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Show A TALE OF CIVIL STRUT tt 4r RANDALL PARPISM '! mJSTMTIONS RHODES I cofiyicir I (.J , mind wcrks. and now U:.j now discovery discov-ery -on letoly eclipsed every othei ccrsiik-ratiotl. The th'.v.t.sht of possible escape, of any means of defense, never occurred to me. All my memory retained re-tained was that last glimpse of her slender ligure at the window and the silhouette of her averted face. What was her thought of me? In the moment mo-ment of her first surprise she had sprung to my defense, but as soon as she could consider the conditions, her whole nature would turn against me even now the feeling of disgust had come. She had turned coldly away, hating the very sight of me staring out of the window until I should disappear, dis-appear, dreading lest I prove cur enough to boast of our relationship. Well, the lady need not fear that My fate would be swiftly and surely settled a drumhead court-martial at Lewisburg, a verdict of guilty, and a Bring squad at dawn. No one need ever know, for the preacher's lips could be easily closed. And perhaps Lieutenant Raymond Bah! my teeth clenched angrily at thought of him, and I tramped on down the stairs to the gruff order of the sergeant. There were three other prisoners, sallow-faced, roughly dressed moun taineers, one wounded in the arm, but I was kept separated from them with a special guard. Within ten minutes the entire command was in saddle and moving slowly northward. The lieutenant lieu-tenant rode In my rear for the first mile, watchful and suspicious. Noreen was riding in advance of the column between the two captains. A gray, circular cape concealed her slender form, but I could observe the frequent turning of her head as she apparently appar-ently conversed vivaciously with her attentive escorts. Her show of utter, heartless indifference hurt and blinded me. I actually believed the girl was glad of my capture; that she rejoiced at the knowledge that within a few hours she would be freed from all the consequences of our rash act. It was the reaction which had given her such high spirits, the exhilarating sense of escape,, a relief so profound as to cause her to eyen forget her father's death. At first the thought served to numb my faculties, and I rode forward with lowered head, all interest In life dead within me. Then pride came to the rescue, and I straightened up in the saddle. She was my wife that slender, slen-der, laughing girl! Of course J would never claim her; no word would ever pass my lips to bring her pain and humiliation. No one would ever know excepting us two. But If I did speak she could not deny, and she must realize real-ize why I had kept silent, why I had even gone down to death with closed lips. And then there was yet a chance! While there was life there was hope, and I was soldier enough, and sufficiently suffi-ciently reckless, to accept of any opportunity. op-portunity. There might occur a relax-'ZV.C. relax-'ZV.C. 'T-Z-kiDCS '"if- f1)? Juar'?. - some delay at Lewisburg, possibly a forwarding of me to headquarters at Charleston some sudden, unexpected opening through which I could squeeze. Through the mud we rode steadily on, following the pike that curved along the base of the mountains, and finally into the streets of Lewisburg. (TO BE CONTINUED.! "Raymond. I am glad to see you again," and he strode forward, his lip? smiling, his hand held rut. "Old Nei! swore to me you were dead, but the sergeant aid you got away at the first rush. Not even a scratch hey ?" "Just a moment, please." and thelu terested lieutenant interrupted him by a hand on the shoulder. "I believe we have never met before, but 1 presume pre-sume you are Captain Fox?" The latter turned, a tritle indignant at the other's manner. "I am; what or it?" "Only I am naturally somewhat Interested In-terested in your identification of this fellow. To us he has claimed the name of Wyatt, but you address him as Raymond. What Raymond did he represent himself to be?" Fox stared about in surprise at the faces surrounding him. scarcely able to collect his scattered wits. "Why," he answered, as though half in doubt of his own words, "Lleuteu-ant "Lleuteu-ant Charles H. Raymond. Third cav airy, on recruiting service. I I met him at Hot Springs, and he showed me his papers. Isn't isn't he all right?" "Well, you can draw your own conclusion," con-clusion," returned the lieutenant, his thin lips curled in a sneer, "for I am Raymond. Third cavalry. This man is a rebel spy." Escape was impossible; 1 knew that, for I had considered the chances. Both Whitlock and the lieutenant the latter lat-ter with revolver drawn stood between be-tween me and the windows. The hall without was thronged with troopers, and, although 1 might attain the open door, that would be the end of It. I saw Noreen rise to her feet, her startled star-tled face turned toward me, but I held my nerves firm, and managed to smile. "1 expect the Jig is up, gentlemen," I acknowledged quietly, determined they should get as little comfort out of me as possible. "I know when I have played my last card." "Is your name really Wyatt?" "It Is; I am a sergeant in the Staunton Staun-ton horse artillery." Raymond glanced from my face to where she stood, white-lipped and silent. "There , is nothing else between you?" he asked roughly. "Do you mean to say " "I hardly think, lieutenant," broke In Whitlock, suddenly realizing his authority, "It Is necessary to ask such questions now. The man confesses himself a spy, and a court-martial will probe into this matter. We must remember re-member the young lady is the daughter daugh-ter of Major Harwood." "And as Major Harwood's daughter." daugh-ter." she said gravely, standing before be-fore me, "I desire to be heard, and to answer this gentleman's question. I sought to save Sergeant Wyatt because be-cause of the special service he has rendered me during the past night. I know nothing of his purpose here. "ttffSoiuLimi 'TTui! wua'cTeiU may be his uniform." The lieutenant bowed, hat In hand. "I intended no criticism of your motives, mo-tives, but a soldier must perform his duty. Under whose orders are you here, Wyatt?" "I refuse to answer." "No? Well, Ramsay will get a reply re-ply out of you!" "I hardly think so, sir. You hang spies, but do not torture them." "True enough," and Whitlock stepped to the door. "Sergeant, bring a file of men, and take charge of this prisoner. There is nothing to detain us longer. We have extra horses. Captain Pox. I Gave Small Heed to the Glance of Satisfaction He Gave Me. and you will ride with us as far as Lewisburg; Miss Harwood, I presume you have no desire to remain here alone indeed. could not permit It. Better bind the fellow's hands, Harper; Har-per; search bira first for weapons, and whatever papers he may carry. Mount him on that old artillery horse, and wait for us." Raymond watched the proceedings carefully, taking my credentials as a Federal recruiting officer from the hands of the sergeant, and reading them over with a grim smile. I gave small heed to the glance of satisfaction satisfac-tion with which he regarded me, and only ventured to look once toward the girl, as the soldiers roughly bound my hands. She had turned away, and was staring out of the open window. I marched out into the hall closely surrounded sur-rounded by the guard, my thought less concerned with my own fate than with 1 her feeling toward me. Suddenly the truth revealed itself to my mind that ! I loved the woman I had so strangely married. It is iudeed odd how the human SYNOPSIS. --10 Confederate Serjeant Wyntt Is sent aa a spy lo liis native county on (tie tireen F.rfar. He meets a mountaineer named .lem Taylor. At a nous-; beyond (lot SprlnKs thi-y meet Major Harwood. Wyau Is sent to bed. Ho becomes suspicious, sus-picious, and finds that Taylor has murdered mur-dered liiwuol anil escaped. Wyatt changes to U. S. uniform, and to a detachment de-tachment of Federal cavalry Identities himself as Lieutenant Raymond, Third H. S. cavalry. Captain Kox finds Harwood's Har-wood's body. The detachment is am-tejshed. am-tejshed. Wvatt escapes lo t lie Green I'.riar country and a.oes to Harwood's home, where he finds Non-en Harwood. He Introduces himself as Lieutenant Raymond. Ray-mond. Parson Nichols comes to the house and tells Noreen of her father's deatli. Wyatt forces Parson Nichols to confess that he has been sent In advance of Arise Cowan, who proposes to many Noreen at once, and so (pilot title to the .anil In dispute between the Cowans and N'oreon's dead father. Anse Cowan and his Kanx arrive and find the preacher bound In a closet. Wyatt and Noreen .lave concealed themselves In the attic. The Cowan KatiK ransacks the house, but tails to find he hidden couple. Wyatt tells Nore. n who he Is. They return to the second floor and await the next move of the cam,', forclne- the preacher to silence. si-lence. Unable to escape while the pani; 1' on the lirst floor and around the house. Wyatt proposes to marry Noreen to protect pro-tect her from Cowan. She accepts and Wyatt forces the preacher to marry them. Cowan's eanK Is driven off by Federal trooos. one of whose officers Is the reul Lieutenant Raymond. CHAPTER XIII Continued. The captain fitted a pair of glasses to his eyes and surveyed me with care. "Why, bless me, so he Is," he ejaculated, ejacu-lated, "and you never saw him before?" be-fore?" "No, sal there Is not another Third U. S. cavalryman west of the Al-leghenles." Al-leghenles." The girl laughed and laid her hand on Whitlock's arm. "I told Lieutenant Raymond that I would explain fully," she said, pretending pre-tending to be amused. If it is the uniform uni-form my friend wears, I must assume all responsibility, as Tfurnished it." "You!" there was a sarcastic sneer In the lieutenant's surprised exclamation. exclama-tion. "Why should you have in your possession a uniform of the Third Regulars?" Reg-ulars?" did not," she answered sweetly, vSut looking at Whitlock. "That uniform uni-form belonged to my cousin, an officer offi-cer of the Third Kentucky." Raymo; id a smothered expression, ex-pression, stared auWBrlj$8 fSSfjsai slightly averted face, and then, with one stride forward, swung me to the light. "See here, Captain Whitlock," he exclaimed Indignantly, "I cannot conceive con-ceive what object Miss Harwood may have in desiring to protect this man, but this is not the uniform of any volunteer vol-unteer regiment." "Do I understand, lieutenant, that you dare question my word?" she asked proudly, her eyes gazing straight into bis. "I am unaccustomed sir. to such treatment." " "Wait a moment. Raymond." broke In the captain. "There is no doubt of Miss Harwood's loyalty. Let us hear her explanation first. You say. Miss Harwood, you know this man? that he Is a friend? May 1 ask his name?" "Surely; I only desire an opportunity oppor-tunity to answer any question. He is Thomas Wyatt, the son of the late Judge Wyatt, whose home was on the ridge yonder. We were children together." to-gether." "A rebel?" "Really, I never thought to ask," carelessly. "1 was too glad to have his protection. We we spoke only of our childhood days together, still I gathered the impression that Mr. Wyatt had never joined either side, and was merely here to look after bis property. Of course he can explain all that." "But how came he to be dressed in that uniform?" burst in Raymond. "Will you be courteous enough to permit me to tell you? I have endeavored endeav-ored twice already to fully explain. Mr. Wyatt came here in the midst of the storm last night. He had found his own home destroyed, and this was the nearest shelter to be found He supposed the house deserted, and merely sought protection until morning. morn-ing. How I chanced to be here you gentlemen both know, and that matter mat-ter requires no explanation Mr. Wyatt arrived with bis clothing muddy, and soaked with rain. I gave him the only change to be found in the house a uniform belonging originally to a cousin of mine, Lieutenant Anton Harwood. Third Kentucky cavalry." "But this is not the uniform worn by volunteer troops. Captain Whitlock. Whit-lock. I insist " "Really, Lieutenant Raymond," the gir' said, fronting him. her eyes sparkltn?;. "this Is becoming most tiresome. tire-some. What do I care v, hat uniform it is! 1 hive told you where it came from, how it chanced to be there, and the reason it was worn by this man. I cannot be expected to know ail the petty distinctions of the service." "But surely." spoke up the captain, plainly bewildered, "the suit he wore when he came can be produced. You know where that is?" "1 know where it was." she answered an-swered coolly "Hanging before tbe fireplace in the dining room. However How-ever 1 cannot guarantee that it re mains there now this"liuse has been titled by Cowan's guerrillas, and. j from the suund, your own men were none too careful." Whitlock fiddled with the tassel of his sword, evidently far from satisfied himself, yet unwilling to make final decision unaided. "I hardly know Just what to do," he confessed reluctantly. "Ordinarily, you know, a lady's word would be sufficient, suf-ficient, but somehow, I I well, this looks just a little queer. What do you think, lieutenant?" "That tbe fellow ought to be taken before Major Hawes and made to explain ex-plain what purpose brought him here. I have no desire to question Miss Hair ood; indeed. I am perfectly willing will-ing to accept her statement. But this man is not a civilian he is a soldier; he has had military training. He should be made to account for himself, him-self, sir." The speaker's eyes fell upon the preacher, huddled back in the corner, now clearly revealed by the gray daylight which was stealing in through the windows. "Hullo! here seems to be yet another specimen we have overlooked. Who are you?" Nichols shufned forward, looking woebegone and miserable, his cheek disfigured by Cowan's blow, sneak and coward written all over him. His shifting eyes met mine, and he must have read in my gaze a threat he dare not Ignore. Twice bis mouth opened and closed before he could make j words issue. "One of Cowan's gang?" "God be praised no. Made to serve that human fiend by force. I am a minister of the Gospel." ' "You!" The lieutenant broke Into a laugh. "By Jove, you fit the part. Whitlock, did you ever hear of the fellow?" The captain rubbed his glasses. "Are you the Baptist preacher at Cane Ridge?" he asked doubtfully. "For twenty years I have ministered minis-tered to that congregation; the young woman can vouch for my labor." "Then, I presume you are also acquainted ac-quainted with this fellow?" questioned ques-tioned Raymond impatiently. Nichols turned his glance again in my direction, but his gray face was devoid of interest. "1 have no knowledge of the young man," heasserted solemnly, "but I utS lTu gwLbTSell?B blance Is strong, and I have no doubt but he is a son. The father was a Christian and a gentleman." "And a rebel, I presume?" "Judge Wyatt died before the breaking break-ing out of the war, sir, but was known throughout these parts as a Unionist" There was a silent pause. Whitlock fumbling at his eyeglasses, Raymond? a perplexed frown on his face, staring first at Nichols and then at me, as though more than half convinced he was being made a fool of. The girl had seated herself in a chair, and was leaning forward, her face hidden. The lieutenant turned and strode across the room, glancing out the window; then back again. "Well, we cannot remain here discussing dis-cussing the matter," he said tartly. "If we do we may have a real fight on our hands before we are safely back in Lewisburg." He planted himself squarely in front of me. "See here, it is time you did some talking. You haven't opened your mouth yet." "There has been no occasion," 1 replied re-plied pleasantly. "The others have told all you need to know without my even being questioned." "1 have a mind to search you," he retorted, completely losing his temper. "At your pleasure, lieutenant." I spoke coldly enough, although there was a catch in my throat at sudden memory of the paper I bore contain ing his name. "And there is no guess ing what you might find in Lieutenant Harwood's uniform." We were still looking defiantly at each other's eyes when a trooper appeared ap-peared in the open doorway, saluted, and said something in a low tone to Whitlock. I failed to catch the words spoken, but heard the captain answer: "Certainly, corporal, have him com? up at once." The soldier disappeared down the hall, and the lieutenant stepped back across the room, bending his head to whisper something privately into Whitlock's ear. My eyes followed fol-lowed his movement, and then sought the face of the girl; she sat motionless, motion-less, the long lashes shading her eyes, the only visible sign of excitement the swift rise and fall of her bosom. Then a man came hastily into the room through the opened door. My heart leaped into my throat at sight of him he was Captain Fox. CHAPTER XIV. A Prisoner. The captain was hatless, and a bloody handkerchief was wound about his head; his uniform was torn and black with mud. He saw Whitlock first, and gripped his hand warmly, his glance straying from the face of the little captain to the other occupants of the room. "Gad. but it is good to see a blue uniform again," he exclaimed heartily. "What was the row here. Fred some guerrilla work? Ah! by Jove!" bis eyes brightening as he recognized me |