The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-12
A FAIR BLOCKADE BREAKER.
By T. O. De Leon.
cent and with troubled face.
ssCaro, Willie is here"

cent and with troubled face.
'Caro, Willie is here"
'Thank God! am readyl' The light
of battle on her face melted into tender
longing; hope to be realized swept
away thought Of right and justice as
the words brought plainly before her
the wide, dark river, the yearning loved
ones far beyond.
'Stop, DEAR" the matron said, stop
ping with gesture the quick grasp for
hat and gloves, the careful, instructive
touch for precious packages sewed into
the skirt 'Willie must see you first.
Some difficulty has"
Difficulty? Oh, do not say he comes
to disappoint mel'' The color hope had
driven to the girls face dropped out,
leaving it ashen, her lips quivering
soundlessly. 'f>'@
.Not SO bad as that, l hope" Mrs.
Gray answered, gently; and, stepping
to the door, she called softly, and Will
lie Mckee tiptoed into the room.
His face was grave and troubled, his
manner wholly changed from the boy
ish exquisite who had lounged from
that house two hours before Those
were days that made many men play
strange parts; and Willie Mckee was
natural actor.
'sIt disappoints me, Miss Clay, almost
as much as yourself" he said, quietly.
81 had set my heart on getting you
across tonight; and believe you know
that to do so would risk anything,
save one-your capture"
ST must always risk that" the girl
cried, impatiently. Il have no fear.
Come, let us start!"
'sNot until you know ALL" the man
answered, firmly. Ordinary danger
would not deter me, of course. Every
thing is ready-medicine packed,
passes secured. But, remember, this
time your capture would be more seri-
Gus than ever before. You are under
gravest suspicion"
4 eyes, know. But, oh, have been
80 careful!-seen no one. None could
dream 1 was here"
"Your presence in Baltimore is
KNOWN" Mckee answered, gently.
"How, or by whom, God only knows"
"Known!" Only the one word from
her white lips
eyes; and more than that" he went
on, calmly. ''Eome one knows that you
leave tonight, by what route, and that
60 with you"
The girls face grew whittier still; her
lips moved without sound, but her eyes
flashed into Bessie's with blaze of &C
cusing query in them. Then, still
staring at her, tho firm will mastered
emotion SO far that she whispered,
hoarsely:
care you sure, You saw-him9"
'tSaw whom? Bessie, what do you
know" Mrs. Gray cried.
But Carolyn Clay stopped her with
gesture imperious beyond question, and,
turning to Mckee, said, hoarsely:
go on. Tell me all"
81 know no more, " he answered. "On-
II this note was left for me by unknown
hand ten minutes since"
The woman seized the crrmpled note
eagerly, bending over the freight and
reading rapidly. Then, pressing her
hand hard over her eyes, she stood an
instant still and cold, only heaving
bosom and deep breath telling of sore
struggle to be calm. Again she bent
down, scanning the paper closely, her
eyes burning each word into her brain.
Then, leaning her head upon the low
mantel, covered by one hand, she held
the note to Bessie with the1other; and
she, understanding the command, read
in tremulous voice the fateful mes
sage:
"Do not start tonight. South bank
swarms with stragglers. Rosser struck.
Show her this and wait advice. She
should obey warning from one who
prayed her to pray forhis soul"
Dead silence was on the little group.
No one spoke, nor moved, and the still
ness grew almost unbearable as the dis
appointed woman struggled fercely
with herself for the mastery.
At length she raised her head, turn
ing full to them face pale and deep
lined, but firm and hard as the hollow
voice that said: 9t
81 will obey. He were viler than Sa-
tan did-he lie now-to me -
The effort Of the soul was too great
Tor the tried flesh. Suddenly she swayed,
staggered forward step, and would
have fallen had not Willie Mckee caught
her, dead fainting, in his arms. &.
CHAPTER VIII
"As rHuY MARCHED THROUGH THE TOWN"
The Sabbath morning broke clear,
but piercing cold, the garish sunlight
giving little warmth in the teeth of the
fierce east wind.
Two days had passed, heavy, leaden-
footed days to all inmates of the Gray
mansion; and to one of them expectancy
became almost torture, as no word
came from Carolyn Clay's unnamed
watcher on the shore. Willie Mckee
stopped daily, to talk with his cousins;
but he only shook his head gloonily in
answer to eager queries, and avoided
all suspicious mounting to the hidden
visitor above. And she, cheered by the
sympathy and love of trusted. ten