Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-06-28

died or convalesced and he was alone.
Mary Bent found him on mattress.
in the corner OF room, few woed
On chairs being the only furniture.
He was fine looking man Of thirty
with face that must have beamed with
noble generosity before the fever flush
ed and distorted it, and dark eyes that
still retain their intelligent expression,
despite the fatal lustre that lit them
up.
He was evidently surprised TO see a
beautiful girl entering the wretched
apartment ; and the low, musical voice
in which she addressed him with her
soft cool palm resting on his forehead,
banlshed Tor the moment his feeling Of
torture and his keen appreciation ofthe
danger to which she was exposed.
You should not be here, Miss Bent
there are others who should face the
danger, said the Captain.
There are none whose lives are not
as precious to them as mlne is to me.
Keep good heart, dear captain. You
are young and strong, and shall have
good nursing she said, with forced
cheer(ulness.
She brought in bed and other furni-
ture. got such supplies of ice and nedi-
cine as were needed, and transformed
the room as lfa fairy wand had touched
1t.
There are human birds of prey that
fa;ten on the affilction Of their race
robbers on the the battlefield at night,
and ghouls that plunder the dead where
plague and famine rule. Memphis, with
all its heroism, was not with Jut them;
fierce creatures, whose habit ations no
one could tell who prOwled out as night
and kept in the shadows, while they
searched and plundered, and disapp car
ed; no one could tell how or where.
One night, wnen Captain Parker lay
unconscious, his eyes closed aud his
breath futtering in The uncertain scale
of lite and death, Mary, who was sitting
beside him, with her back to the door,
heard a heavy step on the creaklng
stairs.
She turned her head and seeing nothS
ing she placed her fingers again on the
Captains wrist and watched his face.
On a table between her and the door
lay the captains gold watch, and some
articles of jewelry Of her own that she
had taken of.
The door opened roiselessly, and a
huge form, with a :louched hat and a
bearded face came in. In one hand he
carried a knife, and the other was eX-
tended to seize the booty on Which his
red eyes were fastened.
Another step and it would be in his
possession; but before that step could
be taken Mary Bent again looked back
at the door.
At first she could not credit her eyes,
and when she did realize the hor rid pre-
seuce, she felt a dread such as had new
er before possessed her.
Not whisper or l will Kill you q"
said the man stlidng toward her with
upllted knife, and sezing the articles
from the table as he approached her.
Wretch y she cried, her courage and
self-poss ession csming back-'Lay
those things back where you found them
and get back, or | will shout for help.
Shout as leud as you please, my
beauty Ii will be your death-yell and
hisp said the man, coming nearer, and
nodding lis head at the unconscious
captain.
Man, have YOU no soul, thai you
would do this = sue asked, her eyes
fastened upon his.
Soul! Wa.all, don't know whether
| have or not, and don't care he
laughed.
Then he began backing towards the
oor. He would certainly have backed
out. had not the doctor at that momen
appeared IN the same opening aud TAX
en- in the situation.
The doctor was a stalwart man, arm
ed with heavy cane, and this cane h'
brought down with such a crushing
force on the shouls head that he tell il
a collapsed heap.
The articles were taken from th
man. and be was sent TO Jail, where h
afterwards died Of the plague.
1t would take too long 10 tell hoV
Mary nursed the Captain back 10 life
and how she, worn on; with watching
was stricken down.
Captain Parker become nurse again
and Mary Bent was snatched from til
avs Of death.
This story will became a tradition t
the people OF Memphis, and in tcllin
il. they will always close, TO The dc
lieht OF the young and old by saying
.Mi.s Bent is now Mrs. Captain Par
ker. and tie widow Bent gained VOL
t,y son. wien certain she had lost
daughter
GONE! GONE. GONE The clocl
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