None But the Brave

he men who had returned growing more and more confident, as those who had carried the wounded officer away talked in low tones to the others. But the minutes gave me my wind and brought back some of my nerve, and then they came on with set faces. I stood up and grasped my pistols, but in that moment the girl stepped forward with her head up and as proud an air as ever chicken had against mail coach. " What do you wish ? " she asked quietly. " We want that man! He has killed one of us, and ? " " One of you, you clowns ? " I cried, taking her by the shoulder and setting her aside. " He is no more of you than I am I " " Who are ye, then? " cried the spokesman. " And jvhat do ye here ? We do not like the look of ye, andye shall go no further till ye settle with us and tell us who ye may be." It was no drunken crew that spoke now, and I knew it. They had made up their minds, and I was too weak to try to cope with four men. They seemed to be natives hereabouts, and I must take my chances of their being Colonials by sentiment as well as birth. There was naught else to do. " I am an American soldier," I said, " travelling north alone, and you have no more to do with me than with the river outside the door." " I knew it!" cried the man, and the others began to surround us. " Ye rebel bastard, ye 've struck the wrong gang! Travelling alone, eh? And what is this baggage here with ye ? " "She?" said I, stumped again. "Why, she ? " " I am his swee...