Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-09-07

N" and he turned his horses head
to ride away
l called TO him to stop. He obeyed
me, and l went ont into the road and
took hold of his bride.
What do you mean by that?' he
asked, surprised.
I'm going TO press your horse.
What for7''
ITO keep for the safe return of those
you've taken.
He looked at me sort o dazed. He
put his hand TO his head, and didn'
seem 10 know what to do. led his
horse up to the veranda He dis
mounted and walked feebly up the
steps ard sat down on bench. while
took his horse round 10 the barn.
Well, the Captain was put 10 bed.
He had typhoid fever, and very bad
case it was. Occasionally. when troops
would come into the neighborhood, |
would mount my pony, and ride over
To their camp and ask TO have sur
geon 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 10 have
him sitting up in an armchair on the
veranda. looking so pale and hand
some used TO sit by him with my
work, and he seemed so gentle and So
patient not at all like he appeared to
me when first saw him riding back
to the barn To press" the horses
that began TO feel sorry he wasn't
one of our own men instead of being
but a detestable Yankee
One day while | was sitting on the
veranda beside him, sewing, he said:
Miss Molly, are you still holding
my horse as a hostage
Yes. Ours haven't come back yet 90
Don't you think you could let me
take him when get well, if | should
promise to 90 and find your horses,
and have them returned!'
III see about that when you get
we'll"
He'd been talking already about go
ing on to join the army, but didn't
think him well enough, and didn't
mean to let him 90. He couldn't very
well go without his horse, so | would
not let him have it,
What hostage do you require in to-
ken of my appreciation of your kind
ness since I've been sicky' he asked.
You haven't anything toleave. Be
sides, I've done very little, I'm sure. -.
He thought moment. Then he
said. somewhat sadly:
Yes; there's one thing ! can leave
only one. I'll leave that with you.
couldn't think of anything he had
except his revolver, and | was sure he
wouldn't leave that. 1t wasn't appro-
pirate. ! waited for him to tell me,
but he said nothing about it then.
At last he was well enough TO go.
At least he thought so; didn't. He
was still as weak a. a kitten, but |
saw how anxious he was, and didn'
oppose him any longer. So OHepleas-
ant morning. when the air was soft
and roads were 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 rs he
had left them, and his horse was so
anxious to be off that the boy could
hardly hold him. The Captain took
my hand in his to say good-by, and
looked straight into my eyes. low
cred them to his spurs.
You're a good girl, he said III
not forget your kindness.
"Oh, would have done the same
for any one
Amy one?"
ANY one.
Then | asked myself: What did |
want to say that for?'
II leave you the hostage | spoke Of,
he said, but it is a very poor return
for so much kindness mere baga-
telle."
You will find it, he added, fyou
have the shrewdness to guess where
it is
With that he gave my hand pres
sure. and looked long and steadily in
TO my eyes. Then he mounted his
horse and rode away without once
looking back
Assoon as he had gone commenced
to think what he could mean about
leaving hostage. | was sure he
would offer anything very valuable.
He must know / wouldn't like that.
but | though he might leave some
little trinket for me to remember him
by. | ransacked the room he had oc-
cupied looking into bureau drawers,
into closets, any place the ingenuity
of man could find to hide anything.
! even looked behind the pictures
hanging ON the wall Then / went al
over the house from attic to cellar.
Not thing could ] find. Then ] re
called his words: If you are shrewd
enough to guess where it it, " and went
all over my search again. At last ]
gave it up. "A pretty way TO treat
me. | grumbled, after taking care
of him so long, | vowed that if ever
/ should see him again he should tell
me whether he had really left any
thing. and what it was
News came Of terrible fighting at
the front. Strsgglers, broken-down