Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-08-01

Roderick hesitated.
seCall PhilIis," he said impatiently.
The old woraan appeared and subl1itted
| to the closest cross-exanination. The
| gentleman was at liberty to search the
house if he liked.
Meanwhile two soldiers had drawn
rein.
Roderick had duty to perform.
He beckoned his comrades in.
Phi!lis, with much dignity, led the
way while the party went through the
lonely old mansion. Tiny cupboard
doors, which could scarcely have con-
cealed canary, were flung open; table
drawers ransacked. Meanwhile Meg,
| with Popcorn, followed closely at Rod
| erick's side, her eyes every now and then
| turning furtively to the clocks in the
rooms they entered. Meg contrived to
| make the search as slow as possible.
"There are the out-huildings, Cap
TAIN said the Sergeant, at last.
"Search them >thoroughly," was the
swift rejoiner; but Captain Roderick
himself returned to the drawing room
with the children.
Meg.at once sought to amuse him with
family album, which she opened on the
Captains knees.
''Half pasttwelve," she was saying to
herself. GA whole hour more!"
She turned the leaves slowly, showing
the usual collection of family pictures.
He was hardly conscious of what was
passing before his eyes-the stereotyped
ladies in full black silk skirts and deep
lace collars, with beringed hands resting
on pedestals. But suddenly a pair of eyes
attracted his attention.
s'Hello, little one!" he exclaimed.
ssWhat's this7"
"Oh, that's the dearest, sweetest,
truest friend have" cried Meg, clasp
ing her hands and fairly, shutting her
eyes in an ecstasy of remembrance.
eff it's Jack Dale" thought Captain
Roderick, che couldn't help being sweet
and true. From the page before him the
face of his West Point chum must be
looking up at him. No one but Jack
Dale ever had such pair of deep-set,
earnest eyes, such an honest mouth and
resolute chin! And how did his picture
come be here2
cit is Captain Dale" Meg went on.
ooh, Popcorn, don't you remember how
lovely he was2"
Popcorn, who rarely committed him
self to opinions, grunted, and Meg con-
tinued:
''Even though we've hid him, it was
such beautiful time whilehe was here"
"Hid him" exclaimed Roderick.
He knew that Dale had been taken
prisoner and escaped, but since then had
heard nothing of or from him.
"Oh, yes" said Meg. "He came here
late one night, and mamma kept Finn up
in the attic until he was we'll again. He
had fever, you see. He wasn't on our
side, but mamma said she would forget
the war for once. She knew it was just
what papa would like her to do. So
when people were hunting for him he
was up in our attic, and we made it as
nice as we could"
Suddenly the child broke off, and
kneeling at Roderick's side, lifted her
sweet, grave young eyes to his face.
care you Yank," she said very
slowly and anxiously, ga Northerner2"
"My DEAR" be- answered, laying his
head, 81 am an American"
He had spoken involuntarily, forget
ting his audience consisted of two little
children. yet he remembered that in this
Georgian household his comrade, Jack
Dale, his sisters betrothed, had not alone
been nursed from illness to health, but,
as little Meg said, been hidden. Jack
had escaped from prison, dragged him
self, no doubt, to where he saw friendly
lights and place hospitable in appear
ance, and her mother had taken him in.
It was difficult position for Roderick.
His orders were to search the house,
and here was Captain Roderick, the
bravest young West Pointer General Sher-
man had in his command, struck dumb
by the fact that in this Southern house
hold, which he must search, Jack Dale
had been saved from prison.
Well, it was a trying moment. Par
ticularly with Meg's dark eyes gazing
into his.
''He told us such beautiful stories
Popcorn, you remember the one about
the young lady named Helen, and how he
taught her to ride. Her brother was
great friend of his. He was very inter
esting," sighed Meg in conclusion.
Captain Roderick almost groaned
aloud.
"There comes those men!" cried Meg
suddenly. Her eyes, turned toward the
door, had seen the soldiers approaching,
and her hand clasped in Roderick's trem-