The Washington times., 1913-09-03

e-HE officer diSmounted from mis-
horse, and, turning him over TO
an orderly, withdrew a short dis
tance from, his prisoner. His
men having disarmed and tightly bound
The surviving guerrillas. also took ad-
vantage of the brief respite. The horses
cropped the thick grass of the yard. the
men threw themselves down under the
ed, and one or two Improved the shin
ing hour by kindling fires. Soon the
coffee-real coffee. since the Federal
troops had plenty of it-was boiling.
They had Travelled tar and were very
tired. They were a detachment of Mer-
I'itt's cavalry and had been sent scout
ing on this branch route to see IL the
Confederates were moving up the Ca
tharpin road or to discover If Lee were
moving to the right. Before Grafton
could exchange a word with Ariadne a
huge black old negress waddled on the
scene. In her wake, following meekly,
as became his subordinate station, was
her husband.
Aunt Dessy!" cried Ariadne. I'm
you were killed"
4 dess lax to see dem Yankee scala
wags lay a han on me! Dis heah
wufless niger run lax a fairfield rab-
Wen l las seed you you was a
mekin' time yo'self!" returned Aza an
grily.
Vas. but was gwine todes de house
an you was gwine way from hit! 1
WIS in de gyarden wen dey cum, Miss
Andy, or I'd been wild you"
Il know you were, Aunt Dessy."
An | was gwine fer reinfo'cements, :"
Tetorted the iman. Il seed de Yanks
was too many fer me. an EFF hit hsdn'
been for me. wha'd you-all been? Case
] fotched Marse Phil. ! des know'd he
was dar wen l runned down to de big
road. An ! fotched him."
You fOtched him. cried Aunt Dessy
contemptuously: he was heah fer mos
houl 70 YOU cum"
Il didn't had no horse" returned Aza,
but was a-movin' des as fas' as my
of ronmatiC laigs 'ud cyary me-
You both did .splendidly." said Ari-
a6ne; but Philip broke in !mpatIentIy.
Il want you 10 keep these men here
q little while" he said under his breath
TO his wife. A1adne nodded. She made
step toward the Union officer, who
was surveying the scene with much
amusement.
Sir" she began. Il should like to
show YOU some gratitude for my res
cue. Won't you let my servants make
some cunee for your men?-Only you
will have 10 furnish it; We have none
but ] think We have some cornbread
and bacon which,
Which will be very welcome, madam, -
said the young officer. And thank
you kindly
.'Dessy. you and Aza see what you
can do" said Ariadne. How many
men have you, Captain"
u started out with forty-eight but
I've lost ten by the way"
Il hab de coffee bilin' in a jiffy' ef
dey'u glib lit TO me-" said Aunt Dessy.
You. Aza go fotch de bacon an de
cohnmeal. Cum long. Lemme see IF
a-moyin' wen you was gwlne 70 help.
| reckon I'd rudder nab dat gait dan
wen you was a-comit' back"
The Union officer. after this develop
ment, walked over TO his first sergeant
Thereafter two OF the troopers mounted
and galloped down the road to look
out for a possible enemy and prevent a
syrprIse. He was a prudent captain
evidently. observed Grafton. The rest
now unsaddled their horses and made
preparat ons for a longer wait. Not
only was the officer a good soldier. but
he was a gentleman as well for there
was nothing on earth that could have
prevented him from taking everything
which the place afforded II he had been
so disposed Most soldiers, even gen.
tlemen, would not have scrupled 10 sup
ply their hungry men under the cir
cJmstances. vet the fact that this Con-
federate officer had made so gallant a
defense against the guerrillas and had
appealed to him for projection rather
put the Union officer on his meaie TO
federate had recognized In him a man
OF honor and had trusted to him, and
he was anxssus to prove that DO Was