The Springdale news., 1888-11-23

there. lie saw himself in a little orch at the side of a graceful, gravc-eyed wom- an just one year ago this Thanksg wing night. Edgar, my love, my idol she was saying, T love you, yes-how foolish it would be for me to deny it! l yielded, Edgar, 1 was faithless to you, my love. But they told me you were dead-he,' and her voice had grown harsh and cold-'he gdre ne yot9 dying message, and his mother told me that to save both her and his life must wed him. He would not live with out me, she said, and she could not with out him. So married aim, Edgar and now you''-with a sort of wail-''you havo returned. But you must go-soon, soon, while l am strong. He knows all-knows that love you; but you must promise not to speak of this to him, and to protect him, for you know he is your fathers son, and almost your brother. Promise me, Edgar, prom SC me by this kiss"
 And he had kissed her, and given h 8 promise And for year he had kept it we'll
 But even as his battle was fought and won the Captain remembered the duty that lay before him-a duty that must be car red out at any hazard, that of awakening the army to q sense of the approaching peril. He placed the boy on the crupper in front of him, mounted, and rode away,
 He had no knowledge of his whereabouts now, and his bodily pain was almost too great for him 10 care. He could only trust blindly to the instinct of the noble animal that bore him. Ah, what torture it was. Even the slight exertion necessary to hol1 the boy in his place entailel ince5san+ pain.
 And if only he would still that incca apt Nfryinia Nirripia worse than death to the man who was compelled to listen.
 h an Tour they came to the river. and on it's brnk the brave horse stumbled and fell. She could bear her double burden no further.
 As by miracle, tiny skiff lay rock ing at the waters edge. It was q dainty craft, cushioned and gaily painted, and was, no doubt, the toy of some petted damsel whose family had long since fled the neighborhood. Into the boat the Cap tain lifted the boy, and foatet with him out into the stream
 The cool, sweet air revived him He al most galned consciousness.
 Edgar. he mUrmured, broienly, what does it all means'
 It means, said the Captain, bitterly "that I have been a fool once m ore, and saved your life again.
 The boys pale cheek flushed He was quite conscious now. It all came back to him-the Thanksgiving dinner of the home ward bound scouting party; the skirmish, and those terrible wounds, the tiight-ah. yes, and he had also a Glm rememb brance of a cooling bandage placed on his hea l-- aye, and by the hand of the man whom he had dealt blow bitterer than death, whose happiness on earth he had killed with lie
 Edg IT., he said, softly. ignoring mil, tary discipline in the intensity Of the mo ment, you loved her did you nott'
 tSilencets thundered the Captain, ; Breathe her name to me, ani by II eav- ems! brother of mine as you are, | viii nk this boat and end your fife and mine Love herth he added, fiercely, aye 1 love her so well that it would be the sweetest balm on earth for me to know that you were dead. -
 The wounded boy covered back into the stern-sheets, his face very white and wan ill the fast-breaking dawn Then there was silence between them, while the bo drlfted slowly down the stream towards the sleeping army-and 10 safety.
 Slowly the Captains great tired head dropped, lower, lower, until 1t rested upon his knees. Then he turned about and stretched himself out upon the bottom of the boat. his massive limbs across the thwart. Uneonsciously his head with it's weight of damp Curls rested upon the knees of his half brother, and he slept SO almost in the arms of the man he hated.
 Onward, ever onward upon the placid bosom of the stream dr fled the boat. The boy sat there still, calm, watching for the lights An they twinkled through the trees The army was close by Their peril was ended Only half-miIe more and then life freedom-Virginia.
 In the light of the early morning the smoke of the camp-fres was ascending in eddYinr circles 10 the sky all flushed