Presently
she strolled off toward the adjoining cabins. These were quite empty,
the men-servants having disappeared with the Federal soldiers the
night before, the women had followed to their camp not far distant.
Not a living thing was to be seen; even the chickens had disappeared.
The whole scene was very desolate,--the smoking ruins, the deserted
cabin, a cloudy sky. Soon the child remembered her playfellow, Ponto,
and began to call him. A doleful whine answered her, seeming to
proceed from under one of the negro cabins. Nelly stooped to look, but
could only see two glowing eyes, and hear the knocking of the dog's
tail upon the ground. Ponto had been so badly frightened that no
coaxing or ordering would induce him to come out. So his little
mistress walked angrily away, and, passing through the broken gate,
stood looking up and down the road. Presently there came riding along
a Federal officer on horseback, who, discovering the forlorn child,
stopped to speak to her.
Nelly's first impulse was to run away, but, instead, she stood
clinging to the gate-post, kicking the ground with one foot and
flashing angry glances at the "Yankee.
Pages:
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365