The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1891-03-28
THE ROSE Or: CHATHAM
By MAURICE THOMPSON

By MAURICE THOMPSON
tCopyrighr. All rights reserved
that cunning and cievethess characters
tic of his race, took his young mistress,
not by the highways. but by the byways
and paths 20 well known to him that he
could follow them quite as well by night
as by day. and carrying for her light
case of clothing soon had reached the
edge Of n swamp just beyond which
were the lines of defense. Rose was
quite calm and cool. for. she long since
had conquered her fears us well rs he1
scruples, and was now ready TO meet
every edgency with. that peculiar cour-
age which belongs to woman. She tol-
lowed Grxmpus, stepping firmly in his
tracks and heeding little the gloom OF
the swamps or the ominous sounds that.
like heavy. half suppressed breathings
OF battle, rustled along the lines OF the
motionless armies There was no firing.
NO martial music, no distant voices: but
10 the right and left and directly before
them strange stir, vague, significant
yet scarcely definable tumult Of minor
noises shook the, stiffness Of the night 4
Ltghts that could not beseen cast their
Pickering reflections on the sky. render
ing the solemn blackness Of the densely
wooded swamp still moro heavy and aw-
full. The trees were hung with immense
1estoons Of Spanish moss, mingled with
Wild grape vines, amid which small ami
mails, probably raccoons. were scram-
bling and playing.
Much Of tho way Roe was wading In
water four ~ 1--WE inches deep. and she
had to lay hold of the negro's coat IN, o..
der 70 follow him. Il had been agyssd
beforehand that Rose was not to speak
unless Grsmpus firss spoke TO her: % n
perfect silence, save the light splash Of
their feet in the water. they trudged
very slowly and cautiously along until
they had reached the heart Of tho
swamp. Here Grampus paused. and.
turning about, whispered: Do
"Dey's somebody right yander. IVES
got ter slip back and 60 way roun' an
udder way"
Rose could see NO one. but she knew
vel! the quick eyes and quick ears Of the
negro had not deceived him, 20 she fol-
lowed him without word a. for some
distance he retraced the route by which
they had come. Presently he changed
his direction to the left. and for while
they aoundered through dense watery
thicket Of low bushes. finally reaching
another path Invisible save to the eyes
Of Grampus) which led toward the lines,
Soon again they were balked, for they
came near going plump against group
Of soldiers occupying little rise Of dry
ground, where an officer appeared to be
At work writing. reading dispatch or
examining q map. at all events he was
leaning over paper Of some kind. while
. soldier held . minute pine torch close
beside his face. %
''Got ter try EN- agin." whispered the
old negro; ''bend down low an walk
mighty light. er dey git N sho'."
The night was not cold: in the swamp
II was almost sultry. and swarms Of
mosquitoes hummed In the air and At
tackled every spot Of face. neck or hands
where the skin was uncovered 0rampus
did not care for these; but to Rose 1t
would have been torture Undesirable In
any lighter stress Of circumstances
Progress was extremely slow. It
~eesned that at nlmoat everv stem Gram.
pus hesitated, falteied and listened,
turning now this way, now that, and
peering through the hideous gloom at
the little twinkling lights which now
and again cleaned for . second between
the great tree boles and the low swing
ing massesof fuHereal moss. Roses skirts
were torn and her feet wet; her hands
and face were bleeding from the scratches
of thorns and the sting Of insects; but
she was unaware Of it. Her whole nat
ure was concentrated In what she was
doing.
Grampus knew that the time was
speeding rapidly, and that II he did not
hurry daylight would find them before
they had passed the British lines. Still
it was quite impossible to do more than
he was doing.
When presently they reached . small
but deep channel in which flowed a ST.
lent, sluggish stream the negro turned,
and saying, "Mus' tote yo' cross. Miss
Rose" lifted her as if she had been u
child and bore her to the other side.
They We're now on higher ground ut
the edge Of an open marsh meadow or
deld of some sort, and they clearly saw
q line of lights Pickering along the oppo-
site margin.
''Hab ter skirt roun' de aidge of de
woods" whispered Grampus. Fink we
kin git fru jes' ober yonder by dc ole