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Show i QiePED M5T A TALE or CML SIUITL t r RANDALL PARRISH T DxUSTRYTIONS C.D.I3HODE5 Surface Delicacy. "Mawnin', colonel," saluted the Sen-egamuian Sen-egamuian gareon. "What's de state ob yuh longin' dls mawnin'?" "Have you any preserved pineapple?" pineap-ple?" "No, suh, not (lis mawnin. De las' we had wuz frayed and in seen a state of decomposin' dat de sheet sed we'd serve it in de future in de raw. When a man gnaw a pineapple hull a little while he don't notice what's da matter wid de inside." "Liver and bacon." "Yes, suh, mighty fine substitute."-Richmond substitute."-Richmond Times-Dispatch. yes! My God. girl, there they are now trying the door! Answer will you?" . "Yes yes, Tom Wyatt '' With one leap past her I had Nichols Nich-ols by the collar, the muzzle of my revolver re-volver at his head. A heavy foot crashed against the locked door, and a voice without gave utterance to an oath. "Marry me to this girl," I commanded command-ed sternly. "Come now, not a word; don't wait to ask a question. Noreen, take my hand " "Open up in there or we'll break down the door!" came hoarsely from the hallway. My eyes never left Nichols' face. What he read of threat I know not, but his lips began to stumble through the form, though I could scarcely distinguish dis-tinguish a word. His face was gray with terror, and I dared not look aside at the silent girl only 'I vaguely realized that the hand held in mine trembled, and once, when she bad to speak, the two words uttered were almost al-most a sob. Never surely was there a stranger marriage In all the world. The dying embers of the stable tire shot red gleams of flame over us through the unshaded windows4 giving Nichols a ghastly look, and glowing on the steel barrel of the revolver I held poised at his head. His voice faltered and broke, and clotted blood rendered hideous one side of his face, while his hands shook as If with palsy. All the sneaking coward In him was manifest. Outside a dozen voices roared, one rising gruff above the others shouting orders. Once a single shot crashed through the upper up-per panel of the door and broke the glass of a window opposite. The girl, startled, reeled against me, and the preacher stopped, gasping for breath. "No firing, you fool!" roared a deep voice angrily. "We don't want any dead ones beat down the door!" "Go on!" I ordered grimly, and thrust the black muzzle hard against his cheek. The preacher choked, but the usual words of the ritual sounding sound-ing almost like mockery dropped mechanically me-chanically from his tongue. "And now 1 pronounce you man and wife, and whom God hath joined together, to-gether, let not man put asunder. Amen." She gave vent to a little sobbing cry, half stifled in her throat, and 7 cheeks flushed, her eyes frankly meet-' meet-' ing those of the surprised oflicer. "You will, however, recognize me. . lieutenant," she said pleasantly, and . extended her hand, "and if you will t listen I thiDk I can clear up the mys-l mys-l tery." , ".Miss Miss Harwood," he murmured, mur-mured, slightly embarrassed, but still belligerent, his glance wanderins from her face to mine. "Certainly we hoped to find you here. It was tc rescue ,you we came at least it was t that hope which led me to request thti sending of troops, aud to accompanj them. This outrage has been commit ted, I believe, by Cowan's gang, ana this man here " j "Is my friend." she Interrupted quietly. "Lieutenant Raymond, if r you will kindly order youi men to re-, re-, tire I will gladly explain his presence ' in the house." "You wish to speak to me alone?" ' "Not necessarily; but I certainly prefer greater privacy than this. You are in command?" r "No; Captain Whitlock is below." He turned toward the crowd blocking j tae doorway and I grasped the opportunity oppor-tunity to breathe a hasty word of warning into the ear of Nichols. The I girl never glanced again at either of . us. "Take the men back Into the hall, ' sergeant," the lieutenant ordered, "and look through whatever rooms have not been visited. Request Cap-j Cap-j tain Whitlock to join me here." r We waited motionless, the lieuten-, lieuten-, ant's hand on the butt of his revolver, ' as though he half suspicioned treach-, treach-, ery. Twice he endeavored to open conversation with the lady, but her I response was not encouraging, and he evidently did not feel safe except with , his eyes on me. Raymond fronted me, I a tall, well-proportioned fellow, with incipient mustache, black and curled at the points; a rather long face, and t eyes sternly serious. There was about him an appearance of force a bit of a bully I should say and bis uniform was new, and carefully fitted. A man stood in the doorway, bow-I bow-I ing, his mild blue eyes surveying us nervously. He sported a light beard, closely trimmed, the top of his head scarcely reaching to the lieutenant's shoulder- Miss Noreen greeted him j with a welcoming smile, and he stepped gallantly forward, bending low as he accepted her hand. "So pleased, so delighted, Miss Harwood, Har-wood, to find you safe and well We were, indeed, greatly worried at the thought of your being here alone," be exclaimed, a slight lisp in his voice. "You have not suffered. I trust?" "Not seriously, Captain Whitlock; the guerrillas were outwitted " "Ah! do not attempt to explain, 1 beg. We understand what you have passed through, as we have captured two of the villains. You sent for me. Lieutenant Raymond?" "Yes, sir, I did," the young officer's expression exhibiting clearly the contempt con-tempt he felt for his superior. "I preferred pre-ferred that you decide what shall be done with this fellow," pointing at finger at me. "Miss Harwood vouches for him. but I fail to understand how he comes to be in the uniform of my regiment." (TO BE CONTINUED.) "And Now 1 Pronounce You Man and Wife." SYNOPSIS. 9 Confederate Sergeant Wvatt is sent as a spy to his native county on the c-reen Briar. He meets a mountaineer named Jem Taylor. At a house bevond Hot apnngs they meet Major Harwood. Wyatt ,fe 1 10 De- He becomes suspicious, and finds that Taylor has murdered Harwood Har-wood and escaped. Wyatt changes to U. o. uniform, and to a detachment of Fed-t Fed-t ca ry identifies himself as Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Raymond, Third U. S. cavalrv. captain Fox finds Harwood's body. The to Th ""If"' !s ambushed. Wyatt escapes Green Briar country and goes to narwood s home, where he finds Noreen Harwood. He Introduces himself as Lieu-! Lieu-! .i? Raymond. Parson Nichols comes to the house and tells Noreen of her fa-oifr.S fa-oifr.S dea,h-- Wyatt forces Parson Nlch-"'? Nlch-"'? 10 confess that he has been sent In aavanee. of Anse Cowan, who proposes to Noreen at once, and so quiet title in. Jnd ln dispute between the Cow-an5 Cow-an5 Noreen's dead father. Anse Cow-nr Cow-nr hi3 sang arrive and find the preacher bound' In a closet. Wyatt and nttlne" dS.ve cncealed themselves In the hV, .The Cowan gang ransacks the . fal,s to flnd the hidden couple, wyatt tells Noroen who he is. They return re-turn to the second floor and await the next move of the gang, forcing the preacher preach-er to silence. CHAPTER XI Continued. She left us quietly, crouching close against the wall, until she could safely safe-ly peer out from behind the fold of a chintz curtain. The glow from without reddened the entire room. Nichols began be-gan to groan, and mutter, but whether the words were those of prayer, or not. I was uncertain. That the fellow's brain tottered on the brink of total collapse was evident, and I was too fearful he might create alarm to desert de-sert my guard. Eager to learn what had occurred I called across to the girl: "Is It the stable, Miss Noreen?" "Yes," with a quick glance backward. back-ward. "The whole west end is ablaze. I think there are horses picketed beyond be-yond in the orchard, but am not sure yes, there are men there with them. The fire, as it blazes up, gives me a better view." ' "Can you tell how many?" "No, but I didn't suppose Anse Cowan Cow-an had so many with him, did you?" "Why, really I cannot tell, for 1 have no conception either way. There must have been a dozen altogether in the house, and doubtless others were on guard without. Hasn't it ceased storming?" "Yes; I wonder what time it is; why I actually believe the sky is becoming lighter In the east already." She stared out intently, and then sank to her knees. "Come over here quick! They are getting ready for something." I swept my eyes over Nichols, who lay motionless, his arms folded across his face. To my mind the fellow was acting a part, and was not half as badly bad-ly injured as he pretended to be. However, How-ever, he could do us no great harm at present, and I stole silently across the room, and knelt beside her. She held the curtain aside, leaving just space enough for my eyes. For an instant the glow of the burning building blinded blind-ed me, and intensified the surrounding surround-ing darkness. I shadowed my eyes with my band. "Where are the men you saw? To the left?" "Yes back under the trees, close to the first negro cabin; see! just where I point." Once located 1 could perceive the shadowy outline, which grew more distinct dis-tinct as 1 gazed. There were mn there beyond doubt; it seemed to me twenty or thirty, although it was impossible im-possible to judge the number. But the shadow seemed to be disintegrating. disintegrat-ing. Even as my eyes focused it, a section moved to the right, and then another swung into the open, circling along the orchard fence. "There is a slew of them," I muttered mut-tered unthinkingly. "Anse meant to have company at his wedding." "Oh. hush!" her hand caught my sleeve. "They they are coming back to the house now." CHAPTER XII. A Marriage by Duress. Daylight was coming; the gang meant to search the house again, perhaps per-haps lire it as they had the stable, and then ride away before the Federal garrison at Lewisburg could receive the alarm. I turned away trom the window to perceive Nichols sitting up on the edge of the bed. "What's afire?" he asked, "The stable." I answered, crossing the room. "Get dow u in the corner where you cannot be seen tro:u the windows Oh. yes you can; vou tt-not tt-not so badly hurl. Miss Ndrcch. :.-there :.-there any other place better than th.s (n which to hide?" She shook her head. "Well, then we must fight It out here if they come; you have your revolver re-volver ah! the squad is already be-10"w; be-10"w; listen!" We stood side by side, scarcely breathing, close to the bolted door. I The flames of the burning stable were dVing down yet there was sufficient Uc.ht to render every object In the n.oin plainly visible. Intent as I was ! .'- every slipht sound below and with-j with-j ;i. 1 kept niy eyes on Nichols, seated -ictcdlv in o"- ccf.ter. Feet tramued noisily back and forth in the lower hall, and the sound of voices reached us, the words indistinguishable. There was an echo of splintered wood, the crash of dishes, and a loud laugh. The fellows seemed to be looting the kitchen kitch-en and pantry, destroying whatever they could not use. Suddenly there arose a sound of smashing glass at the front of the house, and the tinkling of a piano as if some rough hand swept across the keys. Noreen pressed closer, lifting her eyes in appeal. "They they are searching the house." she whispered, her voice shaking, shak-ing, "and looting it. Do you hear that? They are even tearing the carpet car-pet from the floor. Some of them will come up here." "I am afraid so but you must not lose your nerve. We shall have to fight!" "Fight? yes; but what use?" and she grasped my arm with both hands. "I I would not be so afraid, only for that man. I cannot fall into his power. I will kill myself first! You do not know Anse Cowa; but I do. I would rather die than have his hands touch me. I hate and despise him; he is an incarnate brute and and he is here after me!" "Hush." I urged, holding her tightly, her slight form trembling. "Do not let go yet: they may not even come up the stairs." "But they will." she Insisted. "I tell you I know the man. He he swore he would marry me two years ago; he told me so, and I laughed at him. He stopped my father on the road, held a rifle to his head, and boasted that some day he would make me pay his debts. This is no mere incident of war it is revenge! I I would not be frightened but for that that awful alternative. Tell me tell me what to do!" She stared pleadingly into my face, but, reading no answer there to her wild appeal, sank to her knees, and buried her face in her hands. All that was strong about the girl seemed swept away by sudden uncontrollable terror by dread of Anse Cowan. A hoarse, strange voice roared out an order, seemingly from the very foot of the stairs. "That's enough of that, Samuels! Here, take your men up above. Be lively now, and don't let a rat get away." The girl lifted her head; then got to her feet, clinging to the bedpost. 1 could see the glitter of a pistol in her hand. A thought swept through my brain so daring, so reckless, I gasped at the mere wildness of the suggestion. sugges-tion. Yet it might answer; it might succeed! But would she consent; even ln her desperation, in the extreme of her terror, would she grasp at such a straw? There was nothing else not another chance. This might not be one yet It would surely serve to delay; de-lay; it would place me in between her and Anse Cowan. She could not legally marry him, if she were once my wife! Only the girl whose eyes just then met mine "I I have thought of one way." 1 said eagerly, the words coming forth almost Incoherent. "That is if you will listen to what I propose. There is nothing else feasible so far as 1 can see. They they are in the front rooms now hear them! We haven't a moment to lose Will you will you consent to marry me?" She shrank back a step, staring at me with wide-opened eyes, breathing heavily. "Marry! marry you?" she faltered wildly. "Why what can you mean! 1 1 do not understand!" "Of course not the conception is wild. Impractical, perhaps. It must seem so to you yet listen. It is the one way left open to save you from Anse Cowan You can trust me? You do trust me. do you not?" "Ye-es but " "This is no time to question. They are coming here now, those fellows with Anse Cowan r. ' their head You know what for. The question is not do you wish to marry me; but do you trust me more than you do Anse Cowan? Cow-an? Listen! it will be a form only I am not conceited enough to believe you desire me for your husband. But you know who I am; you have confidence i:1. my honor. He cannot marry you if you are already my wife" "He he could kill you." "Yes. there are enough of them; but that might happen anyway No doubt it would, for otherwise 1 shoula fight to the end. 1 do not think being your husband will add in the bast to my danger and it will possibly, legally, le-gally, protect you." j "But how- can 1? Will it be legal?" "Noreen. don't stop to argue, or doubt." : urged, grasping her hand in eagerness. "We haven't time. Listen to those voices Id the hall! Of course j it will be legal .V.c',:nls is an ordained minister, and no iicenoi required I : shall never attempt to hold you. Noreen, and any court will set you free the moment you tell the story The one. the only thing, for you to con sider now. is escape from Anse Cowan." Cow-an." ; "You do this to to save me?" 1 "To keep you from falling helplessly helpless-ly into the clutches of a beast tell me shrank away from me. I knew that her face was buried in her hands, yet had no time to look that way, or utter a word. Rifle butts were crashing in the panels of the door; 1 could -perceive already dim figures revealed through the jagged openings made in the light wood, a vista of faces, a gleam of weapons. "Hit lower down!" yelled the same gruff voice of command. "There is a bolt that holds fast reach in, Saunders!" Saun-ders!" "Get back beyond the bed." I called, pushing her behind me, and bracing myself for the first shock. The door gave, sagging aside on its hinges, and half falling Inward, and through the opening men tumbled forward, for-ward, carbines gripped in their hands. The red light gleamed ghastly across their faces and revealed the blue uniform uni-form of Federal cavalry. CHAPTER XIII. Before Lieutenant Raymond. The headlong rush stopped in startled star-tled amazement at sight of us, and I stood there staring at them, unable to speak, my revolver lowered In that instant of pause, an oflicer thrust the men aside and faced me. sword in hand "What does this mean, sir? Who are you?" he questioned, sweeping his glance over my uniform, and then beyond be-yond me at the two others. "I would ask the same question." I returned, not yet assured as to whom I ; conlronted. and suspecting some trick.-"We trick.-"We believed ourselves attacked by guerrillas. Are you soldiers?" "Well, rather." with a short, grim laugh. "These are Pennsylvania cavalrymen cav-alrymen My name is Raymond, and I demand to know, first of all, where you got possession of that Third U. S cavalry uniform " Perhaps in his excitement he had not really recognized her before; bui these words were scarcely out of his j mouth when the lady stood beside me. 1 facing him I caught one swilt flash j of her eyes as though warning me to silence. Whatever fear she had lor inerly felt seemed to have left her in this crisis, for she stood erect, ber |