Winners. How are yourself and family?"
"Oh, we are just middlin' like."
"Won't you alight and come into the house?"
"No; I ain't got time, Fernando. I just came to see you, that's all.
Fernando, I hear as how you're goin' t' ther war."
"I am, Mr. Winners. I am a young man with no wife or children. My
country just now stands in need of young men."
"Ya-as, it does, an' I don't come t' blame ye for it,--mind ye, I don't
blame ye fur it. I'm sometimes tempted to go myself, old as I am."
"No, no, Mr. Winners, there is no occasion. Let the younger men do the
service."
"I don't blame ye, for goin', Fernando; but I hope ye won't furgit one
thing."
"What?"
"My Sukey's on t'other side. Now that fightin's begun, he'll have to
light his own flag; but he won't do it with a very good grace, lem me
tell ye. No, he won't. Now, Fernando, I don't want to ask ye to ease
down on the British a bit; but when ye come to the crowd that Sukey's
with, won't ye kind a shoot easy?"
Fernando promised to do all he could to aid Sukey to escape, and assured
him that, when once he was free, the cruel masters should pay for their
tyranny. The old man seemed partially satisfied, and, as he rode away,
he twisted himself half way round in the saddle to say:
"Now, Fernando, if ye meet Sukey's crowd, I want ye to remember to shoot
easy."
"I will not harm Sukey, if I can help it," Fernando answered.
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