Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-04-17

Mary's. Mrs. Gray seems willing to lend
q helping hand also, in case of necessity"
"Who is Mrs. Gray?" asked Marion.
'She is the little woman who owns this
place. Did you notice her? She is very
nice and refined looking-quite lady in
fact. 1 was relieved not to find great
coarse woman, who might make things dis
agreeable for us, as many Of them do"
Marion made no rejoinder. She was pom
dering question which had presented itself
to her mind. She knew she was in the
neighborhood of the battlefield where Car
roll had been wounded, and, consequently,
of the spot which had been his refuge du-
ring his convalesence. Could this house be
his home? Could fate have brought her
under the roof which sheltered his wife?
It might be only a coincidence, yet the
coincidence, if such, was singular one.
Gray was not an uncommon name; there
were doubtless many Grays in Virginia, as
elsewhere. She was not anxious, indeed,
that her surmise should prove correct; she
would far rather not be brought into con-
tact with Carroll's wife.
The surgeon decided to accompany the
other ladies back to ST. Mary's, where he
would obtain some additional supplies, and
return on the following day on horseback.
The neighborhood of the farmhouse was
perfectly quiet and safe for the present, and
none Of the patients were in immediate
danger, so that he could easily be spared
for twelve hours, if Mrs. Sheldon and Miss
Vane were willing. Having obtained their
acquiescence, he placed each in charge of a
ward, impressed upon them all needful di-
rections, and the horses being rested and re-
freshed, set off with the rest Of the party,
early in the afternoon, in the direction
whence they had come.
The two ladies thus left in possession OF
the field repaired to their respective posts,
where all was quiet, the men having been
made comfortable, as far as possible, by the
surgeon before his departure. In Marion's
ward, which was the smaller room of the
two, were five men. Among these was one,
wounded in the head, whose bandages pre-
vented her from obtaining distinct view
of his features. Something in his voice,
however, when he answered question she
addressed to him, seemed familiar, though
she could not remember when she heard it..
Her doubt soon wassolved. A little later as
she was arranging his pillow for him, he
said in a languid tone
"Haven't I the happiness of addressing
Miss Vane?"
eyes," she replied.
"And have you forgotten me quite, Miss
Vane ?-though it is not matter of sur
prise that you should not recognize distig-
ured wretch like me-"
"Iknow you noW," said Marion, quickly.
"You are Mr.. Ellery. Pardon my stupidity
in not finding it out sooner, but indeed l
can scarcely see your face at all"
"Of course not. Isn't it funny we should
meet in this way? And isn't it blessed
thing for me that you should turn out to be
my nurse ?"
II think you had better not talk too
much," said Marion, gently. II have a
great deal of experience, you know, and 1
am quite sure that it is best for you to re-
main quiet"
'Well; but only tell me one thing-how
in the world do you happen to be here" .
So to satisfy him, she gave him brief
sketch of the circumstances which had led
to her acceptance of her present situation.
"And supposey you know" he said, when
she had finished, ''whose house we are in?"
heart, that the mistress of it is Mrs. Gray"
''Yes, and she is Carroll Gray's wife,"
$50 fancied," was the quiet rejoinder; /;
and then she moved away, to give her at
tention to another patient, who was asking
for a drink of water.
Night fell TRANQUILITY on the little brown
house, and in the silent hours, while the
wounded slept and the fire burned brightly
in the wide, old-fashioned chimney, Marion
sat and pondered on the strangeness of her
position.
Once or twice demand was made upon
her, but her patients were for the most part
quiet, and feeling very weary after her
rough ride she had dropped into light
doze, when the door was softly opened
and little figure stole in. Marion had
grown so accustomed to waking at the
Shortest notice, and the slightest sound, that
she opened her eyes and was alert directly.
"Oh, am so sorry I disturbed yOu!"
whispered the intruder. "I thought you
might be awake, and I wanted to ask you
to step into the kitchen and have some hot
coffee. 1 have been making some for you
and the other lady, and it is good and
strong"
"You were kind" replied Marion, rising
clean cosy kitchen she found q cheerful fire
there, and the coffee-pot steaming on the
table, with a plate of homemade biscuit
set out on a tidy little white cloth.
"Have you been sitting up until now ?"
she asked, for the clock pointed at half-past
twelve.
eyes; wasn't very sleepy and thought
you might need some help, and so 1amused
myself making the biscuit and coffee. It's
good to take something in the middle of the
night when you have to sit up"
ado you know how Mrs. Sheldon has been
getting on ?" inquired Marion, watching
her with curious, intense interest, as she
poured the fragrant beverage into pretty
china cup and set it beside little plate she
had produced from a cupboard in one cor
ner of the room.
There was nothing awkward or rustic in
her manner. She moved like lady, and
her tones were refined and sweet.
81 have seen her, and she had little
trouble in the beginning of the night with
one poor fellow who is light-headed, but he
is uuieter now. She has had her coffee but
would not eat anything. Won't you please
try my buscuit? My husband thinks am
such good biscuit maker. He always
praises m. cooking"
zone does not often find such delicate
cookery in these hard times," said Marion,
helping herself. "How do you manage to
get this white flour, and this delicious cof-
fee?"
81 got the -four in exchange for some
cloth | Wove last summer, and my husband
left small supply of coffee when he went
away, to be used on special occasions. OF
course am very precious Of it,"
"Then YOU should not waste it on me-"
said Marion, smiling.
''Oh ma'am, how can you call it waste: !:
am sure if anybody needs good things to
keep their strength up, it is the noble ladies
who are nursing our sick and wounded.
NV husband says our ladies are the noblest
and best that ever lived"
"Virginia ladies, especialy?"
'No, all SOutherners, he means. You are
not Virginian, are you?"
"No, am from South Carolina"
uMv husbands StateW exclaimed Lilly,