The Washington times., 1911-05-29
THE VINTAG
BIZ JOSEPH STARTS
Copyright 1911, The Frank A. Munsey Company.


a horse. There was loud, frightened
God of my faith!'' the Jew murmured
under his breath, leaping back and half
inclined to run. "Whoa-whoa,-keep
quiet"
Then, forming an erroneous notion
which way the stalls faced, he began
TO feel toward the opposite wall. Loose
straw shaken from the NOW was heaped
on the foor. and his feet rustled loudly
which lay across his path. STOPPING
down, he ran his fingers lightly and
anXiousiy over the obstacle.
II was mans bandaged leg.
SLIDER Strengthened up, and for a mo-
ment stood as if struck to stone. That
teverish imagination of his conjured up
all sorts of incredibly cunning foes
around him in the dark. But the first
ungovernable fear having subsidized, he
reasoned 1t could only be one of the ne
groes who may have fallen asleep in the
hay. He began stealtbily to retrace his
steps.
At that, however. the indistinct form
stirred, rolled over on the rustling straw
with fearful yawn, and sat up.
II didn't see you boy" faltered Sill
Der, breathing silent prayer that the
awakened sleeper might relapse into
slumber or fall dead at once.
WAS that you done kicked my busted
prop, stranger" drawled a drowsy,
good-natured voice in broad mountain
eer dialect.
Yes, yes, my friend" replied the Jew.
his tones like velvet. IT am sorry"
''Durn if it didn't yank me out of
meal of greens and hog meat, with
few molarses poured onto it!'
SLIDER remembered, then, that at the
time the negroes began singing he had
observed crippled private soldier in
ragged artillery uniform hobbling up
the road from Gaines Mill in the twi-
light. Presumably the man had turned
in at the barn to sleep. There were so
many disabled soldiers going about the
country, it was so common a thing for
one to seek nights shelter that he had
scarcely noticed the incident; but re-
calling ii, he felt relieved.
Il just came out to see If my horse
was properly Uttered" said he.
Hoses all bedded down, stranger"
drawled the soldier, yawning again pro-
digiously.
Yes, my friend. I see they have
been" The Jew once more attempted
to move away.
But if you air Iookin' for more straw.
you en- have some O. this hyah.
reckon it's free"
As though an abyss gaped, SLIDER
withdrew his foot from the doorway,
trembling Over his shoulder he peered
backward into the dark at the invisible
speaker. Then he turned to the speak
er.
Many thanks" In spite of all efforts
Of will, his voice quavered. 1T seems
only the horses get enough to eat now,
but the war must end some time" He
stopped, swallowed lump in his throat,
and repeated: The war must end"
A moment elapsed in which the Jew
suffered a torment OF dread. He could
make out that the soldier was drawing
up his lame leg to a more comfortable
position. At last the broad noun
taineers words sounded.
You air shore enough right, stranger.
But she won't, you bet till we-uns is
free"
''Thirty-threew cried the Jew in a
stammerinS whisper.
"Seventy-seven," came back the ans
wer, low and intense.
Up from the muck and squalor OF the
floor there rose into the white streak or
moonlight a splendid head framed by
dense shadow. SLIDER saw II for mo-
ment, clear before him, a stern face,
high Indomitable. with shining eyes.
To him, in the midss of his despair. ire
rising Of this dauntIess' head seemed q
vision of the North exalted from lowly
things to forge a new nation out OF
chaos He sprang forward in the dark
till he found the others hand. and
chung to it.
Captain Grigg! Oh my God! Ae last!
At last. This is lie water in a desert to
me! My gracious. but 1 was getting
lonely
IT'S no social game" Grisg replied.
Did you get the ring?"
Good heavens! But who is the man
that calls himself Frenau?"
Fireman.? Is that his name? Didn't
he tell you how he came by the ring?'
"Ah, yes. He said man had seen me
drop it this morning at Gaines MIL and
had asked him to deliver it to me-"
IF you had taken the hint, you'd have
looked for me up the road and avoided
danger Now we're in for it"
Fool that I was! 1 thought I was
betrayed
we are" said Grigg. Come back
here and look
Drawing the Jew to the rear wall, he
whispered to him to put his eye to a
knot-hOle.
Behind the stable a thick growth of
saplings and underbrush covered the
ground to within a few yards of the
building Along the edge Of the brush
the moonlight fell clear. but in its
depths the shadows lay impenetrably
black.