Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

"Heaps de mattah, Miss Sunshix heaps. I dan met np wid mo' dan fo' bushels o' trubble! I'ze news fur yo' 44 You-yon met some one who to yon about Mr. Kenton?0 "Fur shore! Dat Cap'an Wyle lie yo'! Mars Kenton he dun git aw; arter dat battle, 'long wid Steve Bra toa." "Thank God!" she whispered as s) raised her clasped hands to the brig! stars in the winter sky. "But dar's trubble, Miss Sunshine heaps o' trubble! Dey was tryin to g ober yere when some gorillas reckon? . dey was Yankee spies an dun short* Mars Kenton, fie hain't dead, but he bad hurt, an he's lyin in the bresh a rocka down yere 'bout a mile. I mi dat Steve Brayton, an he dun tole nc allTwotit." "Royal Kenton wounded-badly hu: and lying in the brash this winter night!" moaned Marian as she grasps Uncle Ben hy the arm. "Hist dar!" he cautioned. "W mustn't woke up de missus or dat Bas ter woman. Now, den, yo' be brav? Yo's got to be! Steve Brayton he du said I was to bring back blankets a bandages ansunthin to eat. We mus step around mighty softly an pick 'er up!" 44And I will go back with you! Go grant that his life may te spared!" "Hush, chile! Yo' can't go wid m tonight, but tom orrer. Bat's what Stev Brayton dun said. When I git bac dar, 111 see Mars Kenton wid my ow. eyes, an I'll tell him all 'bout yo, a: FU stay right dar all night an nus him." "Ob, Uncle Ben, but I feel that must go to him" "Hush! Yo' jess git all dem fing what I spoke of packed up fur me a quick as yo' kin an let me go back! I yo' want dem gorillas to finish Mar Kenton, yo' jest make a foss so da Mrs. Baxter will open dem big ears o bern an find Out de news!" CHAPTER XXTTT. As was stated in a previous chapter Captain Wyle's company, along witl Others, had been returned to the valle; and placed under the orders of Genera Im boden. Ike Baxter and the other captured at Kernstown had rejoined tb? company when exchanged. Ike fell more than ever that Royal Kenton wai an enemy he must get rid of, and Cap tain Wyle encouraged this feeling ir various ways, though never openly anc directly committing himself. On twc occasions Ike had been granted leave ol ?bsence to visit his wife. Both times he had met her secretly. The spirit which animated this hum? ble twain will surprise only those whc have never encountered the "pooi whites" of the south. Nine out of ten of the bloody and long continued feuds we read of in southern communities begin among the poor and ignorant. The cause is generally cf trifling char? acter. The "poor white" may be hum? bled by the law, but outside of the courtroom he bates with an intensity hard to realize. He is persistent, cun? ning, merciless. Ike Dexter had never had an ambition in his life up to the hour be enlisted. He could barely read and write, was naturally lazy and in? different and felt no pride in anything except the fact that be was "better than a nigger." When be found that cor? porals and sergeants were looked up to and respected, there came a queer feel? ing in his heart. He could not credit it at first, but Captain Wyle aided him .in his mental struggle. The day came 'when Ike had an ambition and a burn? ing desire. It was to be a corporal or sergeant. In his wild dreams of glory he did not stop there. He determined to go higher and become a lieutenant or captain. As soon as he was given to understand that Royal Kenton stood in his way it was but natural with one of his nature to determine to remove the obstacle by any means possible. Before the war the "Yankee," both as a man and as the representative of a section of the republic, had few friends in the south. He was supposed to be hostile to ell southern "institutions." The more ignorant the southerner the more heartily he hated and despised the citizen of the north. He believed what the fire eating politicians pretended to believe and often asserted. The John Brown raid upon slavery in Virginia and the events in "Bleeding Kansas" served to intensify the sectional hate of the "poor whites." Thus it was that Ike Baxter, picking up his crumbs of history and his bits of information on current events at the doors of the livery stable or around the stove of the bar? room, was something of a local cham? pion in the matter of Yankee hating. If Kenton had not stood between him and military glory, he would still have felt a bitterness toward him as a mau born in the north. Uncle Ben's cantious ap? proach to the house cn this night had reference only to Mrs. Baxter. There wss another man stealing through the . darkness and making a noiseless ap? proach at the same time-Ike Baxter. Neither Uncle Ben ncr Marian Percy caught a sight of him, but he noticed their every movement and drew his own conclusions. The gun which the old man bad been told to secure was in his room in the little house. He had de? parted from Rest Haven without being seen or his absence noted by the wom? an, but his return aroused her, and her sharp eyes were upon bim as he carried away the firearm and loaded himself with the bundles Marian had prepared and broucht to the door. She wa3 dress RIGHTED ISS4 BY AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION. ing to follow bim as be disappeared down the highway, having a dim sus? picion of the state of affairs, when Ike knocked at ber window and was admit? ted. In less than a minute be bad re? lated what be saw outside, and she bad told him of Uncle Ben taking the gun. "Whar's be tm bound for?" queried Ike. "Dunno, bot snnthin's happened sum waar I Yo* must f oller bim !" "Has tbat Yankee bin yere?" I "No, but tbe gal's beam news, far ?bore! Reckon be un may be ly in ont around yere sum wt ar, and the nigger's takin out stuff to bim! Git right arter be un. Ike, and if yo' find tbe Yankee go'n tell Captain Wyle and bey bim cum witb bis critter company!" uril do better'n that!" grimly te plied tbe man as be stepped out into tbe night. "If I find that Yankee around yere, I'll put a bullet into him fust and tell Captain Wyle next!" Uncle Ben bad only a few hundred yards tbe start, and the man on bis trail soon lessened the distance until be could bear tbe old man's footsteps and make out a shadowy form through tbe darkness. There seemed nothing more certain than tbat be would follow on j and uncover the hiding place of the f u- j gitives. For nearly three-quarters of a j mile the slave messenger bad but one idea-to return to Steve Brayton as fast as possible. He was hurrying along when a sudden thought ?ashed through bis brain, and be instinctively stepped aside and baited to listen. "Hew do I know but what dat wom? an dun beard me git de gun an is fol lerin me?" be whispered to himself. "She'd do it! She's powerful wicked, she am! An mebbe some mo' of dem gorillas am waitin long yere to grab me an gi y me anodder whippin!" He was listening as well as whisper? ing, and after a minute be beard tbe sounds of footsteps coming down tbe road. He drew back into the deeper ! shadow of the high bank, dropped bis | bundles, and taking a firm grip of his gun he mentally resolved to make a fight for it if he was overhauled by the same crowd as before. A few seconds later he realized that only one person was approaching. The footfalls were too heavy for a woman. He bad just decided this point when a man loomed up in the darkness before bim and halt? ed almost within arm's length to mut? ter: "Drat my hide, but bas that ole nig? ger left the road an giv me the slip? I heard he un only a mimt ago, but him's dun gone now!" It was Ike Baxter of course. He stood peering and listening for half a minute and then growled: "I orter hev run be un right down an made him show me the way! Now the cussed Yankee may git away from me! No, be won't though! I'll hnnt over every foot of this country but what I'll find him an bev bis scalp!" Uncle Ben did not recognize the man at all, as it bad been many months since be bad heard Ike Baxter's voice. It was instantly plain to him, however, that the mau was a determined enemy and was seeking Royal Kenton's life. Ike took three cr four steps forward and stopped again to listen. Noiselessly and with such a feeling as he bad never experienced before Uncle Ben clubbed his gun, took one silent step forward Uncle Ben clubbed his gun. and next instant brongbt the heavy stock down' upon Ike's head and felled bim to the earth. The man sank down without a cry or groan, and after wait? ing half a minute the old man gasped out: "May de good Lawd dun forgive me, but I had to do it fur Miss Sunshine's sake!" He picked up his bundles and has? tened on and 10 minutes later was tell? ing Steve Brayton what had happened. "Glad of it!" replied the latter. "Beckon I orter go up thar and make shore he's dead, fur I sorter think his name are Ike Baxter. Hain't got no time, though-not jest now. This way, Uncle Ben." They passed between two great bowl? ders which had fallen from the bank above, followed a ravine into the hills for about 200 feet, and after a climb up the right hand bank found the hiding place among tho rocks. There was a small fire burning against a great bowl? der, and on a bed of leaves and branch? es lay Royal Kenton with a bullet wound in the calf of the right leg. It was a bit of good luck for him in the midst of adversity tbat the bullet had passed clear through without touching the bone. It was a painful and tem? porarily disabling wound, and he had lost much of his strength before tho bleeding could be checked, but he was inclined to make light of the situation as Brayton and Uncle Ben appeared. ! The "old darky knew Kenton only ! sight, bot the sight of him lying tb< j in that helpless condition was a call I ! him to throw himself down on hiskn( I and moan out: j "Fo' de Lawd an io' de Lawd, b I what am Miss Sunshine gwine to say i do when she knows dat he has b shotted wid a dozen bombshells?" Kenton soon made the situation pla to him, and then as the two talked abo affairs at the bouse Steve Brayt washed and bouuduptbe wound af res made up a comfortable bed, arrangi one of the blankets for a shelter ai saw that Kenton ate as well as talke The adventure which Uncle Ben had < the road was felt to be another mena to be guarded against. After leavii the house where they had taken brea fast and encountered the Confedera sergeant, they had hastened up the si? of the mountain and headed direct f? Best Haven. Within an hour they foui that a number of men were on the trail, and two or three times dozing tl day they were obliged to bide then selves for an hour or two. No sho were exchanged until about 5 o'clock i the evenirg, and then they were fin upon by three men in ambush. Kentc was hit and fell, bnt he struggled o and made a run of it, with Steve Bra: ton covering his retreat. Pain and loi of blood finally brought the wounde man down again, and he appealed 1 Steve to leave him and make his ow escape. "Couldn't think of, it, Yank-cooldn possibly play any sich dirt on a ma who bas font 'longside o' me so often! was the hearty reply. "Thar was onl three of 'em when they tust popped a tis, and I'm sartin shore thar hain't bu two now, and mebbe ene o' them is wus off than yo' ar'! I hain't been shooti five or six times jest fur the fun of it If yo' can't walk, yo've got to be cai ried!" Heeding none of Kenton's protests,th faithful fellow got him on his back an? picked his route through scrubs and ove rocks until he reached the spot wher Uncle Ben found them. He knew it wa within a mile or two of Rest Haven and he was about starting for the hons? when the old man came along. "I'll take a trot up the road and sei how the nigger's dead man is,"sai< Steve when he could do no more fo: Kenton. "It's my everlastin opinyui that the chap will turn out to be lkt Baxter, and I shan't be overly sorry i: sich ar' the case. I'll hev to git th< body outer the way anyhow, befo' any body stumbles over it." In the course of 2U minutes he reach? I the spot, but no man, living or dead was to be found. He made a thorongl hunt, but nothing could be discovered. CHAPTER XXIV. Uncle Ben returned to the house a midnight^ nd found Marian anxiously waiting for news. Royal Kenton ha( told him what to tell her, and while sh< was comforted in one direction she wai frightened in another. If Kenton anc Brayton had been followed ever th? mountains and blood had been shed, ! would the pursuit cease until they bac been bunted down? If the man whon: Uncle Ben had struck down in the dark? ness was Ike Baxter, wouldn't his in i formation bring Captain Wyle and his company into the neighborhood at once; Provided it was not Ike Baxter at all, it certainly was an enemy of some sort, who woald demand revenge. The out? look was indeed an anxious one, bul they could only wait and hope. j It waa well for the mother that she ' was too ill to realize that anything un? usual was happening. The doctor had exercised bis skill to no benefit, and ? though permitting Marian to hope that a favorable change might occur he re? alized that the chances of recovery were veiy remote. All that long night she lay as one sleeping heavily, and but for the many distractions the daughter would have noticed that the change was for the worse. Neither Marian nor Uncle Ben had reason to suspect that Mrs. Baxter had seen or heard anything that night, but she must soon know all. The girl had determined that Kenton should be brought to the house and cared for. The thought of his rude shelter, wounded and suffering as he was on that cold winter's night, almost drove her wild. It was hardly 7 o'clock in the morning, and she had simply tasted breakfast, when she went out to Uncle Ben and said: "I am ready to go and can't wait an? other minute. We will take some more provisions, but I shall have Mr. Kenton brought to the house." "What about dat woman?" he asked. "I don't care for her. if she doesn't like his being here, she can go." "Jest look into her room. Miss Snn ? shine!" The door was ajar, while the woman ! herself was at the other house. There j was a bloody towel on a chair, bloody I water in a washbowl, spots of blood on I a chair and on the floor, j "It looks as if some one had sought to j murder her!" exclaimed Marian as she looked about in astonishment. "I know what happened," replied i Uncle Ben. "Dat pnsson I knocked in i ter de middle o' last summer was Ike ! Baxter, fie was fcllerin me from de j house. Boaf of* 'em knowed what was ! up. He cum to arter a bit an cum yere j to hev his hurts tooken car' of. I heard j a noise 'bout daylight, an I reckon dat ? was when he left." "I'm glad you didn't kill him, but 1 expect Mrs. Baxter will now feel like taking revenge upon the whole house? hold. Let us be going." ! Half an hour later they were chal \ lenged by Steve Brayton, who had al I ready prepared breakfast for the wound ' ed man and was able to report that Ken i ton had passed a comparatively comfort I able night. He met them just outside the camp, and with a wink to Uncle Ben he said to Marian. "Go right along, Miss Percy; he un's heard yo'r voico and is waiting fur yo'. I want to speak a word or two to Uncle Ben." "What yo' want to spoke to me j 'bout?" cautiously inquired the old man ! after they had walked away a few steps. "Nuthin, yo' old son of Africa!" an swered 'Steve. "Don't yo" un know what b'longs to good manners? D' yo' reckon that gal Wants anybody around when she frist claps eyes on the feller she loves like a house afire and is gwine to marry arter this cussed scrimmage is over?" "Hu! 1 see!" chuckled Uncle Ben. "Of co'se yo' sees arter I bas pinted out the way, but then yo* is only an ole nigger and can't be spected to hev any feelin's onless kicked by a male or licked by a passel of guerrillas." Ben then told him of the discoveries made at the house and of his belief that his victim was Ike Baxter, and Steve Iooket very serious as he replied: "Then yo' kin bet we ar' in fur a red hot time! Ike Baxter will be back befo' noon with a gang at his heels, and the chances ar' that somebody will git shot!" At this moment Marian called to them, and as they entered the camp they found ber dressing Kenton's wound and preparing for his immediate removal to the house. While the raiding party had stolen the horses, as before mentioned. The girl had determined that Kenton should be brought to the house. none of the vehicles had been taken, and she argued that it would be easy for the two men to get Kenton down to the road and then convey him to the house in one of the carriages. He looked upon the pHn favorably, but .when she tamed to Sieve Brayton be said : "Beg pardon, miss, but I can't agree with yo'. Yere ar' the situation : Over thar on the other road yisterday niawn in we uns was tooken fur Yankee spies. He un's a Yank straight 'nuff, bat not a spy, while I'm a party good rebel, as the t'other side calls as. We ans had a fuss with a fool of a Confederate, and he got help and tried to ran as down. It wasn't over two miles away that I dropped one and winged another. Is that plain to yo'. Miss Percy?" "Yes." "Waal, them critters hain't goin to give it up without knowin who we ar' and all about ns. We uns will hear from them today fur shore. Then thar is Ike Baxter to look out far. Pity yo'r nigger didn't strike a leetle harder and finish him, bat it seems that Ike got away. He an was probably sent to spy on yo', and yo' kin bet that Captain Wyle and bis critter company hain't tur off. We shall also bear from them befo' the day's over." "Well, suppose we do?" asked Ma? rian. "Mr. Kenton has been trne and loyal to Virginia and the south. He is here in Confederate uniform and has only escaped from the Federals after be? ing taken prisoner in another battle. Suppose the Confederates do come?" "That's yo'r way of lookin at it, Miss Percy," said Steve as he twirled his hat in his bands. "My way is a leetle differ? ent. Captain Wyle, Ike Baxter and the rest of the crowd want revenge. If they find Mr. Kenton in yo'r house, they'll take him ont and carry bim off to some camp. They'll use him rough. They'll make charges. They'll stick right to him till they hev his life. I'm not fig gerin on myself 'tall. If they don't shoot me offhand, I'll git court mar tialed and be chained up sumwhar till the eand of the war. Fact is, Miss Per? cy, I've jest about dun cut loose from this glorious old southern confederacy and gone over to the Yanks!" "Then what would yon advise?" "Leave he nn right yere fur awhile. We nns' got two guns and a revolver, and if the crowd comes we km stand 'em off a good deal better than at the house. Meanwhile let Uncle Ben sot out down the valley to find the Yankee sol? diers and tell 'em what's up. If 'nuff of 'em cum, and they cum in time, we will be all right. If not, we might as well say our prayers!" Both Marian and Kenton realized the situation as he presented it, and within five minnies Uncle Ben had his instruc? tions. It was believed that he would run across Federal cavalry within 10 miles of Best Haven. He was to ask for General Custer, and if he found that commander to ask him in the name of the Percys to come at once. He was to call at the house and say to Mrs. Baxter that Marian would be home within an bonr. "And while yo' un's yere to look ont far the patient," said Steve Brayton to the girl as the old man moved away. "IT1 jest git ready fur tho call I'm ex pectin!" The camp had plenty of natural de? fense, but by moving some of the bowl? ders with a lever and using such stones as he could lift as "chinking" he had the place proof against anything but ar? tillery within an hour. While he works and Marian ?and Kenton plan let us fol? low Uncle Ben. He had been intrusted with a message to Mrs. Baxter, but on his arrival at tho house he failed to find her. Entering her room in the "quar? ters" in his search, he found things in such disorder that he felt certain she had packed up a few articles and fled from the place. Under no other circum? stances would he have dared to look into the bedroom of the "missus" in the other house. Alarmed at the thought that she was helpless and abandoned, he ventured to intrude. She was lying with her face toward him. and the first glance brought a moan to his lips. He called to her, passed into the room, called again and finally reached out and touched the white and wasted hand resting on the cover. It was cold as ice. He pushed forward an old black hand which had served her and hers for half a century and more and laid it on her face. "Fo' do great Lawd in heaben, but do missus has dun died!" he cried aloud as he hurried from tho room with chat? tering teeth and trembling limbs. She had seemed to be sleeping when Marian I Je?t tli?li?use aa hour or more bei?. : but she might have been dying th The old man's first thought was to h j ry back to camp and tell the girl w j had occurred, but as he moved away j checked himself and muttered: "Jest wait now till we figger a leei : De good Lawd has dun tooken de mis I away, an my ole heart's ready to br? I wid sorrow, but I mustn't give up to j feelin. Dar's Miss Sunshine, an da ! Mars Kenton an dat soger Steve, de j all alive an in danger. If I tole M I Sunshine, she couldn't do nufiBn n j 'cept to wing her hands an cry. Nc j won't go back dar! I'll hurry up ; find dem Yankees an tell 'em to cum quick as dey km!" fie had turned about in his tra< when he heard a great clatter up 1 I road, and next minute he was surroui j ed by about 20 mounted men. So: were in uniform, and among these noticed one with hishead bandaged a at once identified him as Ike Baxt There were others in citizens' dress, a while he was wondering who they mig be one of them laughingly exclaimed "Hello, yo' old son of satan! H< does yo' un feel after the lickin yo ? last night?" There was a sergeant in command the sqnad, but Ike Baxter appeared direct operations. He at first drew 1 sa ber as if to give the old negro a ci but checking himself he said: "Now, men, look alive! Some of j uns search the house, and drag out th cussed Yankee and Steve Brayton, ai the rest of us will drive a stake and fi] a chain and some firewood! I'm go to burn this old nigger alive fur try to kill me last night!" CHAPTER XXV. Although surprised and confound) by the sudden turn of events, Uncle B< did not entirely lose his head. Wh< j he heard the men crying out for reven; I and looked into their pitiless faces, 1 ! felt that his last hour had come. Ai j yet the devotion of the old slave w; j never better illustrated than in wh; j followed. As a portion of the crow j started for the house, no doubt fully e: ? pecting to find Kenton there, the o] j man shouted at the top of his voice: ? "Cum back yere-cum back! Y< i j kin kill me if yo' wants to, but fi j God's sake doan' put yo'r feet in dj ! house!" j "What's the matter?" asked one J ? the gang came to a halt. ! "De ole missus am ly in in dar dea i an ali alone, an it hain't fitton dat y< ! should go in!" j "Whar's that Yankee? Whar's tl I gal? Whar's Steve Brayton?" W? ! shouted at him. j "Dun gone-all dun gone!" he ar i swered. "It's jest like I tole yo'-n< j body in dar but de dead missus!" j "Goon, go on!" yelled Ike Baxtei j "but look ont fur yo'selves! The hu i crowd of 'em ar' in thar, and they'] likely make a fight fur it!" The men cautiously entered the hons? firearms held ready for instant use, bu at the end of seven or eight minute they came out to report that " the eusse old nigger" had told the truth. "Dead, eh?" exclaimed Ike Baxter a they told of the corpse cn the beti "Waal, I'm goin to burn the house jes the same, though mebbe some of ye uns will lug the body outdoors fust Time 'nuff fur that after we git throng with this old nigger. Rnn he un np t that post! Now, then, chain him there Yo' old black devil, but I'll make yt suffer fur the rap yo' giv me last night I'm goin to begin at yo'r chin and ski] yo' cl'ar down to yo'r heels! Afte yo've bin sknn we'll build afire aroun< yo' and roast what's left!" He went to bis saddle for a rawhide one he had seemingly brought along fo the occasion. When he returned with it Uncle Ben was stripped of coat and ves and his shirt torn away from his shoal ders. They were going to take his life j not mercifully, as one kills a savag i beast by a bullet through the heart o j brain, but they would torture bim io j hours perhaps. He could not fail to re ! alize this, but he did not beg for mercy He simply shut his eyes and prayed Go< to give him strength to endure every thing for the sake of these in hiding j down the road. He would be asked t< i betray them. His refusal would brin| ' other tortures, but he would refuse, j "Now, then, yo' black hound, wha] I ar' the rest of the folks?" demandet ? Ike Baxter as he walked up to Unclt j Ben and flourished the cruel whip. "Aye, he knows the exact spot whai j they ar' hidin, and he's got to tell!' I shouted two or three in the crowd. "Of co'se he knows, and I'll hev il ! outer he un mighty quick!" replied Ike. ! "I'm goin to give yo' a powerful lickin, i ole man, fur the way yo' banged me lasl ! night, but I'll make it a leetle easier if yo'll tell whar they all is hid away." ? "I has nnthm to say." quietly re? plied the old man as he looked about : him. j "What! Yo' won't tell me?" "Give it to him! Cut his hide into ; strings!" yelled the crowd. Ike responded by striking Uncle Ben ; about 20 blows across the bare back, j Each blow raised a welt, and as each j one fell the victim strained and tugged I at his lashings. Uncle Ben had been ! whipped the night before, but that was i more in the nature of an assault or an i attack by armed men. For the first ; time in his life he had been tied up and I his back bared. He felt the shaine and ! indignity almost as much as the blows. . "Yo' kin see what brung on this yere ! war, " said Ike as he paused for breath. I "Them air Yankees was tellin our nig? gers that they was jest as good as thar masters. Yere's a case of it right yere. If he'd bin my nigger, he'd hev bin as humble as pumpkin pie, but the Percys, who hev allus bin half Yankee them? selves, brung him up to think he un was as good as anybody!" "Hurry up. Give he un some more!" j yelled the crowd. "Thar hain't no rush about it," re? plied Ike as he flourished the whip. "I want to make it last as long as I kin. It's a dod gasted pity we hain't got 13 ! or 20 other niggers yere to look on and take warnin by his fate. I've allus itched to lick a nigger, but never had ; the chance befo'. Ar' yo' goin to tell me, yd* infernal old imp, Vbar that Yankee is bidin out?" Uncle Ben sim? ply shook his head. "Yo* hain't, eh?" screamed Ike. "Then everybody stand back, fur I'm goin-I'm goin to make the blood fly all over the yard!" "Stop!" Ike had his arm raised for a blow when a figure passed him and halted beside Uncle Ben. That figure had pushed its way into the circle unheard and unseen. Everybody stared in as "StopP' the cried. j ton:'sh ment, and for half a minuto not a word was said.,"It^was Marian ?ercy. She was known by sight to at least half of the gang, and the others at once iden? tified her as "the gal" they had expect? ed to find in the boase. Let as go back a little. When Uncle Ben left the camp among the rocks, she had intended to follow bim within an hour. It bad been settled that Kenton must remain where be was until a force of Federals was brought to the rescue or until it was known that be was in no peril from the Con fed er af es. While it was hoped that Uncle Ben's mission would be suc? cessful all realized the chances of its failure. Both armies were scouting and raiding np ar^ down and across. A hamlet or ere n>ads or bridge held by the Federals c _ *.ay would bein posses? sion of the Confederates on the next, and vice versa. Uncle Ben might en? counter a troop of Federal cavalry and bring them to the rescue, or he might be picked np by a Confederate troop or a gang of guerrilla? and sent off some? where to work on fortifications. "Mebbe the Yanks will come fust, and inebbe the Confederates, " replied Steve Brayton when appealed to for his opinion. "It's goin to-te nip and tnck, I reckon, but with the chances a leetle in favor of the Confederates. Kin I make bold to offer some advice:" "Why, certainly," answered Marian j and Kenton in the same breath. "Then let Miss Percy head fur home I to once. We can't tell what may be j happenin thar cr what's goin to happen i yere. She's a Percy and a good Conied erate, and nobody'll dare distnrb the house. Them blamed guen illas which follered ns yesterday may open fire yere any minit, and once they do she can't git away." The advice was full of wisdom, and Marian prepared to start at once. "viot any we'pins in the boase?" asked Steve as she was ready. "No." 44 Kin yo' shoot a pistol?" "Of course.^ I have been sorry that ? I left mine behind us in Winchester." "Then take this revolver. It's a big an, but I guess yo' kin handle it. Bein yo' ar' a southern gal, no southern man orter trouble yor, but yo* can't allus tell what may happen. If wuss comes to wuss, bullets will count fur mo' than words." Kenton advised her to take it, and Brayton assisted her down to the high? way and said as he left her: "Yo' may hear some shootin np this way doorin the day, but don't be narv us about it and don't rnn any risks to cum and see what the trubble is." (TO BE CONTINUED.] * Lord Crewe'? Collection. Lord Crewe once, on the occasion of some charitable entertainment, leaned up against a corridor wall, fast asleep, with his hat in his hand. Some wild you ng men started dropping coppers and half crowns into the hat until the chink? ing awakened him, when, with gay hu? mor, he pocketed all the silver and pelt? ed his impertinent benefactors with the pence.-London Million. She Said: - Let's Try Hood's And lt Helped Them Both i Liver Trouble?-Dyspepsia 29 Yrs? "C. I. Hood Si Co., Lowe^, Mass.: "Gentlemen:-My husband and I have been : taking Hood's Sarsaparilla, and I can truly say j it has helped us both. My husband had Lumbago Rheumatism. ! so that he could not stand up straight, and trent ; around half bent over. He had to have a cane ! to help himself out of his chair. He had taken so much medicine that we were discouraged. But i read so much about Hood's Sarsaparilla, j 1 said. Let s try it My husband has improved ? : great deal His back is much better, and his i eves, which have troubled him & great deal, ! also seem better. Hood's Sarsaparilla has given him a good appetite. I have had liver trouble j Hood's^Cures ! and dyspepsia 29 years, but since I have been ; toking Hood's Sarsaparilla my side is better, and ! I also have a good appetite. My complexion ls also much Improved. We have only taken four potties, and are well pleased with ft." MB. and Maa. JAMES Cox, Centreville, Wisconsin. Hood's Pills are prompt and efficient, yet essy ta action. Sold by all druggists. 25c