Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-06-06
CHAPTER XI.

For moment the quartette stood dumb
and stupefed with amazement At a glance
Lille Neff recognized her lover. She tried
10 speak, to move, but tongue and limbs
seemed paralyzed, and she could only stare
in speechless amazement. Albert Neff need
not have been astonshed at meeting the
friend of his boyhood here, for he knew he
was in Grants division so might Luke ex-
pect to meet Albert, but the presence OF
Lille, whom he supposed to be safe in her
Missouri home, filled him with astonish-
ment.
Elsie Morgan recognized him as the brave
Union soldier who had saved her house
when the recruits would have burned it.
Luke, compromising the situation, bolt
ed the door which he had closed on discover
ing who the occupants of the room were.
Lille having regained her voice murmured
Luke, Luker and staggered toward him.
He caught her in his arms just as she
swooned, and pressed the insensible girl for
a moment to his heart. His crimson blade
fell TO the carpeted floor and raising Lille
in his arms he carried her 10 sofa, where
he laid her down.
Since Lille in love, fear and amazement
had uttered his name, not another word had
been spoken. The sounds Of struggle in
other parts of the house were becoming
hushed. Tenderly the young officer bent
over the insensible girl, pressed kiss upon
her marble cheek, and, Selling a water
pitcher from a stand near by, bathed her
face until she began to revive When her
recovery was assured lie arose and, turning
upon the brother who, sword IN hand, still
stood in the center of the room, he said
This is the saddest meeting of all"
81 will not surrenderi' the Confederate
Kissed for answer. Elsie, throwing one
arm about his neck, chung to his sword arm
and sobbed bitterly.
albert, this is folly Luke began, but
Captain Neff interrupted him.
ats useless TO argue. You have it in
your power 10 kali me DO it if you want To-,
for have sworn that 1 Will never give up
my sword 10 a Yankee. The house that
covered my head when a child has been
burned"
"What, burned.' gasped Luke.
Eyes; burned by Lincolns hirelings, and
my old father in his feebleness rendered
homeless
my God the house burned and with it
the old wooden cradle in the attic" Luke
gasped "The last cew to my identity is
gone" Albert, not noticing the effect of
this revelation upon Luke, went on:
''Father and sister both made homeless
wanderers and banished from their coun-
try, and you ask me to surrender! No, so
help me G. Il, ncver Elsie, leave the
rooml
mo, no, no. the pale, beautiful girl cried,
clinging closer to him, IL will not leave you,
Albert--no, never Let US die together"
Luke was in dilemma To bring his
troops into the room would be Albert's
death in the presence of his sister whom
Luke loved dearer than his own life. To
screen HIM would ruin Captain Mason's
chances for promotion q the very moment
when he had the Colnrelcy almost in his
reach
albert think what position your conduct
places me in" Luke began
''You placed yourself IA this position.
Luke Mason. W. have carried this hollow
sham of frieudshipin war as long as we
can. We are bc.hgerents, ani It's useless TO
pretend to be friends. II you intend TO
make captive of me pick up your sword,
which / see is already stained with the
blood Of my comrades, and we will have 1t
out"
Lille, who had partially recovered, start
ed up, and, fiinging her arms about her
lovers neck, cried:
ooh, dear, darling Lukel Spare him for
my sake
In a second love had triumphed over duty.
What cared he for promotion as compared
with the happiness OF that dear girl who
chung to his neck. But he knew he must
find some means Of keeping the presence
of Albert from the soldiers, for they might
insist on killing or capturing the Confeder-
ata dacuifa nll bp ,attfl d0 Their blood was
up and they were furious.
There came a knock at the bolted door.
Whatever ne did must be done quickly, for
some one was demanding admttance.
"Spare him, Luke, Oh in heavens name,
save my brother sobbed Lille, clinging to
her lovers neck.
II will, darling; but we must be discreet,
he answered.
Rap, rap, rap came louder and more de-
termined knocks at the door
II can't git in,n said one of the troopers.
"Bring an axe an I'll bust the door down"
There was not 4 moment to lose.
ALBERT Neff, for the sake Of these young
ladies, help me to save yourself You know
full well what the result will be when
that door is broken down" said Luke, in an
undertone.
what do you mean, Lukeio Albert
asked, considerably moved by Captain
Mason's earnest manner.
Conceal yourself somewhere, where
you can not DE found until | get my men
away from the house
The next question was where could he
find concealment. Elsie Morgan's quick
wits came TO their aid. There was closet
in one side Of the large bedroom, and she
81.