Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-08-04

was supposed to be. Meantime my phys
ical sutterings were almost unbearable
In the empty Saratoga trunk my position
was lnexpressibly cramped and painful.
was perfectly conscious that the slight
est noise made would be heard by the
husband and wife in the sitting room,
and [ was unwilling to disturb any hope
the latter might entertain that [ was gone.
My plan was to wait till she was out of
the way, and then place myself at the
disposal of her husband
Meantime solemn silence seemed to
settle on.the house and all the neighbor-
hood. My nerves had become so ex-
| cited that | could with difficulty keep
myself from uttering involuntary cries,
| Hour after hour b. ard the deep cathe
dral bell Had it not been for the hope [
entertained, in common with the Colonel,
of saving Fanny's feelings from shock,
and her wifehood from suspicion, should
have come forth at once and have made
an end OF my misery. Sometimes. as all
around me seemed SO still [ fancied that
the married pair had quilted the sitting
room. But | felt that if I tried to leave
| the house, watched as [ knew it to be, my
capture on her doorstep would compro-
mise her loyalty.
Time moved like eternity At last the
morning market wagons began moving,
the dawn came peeping into my retreat.
| There was another violent pull at the
street door bell [ heard the Colonel
rouse himself to answer it. | heard
Fanny start up to her feet, while coarse
voice called out loudly in the passage,
What! up by peep of day. Colonel ?"
Yes; l had report to write up.
Claypole has lett everything in disorder. ;"
| of ~
| that that spy we were talking of last
night is in the hands of the Marshal. [
was mistaken about his being seen about
this place. The police got on the track
OF him last evening, and took him at
that nest OF secession, Mrs. Charles
Garey's."
AS the street door closed upon this
visitor, | heard Fanny give suppressed
sob.
Then he was not-him ?" said her hus.
band, careless of grammar at that SUI
preme moment Of reconciliation.
No, no." she cried. He said he was
a poor prisoner who had jumped off the
| train"
Poor little Fanny! brave little Fan !"
said her husband, and [ guessed, though
L could not see, how he was comforting
her. Let this be lesson to you not to
| play with treason. Henceforward leave
it alone severely. You must be one with
me, dear wife, and such things are not
allowable in our position Now 60 and
call Bridget, and tell her to get breakfast
[ must get to the Office early. And
| Fanny" he added, "tell her to slip
down the alley the first thing, and tell
Williams, who owns the dray, that when
he has harnesSed up his horse for his davis
work, | wish him to back up to our side
door. l am determined TO get rid of
everything that belongs to my sister
Fanny. Phi send her trunk away I'll
clear the house of treason and secession
Tell Bridget that l say so. 1t may be a
warning to her, love-"
In half an hour Bridget announced the
dray.
Send in my orderly" said the
| Colonel, sand see if you can see anything
around the corner, of the policeman"
AS Bridget was executing this order
the Colonel entered the store-room, and
closed the spring lock of the trunk lid
Have you the key of Fanny's trunk,
my loyes,'
"I don't know"
"Give it to me,' he said, decidedly.
"Since your man is not the spy, share
your treason for this once, that hence
z.
policeman" he added, as he threw open
the outer door of the store room, which
opened on the alley, will you help the
drayman aud my orderly to get this trunk
| of my sisters on the dray? She has been
sent South, as you know, and decline to
keep her things. Yes, suspect it may
weigh over two hundred pounds. 1t is
| powerful heavy as you say. But that is
| the way always with ladies'"
By this time | was hoisted on the dray
"Now, Williams" said the Colonel to
| the drayman, carry this trunk to Mrs.
| Legrand's. She is friend of my sisters,
| and very Secesh lady. She will no
| doubt know what to do with it. Take
the key, and desire her to open it the mo-
ment it arrives. She must find the way
to send it to Miss Fanny, if she thinks it
| necessary"
Gall right, sah," cried the voice of the
negro drayman.
knew no more till I found myself sur
| rounded by Southern ladies, in the back
parlor Of house well known for South
ern sympathies and hospitality. l told
| my name and story, only emitting the
adventures Of the night in Colonel Lewis's
| store room.
"But how on earth did you get here
in Fanny Lewis's trunk? The drayman
left the trunk and key, with the message
| that the trunk was to be unlocked imme-
diately."
"Ah, ladies'" cried, it is too danger
Gus Q secret. [ dare not breathe it into
the ear of any one of you.
"But we know all kinds of dangerous
secrets" pouted one fair lady.
81 have no doubt you do, and all Dixie
knows that you can keep them; but this
one you must not ask me-
"I declare | believe that Colonel Lewis
himself had something to do with ito
ION my honor, ladies, [ never saw
Colonel Lewis in my life. What does he
look like, anyhow"
This question was never answered till
about six years later, when I was intro
duced to Colonel Lewis on Pennsylvania
avenue. He took me to his house in
Georgetown, where I met both the Fan
nys. 1t is no disparagement to Mrs