The Lamar register. [volume], November 15, 1911, Image 2

About The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952

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My Lady of the North
L- THE LOVE sioinr OF A
7T A GRAY JACKET A
by Randall Parrish
"-WHEN WILDERNESS WU KING " (
-
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Edith. you mistake,” he urged anx
iously. "I—l waa told that he had
been sent North.’*
She drew a deep breath, as though
she could scaroely grasp the full au
dacity of his pretence to Ignorance.
"You appeared to be fully Informed
but now as to his death sentence.”
“Yes, I beard of It while away, and
Intended telling you aa soon as I
reached our quarters.”
I could feel the scorn of his miser
able deception aa It curled her ilp,
and her figure seemed to straighten
between us.
“Then,” she said slowly, "you will
doubtless agree that I have done no
more than waa right, and will there
fore permit him this chance of escape
from so unmerited a fate; for you
know as well as I do that he has been,
wrongly condemned.”
He stepped forward with a half
smothered oath, and rested one band
heavily upon her shoulder
”1 rather guess not. madam." he
said. “Damn him! I will hang him
now higher than Haman, Juat to show
Queen Esther that It can be done. Out
of the way. madam!”
Rendered desperate by her alight
reslstapce and his own Jealous hatred. i
be thrust the woman aside so rudely
that she fell forward upon one knee. |
Ills revolver was yet In his right i
hand, gleaming In the starlight, but
before he could raise or Are It 1 had
grasped the steel barrel firmly, and
the hammer came down nolselssly
upon the flesh of my thumb. The next
Instant we were locked close together
In fierce struggle for the mastery He
was the heavier, stronger man; I the
younger and quicker. Prom the first
every effort on both sides was put
forth solely to gain command of the
weapon—his to lire, mine to prevent,
for 1 knew well at the sound of the
discharge there would come a rush of
blue-coats to his rescue. My first
fierce onset had put him on the de
tensive, but as we tugged and strained
bis superiority In weight began to tell,
and slowly he bore me backward, un
-1111 all the weight of my body rested
upon my right leg. Then there oc
curred to nte like a flash a wrestler’s
trick taught me years before by an
old negro on my father’s plantation.
Instantly I appeared to yield to the
force against which 9 contended with
simulated weakness, sinking lower
and lower, until, I doubt not. Brennan
felt convlnoed I must go over back
ward. But as I thus sank, my left
foot found steady support farther
back, while my free hand sank slow*
ly down his straining body until my
groping fingers grasped firmly the
broad belt about his waist. I yielded
yet another Inch, until he leaned so
far over me as to be out of all bal
ance, and then, with Hudden straight
ening of my left leg at the same time
forcing my head beneath his chest In
leverage, with one tremendous effort
I flung him, head under, crashing
down upon the hard road. Trembling
like a reed from the exertion. 1 stood
there looking down upon the darl
form lying huddled at my feet. H«
rested motionless, and I bent over
placing my hand upon his heart, hor
rifled at the mere thought that be
might be dead. But the heart beat,
and with a prayer of thankfulness 1
looked up. Bhe stood beside me.
"Tell me, Csptaln Wayne,” she ex
claimed anxiously, “he Is not —not se
riously hurt?”
”1 believe not,” I answered soberly.
"He Is a heavy man. and fell bard, yet
tits heart beats strong. He must hato
cut big head upon a stone, however,
for he Is bleeding ”
She knelt beside him. and 1 caugl
the whiteness of a baadec chief within
toer hand.
“Believe me, Mrs. Brennan," I fal
.ered lamely, *T regret this far mors
‘.ban I can tell. Nothing has ever oc
curred to me to give greater pain
than the thought that I have brour*
you so much of sorrow and trouble.
You will have faith In me?”
“Always, everywhere— vhether it
ever be our fate to «r«’ct again or not.
Bqt now you must go.”
And lea.a you here alone?
Are you not Rlraldf”
"Afraid?”sbe looked about her Into
the darkness. “Of what? Surely you
do not mean of Prank —of Major Bren
nan? And as to my being alone, our
quarters are within a scant hundred
yards from here, and s single cry will
bring me aid In plenty. Hush! what
was that?”
It was the shuffling tread of many
feet, the sturdy tramp of a body of
Infantry on the march.
“Go!” she cried hurriedly. “If you
would truly serve me, if yop pgrg at
ail for me, ao not longer aeisy ana
be disoovered here. It Is the grand
rounds. I beg of you, go!”
I grasped her outstretched hand,
pressed my lips hotly upon Jt and
sped with noiseless footsteps down
the black, deserted road.
OMAPTER XIX.
"n*e Cavalry Outpoet.
I lingered merely long enough to
feel assured as to her safety, creep
ing oloeer until I beard her simple
story of the Major’s fall from his
horse, and then watched through the
night shadows while the little squad
bore his unconscious form over the
crest of the low hill toward their
quarters. Then I turned my face
eastward and tramped resolutely on.
I was, first of all, a soldier, and noth
ing short of death or capture should
prevent me reaching Lee with my
message Let what would happen, all
else oould wait!
The gleam of the stars fell upon the
double row of buttons down the
breast of the coet I wore, and 1
stopped suddenly with an exlamatlon
of disgust. Nothing could be gained
by longer masquerade, and I felt In
expressible shame at being thus at
tired. Neither pass nor uniform
would suffice to get me safe through
those outer picket lines, and If 1 should
fall In the attempt, or be again made
prisoner, I vastly preferred meeting
my fate olad In the faded gray of my
own regiment. With odd sense of re
lief I hastily stripped off the gorgeous
trappings, flung them In the ditch be
side the road, and pressed on, feeling
like a new man.
There was small need for caution
here, and for more than an hour I
tramped steadily along, never meeting
a person or being startled by a sus
picious sound. Then, as 1 rounded a
low eminence 1 perceived before me
the dark outlines of trees which marked
the eourae of the White Briar, while
directly In my front, and half ob
scured by thick leaves of the under
brush. biased the red glsre of a fire.
I knew the stream well. Its steep
banks of perclpltate rock. Its rapid,
swirling current which, 1 was well
aware, 1 was not a sufficiently expert
swimmer to cross. Once upon the
other bank I ehould be comparatively
safe, but to pass that picket post and
attain the ford was certain to require
all the good fortune I could ever hope j
for.
But despair was never for long my (
comrade, and I had learned how de
termination opens doors to the coura
geous—lt Is ever he who tries that en
ters in. It took me ten minutes, pos
sibly. creeping much of the way like
a wild animal over the rocks, but at
the end of that time I bad attained a
position well within the dense thicket,
and oould observe clearly the ground
before me end some of the obstacles
to be overcome.
As I supposed. It was s cavalry out
post; I oould distinguish the crossed
sabers on the caps of the men, al
though It was some time before I was
able to determine positively where
their horses were picketed. There
must have been all of twenty In the
party, and I could distinguish the lieu
tenant In command, a middle-aged
man with light-colored chin beard,
seated by himself against the wall of
a small shanty of logs, a pipe In his
mouth and an open book upon his
knee. His men were gathered close
about the blazing fire, for the night
air was decidedly chill as It swept
down the valley; a number were
sleeping, a few at cards, while a little
group, sitting with their backs to
ward me. yet almost within reach of
my hand, were Idly smoking and dis
cussing the floating rumors of the
camp. I managed to make out dimly
the figure of a man on horseback be
yond the range of flame, and appar
ently upon the very bank of the
stream, when some words spoken by
an old gray-beared sergeant interested
me.
“Bob” he said to the soldier loung
ing next him, “whut wus It thet staff
officer sed ter ther leftenant? I didn’t
Just git ther straight of it”
The man, a debonair youg fellow,
stroked his little black mustaches re
flectively.
“Ther cove sed as how Cole’s di
vision wud be along here afore day
light, an’ thet our fellers wud likely
be sent out ahead of ’em.”
“Whar be they a goln’?*’
“The leftenafit asked him, an’ the
cove sed as It wus u glneral advance
to meet ol’ Hancock at Mlnersville.”
"Thet’s good ’nough. lads,” ohlmed
in the sergeant, slapping nis Knee, "it
means a dance down tne valley after
Early. I’m a guessin’ we’ll have a
bang-up ol’ fight ’fore three days
more.”
"Pervldln’ alters thet ther Johnnies
don’t skedaddle fust,” commented an
o her, tartly. “Whut In thunder Is
•.her matter with them hossea?” he
asked suddenly, rising and peering
over into the bushes beyond the hut, I
where a noise of squealing and kick- \
ing had arisen.
"Oh, the bay filly Is probably over j
the rope agin,” returned the ser
geant, lazily. “81t down, Sims, an’ be
easy; you’re not on boss guard ter
night."
“I know thet,” growled the soldier,
doubtfully, "but thet thar kid is no
good, an’ I don’t want my hoss all
bunged up just as we’re goln’ on
campaign. ’Taln’t no sorter way ter
hitch ’em anyhow, to a picket rope;,
rulna more bosses than ther Hebs j
dew."
This gave me Inspiration, and be
fore the speaker’s sullen growl bad
wholly ceased 1 was again upon hands
and knees, silently groplug my way
along the bank toward the rear of the
hut. It proved to be a tiny structure,
containing but a single room —prob-
ably a mere fisherman’s shuck, with
out windows, but possessing a door
at either end. Meeting no opposition
I crept within, where I felt some
what safer from observation, and then
peered forth Into the darkness
extending between It and the river.
The picket-rope stretched from one
corner of the hut, where it seemed to
be secured around the end of a pro
jecting log, out into the night, evi
dently finding Its other terminus at a
big tree whose spreading top I could
dimly perceive shadowed against the
sky. Along It were tethered the
borsee, a few Impatiently champing
their bits and pounding with their
hoofs on the trampled ground, but the
majority resting quietly, their heads
hanging sleepily down. The one near
est me appeared a finely proportioned
animal of a dark color, and was
equipped with both saddle und bridle
Of the soldier In charge I could dis
tinguish nothing—doubtless he was
lounging on his back, half asleep upon
some soft patch of grass.
I turned when It suddenly occurred
to me that the deserted hut might
contain something 1 could use to ad
vantage—a firearm, perbaps. or even
a stray box of matches. 1 felt about
me cautiously, creeplug along the
bard earthen floor until I had nearly
reached the opposite entrance. The
light from the fire without leaped up.
and Us glow revealed a saddle, with
leather holster attached, hanging to
a nail Just within the doorway Mov
ing noiselessly I managed to extract a
revolver, but could discover no cart
ridges.
1 was yet fumbling In the holster
pocket when the lieutenant rose from
his seat without, knocked the ashes
from his pipe, yawned sleepily, stand
Ing directly between me and the fire,
and then, turning sharply, walked
slowly Into the open door of the hut.
1 sprang to my feet, or he would cer
tainly have stepped upon me. and be
fore he could realize the situation 1
bad him by the collar, with the cold
muzzle of my stolen revolver pressed
hsu-d against his cheek.
“A single word or sound, and 1
Brel” 1 said sternly.
I have no recollection of ever see
ing any one more completely as
tounded. He gasped like a fish newly
landed, and I doubt If he could have
made utterance even had he dared.
"Come In a little farther," I com
manded "Now look here. Lieutenant,
you do exactly as I tell you and you
will get out of this affair with a whole
skin; otherwise—well. I'm pla.viug
this game to the limit. Now answer
me: How many men have you mount
ed thla aide the ford?”
He glared at me sullenly, and 1
drew back the hammer with an omin
ous click, eyeing him fiercely.
"Well," I said shortly, "do you
choose to answer, or die?”
"Two."
"On the other bank?”
“None.”
“Lieutenant." I paid, speaking low,
hut In a lone which left no doubt as to
my exact meaning. ”1 am an escaped
prisoner, and shall not hesitate to kill
rather than be recuptured. It la your
life or mine tonight, and I naturally
prefer my own; bat I’ll give you one
chance, and on’y one—obey my orders
and I will leave you here unhu.t; dis
obey. and your llie is net worth the
snap of a finger. Move back now un
tiil yon face the door, and don’t forget
imy pistol is within an inch of your
| ear. and this is a hair trigger. What
Is your sergeant’s name?”
“Handley.”
’’Order him to take ten men on foot
I one hundred yards west on the pike.
; and wait further orders.”
"Handley,” he called out, his voice
I so t hoked with rage as to make me
feaiiul It might arouse suspicion,
"take ten men on foot to the cioss
i roads, and wait there uutll you hear
from me.”
I could plainly note the dark shad
o * cf the le ion j as they filed out
; pj-c the fire, but I never ventured to
take e e or gun olf the man I watched,
uibuy remain there now?”
seven.
“Any non-com. among them?”
“A corporal." „
“Have him take them all south on
the cross-roads.”
"Jones,” he called out huskily.
"Yes, sir.”
“Take what men you have left a
hundred yards south on the cross
road.”
We could hear them crunching
their way thiough the bushes, until
the sound finally died out In the dis
tance.
"Now’, Lieutenant, you come with
me —softly, a::d keep your distance."
We moved back slowly, step by step,
until we came to the rear door of the
'A Single Word or Sound, and I Fire.’
si. *d. 1 reached out Into the darkness,
but without turning my face uway
from him, and silently severed the
picket-rope, retaining the loosened
end In my grasp. It was so Intensely
dark where we stood that I slipped the
pistol unobserved Into my belt.
"Pace to the rear,” I said sternly.
As be turned to obey this order,
with quick movement I tripped him,
sprang backward, and shut the door.
In a single bound 1 was upon the
back of the black, and had flung the
severed rope’s end at the flank of the
next horse In line. There was a rush
of feet, a sharp snapping of cords, a
wild scurrying through the bushes, as
twenty frightened horses stampeded
up the bank, and then, lying face
down over the saddle pommel. I sent
the startled black crashing down into
the shallows of the ford. The fellow
oa guard tried his best to .--top us.
but we were past him like the wind
He did not fire, and doubtless in The
darkness saw merely a stray horse
broken from the picket rope I’he »:h
er fellow took one swift abut, bu. 1'
went wild, and 1 heard the voice of
the enraged lieutenant damning in tbe
distance. Then with a rush we went
up the steep bank on the eastern
shore, and I sat upright In the saddle
and gave the black his rein.
CHARTER XX.
A Demon on Horseback.
I felt positively happy then. The
thrill of successful achievement was
mine, aud with the exultation of a
soldier lu having surmounted ob
stacles and peril, 1 nearly forgot for
the moment the heart tragedy left be
hind. The swift Impetus oi the ride,
tIM keen night air sweeping ;
the fresh sense of freedom and power
engendered by that reckless dash
through the darkness, all conspired to
render me neglectful of evciythlng
save the Joy of present victory. The
spirit of wild .adventure was In my
blood.
A dozen spits of fire cleaved the In
tense blackness behind, and 1 knew
the widely scattered patrol were send
ing chance shuts across the stream.
A clang of hoofs rang out upon the
rocks, but I could distinguish noth
ing indicating a large pursuing party
—probably the two who were mounted
at the ford, with possibly others fol
lowing when they caught tlieir strayed
horses I had little to fear from such
half-hearted pursuit as this was sure
to be. The swift, powerful stride of
the animal I rode assured me that 1
was not 111 mounted, and there was
small chance of contact with Federal
outriders before I should reach the
protecting picket lines of our own
army. I laughed grimly as I leaned
slightly back In saddle and listened;
It was like a play, so swift aud ex
citing had been the passing events,
so unexpected their ending. 1 won
dered what plausible story the dis
comfited lieutenant would concoct to
account for bis predicament, and
whether the others had yet missed me
back at the Mansion House.
The stars appeured to be paling
somewhat down In the east, for the
coming day-dawn was already whiten
ing the horizon. 1 glanced at my
watch, venturing to strike a match
for the purpose, and found the hour
after three o’clock. Early. 1 knew,
i was at Sowder Church, and his ad
vance cavalry pickets ought to be as
far west as the Warrentown road,
j The distance between, by hard riding.
might be covered In three hours. My
, horse seemed fresh, his breath came
i naturally and without effort, and I
pressed him along rapidly, for my
| whole ambition now centred upon
bringing ths Information 1 possessed
witnin our own linen, riungay, do
yond doubt, had been recaptured lone
since, for my own experience told me
. how extremely vigilant were the Ped
i e ral guards. To one unacquainted as
; he was with military customs it would
i prove impossible to penetrate their
lines; hence, everything must depend
I upon my getting through in safety,
t Then my thoughts drifted to the
| one 1 had left in such serious predlca
, inent. If I had loved her before, I
I loved her doubly now, for she had
- proven herself a woman among wom
en in time of dunger and trial. How
j clearly her face, with those dark
sweet eyes and the wealth of crown-
I ing hair, rose before me, while word
1 by word 1 reviewed all that had passed
between us. dwelling upon each look
or accent that could evince her pos
1 sible interest in me. Then reason re
turned to my aid, and resolutely, de
termlnedly. inspired by every instinct
of soldierly honor, 1 resolved that I
j would put her from my thoughts for
ever. She was not mine either to love
or possess, unless the uncertain fate
of war should chance to set her free.
Bren to dream of her, to cherish her
I in memory while she remained the
wife of another, was but an affront to
her purity and womanhood. 1 would
prove myself a man entitled to her
respect, a soldier worthy my service
and corps; if ever again my name
chauced to find mention in her pres
ence it should be spoken with honor.
1 was musing thus, lulled by the
steady lope of my home, and totally
Insensible to any possibility of peril,
when clear upon my ears, instantly
awakening me from such reverie,
there rang through the night silence
the sharp clang of iron on the road
behind me. All sound of pursuit had
long since died away, aud 1 supposed
the effort to recapture me had been
abandoned. But there was no mis
taking now —at least one horseman,
riding recklessly through the black
night, was pressing hot upon my trail.
"The lieutenant,” I thought, “the
lieutenant, burning with anger at the
trick played upon him. has pushed far
ahead of his troop, doubtless mounted
upou a better horse, determined to
risk everything if he may only brlug
me buck dead or alive.”
This thought awoke me in an in
stant from my dreaming, and 1
spurred my horse furiously, glancing
, anxiously backward as I rode, but un
able through that dense gloom to dls
; tlnruish the form of my pursuer. Yet
the fellow was coining, coming faster
than any speed 1 could possibly con
jure out of the wean black I bestrode,
either by whip or spur. Closer and
closer upon uie came rushing down
that pounding of Iron hoofs on the
haul patn. Heavens! how like a very
den on the man rode! As a trooper 1
couid not withhold admiration from
the reckless audacity with which the
vsngifnl fellow bore down upon me.
In spite of iuv utmost efforts It al
most seem* d as if we were standing
still Surely nothing less than hate.
I and a thirst for vengeance bitter as
death, implacable as fate, could ride
, I’ki that thiough the black ulght on
the track of a hunted man!
I able to trace dimly his out
\ lines now as he rose on an eminence
I <n niv rear, his horse looming dark
1 .-gainst the aky, like those giant
I . cds that snorted fire In my child's
| picture-books at home, and then, with
i caslngly louder thunder of hoof
l -„t*. he lame charging straight down
toward me. In aheer desperation 1
Kneed on either aide, seeking some
avenue of escape, but the high banka
were unscalable; my sole remaining
hope lay in a shot which should drop
that crazed brute before he struck
and crushed me. Riding my best,
with all the practised skill of the
service, I swung my body sideways,
bracing myself firmly In the deep sad
die, and took steady aim. The ham
mer came down with a dull, dead
click, the revolver was chargless, and
with an exclamation of baffled rag*
1 hurled the useless weapon full at
the advancing brute. Almost at the
Instant we struck, my horse went
down with the Impetus, while over
us both, as If shot from a cannon,
plunged our purauer, his horse turn
ing a complete somersault, the rider
falling so close that I was upon him
almost as soon as be struck the
1 ground.
A dtp of the flying hoof had cut a
shallow- gash across my forehead, and
my hair was wet with blood, yet
bruised and half stunned aa I was
from the hard fall, my sole longing
, was to reach and throttle that mad*
, man who had ridden me down In such.
, demon style.
“You unchained devil!” I cried
savagely, whirling him over upon hla
back. “I spared your life once tonight,
but. by all the gods, 1*11 not do It
> again!”
"Gosh, Cap, la tbet you?” asked the
voice of the other, feebly.
| I started back, aud lost my hold
upon him.
j "Hungay?" in an astonishment that
nearly robbed me of utterance. “Good
God. man! Is this really you?"
; | "It’s w hut's left 'o me." he answered
solemnly, sitting up and feeling hla
; head as if expecting to find It gone.
, j "Thet wus 'bout tiier worst ride I ever
| took "
(Continued next week)