Show r i 1 f y l c II J T yr v q Ii I a t f fI 1 3 1 r rv L T i lJ r I fr g ti t r I t l iJ 7 n lc I i 1 1 If f Chance Chalice will twill have me lie m c king klUJ WIlY why Chance may 1110 crown me Macbeth I HE was called Jamie Jamie Her soft t S wavy hair was ryas dark and was tossed toss cd back from r her face much as a boys bos would have been II Over the bridge of her nose was a world of J little brown freckles that spread out upon her cheeks checks through the he tan ton of which bloomed n tint that tl rivaled haled 3 1 1 the rose of Sharon Her eyes a pair of oi keen young S eyes looked at you fearlessly and confidently with all r the thc frank frnk assurance of girlhood and yet vet there was in their depths something older and deeper r that belonged I distinctly to womanhood She was only a slip of a girl perhaps seventeen perhaps more She wore a clean cotton frock into the faded belt bell of which was thrust Yo in plain PILlin sight a big bid bi unwieldy un every eel cham chain chamber chamber ber her of which contained its clumsy clums charge i and in lieu licu of a her pocket sagged low 10 with Ith ammunition In her hand she held an m old straw hat which s he e was was swinging back and forth by lIy one onet string as rapidly over the farm in the early a t September morning She cast quick searching glances 1 all around and every now and then she paused and md listened acutely as if for some sonic expected sound 1 No 10 sign of human life Hie or human toil greeted her 1 stillness of the newly anywhere or broke brol c the drowsy d I r awakened day da On all sides were tokens of an ar arrested arp arrested p rested workday Ii life fc The great at doors of the empty barn harn were yawning awning wide Down the meadow mcadow path that led in a 1 zigzag fashion to the dairy dail the weeds were springing up tip 1 thick and luxuriant ant while the spring pring bub bubbled bubbled bubbled ERTY bled and babbled over the stones in in the idyllic quiet of the thc meadow mca ow grass Jamie Jantie mie stared at every even familiar feature of the scene f and there tt gradually stole over her face a look of anxiety 1 a and care then she proceeded resolutely y to lo make l the rounds of all the deserted outbuildings to see sec that i no one was harbored therein She peered into the thet theas as t dairy the smokehouse cornhouse barn and finally finall into t the 8 table the big fig stable which in its amplitude told f of an earlier more prosperous day da but which on this rt September morning sheltered but one beast of any td kind Ande her fathers horse She went into his stall cI and aud called him softly soW Ande I l IThe IThe The horse whinnied in fn response and aud the gill g tl rubbed r j is his Ins nose and stroked him lovingly then she pulled f down some hay ha from front a rack head talking to tepid him as she gave him hint his breakfast J No Ande if they come they shant have hwe thee thee is the time only one left thee belongs to father and lIld I have hac promised to protect lice I its All 11 the day before there had been time the th rumble and L roar of the guns and after liter the guns suns had ceased all aller er through the night Hight there had been the rush and amI tramp mgt The had fal fallen fallen of men and horses on the turnpike army v len back and the hot sunny sunn morning dawned on an anho empty village v ho Jamie pondered it all as she made her way slowly h back bath to the time house In time the outside summer kitchen she sheek ek found Uncle Reno preparing breakfast It was only rr to consist of a little meal made into a and andy baked naked in m the hot ashes of the big hig fireplace for every everything r y thing on the farm had long since been carried off by bythe b td the marching troops of both armies When lien she en entered entered entered the time kitchen old Reno asked anxiously time Where you been honey I dont like you ou to prowl ter roun for these ain lin safe times for a miss like you youle le Oh Olt Im armed Uncle Reno and thee knows I 1 can 1 g s handle this old pistol almost as well as father can and rd Im determined tt if ii they come conic they shall not find any anything timing thing Theres Ande miss They wont find Ande lr But nut miss thell sec see him mighty quick take him like done everything else an all I cant do tt to prevent tit But nut I shall prevent Uncle Reno And there was wasa wass s a flash of determination in her eyes ees Law miss ous only a girl they limey ain air goin to mini min JarI times tim you OU honey hOlle these is war tear Jamie Jamic did not reply She passed into the time inner ms s room where involuntarily she quieted her gait and b subdued her excited face as she approached an invalid chai chair that was wheeled in front of an 0 open window a Instantly the quick mother eyes greeted her approach is with anxiety while the time mothers voice e asked Has lIas thee heard anything more this morning daugh daughter ter Has thee been heen to the village 1 Yes Ive been to the village mother and theres nobody there but Judah J Everybody has run away tt There was silence while both listened intently t Then Jamie said with conviction Mother those guns uns arc are nearer than yesterday Ju Judah Judah dah dal says sas from the massing of troops in these parts that there is going to be heavy fighting fi Ill bring thee the thy breakfast t and Uncle Reno shall stay with thee IL while I 1 run to the village illaHe and sec if there is anyone passing with news Therell likely be some one with riding through No Jamie arnie no thee must not stir from rom me I fear root j for thee its Jamie touched the time butt bUlt of her old pistol and said gravely t Mother have no fear Im safe I can use this ultra of the farm and if need be Let me inc go to the time edge have a look up and md down the time turnpike Ill come badr bad back C tr r soon eter And before the anxious mother could protest Jamie Jamier r with whim a resolute look on her face hurried to the kitchen heJl to and said to Uncle Reno e R Uncle Reno take mother her breakfast dont leave ids De her until I come back and protect her with thy very cry vcr t that t life if anyone anone comes Im Jm going to but never mind da me roe i or And the girl was out of the time door down the back r steps and over the thc soft grass before Uncle Reno R no bo o d i could coul protest or even understand what whal she was going sr to do o Her Tier lithe young oung figure went rushing to the the e stable table accompanied every step of the way by the deep d steady boom of artillery y She entered the stable hur hurriedly Dul y found an sack filled d it with corn corna froma frome from e s a a peck ped measure spilling almost as much as she put into it She jerked down the bridle which hung hunK upon cal cm an In iron staple and with trembling fingers adjusted it il over A tides cars having to stand on tiptoe to reach a lip ap ip to him Then throwing the time sack of corn over his hisa c hade bade she led him out of the stable lightly l sprang upon td v his back and bareheaded set out with quick speed down t tae th e back lane Ime o lac She smiled grimly to herself he l Ande seemed to un understand unis is g her He arched his neck and stepped out tt the rapidly but surely so surely indeed that not a grain of f corn was dropped from rom the time carelessly fastened sack t C When they thc were about to emerge emer c from the shelter of the time woods to the turnpike Jamie Jammie J cast a quick look up c 1 and nd dowry down but she could only sec see as far as the bend hend bendin in III iii the time road and there was no sound save that of the el di tnt tattle battle Just beyond the time bend she would woul 1 gainel gain gin t auf the woods the lime densest woods in all that part i of and md AnIle instinctively hurried along in a 1 quick lope nut fait when they readied reached the bend band just beyond which fit was a surd surety there suddenly rode down upon th iii a Ur uc I officer and two soldiers m They were t from long lonE riding and amI their faxes faces i were bronzed 1 i R A 1 n n u I l Jt 5 and Jamies heart beat quickly If Amle would only come conic comedown comedown down to a humdrum perhaps with her sack of corn they the would pass for common folk and md so slip by But no sooner did lid the quick eye of the young officer fall upon her and LInd note Andes good points than he reined up suddenly and called out sharply Halt I 1 But Jamie did not halt She clapped the thc heels of her shoes on Andes sides and the horse bounded forward as LIS from a spur The officer dashed ahead and snatched the bridle out of her hand calling out t Halt HaIt I say Dont you OU hear Jamie Jamic halted mute mate and rebellious She laid lai 1 her hand instinctively ely upon the pistol at her belt and looked with full steady stear eyes into the face of her captor He met her look with one as full and steady I r am very sorry but hut my 01 orders are to take the first horse that will trill suit the General and I am afraid that yours OUrs will wm suit I 1 shall have hac to ask you to accompany accompany accompany pany inc me Oh Ohl please broke out Jamie Jamic amie this s is fathers horse the only one we the have hwe left Father has been arrested and alii taken to headquarters We Ve are Friends and we are arc loyal Friends but never fight thee knows a Union officer so please let me mc go I want to get back to mother before the thc battle is over for we vc shall be overrun with troops either cither friends or foes and I must be there to help Uncle Reno protect mother Please c let me go Over Oer the officers face there swept a mingling of ex expressions expressions expressions during this th s appeal It was many a long month since he had heard a womans voice and it was the first time in in all his life that the quaint language of the Friends had fallen upon his car or that such an appeal had been addressed to him him There sprang to his eyes a rl sudden sadden look of deep respect He softened his voice to 4 answer I cannot let you go you will have to come with me though no queen in her own on kingdom shall be more courteously courteous treated than you but the General has halted with his command only a little way behind us He has hasuse hasuse hasuse use for such a horse as yours and I must needs obey obe It seemed to the girl that they thc rode roue for miles She would not accept the improvised hat which the officer solicitously offered her She would ouM make no reply to his eager though courteous efforts to draw her into conversation Suddenly they came within sound of voices the time stamping tamping of horses the clash of arms awns A bugle call was heard and then a loud rough voice cried out in jovial wonder Lord the Lieutenant L picked up p now And Jamie Jantie found herself riding between file after file of soldiers ers The turnpike and the woods were alive with them They had stacked arms for a brief halt hall they the were reinforcements of the main command about to join loin in the battle Her Iler intrepid heart was thumping madly as she he saw the grimy faces on all sides What That were they thc going to do with her She set her teeth and held back the time frightened tears that were so near at hand handShe handShe handShe She was too excited to heed the report that her cap captor captor captor tor was making maling to the time commanding officer or to note cote the surprised eyes of the time staff upon her She heard herself addressed in a kindly voice and she looked up into kindly kindl eyes that reminded her of her Tier fathers She knew at LIt once nc that she was as in the thc presence of the hc Gen General General General eral himself What is your name Dont be afraid said he heMy her heMy My r name is Jamie Jamic Jamie Jamie Jamic Jamie what What is your fathers name Fathers gathers name is David Passmore David Passmore echoed the General in surprise It was a name that had occurred in recent reports and was troubling trou i him not a little He thought for a mo moment moment ment with wrinkling brows and said finally Tell me where you live e and all about your father and how you happened happen cd to 10 be alone on the public road on such a morning mornin as this with so valuable a hor horse c cI I live just a few miles milts below here Our place is known as Passmore Farm Father is isa a Friend and a month ago rago he was arrested An order was issued to compel everybody tn in n these parts to take the oath but father though a Union man mall is a Friend and Friends cannot fight or take lake any an kind I nd of an oath for its against our Discipline So father was suspected and taken to A headquarters and we have not seen him since Jamies lips quivered qU cred and her eyes filled The Gen General eral cral said kindly Go Co on out I Ir Well r is no one left on the farm now hut but Uncle Reno mother and me and I promised to protect mother who is crippled and to take care of fathers horse Aside Ande sees we have hae to feed all the time sol soldiers ol diers who came pur oUr way and so nothing is left weve given up et everything we wc had to t the soldiers and we have nothing to eat cat ourselves and when the battle began at daybreak I just thought Id X Jamie stopped f then looking into the Generals eyes she went on onI onI I meant to take Ande and hide him in the woods to save him from the soldiers and please please pI case wont thee let me go home and LInd take Ande with me mc Oh do Mother is so crippled and The deep entreaty of her face was pathetic to sec see There was teas a pause broken only by b the impatient stamp of the horses She watched the Generals face and asked with sudden swiftness Has lice lhee any an daughter of thy own on at home This was too much More than one hand went up tip to cover twitching tw lips The Generals eyes brimmed over overlie overlie lie He thought thought of a lonely grave far away aa in in the time North He lie spoke emphatically after a moment Jamie Jamic you OU arc are a brave girl I wish I had a whole army of such soldiers as you youBe youlie He lie beckoned to one of his aides who with a quick salute handed him some papers The Time General ran them over selected and read one of them theses hurriedly then after t fter a lingering scrutiny of Jamie Jamic he scribbled some something something thing timing at the foot of the paper signed it il and gave it back saying saing Send Adams back with this to the tube Provost at Frederick and tell him hint to see sec that this order is car clr carried carried ried out immediately Then turning to Jamie he said My child you have done one your father noble service today I hive ordered his release You Yon Y shall return to your mother and 1 I will send a detail of men with you who shall remain to protect your property till the time fighting in this section is over Ocr He turned to Jamies captor and said briefly brieRy Lieutenant Ayer take a detail of men and escort this thil young lady home See Sec to it that her property properly is protected You will be bc relieved when what fighting in in this lids section is over Lieutenant Ayer saluted sainted with surprising alacrity and LInd fell back The General issued lIed Other orders An or orderly orderly orderly derly dashed away A bugle rang rang out shrill and clear The troops sprang into line The rhe command was VOl about to move moe For an instant Jamie Jamic sat staring mutely around her herthen herthen herthen then she suddenly slipped down among the moving troops She took Andes Amides bridle over oer her arm and andL andt L t quickly approaching the General said as she held out outI I j the he bridle toward him tint Will till thee plc ph ase take Ande lies Hes Hc s never been in In battle but I can answer for his bravery r t Oh no little one you may m y keep Ande But BUl I 1 want thee to have him mother would be so ashamed of me if I did not give him freely after all allthee allthee thee has done for us as The rhe General |