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Show • 2[)4 ROEDDCK. "Dut, colonel, I 1nnsL tell you about ou1· dncl. It i · a c:t.pital . tory. 'l'his \V:lS the "ray of it." "lie ,vill talk here all night, if yon let hitn," again in tcrrnptccl Paln1cr, unca~l:ty, " you hacl better send hin1 to the gn:1rcl-hou. c." " But, colonel, it i a goocl story. Send for n. bottle, ana I will tell you all about it 'vhile we drink." "You snucy sesesh ! Yon shall not drink n1y Jiqu~r, nor tell me no story. Let us go on vid the cx:llnination." "Now', colonel, I kno'v yon are dry. So mn I. Yon 'von't refuse a poor devil a drink, \vhen he is going to be hung." "Dns is true. Das is fi1ir. Paln1er, please get tho bottle." "That, no"r, is hanclson1e for a Dutchman," sai<l Baxter, tal\:ing up the bottle, \vhich Paltnm· produced fr01n a closet, "now, I will tell the story." "Y Ol!l are an infamous liar," cxclaitued Palmer, livi<l \Vith rage. "You shnll he a toc11y/' Fmid Baxter, as he hurled the bot11c at Pnltucr't-3 head; "\Vhi ·key to n1ilk-and, vatcr ;" br1t the boUle 1n is.~c d the head, and was ~hattcretl ngain. t the wall; "a dcall loss," addecl Bnxtcr . vVesel storn1cll fnrion:-;1y, and threatened the pri - oncr with a thou.·and death~, in Gennan anJ English. Baxter sat quiet, until the Rtonn had so1newhat sub~ iJe<.l, and ltc then sn,id, ''Colonel, as \Ve have nothing to tlrink, \VC hncl better re. nn1e the examination." "Voll, I vill hang you." "You dare Hoi." " V ot for I dares not?" • ROEBUCK. 255 "Because Coloncll;..,itzhngh will hang yon before to-n10ITO\v-night, if you do." "Fitzstnc! 1Vhet·e is he? I vas lookino- for that rebel. I burnt hi1n np in that--old rebel ~·oo ~t." "lie is with his rcgin1ent, and ncar canongh to you to hnng you to-n10lTO\v." " Vas he in this village vicl you ven you didn't got ont? Tell me truth, or I vill hang you again, two, three tin1cs." "lie may be in the viJJage now." • "A1nbnscn.de, eh ? That rebel cavalry is e\-·ery-wherc. I cnn't sleep. I can't e:1t n1ine dinner I can't take 1nine little dnun-you broke mine bottle, ):Onbutternut- till some fellow come::; running in to tell the rcLel cavalry is upon u~. It is the bJack-hor.'c nncl the white-horse, it i.' Ashby's and Stuart's, m1l it i~ I~..,itz ... tne's all the tim s. \Vhere is he? Send out son1e of thcn1 cowardly cavalry of mine. They runs b:.wk Yen they sees a bush. Send the pri oner to the guar<l hon c.'' "I \Yon't go to the gnarcl-housc." "You \VOn't. 'Vhy \VOn't you, then? Eh-h-h !" "13 ecn,use I mu a gentleman. I 'll give you my parole." "You arc a rebel-that's vot you bees." "A rebel o'ving allegiance, I suppose, to Dutchmen hired to conquer An10rjcan Stat s !" "·I bin colonel of a loyal regi1ncnt. I bin. gcnt1cmnn." "A l)ntch colonel of a Yankee regiment! vVlwt a conjunction! l{ront and clam-chowder! Ilc~sian and Y ankcc! II nsh-listen-there is Fitzhugh's cavalry no,v ! " A clatter of hoofs was heard on the street. Colonel |