The morning call., 1891-06-01
FOR HIS COUNTRY.
CHAPTER /.


1t was in the year 1862 We were lyine
before Richmond, and Mcclellan was wait
| ing for orders, which, alas! never came, t
move on to the Confederate capital and pu
a speedy ter minatiOn to the war.
Our Colonel was noble specimen of
| VHginan gentleman. who had at the out
| break of the struggle espOused the cause O
| the North, in opposition to the wishes of hi
wife and relatives.
His patriotism brought about q separa
! tion from his family.
| His wife and their only daughter; a young
| girl of 16 years, went to live with his father
| in-law, who was an ardent Confederate
WI lille the Colonel joined the Union troop
at Washington.
This much of his history we knew, and /
accounted for his almost gloomy demeanor
II was evident that he loved his wife and
| child, and though he had given them up q
! his cOuntry's call, yet the separation wa
| hard to bear.
Still, not a murmur passed mis- lips and HI
was respected and loved by the regiment
| who ackn owledged him as their leader.
i was at the time captain, commanding
| a detachment under him, and one evening
| ne sent Inc word 10 come to his headQuar-
! tiers.
q
Il have Just received a communication
| from General Mcclellan himself, that the
| enemy have obtained secret information Of
| the movements Of the very division l COM
maud. There must be spies in the camp.
| This thing must be stopped. My honor and
| fidelity to my country are brought into sus-
! piclOn thereby. | commission you to ferret
! out who il is that betrayS US, aud no mercy
| shall be shown him."
Colonel Thornton" replied !, "my
| suspicious have been awakened in the same
| direction"
All" exclaimed he, "whOm do you sus-
| pect ?"
"Some time ago." continued 1, 1--WE had a
! young drummer-bOy among Us. The other
| day he was brought into the camp a corpse.
| The men had found him dead in the woods.
| His face was shattered by ball beyond all
| recognition and he was only known to be
| our drummer-bOy by the clothes he wore.
| A sheet as wrapped round the corpse and
| 1t was inferred. just as the body was be-
| ing lowered into the grave the sheet slightly
! fell away from his head and l saw that the
! hair was black. At that time 1t did not
! strike me, but afterward | remembered that
| our drummer-boy had haxen hair. Since
then | cannot help suspecting that thai
| boy was a spy and that he had used this
| stratagem to escape from the camp IN
| noticed"
You say he was only a boy?"
yes, a lad about is years Old"
believe your suspicious are right.
| When did this OccurY said the Colonel
Yesterday morning.
! IN doubt the boy had obtained all the in
| formation possible, and Is now on his way
| TO join the rebel army"
"If he is" said |. she can still be cap
! tured. The C0nfederateS are over two days
| uIney Off. The boy is no doubt skulking
through the woods, and the recent rains
| have made the way almost impossible to
| one on foot. III | set out Immediately with
a detachment on horseback l think l can
OVertake him.
To tins the Colonel agreed. and less than
fifteen minutes later | started at the head OF
six men on the expedition.
CHAPTER IL
We secured through the woods during the
whole night, and as we were well mounted
we trayersed a considerable distance.
just at day break the next morning cry
Of one of our men drew US up before cl ump
of bushes.
There, on the grassy mead which carpeted
the earth, lay stretched in a deep sleep q
young girl.
Her dress was torn and despatched with
| mud, her arms and hands were scratche d
by the briars through which she had passed.
Yet she was very beautiful, and, as L
peered into her lace, WAS struck with the
| resemblance she bore TO the drummer-bOy
for whom we were searching.
Yes, there was the same fair counte9ance,
the florid complexion, the iiaxen hair. now
lOOsened from its restraint and extend
ing in a mass over her head and shoulders.
My heart throbbed violently as | thought
that the drummer-boy might have been Il
girl in diSguise-lhat the sleeper was girl
spy
To satisfy my mind, | alighted from my
horse and bent closely over her. Fatigue
and exhaustion had rendered her sleep 30
profound that did not awaken her.
drew forth package Of letters from her
pocket.
They were addressed to noted COnfed-
crate General.
l broke the seal and read the contents.
There was full description OF our numer-
ical strength, our plans AMI future move
ments.
There was no doubt.
The beautiful sleeper was a girl spy
Men" said |, and my voice slightly trem-
bled, do your duty"
With averted cOuntenRnces several Of my
men approached and wakened her.
She arose from her slumber with a start.
| A glance at Us revealed all to her
"Oh, ] am lOStl | am loSI! cried she,
sinking to the ground
''Handculf her" ordered l, "and place her
on horse"
"Ab," shouted she, "whither will you
DIIuB llVt
40 the Colonel" cried !.
"Oh, no, no" begged she, turning as pale
| as death. do not bring ne 10 him. Kill me
| here. fear not death l beg not tor life.
| Only kill me, Kill me on this spot"
Her pleading was, however, in vain.
| could but order my men to proceed as l had
directed. She now began to struggle and
scream. 1t was with the greatest difficulty
| that she was bound and put oil horseback
1t was late in the afternoon when we ar
| rived in the camp.
| immediately proceeded to the headquar-
| tiers of the Colonel.
We'll" asked be, as l entered. "have you
| succeeded Y
81 have" replied l. 1.-THE spy is caught"
Caught"
Eyes, only it seems that the drummer
was but disguise. The spy is girl"
"a girl" exclaimed he, in surprise
"Yes, here she is"
NV men at that moment dragged in the
struggling captive.
Freeing herself from her captors. she
rushed toward the Colonel, and, kneeling in
the dust before him, exclaimed:
"FatherP'
"Ida-my daughterp' shrieked he. in such
tone Of anguish that pierced the very souls
of those who heard it.
ITO be concluded