Show I 1 I 1 WIN SWAIM rai R I 1 A L IS T p R J Y my lady of bf tf thea north OSs 7 c LOVE STORY of A GRAY JACKET by randall parrish h cauther t f when wilderness was king illustrations BY Y ARTHUR B williamson N copyright by A C mcclurg A co rt at Stat stationer loners hill hall london landon U SYNOPSIS the story etory opens in a confederate tent at a critical stage staga of the civil war wa r gen lea bee imparts to capt wayne an important message ines sage to longstreet accompanied by sergt bergt craig an old army scout wayne starts on his mission they get within the lines of tho the enemy and in the darkness wayne fig taken for a federal officer and a young lady on horseback to Is given in his charge she la Is a northern girl and attempts to escape one of the horses succumbs and craig goes th through with the dispatches while wayno wayne and 1 imy y lady of the north aro are left alone they seek fleek shelter in a hut and entering it in tho the dark a huge mastiff attacks wayne ayne the girl shoots the brute just in time the owner owne of the hut jed bungay and hla his wife appear a and nd soon a party of horsemen approach they are led by a man claiming to be red lowrie but who proves to pa be maj mai brennan a federal officer whom the union girl recognizes he ha orders the arrest of wayne as a spy and ho he Is brought before sheridan who threatens him with death unless he reveals tho the secret message wayne believes edith brennan to be the wife of maj mai brennan lie he to Is rescued by jed bungay who starts to reach gen lee while wayne in disguise penetrates to therall tho ballroom beneath which he had been imprisoned I 1 ile he Is introduced to a miss ifill minor or and barely escapes being unmasked edith brennan recognizing wayno wayne says she will save him securing a pass toasa through h the lines the they are confronted by brennan an who Is knocked knocked senseless then bidding bidding edith adieu wayne makes a dash for or libert liberty y ile he encounters bungay they re reach a eh the tha lee camp and are sent wit with rel reinforcements to join early in the battle of Shanan doah the regiment Is overwhelmed CHAPTER field hospital corps my head ached so BO abominably hen I 1 first opened my eyes that I 1 ads was compa compelled ilea to close them ag again aln tn merely oly realizing dimly that I 1 looked up at something white above me which appeared to sway as though blown bently by the wl wind n d my mk gra ing hand the only one I 1 appeared able to move told mo me I 1 was lying upon a camp cot with soft sheets about me and that my head rested upon a pillow then 1 I passed once more into unconsciousness but this time tt it was asleep when I 1 once more awakened the throbbing pain had largely left my hot temples and I 1 saw that the swaying white canopy composed the root roof of a large tent upon which the golden sunlight now lay in checkered masses telling me the canvas had been erected among trees A faint moan rno n caused me to move my head slightly on the gratefully soft pillow and I 1 could perceive a long row of cots exactly similar to the one I 1 occupied each apparently filled stretching away toward an opening that looked forth into tho the open air A man was moving slowly down the narrow aisle toward me stopping hero and there to bend over some sufferer out ferer with medicine or a cheery word he wore a short white jacket and was without a cap his head of heavy red hair a most conspicuous object As he ha approached I 1 endeavored deavo red od to speak but for the moment my throat refused response to the effort then I 1 managed to ask feebly where am I 1 the blue eyes in tho the freckled boyish face danced good and ho he laid a big red hand band gently upon my forehead field hospital sixth corps 01 he said with a strong hibernian accent an how do ye lotke it johnny better than some others ive seen 4 1 I managed to articulate faintly who won civill a wan of us knows he admitted frankly but your fellows did the itou it was an old old story to all of us by that time and I 1 closed my eyes wearily content to tock aask no more I 1 have na way of knowing how bow long I 1 rested there motionless although awake my eyes closed to keep out the painful glare my sad thoughts busted busied with memory of those men whom I 1 had seen reel and fall upon that stricken icken tr field we bad battled so vainly to save once onca I 1 wondered with sud aud don den start of fear if I 1 had lost a limb if I 1 was to be crippled for life the one think thing I 1 dreaded breaded above all else 11 pooling keling feebly beneath my bod bed cloth ng I 1 tested as best I 1 could each kimb all befi 6 apparently intact al 0 though tny my lett nn arm seemed useless and devoid of feeling broken no doubt and I 1 heaved a sigh of genuine relief then I 1 became partially aroused to my surroundings by a voice speaking from tho the cot next mine you lazy irish marinel it cried petulantly that beet beef stow stew was to have been given me an hour ago sure sor was the soothing reply it to be given yer honor till two well its all of three now wan thirty on me cowl sor eor that first voice sounded oddly familiar and I 1 turned my face that way buc biu was unable to perceive the speaker ar IF that lieutenant caton I 1 asked doubtfully most assuredly it Is IB quickly and who are you captain wayne of the confederate army oh wayno glad you spoke but extremely sorry to have you here i L adly hurt not seriously I 1 think no limbs m missing asing anyhow but exceedingly weak where did they get you in the side a musket ball but extrac ted I 1 would world be all right if that lazy irish scamp would only give me half enough to oat by the way wayne of course I 1 never got goi the straight of I 1 it for there are half a dozen stories about the affair flying around andi and those most interested will not talk but one of your special friends and to my notion a most charming young woman will be in here to see me sometime this afternoon she will be delighted to meet you again agai nIm im sure one of my friends I 1 questioned incredulously yet instantly thinking ing of edith brennan brennac A young woman 71 sure at least she has confessed enough to me regarding that nights work to make me strongly suspicious that captain wayne of the erate armmand Arm yand colonel curran late of major general hallecks staff are one and the same person A mighty neat trick by jove and it would have done you good to see Sheri dans face fabe when they told him but about the young lady she claims great friendship with the gallant colonel of light artillery and her description of his appearance pe arance at the ball is ass assuredly a masterpiece of romantic fiction come captain surely you are not the kind of man to forget a pretty face like that I 1 can assure you you made a deep impression there are times when I 1 am almost jealous of you but I 1 protested my heart beating rail rabidly an adly 1 I met several that evening and you have mentioned no name well to me it chances there Is but one worthy wor thy of mention he said earnestly and that ona on Is cella celia minor miss minor 1 idelt felt a strange sense of disappointment does she come alone most certainly do iou you suppose she expose me in my present weak state to the fascinations of any one else oh so the wind lies in that quarter doos does it old fellow I 1 congratulate you im sure my recollection of miss minor was certainly a most moat pleasant one and I 1 recalled to memory the attractive picture of her glossy black hair and flashing brown eyes yet I 1 felt exceedingly cee small interest in again meeting her indeed I 1 was asleep when she finally entered and it was the sound of catons batons voice that aroused me and made me conscious of the presence of others 1 I shall share these grapes with my cot mate over yonder he said laughingly by the way cella celia his voice sounded BIr strangely angely familiar to me a short time ago just glance over there and see it if bo be la Is any ono one you know I 1 heard beard the soft rustle of skirts and without a smile looked up into tier her dark eyes there was a sudden start of pleased surprise why she exclaimed eagerly t la Is colonel currault edith dear here is the rebel who pretended to bo be myrtle currans brother how the hot blood leaped within my veins at mention of that name but before I 1 could lift my head she had swept across the narrow aisle and was standing beside me wife or what there was that within her eyes which told me a wondrous story for the instant in her surprise and agitation she forgot herself and lost that marvellous marcellous marv ellous self restraint which had held us ua so far apart captain wayne I 1 she cried and her loved hands fell instantly upon my own where it rested without the coverlet you here hare and wounded I 1 smiled up at her feeling now that my injuries were indeed trivial somewhat weakened by loss of blood mrs brennan but not dangerously hurt thon abon I 1 could not forbear asking softly Is in it possible you can feel regret over injuries inflicted upon a rebel her cheeks flamed and the audacious words served to recall her to our surrounding evon even although I 1 love my country countr and sincerely hope hopel for or the downfall of her enemies she ehe answered soberly 1 I do not delight in suffering buffering were you in that terrible cavalry charge they tell me scar scarcely eelY toan among them survived 1 I rode with my regiment 1 I knew it was your rigi ment the name was upon every ayery ifa and even our own man men unite in n 46 declaring claring it a magnificent sacrifice a iest moat gallant deed you must know 11 f thought hought instantly of you when I 1 was wag told it was the act of tho the th Virg virginia lilla there were tears in my iny eyes I 1 know as I 1 listened to her h er and my heart warmed at this frank confession of bf her remembrance 1 I am glad you cared sufficiently for nie me isaid gravely to hold me ir your thought though tat at such alime our command merely perform performed dd the work given it but the necessity has cost us dearly you are yet at general Sheri dans headquarters only temporarily and simply because there has haa been to get away alie movements of the army have bee beam i d atad un certain st since nc ce abo e battle EL tide aass miss minor has desired to Ire maln ln u til 11 assured of lieutenant pei pe manent recovery H he e W wats 11 most severely verely ee mounded a and n d ot Course could not well leave her h abre re aloi afa 6 e indeed I 1 am her gi guest le ef t arwe we dc coart a art to tomorrow or r for her home boi neto to ret re a aln I 1 in indefinitely efi J but miss minor lay I 1 u understand nil erk a native of this state her home is rn tre e friso altho the blue ridge aall g the v valley of ottia 1110 amo mot amot a mo t delightful old southern mansion 1 F passed the summer there when a mere girl gir previous to the war but will it pro prove ve sate safe for you now nov oh indeed yes yea every everybody pody says so it Is entirely out octha track of both armies and has completely escaped 00 14 V ri 1 PL P L captain gaynel e cried despoliation 11 au captain wayno wayne surely yea ve already risked enough I 1 there Is suf euan g upon both sides but surely e I 1 wish mo me to be oth otheir i than true to what I 1 look upon as t duty no I 1 I 1 think II 11 I 1 71 I respect you the more I 1 clasped her hand close within my own your words encourage me ma greatly I 1 said earnestly 1 I have doue done so much to bring you trouble and sorrow that I 1 have been tearful fearful lest it had cost mo me what I 1 value more highly than you can ever know these words abre wore unfortunate and instantly brou brought glIt back bach to her a memory or which seemed a barrier between us I 1 read the cj change la in or ier averted face 1 that can nei betsi I wayne she returned calely yet rising even as she spoke 4 i you have come into my life under cir circumstances um stances so peculiar as to td make me always your friend cella celia handshe turned toward the others la Is it lot time WO we were going I 1 arri am very ro the doctor docter said you w were ie to ri remain main with lieutenant caton but a brief time why edith retorted the other gayly 1 I have bave b atten en ready tor half an I 1 hour g ahre but b ut yell yo u were so deeply e angross with ith your rebel I 1 tho the heart t to interrupt I 1 could ste see tho the quick color as it mounted over mrs Bren brendano brendans dans throat nonsense she answered we have hake not been here that leng time did the major emerge trot or out the late entanglement unhurt ai it was catona t voice that spoke much to his regret I 1 believe he was not even under fire 14 5 the tone was cool and collected again 1 I will say goodbye good bye lieutenant doubtless we shall see you at mountain view so soon as you are able to t take ake tho the jo journey ur and capt tin wayne I 1 trust I 1 shall soon learn leam of your complete recovery my eyes followed them down the long aisle at the entrance she glanced back and I 1 lifted my hand whether she marked the gesture I 1 do not kno for the next instant both ladles ladies had bad disappeared without the night draw drow scowl down darn and as it only G miserable lamp shed shad it dil dim ra days tb throughout tho great tent nurses moved from cot to cot and I 1 learned something of the nature of my own injuries from the gruff old surgeon who dressed the wound in my chest and re fastened tho the splints along my arm it must have been midnight possibly even later when a number of rapid shots fired outside the tent aroused me and I 1 heard many voices shouting mingled with the trend tread of horses feet tho the night watch had bad already disappeared and tho the startled in mates of the tent were in a state of intense confusion As I 1 lifted myself slightly dazed by the sudden uproar and eager to learn its cause the tent flap which had been lowered to exclude the cold night air was hastily jerked aside and a man stepped within casting 0 one no rapid glance about that dim interior the flaring lamp oN overhead revealed to me a short heavyset heavy beavy set figure clad in a gray uniform no one here need feel alarm ho he said quietly we are not making mailing war upon tho the wounded are there any confederates present able to travel A dozen eager voices answered him and men began to crawl out of their cuts cots onto the floor we can be burdened with no helpless or badly wounded men he said eald sternly only those able to ride no my man you are in too bad shape to travel very sorry my boy but it c cant a nt be done only your left leff arm Y you on say 7 very well move out in f front there no lad it would be ba the death deat of you for we must ride fast and hard he camo came to a pause a half dozen cots away from me and seemed about to retrace his steps dim as the light was I 1 felt convinced I 1 bad formerly seen that short figure and storn stern face with its closely cropped beard mosby I 1 called out resolved to risk his remembrance colonel mosby isn it possible to take me who are your you ho he questioned sharply turning in the direction of my voice 11 wayne I 1 answered eagerly wayne of the th virginia in an instant he was standing beside my cot his eyes eyes filled with anxious interest phil wayne of charlottesville you here not badly hurt my boy shot and bruised colonel but id stand a good deal to get out of t this his and by the eternal you 1 shall that Is it if you can travel in a wagon here sims thomas two of you carry this officer out take her clothes and all easy eary now the follows fellows picked me up tenderly iund borg bor vie me slowly down th isle mosby moaby walked beside u us as W fa as the outer opening put mm down there by the he fire he ordered until 1 I look overawe over the rest of these chaps and divide the wheat from the chaff CHAPTER A night rido of the wounded it was a wild |