The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-01
cHAPTEo XVI.
Mr.. Sanders Visits Some of His old
Friends,

! Friends.
Mr.. Sanders is now supposed TO
be on his way to Savannah on the same
train with cephas and Captain Falcon
er. Nevertheless, it is necessary to give
further account of his movements be-
fore he started on the journey that was
to prove to be such an important event
in Gabriel's career.
On the third morning after the arrest
of the young men, Mrs. Lumsden ex-
pressed a desire to see Mr.. Sanders, but
he was nowhere to be found. As mat
ter of fact Mr.. Sanders had gone to bed
early the night before, but a little after
midnight he awoke with a start He had
had a dream, he had heard no noise; yet
he had suddenly come out of a sound
and refreshing sleep with every faculty
alert He struck a match, and looked
at his watch. 1t was a quarter to one
He put on his clothes in hurry, and
went out to the stables, where he gave
his horse a good feed-seventeen ears of
corn and two bundles of fodder.
Then he returned to the house, and
rummaged around until he found a
bread, which he disposed of delib-
erately, and with great relish. This
done, he changed his clothes substitute
ing for those he wore every day the suit
he wore on Sundays and holidays. When
all these preparations were complete, the
hands of his watch stood at quarter past
three.
To bride and saddle the horse was a
matter of few moments only, and when
Mr. Sanders mounted the spirited horse
was so evidently in for a frolic that he
was going at three minute gait by the
time the rider had thrown leg over
the saddle.
horseback ride, when the weather
is fine and the sun is shining, Is a very
pleasing experience, but 1t Is not to be
compared to a ride In the dark. provid-
ed you are on good terms with your
horse, and are familiar with the coun-
try There is no other feeling like it,
no other pleasure to be compared to it,
all the rest smell of the earth.
The sun was just rising when Mr..
Sanders rode into Halcyondale. Coinci-
dent with his arrival the train from
Atlanta came in with tremendous clat-
ter. 1t paused just long enough for the
mailbag and a trunk to be thrown off
with a bang and then 1t went putting
away Short as the pause had been, one
of the passengers, In the person of Col
onel Bolivar Basengame, had managed
to escape from 1t. The colonel, with his
valise in his hand, paused to watch the
train out of sight, and then leisurely
made his way toward his home. AS he
emerged from the side street leading to
the station, he met Mr.. Sanders, who
had been watching the train.
Hello, Colonel, how are you? We be-
lam nm m hn ~ u.
ciety"
"Good-morning, Mr.. Sanders" replied
the colonel, with a smile OF friendly well
come. What wind has blown you over
here?'
"Why, 1 want to see Major Perdue.
You know we have had trouble In our
settlement"
And you want to see Tomln because
you have had trouble: but why Is 1t,
Mr.. Sanders, that your people never
think of me when you have trouble? Am
l losing caste in your community"
I well you know, colonel you haven't
been over sence the year one; an then
the major is kinder kin to one of the
chaps that's been took off,"
EXACTLY; but did Ii ever occur to you
that whoever Is kin to Tomin is a little
kin to me-, remarked the colonel.
"Tomlln is my brother-in-law- But
where are you going now?'
We'll. l thought l would go to the
tavern, have my boss put up an fed, git
a snack of somethin' to eat, an then
call on the major"
You hadn't heard, I reckon, that the
tavern Is closed, and the livery stable
broke up" said the colonel, by way of
giving the visitor some useful Informal
ton.
Then, what In the world will l do?"
Mr. Sanders asked with a laugh. He
was perfectly familiar with the tactics
of the colonel.
''Well, there wasn't any smallpox or
measles at my house when L left day be-
fore yesterday. Suppose we go there,
and see If there's anything the matter
If the stable hasn't blown away or
burned down, maybe you'll find a place
for your horse, and then we can scuffle
around maybe, and find something to
eat
Mr.. Sanders turned his horses head in
the direction that Colonel Blasengame
was going, and when they arrived at his
home, he stopped at the gate. Mr..
Sanders" he said, taking out his watch.
"Ill bet you two dollars and half to q
horn button that breakfast will be ready
in ten minutes. and that everything will
be fixed as IL company were expected
And 1t was true. BY the time the
horse had been put in the stable and
fed, breakfast was ready, and when Mr..
Sanders was ushered into the room, Mrs.
Blasengame was sitting In her place at
the table pouring out coffee. She was a
frail little woman, but her eyes were
bright with energy and she greeted the
unexpected guest as cordially as If he had
come on her express invitation.
What did you accomplish she ask
ed her husband, after Mr. Sanders, as in
duty bound. had praised the coffee and
the biscuit, and the meal was well under
way.
Nothing, honey; not a thing In the
world | thought the boys had been car
rled to Atlanta, but they are at Fort
Pulaski"
The curiosity of Mr.. Sanders was
aroused.
What boys was you referrin' to. col
onel?" he asked.
Il don't like to tell you, Mr.. Sanders"
replied Colonel Blasengame, but If youll
take no offence. I'll say that the boys
are from a little one-horse country set
Element called Shady Dale, place where