The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-31


horses 10 the stable, they assembled the steps,
and gaining the porch instinctively lifted
their hats 10 the girl before them. She
barely recognized the salutation, then con-
tinued her rocking, as II their polltsaoss aud
presence were alike Indifferent TO her.
A grim change In the generals face left
one In doubt whether he was suffering from
a toothache on indulging In a smile
On the landlord making his appearance
the chief gave his orders They were for
supper for himself and staff, one room for
the night aud quarters for corporels
guard. While the supper was being pre-
pared tho general sat In n split-bottomed
arm chair, near our heroine. while tho Nom.
bcrr Of his staff, weary OF long days ride
stretched themselves upon tho sod under tho
trees.
"How many vanished hour and day
Have sunlight DER mo shcd,'
rinceiast parted from that gallant hand Of
good fellows loved general hold together
during the four years OF n terrible conflict
I can see them now. ! SEQ tho tall slender.
volatile Chcnutt, gay rs n lark and brave
as lion. Esterhaze, quiet, grave, yet ever
alert 10 duty. Comb, slender AMI awk'
ward, but possessed of tho keenest sense OF
humor, n ready 10 jest under fire ~ In tho
camp Then came old Granville, called old
because he WA ~ solemn. 10 would take a
surgical instrument 10 get joke In his head,
and then another 10 got II out And last
but not least, for he In the hero of my little
romance, Bob Ellersly, young, handsome and
liable 10 love and debt.
Two OF these met violent deaths, and tho
rest are scattered worldwide apart. send
them greeting.
III say, Bob,n cried Chestnut 10 the aide,
as he rested his head on his elbows and kicked
his toes into tho grass "rather handsome
girl that up there"
"The oil man seems 10 have discovered
that" Bob responded. "See him doing the
sweet OH her, will you"
"Well, he Is" Comb Clipped In. "but he
isn't making much Roadway, gather from
the expression ON her lovely countenance."
The General was doing the suave polite,
for which he was famous, and getting little
In return but crisp u onosyllables.
II does not require much time to prepare a
meal in Virginia. Ham and eggs, with hot
biscuits, make the substantials, while sticky,
indigestible sweets, called preserves, form
| the entrees. The General and staff were soon
called to table, and ate with the hearty relish
Of hungry men. After the supper had been
disposed Of the General called his aide, Bob
Ellersly, to one side and said:
81 have q rather pleasant duty for you,
Bob"
Gan right, General, the pleasanter the
better"
"It is one Lieutenant" continued the COM
mander, ''of extreme delicacy, and l trust to
your tact to carry it to a successful issue
Now, don't let any of your boyish impulses
make you blunder. You see that young lady
ON the porchf'
~ believe noticed her."
well, for the next ten days, or until fur
Their orders, you must not permit her to get
out of your sight. You must do this deli
cately, for she is the niece of the most prom
inent and important loyalist of Baltimore.
1t will not do to offend her, for the whole
affair may be a mistake after ALL"
What is the affair, Generate
'Simply this: the secretary of war writes
me that all the papers concerning the coming
campaign in Virginia were stolen from the
department and traced to Clara Willis, of
Baltimore. Miss Clara has since disappeared,
but there is every reason to believe that she
is some here in the Shenandoah valley try
ing to communicate with the enemy. This
is the girl, Bob. am satisfied 1 worried
enough out of the landlord to convince me
am right Put guard about the house SO
no one can enter or leave without your per-
mission, and keep your eye On her."
"But, General, this is difficult II / am
not to make her a prisoner, how am / to
actP'
snake love to her, Bob" said his com
fnander with a twinkle in his eve. ''Sacri-
ceyourself on the altar of your country. She
is woman, and devilish pretty one. and,
therefore, may be wooed; she is a woman,
snd, therefore, may be won" So saying
the brigadier ordered horses, and Bob heard
them rattling of in the moonlight, leaving
him to execute his diplomatic mission.
Calling Corporal Bang, Bob directed him
to place a guard in front Of the house, and
another in the rear, with orders to permit
no one to enter or leave, man, woman or
child, without his the Lieutenants) orders.
''Do you know, Corporal, what has be
come Of the young lady who was seated on
the porch before superb
"She skooted up stairs. Lieutenant, and
every swish of her petticoats had secesh
cuss in it. She Lit up the corner room, ]
| calculate"
Every well; you have your orders
"All right, Lieutenant"
Bob Ellersly seated himself in the vacated
arm chair and smoked his briar wood pipe
in the moonlight, revolving over and over in
his mind the strange duty imposed upon
him He was interested, and yet did not
like the business. Young, ardent and ambi
tious, he thought of his comr AIDES riding of
to glory, while he remained behind to cir
cumvent woman. Bouncing from his
chair, he walked the rough boards of the old
| porch impatient}y Suddenly he deScendad