Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1891-09-05

But other things even more important
than the fact of Missy's detection
weighed upon the girls mind. A crisis
had suddenly arrived in the family af-
fairs The instructions which termi-
mated her brothers short furlough and
the orders for which he had waited had
at last arrived, and Glen was feverishly
anxious to convey them safely to his
hands. On the evening Of the arrival of
the Union troops at the homestead he
had barely escaped being made a pris-
oner by receiving information Of their
coming, and since then he had stead
lastly refused to leave the vicinity with
out orders, hoping to be able to carry
some information concerning the enemy
to headquarters.
And all this time Glen's heart was
torn by a thousand fears. Her imagina-
tion intensified the real dangers Of his
situation, and the unsettled state of the
country, just before the close Of the
war, warranted in great measure her
anxiety. He might be made prisoner
at any moment, or shot as q spy. Many
a night the girl awohe sobbing and pant
ing from frightful dreams, and the fact
that the whole responsibility of the
household rested upon her shoulders
that upon her devolved the duty of sus-
tanning her timid and gentle mother
rendered her position IA thousandfold
more trying. When her brother left
home they had hurriedly fixed upon a
rendezvous where she might meet him
at certain times, but experience had
taught her that her visits to the deserted
little shanty, deep in the woods, which
they had selected, were not unattended
with danger.
OF any personal peril she did not stop
to think, but there were scores of runa-
way or discontented slaves, eagerly look
ing forward to their expected freedom,
who would gladly bear tidings of a Con-
federate soldier to those whom they con-
sidered their best friends and liberators.
But these papers must be delivered into
her brothers hands. She could not
breathe freely until this was done. 1t
was late in the afternoon when she made
her preparations for the long walk. 1t
was not safe to meet her brother until
night had fallen, but the moon would
rise on her homeward way, and her mis-
sion once accomplished she would know
no fear. At last she was ready to set
out, Missy put up her lips for goodby
kiss, and her mother overwhelmed her
with whispered precautions and messages
to her boy AT last Glen was out of the
house and walking swiftly down the
long cedar avenue. AS shepassed through
the great gates she noticed Nelse skulk-
ing behind one of the trees, and sharply
ordered him back to the house.
For moment suspicion of the boy
shot through her brain. He had been
unusually surly of late and rebellious
of authority. but this she had attributed
to the general disaffection which now
hung like dark cloud over the relations
of slave and master. She dismissed the
fear from her mind as she hurried on
ward. When she reached the wood the
sun was almost setting. and the dense
shade of the trees made q twilight under
their thick boughs. She had advanced
but few steps-the hut was still far
out of sight, and its occupant, if he had
already come, far out of hearing-when
she was startled by rustling in the
bushes behind her. 1t was some wild
animal, she told herself-a squirrel, a
snake, possibly, gliding through the un-
dergrowth. If-her heart stood still at
the thought-it were anything else, it
were equally perilous to advance or re-
cede. She turned swiftly to face the
danger. Directly before her, creeping
along in the bushes, her quick eyes dis
covered the crouching form of Nelse.
"Nelse," she called, her voice shaking
with scorn and anger. The old habit OF
obedience was too strong upon him for
open resistance, and he slouched for
ward, cringing under her blazing eyes,
but his rebellion was not quenched.
Don't yer hit me, Miss Glen" he
whined. "'se mos free now, l knows |
is, and you dasn't hit me. Deed you
dasn't."
"You should answer for this, if a whole
regiment of Yankees backed YOU" she
said. "Now 60"