Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-07-27
aCome into the house, | said,

]
"No, thank you. I'll ride back
toN-,' and he turned his horses
head to ride away.
called to him to stop. He
obeyed me, and went out into the
road and took hold of his bride.
"yyhat do you mean by thas|
he asked, surprised.
"Pm going to press your horse"
"What for ~
"To keep for the safe return OF
those you've taken"
He looked at me sort % dazed.-
He put his hand to his head, and
didn't seem to know what to do. |
led his horse up to the veranda.-
He dismounted and walked feebly
up the steps and sat down on a
bench, while took his horse round
to the barn.
Well, the captain was put to
bed. He had typhoid fever, and a
very bad case it was. Occasionally,
when troops would come into the
neighborhood, l would mount my
pony, and ride over to their camp
and ask to have surgeon come
and see him. Between the surgeons
and my nursing we got him through
the crisis. | nursed him for six
weeks. Then he became conva-
lescent, and it was very nice TO
have him sitting up in an arm
chair on the veranda looking so
pale and handsome. l used to sit
by him with my work, and he
seemed so gentle and 30 patient
not at all like he appeared to me
when l first saw him riding back
to the barn to press the horses
that l began to feel sorry he wasn't
one of our own men instead of be-
ing but detestable Yankee.
One day while l was sitting on
the veranda beside him, sewing, he
said
"Miss Molly, are you still hold.
ing my horse as hostage
"Yes. Ours haven't come back
yet"
"DOn't you think you could let
me take him when get well, il l
should promise TO 60 and find your
horses, and have them returned 7"
"T'll see about that when you get
we'll"
He'd been talking already about
going on to join the army, but l
din't think him we'll enough, and
didn't mean to let him 90. He
couldn't very we'll 90 without his
horse, so wouldn't let him have it.
"What hostage do you require
IN token Of my appreciation OF
your kindness since I've been
sick 7" he asked.
"You haven't anything to leave.
Besides, I've done very little, Pm
sure"
He thought moment. Then he
said, somewhat sadly:
"Yes; there's one thing 1 can
leave-only one. I'll leave that
with you"
i couldn't think Of anything he
had except his revolver, and / was
sure he wouldn't leave that. 1t
wasn'. appropriate. | waited for
him to tell me, but he said nothing
about it then.
At last he was we'll enough to
90. At least he thought 80; l
didn't. lie was still as weak as a
kitten, but | saw how anxious he
was, and l didn't oppose him any
longer. So one pleasant morning,
when the air was soft and the
roads we're dry, told one of the
colored boys to bring the captains
horse round from the barn.
The captain stood on the veranda
ready to mount and ride away. His
blanket and rubber pOncho were
strapped behind the saddle, just as
he had left them, aud his horse
was so anxious to be off that the
boy could hardly hold him. The
captain TODD my hand in his to say
gOOd.by. and looked straight into
my eyes. | lowered them to his
spurs,
"You're a good girl" he said.-
"I'll not forget your kindness"
"Oh, would have done the same
for any One."
"Any one"
"Any one."
Then l asked myself: "What did
| want to say that for"
"I leave you the hostage | spoke
Of" he said, "but it is very poor
return for so much kindness-a
mere bagatelle."
could have bitten my tongue
of. He was going to make re.
turn-to pay for what ! had done
for him.
"YOu will find it," he added, "if
you have the shrewdness to guess
where it is."
With that he gave my hand a
pressure, and looked long and
steadily into my eyes. Then he
mounted his horse and rode away
without once looking back.
AS soon as he had gone com.
menced to think what he could
mean about leaving a hostage. /
tIsA n III - -