The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-05-20
CHAPTER XIV.


disturbance IL was then so dark that she
could make out nothing more than blurred
masses moving across the field with jets OF hire
springing from them.
Then She could sec sheets Of flame from other
blurred MASSES as the Union csvalTymen re-
spondoa with yolleys and the noise ana crash
OF the howi,zer and its shells followed.
She shivered with natural terror, and her
check paed for second. Then, with the
arousing OF her faculties her natural courage
asserted itself
There came tremulous tap at her chamber
door.
I shall faint on the spot If you dont!"
Ii was the voice OF the p0rtly matren.
ANNOYED by the interruption, Jasmin called
ont sharply 10 her 10 open the door and come in.
A white mass. the shape and size of a small
haystack and terminating i'm wan and very
woful face, filed the door-frame and waddled
into the room.
30. Miss Oldri. what is the matter2" sobbed
the occupant of the yolumnous night-dress.
"What do them frightful noises mean3 Well
all be murdered in oGr beds know we shall"
al shan't," replied Jasmin, cheerfully. I'm
not going back 10 bed to be murdered, or any
thing else. Staying up promises TO be much
more interesting"
Atkins first shell clattered through the roof
of the tobacco shed aud burst with a crash.
20. my gracious! o, my goodness! ., my
Lord. have mercy on me 3" walled the poor
woman, falling on her fat knees with jar that
made The house shake. What shall j dor
What shall dog"
"DoP" answered Jasmin, tossing over the
mysterious garments that lay on chairs about
the room. Go back to your room and get
dressed as quickly AZ you can. That's what
Dress shrieked the corpulent matron !:
"dressl when you're on the brink Of eternityg"
Yes" said Jasmin compOsedly, as she pushed
forward with vigor the process Of attiring her
SELF +" Dress ourselves, by all means, and that
nicely III there's any time when we should he
in shape to make a good impression il is at the
moment we enter another world filed with
Strangers
so, o, I never can stand this-I know
can't"
Suppose yOu have tO2" said Jasmin un-
eympatheiically
/" len XIII rne-it'II kill me- know IL will !"
I'D wait 10 be killed, then; j wouldn't be
SCARED 10 death, /" said Jasmin snappishly.
The poor woman lay on her back. kicked her
Cas- heels against the floor, aud walled aloud.
I'm goin' TO faint know J. am"
{" know you're not" said Jasmin sternly
"for II you should it would compel me 10 dash
this pitcher OF water on you, which would be
dsagreeable- especially for you. Now stop
gr0aning get up, and go 70 your room and dress
yourself like a sensible woman. Come back
then, and we viii see what can be done. III we
are In any danger we viii try 10 find a way out
Of IL. Come, now, you're not making things a
bit better by lying there crying"
Assisted By Jasmin's strong hand, the portly
dame regaimed her feet with difficulty and
fnotted away TO her own room, wiping her
fearful eyes, as she went, on the sleeve OF heI
night-dress.
Jasmin completed her toilet in much less time
than she was ia the habit OF devOting TO array
efrlar her y
the window, where she was presently Joined
by Mrs sutton, whose raiment looked as II i
had been pnt on her by hurried and undis
crimnafimg cyclone.
Ey this time the irst onslaught Of the rebels
had been repulsed, and both sides were waiting
for daylight
20. let's run Tor our lives" pleaded Mrs
sutton; let's do anything TO git away from
this awful place. Amt there nobody we car
git 10 hitch up wagon o some kind and carry
us off
Just thon the shell burst IN the foader-stacl
and sci Il on FIRE. She burst into screams and
Lamentations.
There, There, o. Lord IN heaven. wen b,
roasted alive-l know we will."
JaEmins sense 81 the Iudicrous was keen
and responded st once TO the poor womani
c0mical man iicsiati0ns Of fright
Come come" she said, rcassuringly; "yot
know you can never roast anything as far from
700. Whoever heard OF anything being roasted
BY a corus'alk freP When they barbecue q
they'll have 10 burn something much NOR
substantial. Calm yourself We're not hur
yet, and J don't think it's likely we shall be-
%, bow can you talk so1 How can you sa,
that, nith OIL them terrible poings-on out there
AND nobody but us two poor, lone women in th
house,"
Pshaw. II q only one OF these gucrrlIl
gEngswhich infcst the neighborhoOd that mad
a dash on the place. They'll be driven of Il
short order can icll yon. We can trust Capt
Barnard 20 settle their accounts og-hand!"
Capt Barnard snifed Mrs sutton. ~
secossionism dominating Cor the instant De
fears. Capt. Barnard. indecdi Well Cor my
self, have no wish 70 soc him beat oar men
bhWro was 20 much pslpahie insinuation 4
her manner that Jasmn's check reddenef
She replied iu bravado i want 10 see thos
bcn-r00a lnaaudens whipt everywhere an
every fiine that they can be found"
~ Remembrance Of her dependency upo
Jasniu bad not tied Ms sutton's tongue, 81
would have roiortea that Miss Oldris views O
the subject ~ independent bands OF SOuthcr
soldiers bad suffered change recently by res
EOn ~ her association with aud interest IN
handsome Yankee Captain, who was engage
Ia lighting these devoted defenders Of N
sunny south.
Ars. suftons perceptions were not very acut
and they needed moi 10 be Tor her t0obsorvc 10.
in the two weeks Charles Barnard had fp.,
about the sourmash Place he and Jasmin ha
drawn much nearer together than perhaps the
were themselves aware Of. The warra-hearte
impulsivc, impcrfectly disciplined girl fouu
The fascination exercised over her BY Che Gu
tufed aud polished maniiuess Of Barnard DAT
growing stronger. and Rfier periodically
resisting such iniidclity 10 The South for Il
Gle while. she had begun 10 feel a pride
yielding ~ a fondness for n man whose love 4
her was more acceptable than that Of any 9th,
who had ever made such a tender 10 her.
On his part, BARNARD bad begun by beiT
very much IN iogo with the imperi0us boant
into Whose mind Bo selfish on unworthy thongl
found entrance, and closer acquaintance wit
her in her OWn home had greatly intensifs
his passion for her.
While the women talked and the men fgli
ing in the folds were waiting for daylight
continue ihc battle. iond rap startled assn IN
poFtly companion.
did yon hear that" sobbed tho latte
They rc coming Tor rs, now. o. what sha
we dor"
I'm getting clear Out Of patience with you