Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-11-02

total darkness as to make any move
ment a dangerous operation. / felt
the clasp of my companions hand
tighten, and knew that her whole form
was trembling from intense excite
ment.
DO not permit the darkness to
alarm you" whispered softly, bend
Ing down as 1 spoke until l could
feel her quick BREATHING against my
cheek. "Our visitors are not likely to
remain longer than will be necessary
to get something to eat. They need
never suspect our presence, and all
we have to do is to wait patiently
until they move on. only wish I
could discover something upon which
you might sit down"
Pray do not think me a coward"
she answered, "but l have heard of
this man Lowrie in the Federal camps.
and would rather die than fall into
his hands,"
had heard of him also, and Of his
outrageous treatment of women. The
memory caused me to clasp my hand
warmly over hers, and set my teeth
hard.
1T may not prove to be Lowrie at
all" l said soberly: "but all these
gentry are pretty NUN alike, 1 fear.
However, promise that you shall
never fall alive into the hands of any
Of their breed"
Before she could answer me other
than by slight nesting closer in the
darkness. Bungay whispered: This
we're hole, Cap. leads down ter the
right, an comes out in sort O. gully
bout a hundred feet back. Thar's
light 'nough ter see ter walk by alter
We turn the corner, bout twenty
feet er so. You uns kin go on down
thar If ye'd rather, follerin' Their dorgs,
but l reckon as how I'll stay right
yere an sorter see how Their OIL woman
comes out
Where, where was Roderick then?
One blast upon his bngle horn
Were worth thousands men,
II you uns like ter see burned good
fight maybe ye better stay tew-ther
OF woman is pisen If she once gifts her
dander up"
His voice was expressive of great
expectations, and had reason to be-
lieve his faith in Maria would be
justified. Before any Of US, however,
had time to change our positions we
heard the fellows come stamping
roughly into the cabin. The thin slabs
which divided us scarcely muffled
their loud voices.
We'll, old woman" exclaimed one in
voice so gruff as to seem almost as
sumed. pretending to be alone, are
you. with all those dishes sitting out
on the table; Just been eaten off. too.
Have MT seen no strange party along
the road this morning. have YET"
Nary one." said Maria, and I
Knew from her voice she was standing
close beside the fireplace.
Are you Mrs. Bungay7"
Il reckon am, If It's any O. yer
business"
Don't git nifty. old woman, or we're
liable to give you a lesson in polite
ness before we leave" The leader
dropped the butt of his gun with
crash on the floor Where is the lit
tie sneak. anyhowr"
What do you want of him?
Want him to go long with US;
we're hunting some parties, and need
guide. They tor US up the road a
bit he knew every inch o. these yere
mountings."
There was a pause. as if Maria was
endeavoring to decide as to the hon
esty of the speaker Her final answer
proved the mental survey had not
proven satisfactory
wal. reckon" she said calmly,
"as you uns IL be more likely ter
find him down bout Connersville."
Then whut's all these yere dirty
dishes doing on the tablet"
He'd sum Yankee officers yere: they
just rode on down Their trail as you
uns cum up"
Like HE'LL" calculated the fellow
with complete loss Of temper. See
here. old woman, we're too old birds
to be caught with any such chaff.
we IL taho IOOk around the OlQ Sno-
bang anyhow. and while we're at 1t
you put something on the table for me
and my mates to eat"
The voice and manner were rough.
but was impressed with certain &C.
cent creeping into the mans speech
bespeaking education. More, in spite
of an apparent effort to make 1t 30, his
dialect was not that OF those noun
tains.
Even as he uttered these last words,
throwing into them threat more in
tho tone than the language, l became
aware Of thin ray of light pene-
erating the seemingly solid wall Just
b front Of me. and bending silently
Forward could dimly distinguish the
elliptical head of Bungay as he applied
pns eye to small opening he had
ndustriously made between the logs.
t3fasping Mrs. Brennan firmly by the
hand 80 that we should not become
separated, crept across the interven-
Ing blackness, and reached his side.
"Holy smoke. Cap" the little man