A Little Union Scout

old and the night dark, and there were peppery little showers of sleet. The two left the town proper and turned into a by-way that I had travelled many times in my ra

under the surveillance of the Independents. It was a very orderly public-house, how

man had no stomach for the part he was to play as a horse-thief. At any rate, there was a dispute of some kind, and they stopped on the road at least half a dozen times to have it out. One point settled, another would arise before they had g

eed to knock at the door. I heard the jangling piano playing an accompaniment to the flute-like whistling of Harry Herndon's negro. Remembering his carelessness, I felt like going into the tavern and giving him a frailing. The inclination was so strong that I held my hand on the door-knob unti

ld want a bed for the night. On the wide hearth a very cheerful fire burned, and the place reminded me somehow of home-particularly a big rocking-chair in which one of the guests was seated. It had an upholster

and continued to watch me furtively for some time, and then his face cleared up and I knew that he had recognized me. He was in civilian's clothes, and I knew by that that he did not ca

han once I caught his bright eyes studying my face, but his smile was ample apology for his seeming rudeness. He was as handsome a man as

m down in my mental note-book as dangerous. There was a tall and pious-looking man, and two or three civilians who had no particular points about them; and then there was a burly man, who sat with his hands in his pockets and did not

ain't anywhere else on top of the ground. I know what I'm a-talking about. Leroy is the invention of Franc Paul, of the Chattanooga Rebel. He as good as told me so. He said that wh

looked like a prize-fighter; "but you're givin' away

alk about a man that doesn't live ou

ewd smile hovering about his mouth, began to chuckle audibly. He

, my friend?" the

n interrogation-point. The man answered somewhat sullenly in t

t in the world,"

t Chattanooga, Missus Paul says, 'It's a good thing, Mr. O'Halloran,' she says, 'that ye're a hair's breadth taller than me beloved husband,' she say

hint that there is no such person as Frank Leroy. I knew him when he was a boy-a beardless boy, as you may say.

capes of Captain Frank Leroy than you could put in a book. It seemed that his identity was a mystery, but he was none the less a hero in men's minds

no attention I took advantage of the freedom of a public-house and sauntered aimlessly into the room as if I had no particular business there. I saw with surprise that the chap who had proposed to steal the horses was one of the merchant

leave his face in the shadow. Near him sat a motherly-looking woman of fifty. She was well preserved for her age, and wore a smile on her face that was good to look at. The youngster said something to

om, but we have been so overrun lately that we have had to turn it over to the public." Sh

light in her eyes, and I could no more have lied to her in the matter than I could have lied

one to make friends wherever you go. Few are

d the effect was beyond description. I hesitated before making any reply, and when I did I tried t

woman inquired with a

; "but it was a lady riding in a top-buggy. I had nev

turned in his chair. "The light is detestable," h

e. "If you are in the army," she said, "why do you wear such clothes? They are not becoming at all." She had such a kindly smile

am having my uniform, such as it is, furbished up and cleaned a bit. I

s so significant that I could but regard her with a look of inquiry. I suppose the puzzled expression of my face must have amused

the fire. I found the big arm-chair unoccupied, and, seating myself on its comfortable cushion, soon forgot the wonder I had felt that the woman in the next room had known me for a soldier

ad become worn, and in places the tufts of moss or horse-hair were showing. I fell to fingering these with the same impulse of thoughtlessness that induces people to bite their finger-nails. Suddenly I felt my finger in con

or some of his accomplices. I determined to transfer the roll of paper to my pocket and examine it at my leisure. But no sooner had I come to this d

, inquiring if he was the negro that played on the piano. Whistler replied that he could "sorter" play. "If you are Whistling Jim," I said, "play us a p

have conveyed a warning to him. "I 'member de man, suh; he say h

the piano and plunged into

eat gal, but m

weet-a-little, sw

her head ter de

eet-a-little, fe

oss the room in the direction of the piano. Leaning against a corner of the ramshackle old instrument, I drank in the melody with a new sense of its wild and melancholy be

the air and whistled the chorus, but whether he did one or the other, the effect was the same. The silly song struck th

low I had seen in the other room. His cloak was thrown back from his throat, and the red lining gave a picturesque touch to his small, lithe figure. His face was partly in the shadow, but I could see that his express

me that he learned to play while his old mistress was away from home looki

or all the world like a challenge. He turned and went swaggering across the room, and seated himself in the rocking-chair of which I have spoken. In a word, and with a snap of the fin

nd took a seat close to his elbow, while Whistling Jim passed around his hat, as was his custom when he played for company. He held it out to all except

sit there ignorant of the fact that a word or two would make me his friend for life. I had a great pity for him, and there arose in me the belief that I had met him before, but whether in reality or only in a

fire, was relating to a listening and an eager guest another story of the almost superhuman performances of the Union scout, Leroy, when suddenly the lad arose from the rocker and began to search the floor with his eyes.

d up and drew it back politely. "Pardon me for

quired, endeavoring to show

an." I regarded him with unfeigned astonishment, and he, in turn, looked

w of me that you should speak so? For less than nothin

d this, he turned toward me a countenance from which all feeling had died out save that of sadness. If he had plu

I humbly apologize for my words. But why should you b

me hard as he resumed his seat in the rocker, and again I had the curious feeling that I had met him somewhere before-perhaps in

He drew on his glove and drew it off again. "Will you shake hands with me?" he inquired. "I feel

blame," I said. "I am

declared with something like

earance of a prize-fighter. This last comer appeared to be in a state of great excitement, and his brutal, overbearing nature was clearly i

you bargained for. Come into the next room; you better had! Say, ain't you co

, and I could see that the lad would be no match for him. He was not at all frightened, but when he turned his eyes toward me, with a little smile, I saw the face of Jane R

at would have knocked an ordinary man down. "You dirty bru