The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-09-20

| Odh ucip IL, Duui, ooiIy W ulStp-
point a lady but there's my orders. -
Wounded and women-folks and young
uns to the rear. So if you please, mum,
you'd better fall out"
Miss Bronson obeyed in silent disgust
A woman's will versus military dhci-
pline Certainly it was hard ease.
A rustling of dead leaves in the ravine,
a trampng of many feet, flash of bay
onets on the brow of the hill then WIS.,
ion of dark exutant faces, yell, cheer,
a thunder that woke all the echoes sleep
ing far down the valley and the quiet
camp became battle field,
The deserted fires flashing up broadly,
darting riffs of light in through the smoke
and horror, showed Miss Bronson in I'M
der the trees. She stood there for. five
minutes. Then tine fair-hnired boy fight
ing beside M'Ginley, fell with a ball
through his heart.
When MGinley turned his head he
saw her in the vacant place--the dead
boys musket in her hand.
81 prefer to be here" she said
Probably military discipline would
have had a word to say to its late de-
feated antagonist, il it had not been al
together too busy then in the confusion Of
a charge. The picture bright in the fit
full glare, was one long to be remembered
the woman with her colorless, calm
face and eyes on fire, the shadow of
smile still lingering on her lips, her black
hair fallen low on her shoulders, and the
fearless aim of the hand so womanly, so
dazzling, and so foreign to its deathly
work.
She fought like veteran. MGinley,
so near to her, knew how her teeth were
set, and could see her breast heave with
the sharp, hard breathing. Once she
looked up into his face
81 don't know much about it ; tell me
if i am wrong"
The tone was a tone in which Mar
garet Bronson was unused to speaking
he heard every cadence of it above the
roar of the musketry, and in that hour
when she seemed TO have thrown off her
womanhood, he knew that she was dearer
to him than in all her life before. After
that he guided her.
"Aim higher, Margaret
"You load in too much of hurry,
Margaret you gain nothing by it."
"Margaret, you are out of the ranks" )"
So between his own fierce work-and
she obeyed him as implicitly as child
Throughout the whole he used Instructive
ly the name by which he had called her
when they played together in the old
south field at home. She accepted it as
instnctively. think she liked it. Pos
sibly it helped her. as to that you could
not tell she never quailed for an instant;
her face never lost its colorless calm, her
eyes their fire, nor her hand its fearless
aim.
The camp-fres were dying low in their
ashes the moons sullen glare from the
tree tops showed through the pillows Of
smoke breach in the enemy's ranks -
The lines staggered and broke on the
brow of the hill.
'We have them" said M'Ginley, with
a grim smile, and fell with the words on
his lips.
The ranks closed again and swept on
victorious down the slope far into the
valley to finish their work. But the
beautiful woman's face was not among
them.
She knelt on the ground where he had
fallen; his blood stained her dress in pit
iful contrast to its silken richness
"Can you tell me where it is p
: She spoke quietly; if she had all the
9 knowledge of the surgeons, and every
means of saving his life at her command
: instead of being ignorant and alone ir
that desolated place, she could not have
s spoken more quietly; you could not have
seen that a nerve trembled
. Its nothing-only i'll my arm, think,
he said feebly you can get home now
Margaret-go don't stop to think o.
, me-"
5 81 shall think of you. l intend tc
5 save YOU
t She looked about her for moment
At the right rebel lay dead in th'
bushes. A few yards beyond, another
Y dead or dying, for he stirred little. NJ
| other human being was in sight. Tht
q distant camp-fires were out. The moor
e hung angrily in the mist far down tn,
n valley the noise of the conflict was grow
l ing fainter; MGinleys hot blood wa
r still staining her dress. Her sense of ut
ter helplessness was written for an instan
on her face; but it was turned ava,
from him and he did not see it.
You must stay here'-she spoke rap
idly and decidedly-you must stay her
u little while. shall help you into tn
, bushes here out of sight, if there are strag
: glers round | will bring some one tina
will take care of you. think can sto
the flowing of this blood before | 60
He was to weak to demonstrate. Sh
: took ont her delicate laced handkerchie
;, and tried to smile.
IF i had only one of Eliza's cotto
one it is SO much cobweb.'
Hold on, missus! You mought a
= well not spile that ere bit of nonsense, an
n save yerself the trouble of bloody'n ye
d purity hands. I've got little business I
e do up with that Yankee sweet heart #,
yourn.'
it She sprang up, with her hand on he