ef you'd 'a' lissened right close I
speck you'd 'a' hearn me a sno'in'. Ef you say I said it, den I reckon
I must 'a' said it, but I wan't at myse'f, kaze ef dey ever wuz a grown
man on top er de groun', dat chap is one."

"You are sharper than I thought you were," I remarked.

"You must be makin' fun er me, Marse Cally, kaze dey ain't nothin'
sharp 'bout knowin' a man fum a 'oman. Ef I didn't know de diffunce I'd
turn myse'f out ter graze wid de dry cattle, an' stay wid um all thoo
de season."

"Now, that's the way to talk," said I with some heartiness; "but if I
ever find the stable-door unlocked again I'll take it for granted that
you have changed your opinion about our young friend."

"I may leave de stable-door onlocked time an' time ag'in," remarked
Whistling Jim solemnly, "but I never is ter b'lieve dat dat boy is
anything but a man."

I made haste to inform Harry Herndon that Jack Bledsoe was in the
neighborhood, and, as was perfectly natural, he was keen to see him,
less for Jack's sake, I imagine, though he loved the young fellow well,
than for the sake of having some news of the fair Katherine. As the
heaviest part of his work at headquarters was over, and as pretty much
everything had depended on the reply to General Forrest's requisition
on his superior officer--who, unfortunately, chanced to be General
Bragg--for arms and ammunition, Harry had no difficulty in securing
leave of absence for the day; and so, when all the arrangements had
been made, we set out the next evening for the house where Jack Bledsoe
lay.

On the way, I suggested that perhaps Jack's mother and the fair cousin
would probably be found there; and this possibility was in Harry's mind
also, for he leaned from his horse toward me and extended his hand,
uttering not a word. I gripped it with mine, and hoped that before I
died I should have the opportunity of shaking another hand as true. One
other I found--but only one.

Jack's mother met us at the door, and not far behind her was the fair
Katherine, more beautiful than ever. I saw at a glance that the ladies
were expecting us, for they were rigged out in their best, which was
not very bad, considering that they had been caught between the lines
with a wounded man on their hands. Another face that I had expected to
see was not in evidence, and whatever enthusiasm I may have felt in the
beginning soon died away, and I was sorry that I had been foolish
enough to accompany Harry.