The Washington times., 1933-12-09
= By Robert w. Chambers

ernment, and you may yet ruin
General Stuart and a whole di-
vision Of our very best cavalry
/ have no personal animosity
against you. ma'am. You are
young. and fair to the eye
he smiled family at her dark
stained skin-"and it's natural
for any man to admire YOU
even when you are in Negro
disguise. But with all that,
ma'am. you surely ought to die
because the safety OF my gov
ernment is in danger as long as
you remain alive. Now, ma am,
you may shoot, if it's got to be
that way with you and me-"
She knew it was not to be
that way.
At the point Of her pistol she
made him get up, drove him a
little way into the laurel and
bade him stand there. Then
she removed the bride from
his dead horse. and with this,
pistol in hand and her long
knife clutched betw cen her
teeth, she secured his elbows
and wrists behind his back.
Now she forced him to pre-
cede her up through the rock
guarded portal to where the
three horses were tied. Her
saddle and bride she trans
ferred to Skylark; then she tried
to get Chancellor onto Yellow
Bobs back. But with his hancs
fastened behind his back ne
couldn't mount the animal.
IF you'll give me your parole"
she said breathlessly, "In trust
you. Will you?"
why should I, rna'am? II
you don't shoot me, Averel will
hang me-"
Confession
"You know I can't murder
you!" she cried with a sob in
her voice. II can't get you onto
a horse with your wrists tied up.
I'm afraid to unite You. I'm
afraid to kill you. 1'm-I'm
afraid of you, anyway. Will
you let me alone if I let you
alone?" she sobbed. "I'll give
you yellow Bob's horse II you'll
60 away! Will you?
He looked hard at her:
ma am. are you truly afraid OF
me?"
eyes, am. guess I'm a
coward"
"Ma'am," he said, ~you have
more courage than any woman
ever knew. And most men
90. You may unite my hands,
ma'am. I give you my parole"
She went to him instantly
and unbuckled the bride that
confined his wrists and elbows.
He lifted his big swollen hands
and looked at them curiously.
He was still stretching the ach-
ing fingers when. a horseman
with a bandaged face trotted
up, caught sight of him, called
to him, scrambled out of his
saddle and came running up
the road leading a stumbling
horse.
And found himself with his
nose almost touching a leveled
pistol ClutChed in the steady
fist of a ragged Negro lad.
"You drop that bride and
put up your hands, Captain
Gailliard," cried Operator 13
excitedly, cor Ill shoot you all
into little pieces this time!"
Good God, Lucille" he
gasped in an amaZement almost
comic, don't do a thing like
that to mel"
will you let me alone, them"
she C':ed tremulously.
Let you alone? l should say
I would. Please be careful with
that horse. pistol"
"Do-do you surrender?" she
sta4nmered fiercely.
What kind of dirty business
is all this, Vespasian? he de-
manded hoarsely.
Chancellor eyes narrowed.
II reckon, sub, you don't aim
to cast any reflection on me
when you ask that question?
"But-good God!"
"Yaas. sub, that's my onlieSt
prayer, too; may God be good
to us in this hour, Captain Gail
lard" Very slowly he extracted
from his homespun pants pocket
a section of Virginia twist. bit
off a portion. savored it reflec-
tiyely. "YaaS, sub, captain" he
draWled. Il reckon we both be-
long to this young lady, now.
Eff yuh jump she'll kill yuh. Eff
yuh speak softly yuh can step
out O. this world of trouble,
cam an polite, in \ sunset
square O. Yankee cavalry. All
depends on how yuh want things
fixed. Suh."
An intense silence. The pistol
muzzle always steady. Gaillard's
fascinated eyes on it; then on
the girl who owned it.
Then the boy sighed: Very
we'll. ma'am; you may have my
word of honor"
II want your parole, Also"
she insisted.
He looked miserably at Chan
cellor, who shrugged. II gave
the young lady my parole" he
said pleasantly.
"All right" exclaimed the