William MacLeod Raine

“ Even the Southern fire-eaters knew they were fighting against hope for a lost cause. Arkansas was in the hands of the Federals, and the beaten Confederates had retreated sullenly to join Johnson or Bragg. Typical of the state, the plantation looked utterly desolate. Rotting fences, burnt cotton gins, untilled fields, and roofless cabins confronted Allyn on every side. ”

“ Hates Yankees worse than snakes. My word, how she did walk into me! But what eyes—and what a wonderful voice!
Company D spent several days on the Tolliver plantation, but Fordyce Allyn made it a point to see that his men cut their own timber from the post oak lead that ran near their camp, and that they did not wantonly destroy the corn or the cotton. Small thanks he got for his pains from Miss Jimmie Tolliver, for when he chanced to meet her about the place My Lady Disdain gathered her patched skirt closer for fear of contamination and passed him with the coolest cut imaginable. ”

“ If you'll fix me up a snack I'll be moving on," he laughed. Much as he admired Miss Tolliver, Allyn felt that he could pay too great a price for the pleasure of an hour with her.
He had no fancy for a year in a Southern military prison. Hal Tolliver would have to wait till the war was over for the pleasure of his acquaintance.
While Allyn was eating the lunch which Miss Jimmie Tolliver had set before him Aunt Becky burst into the room.
"De graybacks done comin', Miss Jimmie. Dey sho' is. I 'low they-uns a-gwine t' kill we-uns. Oh, Lordy, yere dey is!" ”

“ Jimmie Tolliver's eyes went back to Fordyce Allyn—to the man she loved. She admitted it to herself now, even though he were thrice a Yankee, and her heart cried out wildly in protest against the impending murder. To Bat Snellings and his men she pleaded with a gray face for the life she could not see put out.
"Naw, by Gawd, we 'low tuh be shet uv him. He ain't got no sense nohow. Huccome he tuh be yere without ary escort? I 'low he air a plumb idjit not wuth savin'. I ain't nevah hearn tell that Yanks are so durned seldom nohow. ”

“ The white dogwood blossoms, the yellow water lilies and the jasmine, the flame of scarlet buckeyes, together with a score of other color effects, ran rampant in wild splashes against the green background of moss-covered cypress roots, of leafing gum and hickory, or sprouting cane-brake. ”

“ The woman appeared to read his doubts.
"Do you-all recomember Bud Sutherland—the man that warned you-uns that the guerrillas were attacktin' the Tolliver place? The graybacks toled him into the slough and killed him up next week. I'm the Widow Sutherland, an' I'd walk barefoot through hell tuh git even with Bat Snellings."
The fierce gleam of deadly hatred in her eyes was convincing. Allyn doubted no longer. It was quite plain she hated the guerrillas and their leader with the memory of an injured woman who never forgets. ”

“ He held a pistol negligently in his hand, but he had not taken the trouble to cock it,
"Captain Hal Tolliver!" cried one of the graybacks, his chin falling.
"At your service. What can I do for you—before I hang you?" drawled the gentle voice. Allyn noticed even then that it had the same quality of caressing softness as his sister's had. "No, I wouldn't shoot if I were you, Bat, You see I happen to have a troop of soldiers with me in and about the house. Reckon I've sorter got the dead wood on you. Maybe you bettah drop those guns: keep you from doing anything rash. Yes, sir! ”

“ From between her lips the inevitable twig of the snuff-chewer projected, sign-manual of the Southern woman of her class.
Allyn, ready to mount, was standing by his horse with one hand resting on the horn of his saddle. He was a little surprised that a white woman should ask to be remembered but his hand dived into his pocket for some small change. The woman came nearer and began speaking in a low, hurried voice.
"If you-all air the Yank that had Shep Dyson strung up fer jayhawkin' I 'low you better light a shuck outer this yere place. The guerrillas air a-layin' fer you-all tuh kill you. ”