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wus the why the good Lord woked me. I luck'd at the 'volver I'd stole from the sodger, seed it war all right, ana then dumb a tree. 'Bout so quick as it takes ter tell it, the hounds-two 'maizina fine critters, wuth a hun'red ana fifty apiece-wus on me. I run my eye 'long the pistol-barr'l, ana let drive.
It tuck jest two shots ter kill 'em.
I know'd the Secesh wus a follerina the dogs, so ye'd better b'lieve I made purty tall racina time till I got ter the eend uv the timber.
Just at night I run agin some darkies, who guv me suthin ter eat, ana nothina more happen'd 'fore the next night, when I come in sight oa home.
I got ter the edge uv the woods, on the hill jest ahind uv my barn, 'bout a hour by sun; but I darn't go down, fur, ye knows, the house stood in a clarina, ana some uv the varmints mought be a watchina fur me. I lay thar till it war thick dark, ana then I crept ter the r'ar door.
I listened; ana whot d'ye 'spose I yered?
Sally a prayina — ana prayina fur me, so 'arnest ana so tender loike, thet I sat down on the door step, ana cried loike a child — I did.
Here the rough, strong man bent down his head and wept again.
The moisture filled my own eyes as he continued:
She telled the Lord how much I war ter har; how she'd a loved me uver sense she'd a fust seed me; how 'fore har father, or mother, or even the chillen, she loved me; how she'd tried ter make me love Him; how she know'd thet, way down in my heart, I did love Him, though I didn't say so, 'case men doan't speak out 'bout sech things loike wimmin does.
ana she telled Him how she hed tried ter do His will; tried ter be one on His raal chillen; ana she telled Him He bed promised
