Kootenai County Republican., May 26, 1899, Image 1

About Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903

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VOLUME I
HATHDRUM, IDAHO, FRIDAY, MAY 2«. 18!«>
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A
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BY
EDWARD
A.
TJ,'
ELLI S.
CÔPYRICÎTiT 16 99. BY TH^AUTHC^
<5
C\
A frightful dread passed through the
frame of the wounded officer. He felt
his pale face flush under a fear that nn
til that moment was a stranger to him.
for the nn:
Ackers hinted of treachery very near to
headquarters.
Was it possible? If the intimation of
his eaxitor was based on fact, the dread
that Lieutenant Oakman felt was not
for himself, but for another. The fate
of that individual might well make the
bravt-st man shudder.
r and the words of .Jim
Tho officer looked appealingly at
Ackers, and the rugged fellow answered
with a solemn wink of the eye.
Had not the prisoner been suffering
acutely from his wound he might have
felt more hopeful, but it seemed to him
that the disaster which impended was
irretrievable. With native American
pluck, however, he set his teeth, resolv
ed to brave it through to the end.
Meanwhile it was becoming evident
every minute that the wound in his
arm was more serious than at iirst sup
pospd. There was little bleeding through
the crude bandage, but the pain and
3
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partial numbness showed that it needed
;
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She lifts stnruUng nror the steps, nnd fit
Iter side tens her dnuijhier.
skilled attention, and delay iu receiv
ing such might imperil the life of the
prisoner.
His captors were roughly considerate,
but he repressed the evidence of suffer
ing so resointely that they did not sub- :
pect ilia distress.
The three were within 100 yards of
the building when Jim Ackers called a
halt. Facing the prisoner, he asked
"Yank, who are yon?"
Lieutenant Oakman gave his name
and rank.
"I in free to allow that Tim and me
like yonr looks. You've got sand, and 1
respect that sort of chap, even if his
uniform is the color of
yourn If you
warnt hnrt, we'd take yon to where
that scout of yonrn has been took. But
y,m ve been winged, and in these days.
when we re in the saddle or on the
jnmp all the time, you'd be only a
bother. I s pose we could exchange you
after awhile, but that, too, is a nui
fiance Consequently, as aforesaid, the
easiest way out is to take your parole. '•
Lientenant Oakman nodded to signi
fv lie understood.
"I jiresnino you intend to leave me
at this house?"
Ackers in turn nodded.
"It will be nnpleosant to the inmates
t-o have
an enemy, even if wounded,
thrust n{»on them as a guest "
Don t give yourself any worriment
alout that That '« our part of the bnsi
Now. let's have the parole. "
■ was not much formality about
it Lieutenant Oakman
prisoner of war. and. if recap
tur.by bis own friends, he would not
V»k- up arms against the Southern Con
t *\V. ra, '- v nilf il regularly exchanged.
w hile the simple proceedings were
undi r way. the negro boy Rastus was
ok>. rve .1 standing near the end of the
mansion
1: -
Then
- merely gave
, " v ' " r d of honor to consider himself a
lawful
some rods distant, attentively
thev were
watching them,
through, he beckoned
ȧd the
trees.
When
with great vigor.
party x-assed under the shade
around the end of the long, low
ure and ascended the ample x«irch.
1 General Eldridge, calm, matron
T and -till bandrome. was xirriiaretl for
^ '-'t was coining, for she had rightly
ub rpreted the astounding mw-sage of
ui-tn*. i u her severely plain dross and
* ?i *'*ry hair brushed away from her
i-w'tn forehead, she was standing near
.her side
^ngh.er, : lS calm and collected as her
pannt If the thunder of war had not
, 1 - n heard among these southern
■°uiw. the years of dread expectancy
t-i anguish had burned its woeful les
®n into every heart
G"- young woman was barely out of
strn-.i
was her
her teens, but her mind had been tna
tnred far beyond her years in tho bit
tercst of all schools,
R s midnight blackness rivaled the eves
and the dark complexion glowed with
* health and strength that forbade the
shadow of a wrinkle. She was of slight
stature, showing in feature tho best
It was too early for the silver to
in the silken mass of hair that in
physicnl characteristics of each parent.
Jim A :kers, who did all the talking
for himself and comrade, presented the
prisoner to the ladies and explained his
wishes. At the moment of confronting
them the lieutenant removed his cap
an ,j stood with bared head blushing
deeply.
"This is wholly involnntarv on mv
part." he hastened to explain. "It
pains me inexiiressibly to bo forc-d thus
upon yon . If yon have the slightest ob
jection. I beg you to say so and I shall
not cross your threshold. "
"Mr. Ackers knew when he bronght
yon i lero that you would he received,
y[ y husband was treated kindly when a
saw her in the faraway New England
home when she kissed her soldier boy
goodby. In a choking voice ho mnr
inured, "Thank yon!" and. waving a
farewell to the grizzled men still stand
ing at the foot of the steps.' he followed
tho ladies into the broad, roomy apart
ment where they had been seated sew
ing and waiting, waiting, waiting,
when Rastus burst upon them with the
startling news cf a wounded "Linknm's
man" who would soon reach the door.
prisoner. Aon belong to my enemies,
ß a t you are injured. It is poor comfort
we can oiler, but such as it is you are
; welcome. Please enter. "
The gracionsness «if manner which
accompanied these words was like a
! gentle benison. Lieutenant Oakman
could hardly check his tears when, de
clining tho air offered by his captors,
he passed up the steps, enj) still in hand
There was something in the sweet words
that recalled his own mother as lie last
;
"I feel meaner than i can express."
thought Lieuti nant Oakman when he
accepted this typical southern hospital
ity. "for. iu welcoming me to their
home, they have no suspicion of the
whole truth. The best man does no
know what a miserable scoundrel lie
can become until ho makes tho honest
effort for himself. "
:
CHAPTER V
A BKKKZK.
That hospitable southern home of
General Arthur Eldridge. C. S. A., had
its physician, who. so far as tho ordi
the majority of the profession who hold
the duly certified diplomas of the most
famous medical schools of the land,
nary ailments of the human flesh are
concerned, could have given lessons to
A tint Marcie. wife of old Pete, the
coachman, and mother of Rastus. had
nourished Adele when a child through
a seemingly mortal illness after the reg
nlar physician «aid all hoi»-was vini--.li
ed. and she had sat by the bedside • f
her beloved mistress as the
husband uttered what he beli-ved \v.,s
his last farewell and aduiinist-rc.l h--r
simple remedies, which p-.illi 1 the
mother back from the edge of tho dark
river. General Eldridge kilns--If had r-
ceived the benefit of that wonderful
W.'UJ'I
skill which nature sometimes bestows
njmn those tliat are the least gifted
mentally, while in ths old day*, whin
the threescore slaves sang and worked
the plantation, there was none who
willingly received the care of any doctor
iD preference to Aunt Marcie.
Of nil this Lieutenant < iakmati know
on
nothing, but when the old coj.-rt 1 w
man. with her head swathed in a g,,r
geona bandanna handkerchief, promptly
and deftly removed the bandage fr- m
the wounded arm with a sniff of cun
tempt lie felt somehow or other that it
was nseless to send for the U ** surgeon
in the Union army, even if the ojijior
tnnity were presented
While Mrs. Eldridge and h-r dangh
ter looked sympathetically on. with an
occasional word of pity. Aunt Marcie
attended to bnsrness
"Might've knowed dat was done by
some fool of a white man like Jim Act
ers. ' she remarked as she laid the
stained and caked cloth a i i- "it sm
tied twice as tight as it ort--r be. Dat *
what makes yo face st» ml '
Lieutenant Oakman f- it his connte
nance burning, for he was aware that
a pair of bright eyes were fixed com
iniseratingly upon hilu. and h- welcom
"Yo'« a big fool as de rest ob de
white folks. Doan yo see dat de band
age beiu tied tight stops de blood from
promenadin trough de system an k---p»
it all in do head? Yo's mighty If :y
dat yo' head hnin't busted afore dis.
"Ah. bow w onderful! I never thought
ed the chance for a rarry or diversion.
"Why should that make my face
red. aunty?'
or mat. *
. a . v- •
wcr'n't liu'ii ild «-IV " * °
The offic£ raill hi« ev«w and met
thoi:
hurt ht, motto. I.» in toi *»
put it in front of her mouth to hide the
* ,a, e *''*?>"* "?* «■!***<• "hile he
V ad< no effort to check hia own exprès
Mon of arnnaeinent Hi" eye« flitted to
those of the mother, who hail no hestta
tion in showing her pleasure.
Jn.st then aunty looked np.
Lord sa be me I But l must be quirk
form face am redder dan eher. It 11
bust fittfdi ef 1 doan hurçy_
Dépite the embarrassment felt by
the invalid under the battery of those
black eyes, there was something ungut y
sootlnng in the manipulation of his
wounded arm by the coli.ri d woman
She had carefully provided herself with
the medicinal herbs bronght hy Rastus
from their cabin iron, some a bitter
tea was made and from others a cooling
lotion that was lue the touch of the
winter s breath upon the f-vered fore
head As the black, herny hands passed
np and down the forearm, clearing it
of the lust; traces cf coagulated blciod.
spreading the subtle tonic over the fair
sain through whose pores it gently
node its way pain vanished, and the
ofneor f* It tlsat but for the presem*i* of
the two St .1 rill, g behind amity's chair
he could have laid hack his head and
.s sleep
sunk into tile refreshing dreamlei
of infancy.
"I never saw anything like it." he
said gratefully. "I felt better from tin.
moment you began taking off the band
age. I don't understand how"
"Cose yo' doan' obstend it,
is nuf.hi but a white man. " ..
1 hat must belt, aunty. I have had
Fome fear that one of the holies was in
jiired. Is it so- oh!"
.who was kneading tlm f. -rearm with
T) V ' 'Ti * < lt ' 11 i* ' 1 V* Z* 11 '
through his frame and ca ns--l the frown,
the start and the exclamation
t'on'lT'v r' D ° ?rnW i i
t ought Marse Linkum s soy-rs had
some sense, but d, y am as big fools as
Marse Jeff Davis'. Yaas. do 1-me had
been brashed a little by do bullet dut
obw.it.-d it. but it ain't broke. Shall
1 teH yo'surnfm?''
The black eyes, with tho Iron specta
d,> * ^ting on the bridge of the Hat
nose, flash d upward and look, 1 into
the . . 80 near its own.-like a vision
of "- r 'T from out <-f the mmni.tht.
'' I:!,ail >rI,id to bear it. aunty. '
. Dat arm am gw.ne to hab a good
oal « b influ.mn.-ratmn. V, n.nst k-ep
qllt . Do,in fiet. it it 11 hnrt like
-fvitMii fur a t-w days.
„„tvÇ' SUr ° * u ro Is no danger,
a J.,' ' .. , , . ,, _.
The question was ask-d by Mr, El
drtdge. who was too accustomed to the
wav»» of nor M rvant to bo startled by
what she might say.
Lor bless yo ! NnfTin at all. It 11
huit, but de hones am as good as et«r
" 1 Î lu . a . 'j'' ', r ' * 1 'V 1 , 11 . '.V
W »Andanntvniw^makJa mi'take.'
vh« I« (he li St
D , as she is.
and film will soon bring you around.
•:o yo'
added Miss
physician in tin-county
Eldrid ;e.
i
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"Shet up"' nnorily interrupted Aunt
oT
•^3
- V
'i
.1.' OT
Mv mother ha* already as«ur«-d you
t h it V..U lire weir :n
ch-to r -inain w fi
« I -ng a* you
n - mv ! hankfnlne««. '
said the lient- riant with deep feeling
"Since I nit rod y mr state a* an en-
my. what right bail I to look for such
kindness?"
"The rieht of those who profe-s tin
faith of the good Gar anten. " r-j li-d
th- in -th-r "God kn-.w» I have suffer
ed i-Ti- itch at the hat- 1* of yonr p«-.pie
My fat!., r and br 'h- r have given np
their live-,, one at Gettysburg and the
other in front of Richmond. Batwenr
civilir. d rrcattir— and when my hns
isenpr of the Unionist*
as I hope to treat von.'
"I r-:., iu- r General Eldridge well. '
said the Prim rinnt gently "No braver
officer live* I help.■ 1 to capture him.
and my opinion is th..t of all who knew
him 1 wa* clad when lie was exchang
I e ; 111!-.t
hau l was a p
he was tr.-iti-d
ed. though, clfverly added the offi—r
"I know it is just bth Ii a* he that lu Ip
prol-r-g tiie w»r I shall avail niysi If
Jour Kinde -s to tue extent of {«r
.. . , .
"Shet up angrily mtemiirted Aunt
Marcie "A'-*' b.iut got nnffin t<- say
how long yo's gwine to fai h-ah
fix dan'
11!
"As yen please, annty, " tn«e!'ly re
sp- nd-.-d the invalid, who blueli- 1
ii* icclv than before, because at that
"miHrnt in« eyes end those of Musa El
dri dge met. and each smiled.
,Ut ° the room w; ' lkcd at that »«
äJeI»««»
f.Äto I'S'*£ Ti« £
w ,. r „ a m 4 hbor sh „ WM a nimd in
black, and tbe light gray cy» the thin
iij w and the ri«irt figure were those of
0Ue v . ho know« little of the quality of
m ,. lvv
••.'his is Misa Harriinan, *' Mis« El
dridge made hatte to say. mentioning at
t lie -urne time the name of Lieutenant
( ): Annin and the misfortune that tnado
him » temporary guest in that home.
The officer partly rose from the cash
i,. n ,sl chair in which he had been seat
,. (1 ^owed low and expressed his pl- a »
ur „ at tla . llt ,. Mi«« Harriinan
loo i ;ed angrily at him without the
sli . ht08t itK !:! ; ;ltioa of , lf . r , K . ad or
t.iowledgment of the introduction The
fl!M clt) , cli f „ r ., niODK . nt and thrtl
with a strange glitter in her steely eyes
H ,„. tnru ,., ltli . tr ,. K , of the
Th« words that f Mowed se.-m.sl tobe
^-.ot out like bullets from between the
i ips
-'yfrs Eldridge. do yon mean to let
jbat man stuv here?"
»Buch is mv intention. " replied the
elder wilh .a -r.ity. "and 1 have yet to
loam that it in nay concern of jours. '
"Humph ami, you claim to be a
«ontbern woman ! '
"X do. ami therefore a Christian wo
Tie-re was an ominous flash in the
man
eyes < f the daughter, who hero inter
ior, d
"Miss Harriinan. were I not certain
that yon have forgotten your self
maud and that yon will soon bo asham
e d of this. I should not permit you to
remain in this room."
"Ashamed of myself" repeated the
woman with scorn "Never 1 It is you
wno will regret to vonr aving oav nav
j h shelter to une'who comes to
ska-our n "r 1 and bn-n err . . if
I ^ i ÏSiS^hi;
t rel . min ' minlI te „nder tl.ia
roof L minute under this
"Madam" int, maned Lieutenant
Q ^ in , ; _ ' a ."f. ,
th( . " "j, -• J na - Ü y° a ure u ujl,Vü uf
"I am " replied the woman turning
f eroci , inH '|y '
"Vour Words and manner led me to
it -
.! And . am ..bamed of mv misfw
tune. whi. h - ..nte.t b.- ii-1-. -i. "
"No more ashamed tlu.n tlm north is
of Bnch dan ^ t , rfl HS y ..„. and tlm
fn , Rri(f , f it jq ' th . lt m-rth Ls
equally helpless in its misfortune."
-
CHAPTER VL
IVWHTT-UT-,.«
cn*y,A,s . .
A in Marc.e s diagn- -is of Lienten
ant 0;ilc»n:tn s row-* was armrritf* Tin*
comparatively slight wound gradually
grew more angry and inflamed until
his syst'-m was afire with fever and his
sufferings were intense He walked tin
tWl * pntii "
>-»t *»'» disturbed tho -de,«, ing ones who
could giv. him no more than their syn,
and be rested only when nature
rum
Tie
: that the old colored woman
rrii-gly every phase of hi«
in her at par
iy sim explained that
the bril- t. wh --h rung- I ni-.ng the f• .rc
arm nnder the sleeve of coat and shirt
had carried some of the cloth with it.
and it was this foreign «iiiMtanc« that
was still within tho Wound which caus
ed the irritation Until that was re
moved by her treatment tba inflammn
tion l ,. in w -M continue, b-.-t the
mw .:,vo:.- -. n«-.- wo .ildhe.xtid-d
at .- «no hour on the fourth day. alt- r
whi, h his improvement v.-.uid rapid
And it c.;':. - about pr. cU-ly as she
said Inde«-,! the reli f was so marked
that, as he , xpn s.v.-i it. tho change was
lit- ! .ven it- If
foretold u
case kept his conoden
In io r I r ,de
ng in n d---ir s to be I t al-ne
wie nl. is stiff-ring Wont* of sym
pathy do no gof-d and gen-rally an- a
1 re Li-ut- ii int <lakmati
Mr, Eldridge and her d.inght- r under
ft- 1 this truth and f : r- intruding
u ; . : ; in:.. Til- ef. t ( t«. -ko'.v the < r
te-v an l gr-ititu-i- due them would
have iu- nii.,-1 hi« p«in
L it t- : w.rede!. ,e.i.-s s-rdtohi-i
.p. 4n ,.,j { . ^ irr j w -j , H
b i:e- b V Aunt Marcie. that were' the
«V .1 t of balms How th«-«« people
re«luc. d to t'.i. most painful d,-gr.-..f
j« •. i-rtv. con:-l furnish him with snch
deli ,t- and nourishing f.««t was in
cenc. i-.abie lo the All t>— slaves
1...-Ï ran -it ext- ptmg P-t- his v .fe
and the b y U. The phmtatina
had Ion going to wa«*« for a 1< ng time.
tti-l it w : l mi** : j i that the fir duet: n
w is n t -idicient for the « us.»nance of
A s'
s glad that
r<
né
one {• i - • ii
And 1- re v,--re mot lier and daughter,
ac: i 1 to live* of refinement and
luxury, b- -ides tits thr- e «ervuuta, n
•f wie-m kIkiv. -I «-viik-n-'H of actual
w -ut thougli the I*-* rty of attire, th»
! <i r genuine ta and cofft
a;-i the in* ager f .ra i** -lf sjM.ge eio
q ntly of tt ■ x iinful change of condi
tions.
It is probable that this exemption
fr ->i the db-tress that cnine to thun
ks of other I. in-s was «lue to a \ .,ri
. f taupes. A.* u known, the sert ion
lay in tho very heart of the Confedrtr
u where, until the v.s.t of Sb- r.-iali
au. t his army, th' r<:ii f.n- nce of war
v.... : ot felt Although the men at
t.; h--d to the pba.tati .n had long since
gi.gu to war, taking the must valnubk*
«:
c
El- non,e * " ,tn ,no *". **®te ana ni« wir«
Weïe " b! " to K' Vo more help to the
»«"« »h«. would b. «oppowd. Their
&^ toïïïTLss^ ? anKht * r
£ iÄtaEKÄlf* " "
in Slue« Lieutenant Calm,at. waa not
aib «» 'n body and the am. which he
of carried in a sling was mending rapidly
of tbur *-' was no call for him to atay within
doors The second night on which ho
El- Wi,lke d tho floor was tho most wretched
at of his ,i,e A dritiling rain fell steadily
threngh tho dismal hours, and tho pat
t. ring on the roof, tho endbtas dripping
nf tb" « ares, the soughing of the wet
brandie», drove him almost frantic. 1..«
wit b his «ndden releas» from angnUh
»- tb - «ntnmn «tin burnt forth in splendor,
*-'* rejoicing with him over the blessed
the «nrcease from misery
Stirring news had come to the Union
The P r >*-ner From some « anse General
Sh-rman made an abrupt turn to the
northward in his line of march, thus >
leaving the Eldridge plantation a g.sid- ,
ly number of miles to tho sonth. This
the was nil euonuons relief to the officer
who knew too well the plundering pro- 1
let clivities of many of his conntrymen
which led them to regard everything
the worth taking ns legitimate spoil. He
to dreaded a visit from them, though
' it. nntil he learned of the
a ch:,n K e »n the line of march Several
squads of cavalry had been seen hover
^ lt * neighborhood but they van
idled without molesting the
the 1,0 uttensi a prayer of thankfulness
when convinced that nothing inorc
would be seen of the invaders.
Of course in tho event of a hostile
visit the officer would have defended
the household to the last, but he
ex
women.
to only one unarmed man against what
might have been n score or a hundred
the Poluips his chivalry would have avail
ed. perhaps it would not : soit is well
' l " u " n !' 1 •upremo test
to 1 he situation of Lieutenant Oakman
if *** unique. He felt that he ought not !
V. P«^.mg hi. s^y. and yet wh^ means
* h<mM he a, M»' to depart? He wa« e
prjsoner on p3(r<> i e An<1 onexchanged
hurrying back aud forth on the flanks j
, and in tlio wake of the Union armv j
uf were multitudes of Confederate cavalry
m<,u - through which it would Lowell 1
nigh impossible for hi in to make hi
to way ' So,u '' ot th<uu woro irr- gular
fortes or guerrillas, who. enraged by I
4i-.i«t-r. would show scant considers
ti,,a to the United 8 ta tea uniform
is They were liable to net Uie Homo oi
O-ner.U Eldridge at any hour
Ls "I must take the first . .. to !
leave," v i Oakman'« thought. "M; .
arm is only slightly sire, nnd if mount- i
ed on a good horse, with my revolver
Ht command. I wouldn't ii-sitate to
chance it Poor Faimv! It : n't lik-lv I
W( . ever moe| aKttin>
hope,
his with his captors the we.-q, ,n was drop
pod while riding the mare at full s[
* r *'£™ (" r * .
*; a th « yiilj <me who r,mile 1 tu- fact
W r if *.
l){ hu tinM> in waa . |
dering abiut the old plantation
loved to nit ander the grand old shad- >
trie«, where «> ats had b-- n i laced long i
before Bometimes
WUfi
and as fur a
ri-volv. r"
Ho checked hinuielf with a thrill of
In tho flurry of hi« en- unt« r
.1
he
the
u c< uni r--c -ver it '
COllVil',
-nee
He
hi«
it.
re
,,
the r " LMtidire and h-T daughter were
cw,! * ! ' rat -'' r ; D>nding kindly to his
r « T ". 1,51,1 ^pressing their pleasure
ut rr ' ov ' r - v .' bt, ' tbe ""•«»«•« wa«
she «"'«»« to him that he avoided l»,tb
!,:4 K *' ,,vs <>f h, '"" r wonbI »"'» 1 -rmit
"T , l ° 10 IT r *' n,ot ^i degree ,
to tab«* advaiitag» 1 «rf his ixositton.
As for Miss Harridan, the «itnation
may f said t<> have t«-en on
he
«-hatt -1 with ,
Aunt Marcio, and inus
Ul.cl, Pete
much as they r> f i .si t«» a< ,-r-pt any- |
thin ; in tli- f >rm of money from him j
he fill 'd the [ - ki t« ot Rastus with
griH-nbncks, until the dusky urchin j
tliriut- ued to become u budding mil
lion.lire.
I
a
... , , ..
V ' a ' " '"f "' 5 '
r \ hv ,al ' io Wltb ,lUI " i,n ' 1 ^»ngutw-nt
f the Lotis.- «-.m.-timoa aU day «n«i
Tb f, ,, ".* t that wa. said of her
hy Mi«. Eldndgn W.-JS «-. explain that
, H * i,T fr - 11 wan Marian Harrin .n.
the that die had emu.- from New England
P'«t 1-ef- re toe breaking ont of the war
**<*"«; < jf h«-r high recon.mcn.1a
ÎÎ, !" . 1,11,1 Uf,!B b X G.-n-ral
in- Lhirwlge os a gov. ru-., or cmpanion
bl " '»-'"«hter. who o-lit.-n,plated a
.fe Lnr "I»«-* a n »our with h-r mother, but
prevented by ths owning uf bostil
1,I " ,S -
n
of
of armed
neutrality Mr* Eldridge must have
sp ken «harp words t < h r for nothing
more was heard of fur biting «ent-nc«*
n> v- r Kitting at
'
Brief «* are the words Recorded of
this young woman, they are sufficient
to show h-r intens*- «.-luthcrn
synix«
thi«-s She was more extreme than th«*»}
Bin-ng whom she lived and sometime*
né brought reproof ufoia her head for her
fierce ntterances.
Lient-nant tiakiusn r -meinta-red tbe
si* t wliere h«
when he was «truck by tbe tmll-t of
Tiai Masters- Sauntering to the id,ice,
lie groped only a few minuti-s among
the cotton »hriifjs when he came ax«>n
th» weap n lying precisely a»
f ill- n With 11 cry of j. y he matched
it up. «tip;, 1 it into hi* pocket aud
«tarted homeward.
th»
ion
It was wholly accidental, the meeting
Itv.esn Lieut .nant Oakman and Miss
dr-iqx-d ills revolver
it bad
CHAITER VTL
ÜMnvn TitK TREKS.
I
-
E!dnâg&. tie was «aontcrtng tsought
fully homeward after recovering hi. w
r ^ •»«-»**» «• ^ *£»-«
"» *
P °* ln '? «pacxons. «haded
#™»nd* he raised his eye. and saw the
y« ,n «»K l*dy seated on one of thematic
bt '"^ be " «cicely 20 pace« away,
hbu wa * looking toward him and.
«be «aught hi« glance, nodded and al
"'"* t nncoMcionaly made r«.om for him.
A singular thrill stirred the officer as
|»« raid'd his cap. and. «lightly quicken
lBK his pace, placed himself at the aid*
of ' h< ' - v,, " n « * Ä,1 Y
A touch of summer'* softness lin
t1 "' h >r. but the »hapdy shonl
der " were infolded in a light shawl and
the head covered by a bat trimmed by
ber own han,ls wlth » taste that would
have won a compliment in Paris itself
Hi *e -vet, carried a parasol which was
> £ "* u ;: 1 ' wbl,u * ho cuicd tho sharp point
, to d, * L tho K rot i ni1 ber feet, »me
tlm ' H by way of emphaau and again
wlll ' at all
1 After u few words the young woman
*°' d;
as
"It seems inhospitable, lieutenant,
after yonr brief utay with ns for me to
urge you to leave, but I am compelled
to do so. "
"When I have rect-ivsd so mach
kindness from your family, there can
be no such thing as inho.-puahty on
yonr purt '
"My words sound very like it How
»•I«« run they tie construed?"
Bim hml begun gouging the soft
ground near the |«iintof onoof her tiny
shoes with the tip of her p.irun-,1 anj
looked npward and sideways at him
with a faint «mile
..
„
! Tlle «en tie face became thopghtful.
moment, .ilenc dwwid
e ln a luwor lo " e
"Yon speak the truth, for yon are in
j danger. "
j , "^ ach haa **** r 'iy situation from
th - ,ir!it
1 "B«t »he danger him become im mi
Despite the care we have ns«<d it
kn-wn that we are shelter
by I in # • Union officer nnder our roof
"Ai"» ther-by'have placed General
Mdn'lfl« In a faise position
„».j^.^inVrnth b" w
a « J " ' ' « „ »V .
!
. * ra ' vbu Ju -n 01 ta 'n*
i
to
I
. |
>
i
"The motivo must bo tho interpret«-!.
Yonr words are prompted by tbc um«
f, eling that led yon and yonr mother to
extend hospitality when it wa» «or«-ly
an be does. '
"Not Masters and Ackers?"
"Their treatment of you does not
warrant your distrust."
Thu officer's face flushed and he made
haste to apologise.
"It does nut. but they might fw obey
ing tin- orders of others. 1 understand
that since the Union army lias pass-d
through thi« section there are many
Confederate cavalrymen hovering on
the outskirts at the rear of the force
a
of
r
picking -ff straggb rs Somu of them
are in this noighfiorh ud. '
"They are aud mean to pay you a
'
v * h 'L "
,
"But ! am already n prlannov. "
"And yet confined tu no pic-in.'
The word« meant n go;«i deal. Lien
tenant Oakniati felt that the most chiv*
,
|
j in objecting to the prin
j
alrous enemy would have be. n justified
es he eo
joyed
"Miss Eldridge. could 1 have carried
out my wish 1 should have left this
I lovely home several days ago. "
Khe had resum-d h r g , ng of ths
earth ut her feet, and for a minnts
»•etneii at , rf. ■ 1 in tin- progress «h«
was making Thcu again she turned
her face sid< ways aud a«aed with m
bright smile:
"Why?"
The officer would have be<«n «pitted
bef- re telling mII that was in hi* mind.
"I am entirely recovered from iny
Wound and eould-have gone f»-f it this.
a
Instead I am in the unworthy x»-,*ition
an abl-li-died soldier lingering in the
r-ar when hi* country needs the s-rvics
ot evejv iimi of its soli* "
at
Eh-did not ré pond until she com
plet. -d digging a ragged orifice a little
fartle r in front of the hem of ber dress.
Th- ri. «tili surveying thj tiny pit. «hs
«aid
"Not your country, bnt yonr
tion. "
"No. allow me—mine—yonr country,
for sni'k it n» aud shall bu to tbe end of
time. "
How many southern girls wonld hav*
permitted th- se word* to [mss nnretmk
e<l ' To tho majority, it would hav*
of proved the sx>ark to the fiowder uiaga
rin
Hnpx>o«e he had ctter«d th-m to Misa
But no— tho suxiposition
Hajfiuian?
of
Wa* lUcreillhle
Ho was frighten«-d liy his own temer
ity and lii /k-d «|ue«tiouingly ut her.
The gouging of the x*iiat--l wood had
«acavated a symmetrical orifice in ths
dirt B< verai grains were flung over the
toe of. tbe Umd rellalike mum-. She flirt
ed them «-ff aud continued digging, a»
if promised by a definite pnrjxxse. lie»
waa grave, but she remained si
"Have iny word« given offense?*'
asked the lien tenant with a pang of self
reproach, while studying the period
profile before him
"No. i could not respect ffon wen
you* sentiment* different. "
I
(To l*.- Co.i-in-1 *1;
t