| Show am R IAL L V my lady D y boyf the orth north ve LO LOVE V STORY gf A GRAY R A JACKET by y randall ran parrish cauthorn horg e when wilderness wild was king w ILL illustrations U st 1 BY ARTHUR 13 williamson copyright by k A co larad at t Station stationery stationers ers hill london Loi ulon fl SYNOPSIS the story atory opens in a confederate tent t t a critical stage of the civil war gen jee es imparts to capt wayne an imar important t K ic aase to longstreet accompanied by bergt craig an old army scout wayne starts on his mission they get within tho blines of the enemy and in the darkness wayne is taken for a a federal officer and a young lady on horseback to la oven in hla his charge she Is a northern airland fi girl rland and attempts to escape one of the nonea succumbs and C cragg 1 boea 0 0 through I 1 with the dispatches v while chii aw awne he and my lady of ma north are laft alone a one 0 th they 11 y leek shelter in a hut and entering lt it j in the dark a huge mastiff attacks wayne ayne the tha girl shoots the brute just in time the tha owner of the hut jed bungay and hla his wife appear and soon eoon a party of horsemen hora emen approach they are led by a man claiming to be red lawrie but who proves to be maj mai brennan a federal whom the tha union girl gi rt recognizes tic he orders ordera the arrest of wayne Vf ayne as a spy ag and lie he Is brought before sheridan w who io threatens him with death unless he r reveals tho the labrot message wayne believes grennan edith brennan to be ba the wife of maj bronnan lie he to la rescue dby jed bungay who starts to reach gen lee while wayne in penetrates to the ballroom beneath which lie had been imprisoned 91 1 lie he Is introduced to FL a miss minor norand and barely escapes being od ed edith brennan recognizing wayne lays she will save him securing a pass paa ahr through 0 il g h the lines they are confronted by V brennan pr 91 rennan ennan who Is knocked senseless nene eless then bidding dd 1 ed edith th adieu wayne wayna makes a da flash 0 afo for r liberty arty ile encounters bungay the they roach reach the lee camp and are sent with reinforcements to loin early in the battle of shenandoah tho er regiment r kr nent Is overwhelmed and wayne MW in 1 the hospital Is visited by edith brennan wayne and bungay are sept sent on a scout ing detail and arriving at the minor p place lace wayne meets meet 9 miss minor and mrs bungay and later edith appears waynes detachment Is besieged by guerrillas CHAPTER continued all that occurred next was but tho the ImP of a second I 1 stood soo with ith hand resting lightly upon th the mules neck his long head dropping drooping sleepily beside my shoulder I 1 say pod law pw rie throw up hla his gun all hit evil nature writa aritte jq 0 8 face his bis cruel eyes instantly ansta y aflame wl anser and in by the desperation of our case I 1 stooped suddenly and blew all iny roy force into that long pendant ear beelzebub gave vent event to one snort of rage and terror and then let lei drive backing into that thai cluster or of choice rascals like a very thunderbolt of wrath cleaving hla his way by every lightning blow of those nimble legs end and tumbling men to right and left there was a yell of fright a wild ecra ec ramble ruble tor for safety a perfect volley of cursing I 1 saw red lowrie go tumbling backward a heel planted fairly in the pit of his stomach and the next instant craig swearing like it a pirate was vas jammed down on top of him a red gash across his forehead it was all accomplished so speedily that it seemed but a medley of heels of wildly cavorting mule of scram bling falling men firel fire I 1 cried excitedly sock it into them lads and follow mel me there was a quick outburst ot of flame a thunderous report and without waiting to see sea or hear more I 1 sprang forward through the dense smoke and raced madly toward the front door caton panted at my side and I 1 could hear thy the heavy feet of a score of men pounding the iho turf behind us the rush was so rapid the noise so great and confusing con I 1 could not distinguish di ish whether we were even fired upon from tho the rear but I 1 marked A red flash at one of the windows in our front and heard beard behind me a sharp wall of agony if any man drops pick him apt up t I 1 called alad at that moment we sprang up the and began pound ing loudly against the door open cupl up shouted the lieutenant anxiously brennan open up iivo it caton with he help P i though it never would open A volley bolley crashed into us and sands pitched down upon his face clutching at the man next him as aa lie he fell I 1 glanced back anxiously a dark confused mass maas of men without mill military tary formation were running across the open apace toward us bout facet face I 1 shouted load loaa at win will are i we one scattering volley into ibm it halted baited thelt their movement for a moment and then the door opened a scant crack Is this you Cat catona castoril oril yes fot for godo gode sake open UPI up the heaby door swung slowly in ward and with a wild rush to tobe be first we surged Ile headlong adlong intz into the hall CHAPTER A union of yank and mac As the heavy door clang clanged ea behind us some same one upon the outside began pounding upon it while with badly deadly chug a bullet crashed into the oaken panel donn er wetter I 1 a deop deep voice wildly captain I 1 am yet out mit der bullets with a crash I 1 flung aside the thick iron bar which answered as a lock and drew in the sergeant yot yet panting heavily from his hard run by dot vas a narrow squeak it he exclaimed eta a I 1 released my grasp upon him and hurled the door back into its place A dim light swinging suspended from the ceiling of the great wide hall ball revealed clearly the seem within As I 1 turned I 1 behold beheld brennan Bren nari for the first time and his face remains a memory standing with his back to the stal stair railing a revolver grasped tightly in either hand hta his ayea burning his countenance flushed with anger and clouded by doubt he appeared almost like one distracted at sight eight of me he gave up all attempt to control hla his raging temper what does all this meant he demanded hoarsely who are these men 7 caton it if you have betrayed us by god I 1 will shoot you dead there theres Js no betra betrayal yil 1 I returned t the he lieutenant coolly these men are friends friends he laughed cynically friends in that ulal uniform form and yuu you attired in a rebel cavalry jacket friends Fr lenda that fellow over there and he be pointed derisively at me with hla his pistol barrel damn you but I 1 be love you are all a pack of lying irvi thieves catons batons face burned he took one step toward him hla his hands clinched and when he spoke his clear voice shook with intense indignation atlon major brennan he said coldly deliberate you are ray my superior officer but you ko go beyond all privileges of rank in those words I 1 say these men are friends they have sunk the issues I 1 of war I 1 in n order that they may answer the call of humanity it if you dare impeach my motives any further I 1 shall hurl back the 60 cowardly insult in your face I 1 will take no such words vir sir from any living man brennan looked at him his lips I 1 struggling with the utterance that would not come knowing well the danger of such delay I 1 hastily pushed aside tho the ring of men him aeterna determined n dd 0 o n ness then andA and there here major brennan I 1 said firmly ignoring his efforts to silence me pyou you must sten to reason whether you wiljo wish to jo do BO 60 or ant r at my troopers I 1 are all around you I 1 haye have iwo two men ta W roil your one in this house and can enforce my will U Y necessary now mark what I 1 bay wa are bot here in finger anger or in war but to help you in the protection lection of endangered women WO ve captured your courier have dispatched one of our own number into the federal camp tor for aid and ana have fought our bur way in here I 1 to stand beside you and your men in defence of this house against those ruffians without you can use uie us or not just as you please it repts with you to say whether we shall bo be comrades in arms arma on this occasion or whether I 1 shall assume command by the tho power of force i which I 1 chance to control he seemed utterly unable to grasp my full meaning to comprehend the situation you mean you would fight with us under my command he be asked incredulously 1 I offer my services under your orders I 1 replied clearly and these men in gray will obey mine I 1 actually thought he would extend his hand band but somo some remembrance suddenly restrained him 1 1 I ot of course captain wayne lie he stammered at length 1 I I 1 must accept your offer I 1 I 1 am grateful tor for I 1 it but I 1 shall insist upon one thing there must mist be a final settlement of the personal matter existing between us I 1 am not willing toa ie waive my rights in this there la Is no occasion for your doing so BO sir air I 1 answered coldly for I 1 considered the reference at that moment in extremely ill taste when our work here has been accomplished you will find me m Y ery tory much at your service he bowed gravely 1 I am exceedingly glad we understand each other he be said may I 1 ask the aizo sizo of your command sergeant I 1 questioned whom have we lost nelson v vos Gs wit kilt I 1 dinks der kid to is not hero here yet und sands bands vos bound ed bad very well then major brennan I 1 tender you sixteen men fit at tor jor duty besides myself you are doubtless acquainted with the house and can assign us to positions where our services will prove of greatest grea tet value he ha had completely complo toly Tec recovered his self eek control by this time and spoke ilow now with the terse terae sentences ot of a tried soldier 1 f I thank you captain wayno wayne and will ask you to choose tour four wen men and assume command caroman d ot of the east side idt of the house hous caton you take the same number for defense of the rear captain what Is your sergeants name ebers an experienced german soldier 1 I should have suspected his nationality I 1 tiona tion lity allty ut let him have com commandos mandof four more and cover the west window I 1 shall chah defend the front myself as I 1 have been doing very well I 1 I 1 anaw answered i ered shortly for his eyes had remained fixed upon mt mc all the time be was ta talking lhing take the positions assigned you lads and do not permit a man from without to put foot on the veranda succeed lu in getting under ando cover of tho the PO porch ach root roof therill the will glare us plenty of trouble the position for defence assigned to my care took me into into the iba dining room of the mangiona man siona spacious almost square aparto apartment ent containing I 1 three large windows reaching nearly to the floora the outside blinds had been closed but the glasa y the 0 o panes was mostly broken and there abere were other evidences throwing thRU c wing had been both heavy and 11 ous 1 I found two soldiers Bold lers of brenna brennann Bren nans n s party n both lying upon upon js fattor r and peering cautiously through the aper tures of the alie li blinds lilinda they glanced up I 1 at us with undisguised ft amazement its all right lads I 1 said heartily never mind our colors tb tonight night we are all lighting fighting the sami same avny I 1 had taken with me bungay together with three of my troopers and after placing them as advantageously as possible I 1 stretched myself out on the floor and applying an eye to a convenient opening took careful survey of the situation without this present cessation of activity was vas I 1 felt feit con convinced only temporary I 1 did not nota expect from all I 1 could cow aei 8 that the final assault would woula take lake place upon my side elde of the building the massing of the main body of the besiegers before the front entrance together with the presence there ol of their leaders was sufficient to convince me that this provo prove the j 1 I 1 aw damn you but I 1 believe you are all a pack of Lying Thie vesi principal point of attack and from my knowledge of such affairs I 1 decided that probably the first signs of returning daylight would be the signal rofa abr a determined mined assault tho dark interior of such a house as this offered too many defensive advantages ulrch the daylight would largely overcome have you had some bard fighting I 1 asked of the man lying next me a manly looking fellow wearing the yellow chevrons che of a corporal of cavalry they pitched in mighty strong at first sir he answered civilly an we had so fow men they pretty nearly rushed us for fer sure it was our te re beatin rifles taft drove en back bach we ro relapsed lapsed I 1 cinto into el lenci each intent upon the uncertainty without As I 1 lay there gazing anxious y into the darkness I 1 could coula not forbe r corid wondering er where drennan had c cor 0 1 I azaled the women to keep them arm harm would he inform them of amr r ar arrival rivel T ho he could scarcely hope to t keep the I 1 fact long hidden bidden for they would certainly see aee some of my gray g ay jackets and ask aik quest questions ioni they seem beem to be away pret ty lively out in front sa said d the corporal interrupting my reverie yes I 1 admitted in my judgment th attwill prove the main point of attack how many men did the ma jor have hav ethere there before wo we came kameas Same aa here sir 11 and four foura of mine that makes bev en altogether counting himself and two iwo of these ough tto be posted in the upper atory ilas hes bound to need more that firing orang Is very steady FIO hes a got the women loadie for him and that helps some tho the women I 1 asked staring at him in amazement do you mean to say mrs brennan Bre ard and cella celia minor Wim orare are there in that front room dont know who they are air two fine lookha young ladies an old lady with white while hair nn an a big rough lookin female off the bastone last one wull wua a gun to beat tho tha band just juat afore you ou cama 11 and he be kops thorn them there exposed to nil all this heavy fire what can the man mean why corporal that con stant shooting must have completely shatter shattered pi the windows there could bo be no safety for any one except lying flat flak upon the tho floor well taint quite so bad as that sir ho he pro protested tasted seemingly anxious to shield his hia officer from fioro criticism you see its a dauble parlor wit attha a wall an folden doors an tho the women nio are all in the rear room of course its almighty dark back there an they has to alo ito pretty close but blamed it if I 1 know of tiny any better place for them this house houam faint got no cellar A man groped his bis way in from the lighted hall but halted close beside the door unable to perceive us in the darkness Is in captain wayne here ho be asked yes gliatas what Is it major brennan has had two of hla his men hit sir air and wishes you to spare hini him three of yours unless you aro are hotly pressed all right theres nothing doing hero here I 1 am answered instantly determining upon my course corporal I 1 shall leave you in command oi orthis Is side aide for a tow few bil minutes 1 I believe I 1 can be of more immediate value elsewhere bungay you and elliott come with me the lower hall having no windows in it was tho the only safe eato place in the building and here jl a light had bad been kept burning the door which as 1 1 judged must lead into the back parlor was closed and fastened upon the inside atlease at least it refused to yield to my hend when tried another in front stood very slightly ajar 1 rf report port to drennan brennan I 1 whispered into beds ear and forgot to mention I 1 am wita wit you I 1 desire to investigate matters tor for myself a few moments lie nodded to intimate that he un un der stood and then we crept one at a time |
