"That"s jest a lovetap," she remarked, ""t let yo" know t" le" me alone hereafter. Now, le"s straighten things around here fer a pleasant time."
She initiated her proposed era of good feeling by a sounding kick in the ribs of the most obstreperous of the dogs, and a slap on the face of a 12-year-old girl, who was the noisest and most pugnacious of the lot.
Each of these set up a howl, but there was a general acquiescence in her a.s.sertion of authority.
[Ill.u.s.tration: JEFF SAT UP AND RUBBED HIMSELF 208]
Jeff Hackberry sat up, scratched and rubbed himself, seemed to be trying to once more get a full supply of air in his lungs, and turned a one-eyed glare on his surroundings. The guerrilla whom Si had knocked down began to show signs of returning consciousness, but no one paid any attention to him. One of the other two pulled out a piece of tobacco, split it in two, put the bigger half in his mouth and handed the remainder to his partner. Both began chewing meditatively and looking with vacant eyes for the next act in the drama. Shorty regained his gun, and he and Si looked inquiringly at one another and the mistress of the ranch.
"Come on up t" the house," she said, starting in that direction. The rest followed, with Si and Shorty in the lead.
The boys gazed around them with strong curiosity. The interior was like that of the other log cabins they had seen--a rough puncheon floor for the single room, a fireplace as big as a barn door, built of rough{209} stones, with a hearth of undressed flat stones, upon which sat a few clumsy cooking utensils of heavy cast-iron, three-legged stools for chairs, a table of rough whip-sawed boards held together by wooden pins.
In two of the corners were beds made of a layer of poles resting upon a stick supported at one end upon a log in the wall and at the other end a forked stick driven between the puncheons into the ground below.
Upon this was a pile of beech leaves doing duty as a mattress. The bed-clothes were a ma.s.s of ragged fabrics, sheepskins, etc., used in the daytime for saddle-blankets and at night upon the bed. There had been added to them, however, looking particularly good and rich in contrast with their squalor, several blankets with "U. S." marked upon them.
Around the room were canteens, shoes, and other soldier belongings.
"Have they killed and robbed the men to whom these belonged, or merely traded whisky for them?" was the thought that instantly flashed through Si"s and Shorty"s minds. The answer seemed to be favorable to murder and robbery. "Set down an" make yourselves at home. I"ll git yo" out suthin"
t" wet yer whistles," said Mrs. Bolster, wreathing as much graciousness as she could into her weathered-wood countenance. She apparently kicked at the same instant a stool toward them with her left foot, and a dog out of the way with her right, a performance that excited Shorty"s admiration.
"When I see a woman kick in different directions with both feet at the same time, I understood how dangerous her trip would be in a rastle," he said afterward.{210}
Si and Shorty shoved two of the stools so that they could sit with their backs to the wall, still holding their guns.
The guerrillas came filing in, with an expectant look on their faces.
Even Jeff Hackberry looked more thirstily longing than wrathful. The man who had fallen under Si"s gunbarrel had gotten able to walk, was rubbing his head and moaning with the design of attracting attention and sympathy.
Mrs. Bolster produced a key from her pocket. The others understood what this meant. They lifted aside some sacks of meal and sh.e.l.led corn, and revealed a puncheon which had been cut in two, and the short piece was garnished by rude iron hinges and hasp, all probably taken from some burned barn. The hasp was locked into the staple by one of the heavy padlocks customary on the plantations, and this Mr. Bolster proceeded to open with her key. When the puncheon was turned up it revealed a pit beneath, from which she lifted a large jug of whisky. She poured some out in a tin cup and handed it to Shorty.
"Take a big swig," she said; "hit"s mouty good stuff--ole Jeff Thompson"s brewin" from yaller corn raised on rich bottom land."
Si trembled as he saw his partner take the cup. Shorty smelled it appreciatively. "That is good stuff," he said. "Roses ain"t nowhere alongside."
He put the cup to his lips and took a sip.
"Tastes as good as it smells," he said, heartily, while the mouths of the guerrillas were watering. He put the cup again to his lips, as if to take a deep draft. Then came a short cough and a tremendous{211} sputter, followed by more painful coughing and strangling.
"Jest my infernal luck," gasped Shorty. "I would talk, an" I got some down the wrong way.
"Lord, it"s burnin" my lights out. Gi" me a drink o" water, somebody."
One of the children handed him a gourdful of water, while he continued to cough and sputter and blame himself for talking when he was drinking.
The woman handed the cup to Si, who feared that the liquor might be poisoned or drugged. He made a pretense of drinking, and then handed the cup back, making motions that his throat was so sore that he could not drink much. Mrs. Bolster looked at him suspiciously, but the clamor of the guerillas distracted her attention, and she turned to supply them.
"No, Jeff Hackberry," she said firmly, "yo" can"t have more"n two fingers. I know yo" of old, an" jest how much yo" orter tote. Two fingers"ll make yo" comfortable an" sociable; three"ll raise the devil in yo," an" four"ll make yo" dancin" drunk, when yo"ll have t" be held down. Yo"ll have jest two fingers, an" not a drap more."
"Jest another finger, "Frony. Remember, yo"ve bin orful rough on me, an"
I need more. I"ll promise t" be good," pleaded Hackberry.
"No, not a drap more"n two fingers now. If yo" behave yo"self I"ll give yo" another two fingers by-an"-by."
"Hackberry swallowed his portion at a thirsty gulp and sat down on the door-sill to let it do its invigorating work. The other two guerrillas were{212} given each two fingers, and the man whom Si knocked down had his moanings rewarded by three fingers and a liberal application in addition to the wound on his head, which he declared was much relieved by it.
"Set your guns up agin the wall an" ack nacherul," commanded Mrs.
Bolster. "n.o.body"s a-gwine to hurt yo". The "Squire"ll be here soon, we"ll git spliced, an" have a good time all around."
The noisy barking of the dogs announced the approach of someone.
"Lord, I hope that"s "Squire Corson," said Mrs. Bolster, running eagerly to the door. "If hit"s him, we kin go right ahead with the weddin"."
"If that"s the "Squire," said Shorty, in a low whisper, without turning his head, "we"ll grab our guns and fight to the death. We may clean out this gang."
Si"s attention had been in the meanwhile attracted to some boxes concealed under the beds, and his curiosity was aroused as to what such unusual things in a cabin might contain.
"No; hit"s Capt. Sol. Simmons," said she in a tone of disappointment mixed with active displeasure. "Now, he"ll be cavortin" and tearin"
around, and wantin" t" kill somebody. I wish he wuz whar hit"s a good deal hotter."
She came over to where the boys were sitting, and said in a low tone:
"This man"s allers makin" trouble, an" he"s bad from his boots up.
Keep a stiff upper lip, both on yo", an" we"ll try t" manage him. Don"t weaken. Hit"ll do no good. He"ll be wuss"n ever then."{213}
Si and Shorty instinctively felt for the revolvers in their pockets.
The newcomer tied his horse to a sapling and strode into the house. The guerrillas seemed rather more fearful than otherwise to see him, but met him with manners that were ranged from respectful by Jeff Hackberry to absolute servility by the others. He was a burly, black-bearded man, wearing a fairly-good uniform of a rebel Captain. His face showed that he was a bully, and a cruel one.
He acknowledged in an overbearing way the greetings of the others, and called out imperiously:
""Frony, gi" me a stiff dram o" yer best at wunst. My throat"s drier"n a lime-kiln. Bin ridin" all mornin"."
"Folks wantin" likker don"t say must t" me, but will yo", an" please,"
she answered sulkily.
""Must," "please," yo" hag," he said savagely. "Talk that a-way to me.
I"ll "please" yo". I"ve killed two Yankees this mornin", an" I"m not in the humor to fool around with an old pennyroyal huzzy like yo". Gi" me some whisky at wunst, or I"ll baste yo"."
If ever Mrs. Bolster had been favorably disposed to him, she could not endure to have him treat her this way before Shorty. She would a.s.sert herself before him if ever.
She put her arms akimbo and retorted vigorously:
"Nary drap o" likker yo"ll git from me, Sol. Simmons. Go and git yer likker whar y"re welcome. Y"re not welcome here. I don"t keer if yo"
have killed two Yankees or 20 Yankees. Y"re allers talkin" about killin"
Yankees, but n.o.body never sees none that y"ve killed. I"m a better Confederit than yo"{214} ever dared be. I"m doin" more for the Southern Confedrisy. Y"re allers a-blowin" while I"m allers adoin." Everybody knows that. Talk about the two Yankees y"ve killed, an" which n.o.body"s seed, here I"ve brung two Yankees right outen their camps, an" have "em to show. More"n that, they"re gwine to jine we"uns."
She indicated the two boys with a wave of her hand. Simmons seemed to see them for the first time.
"Yankees here, an" yo" haint killed "em," he yelled. He put his hand to his revolver and stepped forward. The two boys jumped up and s.n.a.t.c.hed their guns, but before another move could be made Mrs. Bolster"s unfailing trip brought Simmons heavily to the floor, with his revolver half out the holster. In an instant she sat down heavily upon him, and laid her brawny hand upon his pistol. The dogs and children gathered around in joyous expectation of a renewal of general hostilities. But the dogs broke away at the scent or sight of someone approaching.
"Mebbe that"s "Squire Corson,"" said Mrs. Bolster with a renewed flush of pleasant antic.i.p.ation.