| Show OE R I 1 A L STORY ift mu ly 7 ln lady of the ia north T 1 ab LOVE STORY tp sf A GRAY JACKET JACKE T by randall cauther if when wilde mess was king to illustrations BY Y ARTHUR B williamson N by A C mcclurg mcclur 4 co it at su doners crt Laft lindon don SYNOPSIS 4 the story opens in a confederate tent at a critical stage of at the civil war genlee imparts lin parta to capt wayno wayne an important message to longstreet accompanied by sergt craig an old army scout wayno wayne tarts starts on lite hla mission they get within the lines of the enemy and in tho the darkness wayne Is taken tor for a federal of fleer and a young lady on horseback Is given in tits his charge she to Is a northern girl earl and attempts to escape one ot of the hersca succumbs and craig goes through with the dispatches while wayne and my aly lady of the north are left alone they seek eek shelter in a hut and entering it in the dark a huge mastiff stacks W wayno a n the girl g lr 1 1 hoots the brute just in time ae the 0 owner w n e 1 of the hut jed bungay and his wife appear find and soon a parts party of horsemen approach they are led by a man claiming to be red lowrie but who proves to be maj drennan brennan a federal officer whom the union giri girl recognizes he orders the arrest of wayno wayne as ii a spy and lie la Is brought before sheridan who threatens him with death unless lie ho reveals the ho secret messak message e wayne believes edith 13 brennan rennan to be the wife of maj brennan ile he la is rescued by jed dul bungay gay who starts to reach gen lee while wayno wayne in di disguise 1 penetrates to the ballroom bene beneath wl which ch he had bee been n imprisoned 1 lie he Is introduced to a miss 91 minor nor find and barely escapes being unmasked edith brennan recognizing wayne says she bhe will save him CHAPTER Contin continued tied colonel curran Is certainly to be congratulated 0 upon having found so N arming a guide madam and I 1 can assure you I 1 ahall most gladly do my part parc toward the success of the expedition tho the major was expected back before this I 1 believe 11 he left word that it he had not returned by twelve I 1 was to wait for him no a longer it as he should go directly I 1 to his quarters I 1 find the life of a soldier to be extremely uncertain al ell wo we are our count rys servants madam lie he replied proudly and then taking out a pied pad of blanks from his pocket turned to mo me may I 1 ask ash your full name and rank colonel patrick L curran colonel S sixth ohio light artillery ile he wrate it if down rapidly tore off the paper and handed it to me that will take you safely through our inner guard lines he said gravely that being as far as my jurisdiction extends goodnight good night colonel good mrs brennan we bowed ceremoniously and the next moment mrs brennan and I 1 were out upon the steps breathing the coot cool night might air I 1 glanced curiously at her face as tho gleam of light fell upon it how calm arid and reserved she speared ppe ared and yet yei tier lier eyes were aglow with intense excite excitement meni at the toot foot of the steps alio he glanced up at the dark projecting roof far above us do you suppose lie ho can possibly be up lip there yet she asked in a tone sc low as to be inaudible to the ears cars of the sentry who bungay I 1 questioned in surprise for my thoughts were elsewhere oh he was like a cat and there are trees at tho the rear probably lie ho la Is safe long ago or else a prisoner once more beyond the gleam of the uncovered windows all was wrapped in complete darkness save that here and thero there wo could distinguish the dull red glare lare of camp alres where the company cooks ere yet jet at ai work or some sentry post had baeff established wo we turned to the left and proceeded down a comparatively smooth road which seemed to me to possess possess a rock basis it felt ca hard from the position of the stara I 1 judged our course to be eastward but the night was sufficiently obscured to shroud all objects more than it a few yards distant except for the varied camp arises on either side of us ali the 0 evening ads a oppressively still and the air aa haa tile the late chial chiji 1 l of high altitudes mrs airs anan presaged more closely to me as aa we passed beyond the narrow zone of light and unconsciously we fell into step together A few hundred yards farther a fire burner burned against a pile of logs the forms of several men lay out Aed beside it while a sentry paced b back ack and forth in and out of the range ofA of light ight we were almost upon him before ho he noted our approach abi in his haste baste he be swung his bis musket down from hla his shoulder until the point of its bayonet nearly touched my breast haiti he dried cried sternly peering at uz ua in evident surprise haiti this road to Is closed valley forge whispered the girl and I 1 noticed how white her ber face up appeared la in the naming flaming of at the fire tile tho word Is a all right miss returned mhd fellow al outly yet with alth out lowering hla his abs obstructing trusting truc ting gun dut but we cannot pass any one out on an the coun countersign alono alone if you was going the other way it would answer but wo we are returning from the officers ball elie urged anxiously and are on our why way to major brennann Bren nans quarters we have passes As aa she drew tho paper from out her glove one of the men at the tiro fire sprang to his feet and strode across t the narrow road toward us ile he was smooth of face and boyish looking but wore corporals stripes what to Is it mapes he asked sharply without waiting an answer he took the paper she held out and scanned U rapidly this is all right he said handing it back and lifting his cap in salute you may pass madam you must pardon us but the orders tire are exceed angly strict tonight to night have you a pass also colonel I 1 handed it to ta him ands and after a single glance glanc eit lt was returned pass them guard he said curtly standing aside beyond the radiance of the fire she wake broke the silence 1 I shall only be able to go with you so tar far its as the summit of 0 the hill yonder for our quarters are just to the night and I 1 could furnish no excuse for being found beyond that point she said bald do you know knois enough of the country to make the lanei of your army if this Is the pike wo we are on I 1 answered 1 I have bavo a pretty clear conception concep llon of what lies ahead but I 1 should be very glad to know where i am to look for the outer picket there is one post at the ford foid over the white briar she replied 1 I diance chance to know this because major brennan selected the station and remarked that the stream was so BO high and rapid aa to be impassable at any other point for miles but I 1 regret this Is us its far as my information extends I 1 started to say something what I 1 hardly know abel almost without sound bound ot of warning ng a 1 little squad of horsemen swept over the brow of the hill in our front their forms darkly outlined against the starlit sky and rode down toward us its at a sharp ebarp trot av V 41 1 1 10 tu sa vp at haiti this road Is closed I 1 had barely baiely time to swing my companion out of at the track when they clattered by their heads bent low to the wind and alid see seemingly bingly oblivious to all save tho the movements of their leader sheridan I 1 whispered f for or even in that dimness I 1 had not failed to recognize tho the short erect figure which rode in front the woman shuddered and drew closer within my protecting shadow then out or of the darl darkness mess there burst a solitary rider his horse limping as if crippled and would have ridden us down had I 1 not flung up one hand and grasped his bridle rein great scott what have we Q here he be cried roughly rough li peering down at us by all tile the gods 1 a woman the hand upon my arm clutched roe me despe desperately r abely and my own heart r seemed to choke back every utterance the voice was brennann Bren nans CHAPTER the reputation of a woman like a flash occurred to methe only possible means by which we might escape ope discovery an instant disclosure of my supposed rank bank coupled with indignant protest already believing me merely some borne private soldier straying out of bounds with a woman of tho the camp as com companion pinion lie he had thrown himself from the saddle to investigate vesti gate whatever was to be done must be accomplished quickly or it would prove all too late to think was to act stepping instantly in front of of the shrinking girl and facing him I 1 said sternly 1 1 I not know who I do u may cl elance ance to be sir air nor greatly are 3 y yet your words and actions lim im y an insult gy to this lady which I 1 am it to disposed to overlook for your I 1 ir C per rott mit me to state I 1 am ichel nel curran sixth ohio light art ery y and am not accustomed to belli halted baited on tho the road by every drunken 1 ol 01 who sports a uniform ile he sh short rt la in stopped C complete oin surprise staring at M me e thi 1 ugh the 0 o dark ark ness and I 1 doubted n was perfecta perfect ly able to distinguish t tl glint of buttons and gleam of braid your pardon sir li ejaculated at last 1 I mistook you or some run away soldier put but I 1 f lied to catch your words how did y u name bame yourself colonel curran of major general hallecks staff the hell you are arol burran had a full gray beard a mont t ago he took a step foiw d and before I 1 could recover from fromuth the first rat numbing shockon shock of surprise was p ering alering intently into my face damn it itil 1 he I i e c cled led tugging viciously at a ro revolver volyer a his bolt 1 I know that face you too 83 the measly johnny rob reb I 1 brought i day before yesterday there came a quick it f ter er of drapery admy side andish and she pressing me firmly backward fa far d im without a word the mans extended it a n dropped to his side as though plora i by a bullet and ho he took ono one staci s t backward shrinking as if his stai sta led eyes beheld a ghost edith he cried as aa wah doubting hla his own vision and the 0 ring of agony in his voice wasal noat piteous pi teDUS edith my aly god you lore at midnight alone with this wai 11 however the words worda t tid tone the gesture may have stung or ier i her face ace remained tried proudly calm c 1 I 1 r voice cold and id deaf 1 I certainly am maj I 1 brennan she PC s answered tier her eyes never once leaving his face and anny ay i ask aai whitt what reason you can hav to object reason ills his voice had grown hoarse with it in i surprise my god how f can you w S it bow can you even face me ky ay do you not sink down in sh abhi no lie alone here ho be looked about im in into the darl darkness meis at such an h ur r I 1 in ll 11 company with a rebel kebel a I 1 icing cowardly spy already c ined to bo be shot by heave e A never live to boast of 10 ho flung up his r barrel to prove the truth of hla his tf at but sno ane stopped stepped directly dire etly beaw a us its and shielded me with her f 1 put down your pistol she ordered coldly 1 I assure you reputation I 1 Is in no immediate dan yop r snoot oot me and your in bi ball leer gainly find ni my hea heart rt I 1 f it ever reaches Cap captain vayne truly you must ind lovo love him he sneered d so po close to pe me was ig ie standing ahat I 1 could feel tier her fo for tr enible at tilts this insult yei jef her vo a remained emotionless I 1 your uncalled for w ads shame me not my actions in li being chere with captain wayne t ight 1 I am am merely pay paying inga a simple 1 1 bt j of ho honor nor a double debt indeed considering that hat he was condemned co 0 death by your lie while you de deai c ived mo me by nother 4 4 did lie he tell you that i 1 ile he did not like 1110 th the true gentleman he hits has over shown llin I 1 ilsek self to be bc lie he endeavored to 0 the facts to withhold from me S I 1 knowledge of your dastardly aatlo I 1 know it by the infamous Benten cj pronounced against him find and by your falso falsehood bood to me j edith Edit hyou you mistake io ie urged anxiously 1 I I 1 was told that he had bad been sent north 1 she drew 4 deep brea as thou though g h she could scarcely I 1 gia athe the full audacity of his pretence predence pre tence f ignorance you Yom appeared to be i ully informed but now as to his death deat penton jeen tence ce yes I 1 heard of it wj 1 I ile away and intended telling you 11 3 9 soon as I 1 reached our quarters I 1 could feel the scon of ills his alser able deception as it c circled aried her lip and her figure seemed scorned to straighten between us then she said sl kiy ay iy i you will doubtless agree that I 1 have ivo done no more than was right nd will thero there fore permit hirn him this ch cb nee of escape from so unmerited a f to tor for you knola as well as I 1 do t th t he h has been wrongly condemned ile ho stopped stepped forward dorwar with a halt smothered oath and sted ed one hand heavily upon tier her er g I 1 1 I rather guess noi no madam he fie said damn himl I 1 ivill m hank hang him now higher than ham juit 19 0 o show queen Es esther ther that it an abe be done out of the way ma madam danil I 1 n rendered Rende fed desperate jicy by her slight plight resistance and his jwj own jealous jealous hatred he be thrust the woman ysido side so rudely that she fell forward pon one knee his revolver was y in his right hand gleaming ln in th thal starlight but before ho he could raise or alro it I 1 had bad grasped the steel ba rel firmly and the hammer came own noiselessly nol upon the flesh of ayt ucb the next dext instant ve were locked locke close lu in ilon flore p e struggle for the mastery maat cry ife he ivus ilie heavier stronger inan I 1 tho the younger and ana quicker qu icher FI orn tho the first every effort on oil loth both sides was put forth solely to gain command of the weapon hlo his to fire to prevent for or I 1 know well lit at tho sound ot of the discharge there theio would conic come a rush of at blue couta coats to his rescue cito my first flarce fierce onset lind had put liliu him on oil the do but ns na wo we and strained his superiority in weight began to tell arid and slowly ho he bore bare tile me backward un till hit all the weight of my body rested rasto upon my iny right log leg theil there occurred to me like it a lash a wrest lors trick taught me years before by nn all old negro on my fathers plantation instantly I 1 appeared to yield to tho the force against which I 1 contended with d wea knoBs sinking lower and lower until I 1 doubt not brennan nit felt convinced I 1 must go over bach ward but as I 1 thus sank bank my iny left toot foot found dy support f farther arthor back while my tree free hand band sank slowly down his straining body until my groping fingers grasped firmly the broad belt about ills his waist I 1 yielded yet another inch until he leaned so far over me as to be out of all balanco balance arid and then with sudden straight ening of my loft leg at the saino time forcing my head beneath his chest in one tremendous effort I 1 flung him head under tinder crashing down upon the hard bard road trembling like a reed from the exertion I 1 stood there looking down upon the dark 4 j bil 1 1 4 1 2 vv ae I 1 I 1 put doah your pistol she ordered coldly form lying huddled at my feet ile rested motionless and 1 I bent over placing my hand upon lits bis heart horrified at the mere thought that he might be dead but the heart beat and with a prayer of thankfulness I 1 looked up she S he stood bealda am tell tel I 1 no ane captain bayrle Wa wayne cia claimed lined anxiously he Is not not seriously hurt 1 I believe not I 1 answered soberly ile he roan mail ani fell I 1 hard yet ills his heart beats beati strong ile he must have cut his lend head upon a stone ho however tor for he ls la bleeding she knelt beside him and I 1 baug |
