The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-08-29


For a time she lay quiet again, hold,
Ing me tight by the shoulder; and
own self-control checked the quiet
weeping. Thus, still lying close, she
said: IS
You must not carry me. IT'S too
great a burden" .',g.
II could carry you to New York and
not know it,"
And 1 of so little consequence, sir?"
You are-you are-oh, child, child,
/ o know well what you are, and how
little the burden OF carrying you
!. weighs me down." Indeed, I said it
somewhat bitterly, for everything was
by the ears whichever way 1 might
look.
For an answer, she moved a little,
turning her face up to me.
Where are we going'?" u -
T the village below here, where you
can be warmed by q 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
highness to let me try and walk a
bite"
Setting her down I held her while
she felt her own weight, and then ind
ing she could indeed stassd, she let me
lift her On Roger, and With n hand
on her shoulder M the other on the
good beasts neck, she rode and 1
walked into the village, just as the
morning rays spread over the land.
THE dear sum-" said she, softly.
There it is, as bright n clear as il
there had been no dreadful night and
she added presently, 1T seems that we
are destined to take early morning
jaunts together"
I 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"
Il am thinking where I should be
now, if it had not been for your our
age last night"
And is your life so serious a matter
as all that?"
mo, It 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
shc1llder, and looking up I saw her
leaning towards me with the new sun
light glistening or something in the
eyes shat looked earnestly down at me.
And wilt fall mOrOSe, too, because
I wept2. File, how foolish! How like q
woman!" And yet I'd be sworn It was
not that those filling eyes said to me.
Mistress Deborah" said I, taking
her hand from my shoulder, do you
care the least how I feel? Dost know
what I would say?"
Aye, sir, 0 would tell me If this
be not the very same village through
which we passed but a few days since"
Damn the village!" quoth I, softly,
in some dudgeon.
"Sakes!" cried she, "'t is a pretty
town. Why shouldst damn it, since we
may vet breakfast together there-you
and I, at our first meal,-you and T, the
rebel chieftain and the loyal maid!"
So we rode on into the village, and,
stopping at the first house of respect
able look, I went in and found a good
woman, who took Mistress Philipse and
helped her to arrange her toilet. So I
stood by the door, waiting her return,
being myself, to tell the truth, worn
out with the nights work and the ex-
element of the past few hours. I stood
thus when a horseman came by from
the north.
AS he drew near, in spite of my own
thoughts I could not forbear a smile.
For he. was the most comical-looking
bit Of humanity it had been my fortune
to meet in many a day. The horse
was nearer dead than alive, lanky of
limb, and seeming to have more r
and angles than the famous Rosinante
Of the Spanish writer's Don Quixote-
a fierce-looking beast with long teeth
and no hair in his tail. Yet he covered
the ground, however strange his gait.
sui the rider looked as he might have
come from a powder magazine h a had
blown him sky high and DUMPED him
all shattered on the earth. He wore nc
hat and his long hair stood out every
way but that which it was intended ii
should stand, while the Door mans
clothes were ripped and torn, n hung
81 T. l-.,4 ls~o 10 l~o .-o-
gone, and the blood stood ON his brow
and cheek, dried and black. AS I say,
I could not forbear a laugh at his wild
appearance: and then it dawned On me
that the nan wore the shreds of a
colonial bluecoat n cavalry uniform
Seeing me IN the doorway, he pulled
UP with such a suddenness hat the
strange beast he rode promptly sat
3down. Thereupon he ~dismounted and
l5old Rosinate lay quietly at full length
in the road. .l
What in. the name Of the devil have
you there. man." cried I. -
"Ye nave a colonial dress, sir" said
the poor wretch saluting, but gazing
out Of his bloodshot eyes suspiciously
Are We %perchance an American Of
fcer?' 9 .. ~
/ told him I was. sa
do We, then, know aught Of one
| A|bA"SA SN-A1s .
Yes" said 1, equally cautious. AND
what of him?"
II have a message for him."
Il am he" - Z
Again he locked at me.
How am I TO know" he asked.
T. I thought a moment and then said:
ibid you meet any American troops
going north some hours ago."
Yes, sir Cavalry, under two of
fcers."
These officers. Do you know thei,
names?"
Eyes, sir"
,"They were Lieutenants Curtis and
Acton" said I, and carried British
prisoners"
Your pardon, lieutenant" said he
hun1bly: and then grasped the door
He sank down on the step.
II missed 0 at the fort, and came
j on-the road above-I met Lieutenant
tCurtis-=he told me you were below al
the ~ferry-before I got there some hell
hound fired from the woods and killed
my horse--three Of them took me-
robbed me, by God, sir-saving YOU
presence, sir--got my dispatches and
81 - = b y -, ~ vi arttct u a fo,1crbj