The Savannah morning news., 1904-01-24


On" said Peg, biting her lips to smoth-
er cry, lit gives me torture like a
knife"
Your ankle" said 1, sis becoming
swollen; and that in those tight-laced
boots, let me say, should mean a tor
ment of the inquisition."
My years in the field had made me
deft of strains and bruises and, when
need pressed, even broken bones and
wounds more threatening. l straight
way knelt down before Peg and began
with care to make loose her footgear.
What a little boot it Was lone and
one-half' was the size, so Peg told me.
l slipped the boot off with mighty ten
derness and put it in the pocket of my
coat
And I'm very proud of my small
foot, Watchdog" said Peg, a smile
struggling with the lines of pain which
pinched the corners of her mouth. Yes,
l am proud of my small foot. Why
not? 1t came to me from that same
wareroom of nature where you got
your great heart and that arm of
might, and where the good General
found his honesty and his courage.
I've as much right to be proud of my
foot as you folk of those attributes of
excellence I've named"
Peg was striving to laugh down her
pain with these compliments for her
foot; 1 could tell, moreover, that she
was a far cry from success, for her
pretty argument ended in a haf-sob
| as pang more than commonly severe
crushed her poor ankle in it's wise.
Gently l chafed Pegs foot; and while
that would do little good, it served to
soothe and modify the instant agony.
Meanwhile 1 told her how I would car
ry her home in my arms so soon as
the first grief of the sprain was chafed
away.
Garry me in your arms!" cried Peg.
What else?" said 1. You can't
walk"
So, then, Peg made no more demur;
and presently, when her foot was we'll
enough, 1 lifted her and started
through the woods. 1t would be no
| more than Just carrying a child; and
| since Peg put her arm about my neck,
and helped to keep her place, my own
! arms even failed of the full burden of
| her. 1t was an easy task at any rate,
and if you will be told it, a sweet task,
too; this walk with Peg held close,
| and her hair, which had been caught
up with q comb to fall down and
/ sweep across my throat and face. l
could taste a fragrance in that hair
| like breath from the Isle of Spice
| a perfume that fair set my bosom in
a flame.
1t might have been the half of a
mile that carried Peg; however, l had
| no knowledge of it, whether for the
distance or the time, but only of a
bliss that was like a radiance, and
willingness to go on and on and
on to the worlds end.
1t was Peg herself who at last would
bring me to my senses; for I was
pressing forward as void of speculation
as a drunken man to march through the
| crowded avenues of the town, Peg
! m NV eff
ing her tight like a treasure.
Put me down, Watchdog" whis-
pered Peg. for her mouth was at the
very door of my ear, put me down. 1
cah stand well enough. Have me down,
and let us wait here until we can call
carriage 1t would be a perplexing
sight to quiet folk were you to go
striding through the streets with such
a burden"
With a sigh to end so dear a toll, l
had Peg down carefully; and there she
stood, and as she would say it, like
a chicken on one foot" 1t fell our
! luck that one of those carriages of
| public livery, whereof there was plenti-
full store in the town, drove by about
this time. 1 called to it, and placing
Peg therein, soon had her at her own
door.
II am mighty sorry for the sprain,"
said I, as / lifted Peg from the car
riage.
Are you?" quoth Peg, with an arch
ness that would almost choke the pain.
Now is that gallant of you, Watch
| dog?" Then, making a mock of my
words and manner: II am mighty
glad for the sprain. Only, could wish
my mother liver farther away I never
| knew how close she was till now"
| AS the winter wore into spring, the
talk to swell and grow was of Nulliti-
! cation. Calhoun's state of South Car
| DINA had laid aside disguise, and while
! nothing wore than speeches, with now
and then a doughty resolution, were in
dulged in, these showed ever of that
rebellious sort that waited only to be
/ turned into action to become sufficient
reason. The General sat brooding and
watching the drift; his plans of men
and rifles and ships laid like a trap,
and set to snap up in the jaws of
them the first traitor to be afoot for
that secession the Calhoun clique
would claim was each states holy
right. Altogether, the days were on a
strain, and hair turned white and folk
went pale of the cheek with the worry
of the question, How will this fer
ment end?"
The one query of most concern relat-
ed to the General. What would he do?
| To what line would his resentment
travel? Folk knew how he was against
Secession and States Rights and Multi
fication, or whatever the name might
! be wherewith Ubiquitous rebellion
pleased itself for the moment, but
would he treat these signs of politics
/ as stark treason? Would he fall back
on courts and hangmans ropes in deal
! ing with them?
No one might tell. The General,
after he made himself plain with that
! Rhetz who came to spy out his resolves,
would say no farther word. Ones in
| interest might go wrong or go right
! as for the General himself, he would
! light no more lamps.
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