[What Answer? by Anna E. Dickinson]@TWC D-Link bookWhat Answer? CHAPTER IX 2/7
"If I'd known you were over here, I'd have found you before, though my regiment hasn't been down here long." Jim at that looked sharply at the "eagles," and then over the alert, graceful person, finishing his inspection with an approving nod, and the emphatic declaration, "Well, if I know what's what, and I rayther reckon I do, you're about the right figger for an officer, and on the whole I'd sooner pull off my cap to you than any other fellow I've seen round,"-- bringing his hand once more to the salute. "Why, Jim, you have turned courtier; army life is spoiling you," protested the inspected one; protesting,--yet pleased, as any one might have been, at the evidently sincere admiration. "Nary time," Jim strenuously denied; and, these little courtesies being ended, they talked about enlistment, and home, and camp, and a score of things that interested officer and man alike.
In the midst of the confab a dust was seen up the road, coming nearer, and presently out of it appeared a family carriage somewhat dilapidated and worse for wear, but still quite magnificent; enthroned on the back seat a fullblown F.F.V. with rather more than the ordinary measure of superciliousness belonging to his race; driven, of course, by his colored servant.
Jim made for the middle of the road, and, holding his bayonet in such wise as to threaten at one charge horse, negro, and chivalry, roared out, "Tickets!" At such an extraordinary and unceremonious demand the knight flushed angrily, frowned, made an expressive gesture with his lips and his nose which suggestively indicated that there was something offensive in the air between the wind and his gentility, ending the pantomime by finding a pass and handing it over to his "nigger," then--not deigning to speak--motioned him and it to the threatening figure.
As this black man came forward, Brooks, looking at him a moment, cried excitedly, "By Jove! it's Sam." "No? Hunt's Sam ?" "Yes, the very same; and I suppose that's his cantankerous old master." Surrey ran forward to Jim, for the three had fallen back when the carriage came near, and said a few sentences to him quickly and earnestly. "All right, Colonel! just as you please," he replied.
"You leave it to me; I'll fix him." Then, turning to Sam, who stood waiting, demanded, "Well, have you got it ?" "Yes, massa." "Fork over,"-- and looking at it a moment pronounced "All right! Move on!" elucidating the remark by a jerk at the coat-collar of the unsuspecting Sam, which sent him whirling up the road at a fine but uncomfortable rate of speed. "Now, sir, what do you want ?" addressing the astounded chevalier, who sat speechlessly observant of this unlooked-for proceeding. "Want ?" cried the irate Virginian, his anger loosening his tongue, "want? I want to go on, of course; that was my pass." "Was it now? I want to know! that's singular! Why didn't you offer it yourself then ?" "Because I thought my nigger a fitter person to parley with a Lincoln vandal," loftily responded his eminence. "That's kind of you, I'm sure.
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