Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-02-05
IF he has 80 far disgraced himself and me

tNoI no." uttered Thankful, with fe-
yerish alacrity, ''the gentleman was most
considerable. On the contrary mayhap---
I"--she hesitated, and then came to a full
stop. with a heightened color, as q vivid
recollection of that gentleman's face, with
the mark of her riding whip lying across
it, rose before her.
81 was about to say that Maj. Van
Zandt, rs a gentleman, has known how to
fully excuse the natural impulses of a
daughter, " continued Washington, with a
look of perfect understanding; ''but let me
now satisfy you on another point, where 1t
would seem we grestly differ"
He walked to the door and summoned
his servant, to whom he gave an order.
In another moment the Tresh faced young
officer who had at first q admitted her reap
peared with q file OF official papers. He
glanced slyly at Thankful Blossoms face
with an amused look, as If he had already
heard the colIOquy between her and his
superior officer, and had appreciated that
which neither of the earnest actors in the
scene had themselves felt-a certain sense
of humor in the situation.
Howbeit, standing before them, Col.
Hamilton graysly turned over the file OF
papers. Thankful bit her lips in embar'
rassment. A slight feeling OF awe and n
presentiment of some fast coming shame;
a new and strange consciousness Of herself,
her surroundings, of the dignity of the two
men before her; an uneasy feeling of the
presence OF two ladies who had in some
mysterious way entered the room from an
other door, and who seemed to be intently
regarding her from afar with a curiosity as
if she were some strange animal, q q
wild %premonitiOn that her whole future
life and happiness depended upon the
events of the next few moments so took
possession OF her, that the brave girl
trembled for q moment III her isolation and
loneliness. In another instant Col. Ham
iltou, speaking to his superior, but looking
obviously at one OF the ladies who had
entered, handed a paper to Washington,
and said, Here are tie charges"
Read them, " said the general ccldly.
Col. Hamilton, with u manifest con
sciou suess Of another nearer than Mistress
Blossom and his general, read the paper.
1t was cOuched in phrases OF military and
legal precision, and related briefly, that
upon the certain and personal knowledge
of the writer, Abner Blossom, OF the
Blossom Farm" was in the habit OF en-
PERTAINING two gentlemen, namely, the
Count Ferdinand and the Baron
Pomposo. " suspected enemies Of the cause,
and possible traitors to the Continental
army. II was signed by Allan Brewster,
late captain in the Connecticut contingent.
As Col. Hamilton exhibited the sigma
ture, Thankful Blossom had no difficulty
in recognizing the familiar bad hand and
equally familiar misSpclling Of her lover.
She rose to her feet. with eyes that
showed her present trouble ard perplexlty
~ frankly as they had n moment before
blazed with her indignation, she met, one
by one, the glances OF the group who now
seemed to be closing round her. Yet with
a womau's instinct she felt, i am con-
strained to say, more untIiendlmess IN the
Silent presence of the two women than in
the possible outspoken criticism Of our
much abused sex.
"Of course" said a voice, which
Thunful at once, by a woman's
unerring instinct, recognized as the
elder of the two ladies, and the legitimate
keeper of the conscience of some one OF
tue Iutu WIZ mClC llCSCub =" 'oN'oS h'''
tress Thankful will be able TO elect which
OF her lovers among her country's enemies
she will be able TO cling TO for support IN
her present emergency. She does not seem
to have been so special III her tavOrs az to
have positively excluded any one"
"At least, dear Lady Washington, she
will not give il to the man who has proven
a traitor 10 her, " said the younger woman
impulsively. That isl beg your lady
ships pardon" she hesitated, observing in
the dead silence that cnsued that the two
superior male beings present looked at each
other in lofty establishment.
"He that is trait rous 10 his country,
said Lady Washington coldly is apt to be
trait'rous elsewhere"
"'Twere as honest to say that he that was
trait'rOus to his king was tTait'rous to his
country" said Mistress Thankful with
sudden audacity, bending her knit brows
on Lady Washington. But that lady turn
ed dignifedly away, and Mistress Thank
full again faced the general.
81 ask your pardon" she said proudly,
''for troubling you with my wrongs, But
it seems to me that even if another and O
greater wrong were done me by my sweet
heart, through jealousy, i; would not JUS
tify this accusation against me, even
though" she added, darting a wicked
glance at the placid brOcade8 back Of Lady |
Washington, even though that accusation
came from one who knows that jealousy
may belong 10 the wife OF q patriot as we'll
as n traitor" She was herself again after
this speech, although her face was white
with the blow she had taken and returned.
Col. Hamilton passed his hand across his
mouth, and cOughed slightly. Gen. Wash
ingtOn, standing by the fire with IN i'm
passive face, turned to Thankful graYely
"You are forgetting, Mistress Thankful,
that you have not told Inc how | can serve
you. II cannot be that yUu are still con
cerned in Capt. Brewster, who has given
evidence against your other-triendS, and
tacitly against you. Nor can it be on
their account, for | regret To say they are
still free and unknown. If yOu come
with any information e~Xculpating them,
and showing they are not spies or hostile
to the cause, your fathers release shall be
certain and speedy. Let he ask yOu q
single question: Why do you believe them
HONESTY
Because" said Mistress Thankful,
they were -were-gentleIuen."
MANY spies have been of excellent fam
ily, good address and lair talents" said
Washington gravely; 'but you have, may
hap, some other reason
because they talked only to me-" said
Mistress Thankful, bluShing nightly;
because they preferred my company to
fathers; btcause"-she hesitated p mo-
mert-'hecause they spoke not of politics,
but-of-that which lads mainly talk OF
-ard-and"-here she broke down a
ittle-"and the baron | only saw once,
but he"-hsre she broke down utterly
II know they weren't spies; there no"?"
II must ask you something more said
Washington, with grave kindness; ''wheth.
er you give me the information or not,
You will consider, that, if what yOubelieve
is true, it annot in any way iniure the
gentleman you speak Of; while, on the 9TH
er hand, it may relieve your father of sus,
picion. Will you give to Col. Hamilton,
my secretary, a full description of them
that fuller description which Col. Brew
ster, for reasons best known to yourself,
was unable 10 give?"