ing me tight by the shoulder; anc
gradually the strong liquor and he.
own s]elf-control checked the quie;
weeping. Thus, still lying close, she
said:
You must not carry me. IT'S toe
great a burden"
II could carry you to New York and
not know IT,"
And l OF so little consequence, sir?'
You are-you are-oh, child. child,
you know we'll what you are, n how
little the burden Of carrying you
weighs me down. Indeed, ! said Ii
somewhat bitterly, for everything was
by the ears whichever way l might
look.
For an answer, she moved a little,
turning her face up to me.
Where are we going?"
ITO the village below here, where you
can be warmed by n fire and have
some woman to care for YOU
Il need no woman TO care for me,
said she, quickly. And l am quite
satisfied now. But will it please your
h~ighness TO let me try and walk q
bit?"
Setting her down 1 held her while
she felt her own weight, and then find
ing she could indeed stand, she let me
lift her on Roger, and with one hand
on her shoulder and the other on the
good beasts neck, she o d and /
walked into the village, just as the
morning rays spread over the land.
The dear sun" said she, softly.
There II is, rs bright and clear as If
there had been no dreadful night and
she added presently, 1T seems that we
are destined to take early morning
jaunts together
l walked on in silence, still holding
her arm.
why so silent, sir? DO you not
know that my nerves need cheering up?
And yet you are SO glum as an OWL
II am thinking where | should be
now, If 1t had rot been for your cour-
age lest night"
And is your life so serious a matter
as all that?"
mo, t is not indeed. And If the
fellow had touched me, little would
have been missed from the world to-
day"
There came a heavier grip upon my
shoulder, and looking up I saw her
leaning towards me with the new sun
light Glistening or something in the
eyes that looked earnestly down at me.
''And wilt fall morosc, too, because
/ wept? Fie, how foolish! How like a
woman!" And yet Ia be sworn t was
not that those filing eyes said to me.
Mistress Deborah said !, taking
her hand from my shoulder, d you
care the least how l feel? Dost know
what | would say?"
Aye, sir, you would tell me If this
be not the very same village through
which we passed but n few days since"
Damn the village!" quoth /, softly,
in some dudgeon.
"Sakes!" cried she. at is a pretty
town. Why shouldst damn It, since we
may vet breakfast together there-you
and l, at u first meal,-you and /, the
rebel chieftain and the loyal maid!"
SO we rode on into the village, and,
stopping at the first house Of respect
able look, l went In n found a good
woman, who took Mistress Philipse and
helped her to arrange her toilet. So l
stood by the door, waiting her return,
being myself, to tell the truth, worn
out with the nights work and the eX-
lcltement of the past few hours. l stood
thus when a horseman came by from
the north.
AS he drew near, In spite Of my own
thoughts l could not forbear a smile.
For he was the most ComiCal-loOking
bit of humanity IL had been my fortune
to meet in many q day. The horse
was nearer dead than alive, lanky Of
limb, and seeming to have more corners
and angles than the famous Rosinante
Of the Spanish writer's Don Quixote-
a ferce-looking beast with long teeth
and no hair IN his tail. Yet he covered
the ground, however strange his gait.
But the rider looked as he might have
come from "a powder magazine that had
blown him sky high and dumped hin
oil shattered on the earth. He wore no
hat n his long hair stood out every
way but that which 1t was intended IT
should stand, while the poor mans
clothes were ripped and torn, and hung
IN shreds about him. One boot was
gone, and the blood stood on his brow
and cheek, dried and black. AS l say,
II could not forbear q laugh at his wild
appearance; and then 1t daWned on me
that the nan wore the shreds Of a
colonial blueCOat and cavalry uniform.
Seeing me in the doorway, he pulled
up with such a s"uddenness that the
strange beast he rode promptly sat
down. Thereupon he dlsmounted and
old Rosinate lay quietly at full length
in the road.
What in the name Of the devil have
you there. MANI" cried l.
"Ye have a colonial dress, sir" said
the poor wretch saluting, but gazing
out Of his bloodshot eyes suspiciously
Are We perChance an American Of
fcer?'
I told him /
do We, then, know aught of one
Lieutenant Balfort, Merton Balfort?"
Yes" said /, equally cautious. And
what Of him."
Il have n message for him."
Il am he"
Again he looked at me.
How am / TO know" he asked.
I thought a moment and then said
did you meet any American troops
going north some hours ago?"
Yes, sir . Cavalry, under two Of
icers."
These officers. Do you know their
names?'
Yes, sir
They were L~ieutenants Curtis and
Acton" said l, "and carried British
prisoners"
Your pardon, lieutenant" said he
humbly; and then grasped the door
He sank down on the step.
Il missed you at the fort, and came
on-the road above-I met Lieutenant
Curtis--he told me you were below al
the ferry-before l got there some hell
hound fired from the woods and killed
my horye-three OF them took me
robbed me, by God, s~ir-saving your
presence, sir-got my dispatches and
read them. and kent them-I fought