The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-01-04

AS the cook piled the irons with frag-
ments of chicken, .Annc's eyes, through
the back door and window. took i'm the
situation. Full IL dozen troopers were
grouped there, stretched luHiiy i'm the
sun, their horses hobblcd and cropping
grass eagerly in a widening half circle.
The quarters were OH the farther side,
out of sight from the kitchcu. Seeing.
she badc Aunt Duph' lay more OF the
chicken OH the racks and herself fed
the fire till its heat Scorchcd hCi checks.
"Clar ter goodness, Mis- Anne yo'
got nun dar TO fo'ty, Std o. fo'!'
"IIush!' Anne commanded. Go and
ley one of the tables i'll the milk room"
Tho ncgrCss raised her hands.
"Wid all dem soicrS out dar? Honey,
dec jcs' split my haid wide opn!'
"Do as | tell YOU" said Anne. They
won't hurt You. Make no noise, and
come back quickly"
Tho old woman made lcr way Gin
gerly past the groups across 'hc yard.
'Mis' Anne" she said as She came
back, all her teeth cleaning, "onc oh
dem Britishcrs call to me jCs lal folks.
Hopes yo' got sumpin' good fo' us, too
auntic,' he say. Lawd, honey, | rcck'n
dcc's pow'fu hongry ter smell dis
yerc."
Anne heapcd great platter high
from the dripping grids and tlankcd it
with n pyramid of corn bread.
Now, Aunt Daph," she breathcd OK
ctcdly, "takc this. Hold ii high and
fall not on the steps. When YOU come
m hn mi Jni M tn toll l,n
soldiers that the colonel i'm here says
they are all to have their breakfast ut
once. DO you understands
"Yas'm. Yas'm. But dis yerc chicl'n's
er heap too good fo dem low down
nosln' debblcs!
Anne watched her through The door in
a quiver of apprehension. Would they
so? She prayed frantically That they
would smell that savory odor. She
heard the laugh of the officers in the
next room and above it the tones of the
cook outside, now scOrnfully belligCr-
ent:
''YOrc cun'l in dar say yo' is ter cat
dis ycrc up mighty quick cr yo' don
git nuttin' tall"
There was q murmur among tie
Then they succumhed before that deli
cate aroma, and while Ammo held her
breath the last guard had overcome his
scruplcs and vanished into the milk
room.
She did not wait an instant, but slim
ped out hatlcss and was away like II
fash to the outer ring of horses Her
eye picked the speedest With tho UNI
erring Judgment of the born horscwum-
an. She leapcd to his back, took the
yard paling and flew across the soft
loan field to the highroad.
When Lieutenant Colonel Banistrc
Tarlcton entered the kitchen smilngly
to see why breakfast delayed lie found
the room empty, and sounds from the
outhousc told him the rest The pctu-
liant Tipped lad became instantly rag
ing demoniac, ana the crestfallcn men
tumbled out mounting with speed in
creased by threats and rcvilings.
A sight of the horseless trooper sent
the leaders passion lcaping 10 knowl-
edge. "'Tis the girl!' he cried. "The
deuce! She's off to warn them"
And his curses suddenly mixed them.
selves with steel sharp orders.
Mrs. Walker wrumg her hands as the
last trooper galloped off after tho rest
OH horse impressed from the stables.
"God grant they don't catch herw nc
prayed.
As Anne sped along the curving
stretch of road over the low hill spurs
she leaned to the horses name. crying