Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/198

 Every night from hundreds of humble homes might be heard the choking sobs of a mother saying good-bye in the darkness to the last boy the war had left her old age. When the good-bye was said, and the father, waiting in the buggy at the gate, had called for haste, and the boy was hurrying out with his grip-sack, there was a moan, the soft rush of a coarse homespun dress toward the gate and her arms were around his neck again.

"I can't let you go, child! Lord have mercy! He's the last!" And the low pitiful sobs!

"Come, come, now Ma, we must get away from here before the officers are after him!"

"Just a minute!"

A kiss, and then another long and lingering. A sigh, and then a smothered choking cry from a mother's broken heart and he was gone.

Thus Texas grew into the Imperial Commonwealth of the South.

To save appearance McLeod was removed to Independence with the other prisoners, and in a short time released, with a number of others against whom insignificant charges were lodged.

When he returned to Hambright the people looked at him with suspicion.

"How is it, young man," asked the Preacher, "that you are at home so soon, while brave boys are serving terms in Northern prisons?"

"Had nothing against me," he replied.

"That's strange, when Sam Worth swore that you organised the raid to kill Rufe Lattimore."

"They didn't believe him."

"Well, I've an idea that you saved your hide by puking. I'm not sure yet, but information was given that only