Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-08-07
shy eurtsey, hardly lifting her eyes from the

| ground.
Good night. Robert" she said, gravely.
| L bowed quickly, and with q hurried good
| night TO the rest went away.
My mother was waiting for me when re-
4 turned, and at once asked me how found
PA piana. | could not say much, but asked If
| she thought her changed.
| she has reputation in Marchtown for a
great deal" said my mother.
| For what?"
r For beauty, of course. but also for coquetry
| has refused them all. People say
| WHAT? Inquired.
| THAT this Englshman will win the day. Di
| treats him with more Difference and submis-
sion than she has any man yet, and your Uncle
Blake Is most anxious for it"
| II.
| In the few weeks that followed / saw Di very
rarely. as there was much of an engrossing char.
| acter on my mind.
War was imminent with England. Every
trne-ieei1ng American was reused to excite
small meetings. Finally, regiments were re-
crulted. there was a wave of warfare throug b
the land The sound of drum and cannon
seemed To be In our ears when walked or
slept. My Uncle Blakes house was no place
tor me al this time. His sympathies were in
afieetsd an ibe t Though from policy much
American interests. could not talk to him:
moreover. he had an English guest, and when
1 went to the house it narrowed my deepest
feelings to see the growing intimacy between
Diana and young Montague. Sometimes very
rarely saw Diana alone. Then a certain fiji ID
pancy IN her manner panied and ANNOYED me-
Could 1t be that she, too, was English at heart?
Meeting her one day unexpectedly at our own
house-sne mad ridden over for the first time in
weeks-I taxed her with it, aIludiug to the
cause. For a moment the old confiding Di
sort of surprise.
II thought you at least knew me- Robert"
she said reproachfully. "And cared for me-"
81 thought so, TOOL answered her until
came home. Two years do great deal, Dr."
she SAID nothing but walked away with an
angry light in her eyes. l had, found, spoken
rashly. From that day hi grew colder and
more distant toward me until finally all SEM
| biance OF cousinly Intercourse was at an end
between US. but for the intense outer interests
vi the hour / would have found my heart very
heavy, but there was no time Tor any thing less
serious than our countrys desperate burden of
wrong. Hearts. brains, hands, all went to feel
plan, work Tor redress A fortnight more and
We were at war. Lexington and other battles
fought! Then the nations Cry turned to Heaven
ami Gen Washington for helm The verv darL
neSs OF despair seemed closing in around u.s.
husbands and brothers left their homes upon
an hours warning, and there records of
Womanly courage and devotion within their
households not excelied by those OF the brave
hearts and hands stilIed on the field of battle
My uncle's house was upon neutral ground,
and he upon territory which seemed to be
equally SO. OF Diana l saw very little, but the
Engllsh visitor had disappeared and my cousin
had grown paie, cold, distraite the very shadow
OF her former brilliant self.
The regiment commanded was stationed for
some Time about ten miles from MarchtoWn
and occasionally tried to near bits OF news OF
Diana. once sent her a little note, when one
OF the rare safe opportunities offered, but re-
ceived no reply, and understood that no mat
ter how keeniy ner Judgment went with Amer
lea her heart had followed young Montague
wherever he had gone.
We had some slight engagements near March
town; then the enemy Withdrew, and Tor ABOUT
week we were left III undlstur0ed possession
OF the Held. My regiment was stationed at the
impromptu Qualifications we had erected, while
some twenty miles beyond General H was
quarterIng with Il small detachment OF men Tor
a day or two, IN order To make some special ill
designations, the result of which he would COM
municate 10 HE, with plans for the ensuing
fortnight. L Was To be sent ior ii needed To
join forces. for the few days quiet had produced
no peaceful sense OF security. The English
army lay right across the river Danger was to
be hourly apprehended They had taken com
piete possession Oh Uncle Blake's house. Where
was ID, knew not Probably in Philadelphia
at That time, temporarily, safe place OF ref
uge-but under what circumstances, in what
state OF mind. could not tell.
A second week OF comparative quiet had gone
Dy. We were gradually increasing our forces
Duf Withdrawing the reconoItre, as there seemed
less danger ahead. Suddenly | received An
lntlmiItIon from the commander that papers
OF Importance would be sent me-directiOns
Instructions. etc. l was to send a picked COM
pany IN disguise across the river aud meet the
midnight and thus, by dividing the WORK, dis
arm suspicion. i we'll remember the day the
news reached me. 1t was storming wildly |
spent the AFTERNOON with young lieutenant
planning; advising, etc, and il was alter some
deiiberatlOn We decided upon the men to be
chosen, while resolved my self to be one of the
numuer. While We were consulting some one
knocked upon the door and admitted a man
named Alpin, recently come into the service
and VINO had quite distinguished himself among
the soldiers for his 1ervor and patriotism He
had come, lie said, to beg permission TO be one
OF the party Tor the night. He knew every
inch of the ground from boyhoOd and better
still, roundabout way TO the chosen point OF
meeting. We decided to admit him, anu alter
receiving some special Instructions he and the
n:an a
GUESSING the question in the little bare sitting
room where such councils were usually held
O'Clock, L went TO The window and looked out
with some sympathy Tor the midnight messen.
gers, upon tue almost impenetrable darkness
and bilnuiDg ram. The window frOnted a mar.
row strip OF ground running along the embank.
ment. There were at this point no steps or
means oil ascent, save by the most ca utious and
even periious ciamDerlng. A lantern swung
here from a nigh post. was Watching it me-
chanlcaily as IL swayed htiuiIy to and lro in the
wind and rain, when its lurld CLEAN. suddenly
fell upon two figures evidently attempting the
ascent. Once, twice, the foremost cure Slip
ped saw q wild effort maze to cIutcn the
soggy earth. was in ii way spellbOund, know
ing 1T could be no one VINO had any right 10
enter, or this point would not have beer CHOSEN.
My faculties seemed suspended; the dull glow
OF the lantern illuminated the strangers effort
TO reach the upper ledge, and with sort of
stupid fascination 1 watched Them They
gained the terrace at Iast-two men, the
slishter OF the Two urging the other OF, while
tine wind and rain buffeLted them cruelty A
H.
dow My SENSES seemed to return like Il flash
as flung open the SASH and bent down over
tile hall PROSTATE tOrin of u slender bOy Wrap-
ped III long dark cloak, my candle showing
me his companion still making mis- way, utter
ing queer little moans and groans he did So
Iue Lad started at the sound of my voice
turned his lace upwards suddenly and in spite
OF the wind and rain and all the strangeness of
her coming, recognized my cousin Di. Another
moment and her companion reached us-DIs
faithful maid keZiah Martin!
'Dlana? cried out, feeling almost a suffOca-
ton in my breast.
She did not speak, and with some difficulty
sobbing keziah. HurrIedfy and scarcely know
ing what was doing relIt the light and held
IL up closely 10 Diana 5 face. she caught me
quickly by the arm and with a sort OF horror
III her lace, motiOned me To be silent.
Are we quite alOne?' she whispered
She was breathing quickly, poor child. Her
face was pale and hagsa ard. led her-almOst
glanced down at her Disguise d blush covering
lace, making IL for an instant impossibte
Tor her 10 speak.
"Diana," said, anxiously, "for Gods sake.
explain your coming. What does IL mean?'
In broken sentences, almost whispering it,
and leaning her head back YEARLY ON my breast
she told her story. Uncle Blake had been in
league with the English; had communicated
with a spy In my regiment. A party OF Eng
lish officers were III waiting across the river II
We sent out as we expected the party were to be
captured by the neutrality-suspicious., ii it were
little Di, had over heard the plans that day and
had walked from Blake house here through
many perls, after mig TALL having fairly forced
keziah 10 accompany her.
And thought" she said, putting her little
hands together, eli did not get here in time
I xTHU. Il<NIs.a