The Globe-republican., 1890-05-21

1
Heaven, it was Mary!-take my hand
and lead me forward. Soon door was
pushed opened and found myself in a
sort of library or sitting-room lit by a
single lamp. On sofa opposite me sat
a young lady. who, as the door closed
behind me, started up. and advancing to
! where | stood. exclaimed, eXcitedly, but
still in a low voice:
Pardon me. sir, do not know what
you must think of this strange meeting;
but, indeed, could not speak in any
other way with any of you at head
quarters, and yet felt must tell you
what know. Mary told me you were
| kind, and she knew you would never let
it be known how or when you learned
what l shall tell you, or of this meeting.
You will not, will you?"
fastened to tell the young lady that
whatever was the nature or the result
OF what she wished to disclose, she
would never be known in the affair,
provided could not help adding-1
left the house as unseen as had entered
il.
She treasured me on this point by in.
forming me that her uncle and aunt
with whom she lived as their adopted
daughter--had retired an hour ago; that
Mary, her own maid, whom she could
, trust implicitly. would let us know if
any one was disturbed while l was in
the house, and would finally see me safe
out again. And then, we having seated
ourselves on the sofa, she told her story.
| 1t was long one, but it may be
summed up as follows:
Her uncle and aunt were secessionistS
as, in fact, were almost all the resi-
dents of the city-and their house was
sort of headquarters for all sympa-
thizers. 1t was from here that most OF
the mail was exchanged, and from there
| packages of quinine, gun caps and other
supplies of great value but small bulk
were made up and sent through our
lines in charge of small farmers and
others who were always passing in and
out.
With such operations l was tolerably
familiar, having seized many such ar
| ticleS while in transit; but l now
learned that in spite of all our precau-
regard to our numbers and the DISPOSE
ton of our forces in and about the city,
and that well-arranged attack on our
defenses had been matured, and while
| this was taking place a concentrated
effort would be made by certain resi-
dents to burn the city over our heads!
1T ic this attack upon the-the-the
the defenses of the city wish to pre-
vent, if possible" the young lady con-
cluded. Il do not hesitate to say that
up to this time have aided my friends
in the Confederacy as much as 1 could;
but in this plan to attack-you-all-
hereto burn the city, can not sympa-
thize. want to prevent it if possible"
1t took me a long time 20 note down
the particulars of the plot, and when l
rose to go a church clock near at hand
tOlied the hour of one a. m. The young
lady started at the sound and fastening
supposed to be on watch, found her
asleep on the carpet.
When she was fairly awake again and
ready to pilot me out, 1 turned to her
mistress and said:
You have shown great courage to-
night and have done US great service.
Let me. therefore. before / 60. ask you
one question. Why have you, South
ern girl. taken this great risk to tell me
of this affair?''
She drew her hand away somehow. 1
had got hold of it,, and said in low
voice:
You must not ask me that please.
can not tell you now. Perhaps
fore long-I hope before long-you may
know. am Southern girl, as you say.
All-yes, ALL love are in the South
now. But one-the dearest-has not al
ways been here He" l began to
grinning little. ''You SMILE" she con-
tinued, blushing prettily. You must not
ask me to say more. Good night.
Heavens. What's that?" she suddenly
added. some one in the lower hall?"
There was without doubt, for the
tramp of heavy feet was heard and the
sound of rough voice. AS the young
lady and gazed blankly at each other.
Mary hastily entered and whispered.
eAclteuIy.
''Lawd sabe us.-de PATROLS at de
doah. Dey's banging away to wake up
de ole massa; and heah you is. cap'n,
and dah's Miss .Iooly an heah is-an'
-an'-oh. do hide you'self, cap'n-'
Then she ran to sort Of wardrobe at
one side of the room. '.Heah." she
whispered. you scrooge in dab. de
keys inside. You hol' de doah fas'
shut: dey won't look in dab TO anybody
ef dey do come up heah."
knowing that it would never do to be
found where l was by any one. stepped
into the wardrobe lit was tight
squeeze to get ino and held the door
ready to close. Then Mary said to her
mistress:
We'll make b'lieve we's jest got up.
I'll pull off some my cloze-turn de
light down, please-now den-' And |
making some hasty change in her toilet |
she ran into the hall in her bare feet
By this time the uncle and aunt had |
been fully aroused, and we could hear |
the voice of the former angrily de-
the cause Of the disturbance.