Explain that a sufficient number of men will be left here to
protect the women and children, while the large majority of us will make
all possible haste to the county seat. Tell the men to come mounted. Now
is it clear to you?"
"Major," Wash Sanders spoke up with more than his usual show of spirit,
"the doctors have condemned my body but they hain't condemned my mind.
It is clear to me, sir, and I will go now."
"All right," said the Major. "And Jim," he added, "you do the same with
the upper end of the road."
The giant was smoking. He stood his pipe against a corner of the
fire-place, got up and without saying a word, strode away. Wash Sanders
was soon gone, after halting at the door to say that he might not be
able to eat enough to keep a setting hen alive, but that he reckoned he
could pull a trigger with any man that ever came over the pike. And now
the Major, old Gid and the Englishman sat looking into the fire.
"War time, Gid," said the Major.
"Yes, without banners and without glory," the old fellow replied.
"You are right. In the opinion of the majority of Americans, bravery on
our part will be set down as a cruelty and a disgrace. The newspaper
press of the north will condemn us. But we can't help that, for a man
must protect his home. Mr. Low, there is nothing so unjust as politics."
"We have had many examples of it in England, sir.
Pages:
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237