The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-10-15

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own distress in her desire to console
and inspirit those budding hearts
upon which the first rude wind o
trouble was blowing.
It.was while she was using her bes
endeavors to distract their attention
from the subject Of the war that the
carriage suddenly stopped, aud SHE
heard some one speaking to the coach
man in sharp, nasal voice.
"Kem all the way fom town, hey
ye?" the man was saying. ''An' wat
air folks a-doin' up thar'?"
81 cayn' say, seh," answered the
coachman, whose English was Of the
thin, mincing, creole kind. 81 cayn'
say vat zey do.''
An who yc got inter the ear'ge
thar'?"
81 hev' re madame an ze
ma a'm'zelles, sen"
"Oh, weemins. cir they? An whar
air ye a-takinS' 'em to-"
"To re plantaseeon, seh."
"What pertic'ler plantation air ye
a-taking 'em to-"
1T ecs Mess'u Vernon's seh."
"Hamph! Let me take er squin'
inter thet air vehicle.
Mrs. Vernon recoiled from the wiz
encd, wrinkled old face that was inst
then thrust close to the carriage win
dow. Mademoiselle de Sezannes
screamed shrilly.
"Beg parding, weeming, beg yer
marciful parlingw exclaimed the
queer looking old fellow, touching
his coon skin cap. Don't ye be
uneasy or afeard; Enos Peevy amt
agoin' to do ye no harm"
He shifted the long, heavy rifle by
a quick, deft movement, so es to let it
rest moro easily in the hollow of his
bony shoulder, at the same time a
huge quid of tobacco was rolled from
one side of his mouth to the other.
ooh, no, no, weeming folks, I air
your friend; don't ye git sceert. Hit
air my jooty, ye know, bein' scout
fer Gineral Jackson, ter kinder squiut
inter car'ges an things ter see watts
in 'em; bat I don't hurt nobody nor
nothin'."
He looked very kindly into the faces
OF the ladies and chewed his tobacco
with great complacency.
Mademoiselle dc Sezannes began
to speak volubly to him in French !;
but he only grinned and scratched his
head
CT amt no use a-fingin' thet air
sort er stuff at me, young oman. Up
in Tennessee We jes' talks thet same
old language wat we allus did"
"You say you are scouting for jack.
SOM" suavely inquired Mrs. Vernon,
merely to collect herself.
"Yas, mum; the Gin'ral an me
runs together. Wharsomcver ye fin
him yell stagger on to me pooty clost
'roun' thar. He calls me Ole Eyes;
but my name air nothin but Euos
Peevy."
'"fhank you, sir. Good morning.
Drive on, Catulle." Mrs. Vernon
smiled and bowed to the man as gra-
ciously as if he had been courtier.
The coachman, obedient to the or
der of his mistress, started the horses
on at brisk gait.
"What queer person." exclaimed
Mademoiselle de Sezaunes, when they
were we'll away from the spot. 'Ten-
nessee must be strange country If it
is inhabited by that sort of people"
"But he had kind face and an en-
gaging way despite his odd dress and
comical dialect" said Mrs. Vernon,
land should be ready to trust him at
a time of danger
"Oh, but he's hideously ugly"
"No, not ugly, my dear; only out
landish- looking. L noted his features
carefully and found them of almost
Grecian regularity. Old age and e1.
posure have wrinkled and bronzed
him; but he hos clear, honest eyes
and good face, on the whole"
Mrs. Vernon urged the discussion
in order to draw the minds of the
girls away from the recent channel OF
thought. Pauline was inclined to
side with Mademoise!le de Sezanres
and say that the scout did not strike
her as a person to be implicitly be-
lieved in. He must have had some
ulterior design in stopping the car
riage. 1t was very easy for man to
call himself 4 scout; he might be y
robber or even on English spy. Ger
tainly he had found out by most adro:t
work who they were, where they were
going and what they had in the car
riage. Perhaps be would coTs that
very night and rob them o. their
money and jewels.
TO BE CoNTINUED.l
When misfortune Jumps on you with