The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-12-11

den cat. l heah mas'r talkin bout
stutional libe'ty. Wha's de use O. stu.
tional libe'ty when de oder man got he
hand on yo' collar|
heard no more, for l was conducted
out to the gallery Just as / started
down the walk Ethel appeared, with
curious eyes, and | paused to AXE her
up and give her parting kiss. l cast
a glance at Helen. There was intense
interest In her face, but among SC
many emotions l could not discover
which predominated. l went with the
soldiers down to the gate, where
found my horse, and. mounting, a cav
alryman ON each side Of me, rode away
with the troop.
We proceeded up the pike for short
distance, then, crossing the railroad
track, struck road which bent to the
east.
Captain" 1 said, II don't like the
direction you are going. If your III
tentions were not murderous, you
would take me to Huntsville and exam
Inc into the charge against me. 1t ap
pears that you are taking me into the
country to dispose of me-"
II am on my way to Join my squad
ron near Brownsborough, sir, where
yo' will have an opportunity to face
yo'r accuser. If yo' are innocent, YOU
have no trouble. Yo' can enlist In my
company"
"Thank you. Do l look like man
who would go begging for commits
sionY
II beg yo'r pardon, sir" And he lift
ed his hat apologetically.
l had retained my GOODNESS thus far
but 1 confess did not like the situa
ton. AS a southern man, used t.
southern people, l felt certain conf
dence, yet If 1t were known that l was
a Union officer / would be put out OF
the way without benefit of clergy
Who was the man who had Informed
against me? What did he know? The
more / thought about 1t the more In.
tense became my anxiety. Suddenly
looked up and saw white tents.
knew at once by the looks Of the camp
that 1t contained one or two companies
Of cavalry. There was railroad bridge
near by, crossing what | knew to be
Flint river, and judged that the cav
airy was guarding this bridge.
l had forgotten my unlucky wound
and was intent on the camp when,
passing under Oyerhanging branches,
stiff bough scraped my arm, and !
felt at once that it had been injured. !
told the captain of my fears, and we
halted to make an examination. TAX
ing off my coat, there, as l expected,
was stain of fresh blood on my shirt
sleeve.
you needn't trouble yourself to muir
der me-" / remarked. '"That wound Is
better enemy than all my others to-
gether."
The captain cast glances about him
for house. He had no intention of
numbering me or being party indi-
rectly to my death. While he was
making a survey of the surrounding
country I was twisting my handker-
chief above the wound.
"Can you get to that plantation?' he
asked.
/ looked up and saw large manor
house about half mile distant, with
its thanking rows Of negro huts.
II can try it."
We mounted and rode on and In a
few minutes passed into the gateway
between imposing stone posts, proceed
ing by winding way to the house.
was glad to dismount and get inside
the spacious hall out of the sun. There
l sat down on an old fashioned hair
cloth mahogany sofa.
A number of white and negro chill
dreG, who were playing together as
contentedly as IL the pickaninnies were
not the property Of their fair skinned
playmates, stood gaping at me. A slim
man with determined mouth, at the
corners Of which were marks OF to-
bacco juice-he turned out to be an
overseer-an equally thin elderly wo-
man. whom / had heard addressed as