Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-07-19
CHAPTER III.

ment, cut the red CLEAN of the smolder-
ing campfire with frequent shadow, as
the two prisoners and their escort rode
up to the bivouac on the river bank.
Challenge, reply and report quickly
made, the provost-marshal asked numer~
Gus questions of the captive pair, get
ting but scant information in return.
| Then he moved forward to the restless
PAGER by the fire, halted, and, saluting,
/ said:
Mai Conyer's scout sends in two
prisoners, general. Would you care to
| question them, Or"
"Send them to the rear, sir, }" brusque-
| ly replied the officer addressed, passing
into gloom.
zone of them is a woman, sir"
The returning shadow promptly
halted, raised pair of keen blue eyes
to the others face, shook the snow out
| of the long brown curls escaping be-
Meath his plumed felt hat and resting
| on his collar, as he asked, crisply-
Camp woman, or spy?"
Certainly not an ordinary camp
woman. A lady, seemingly; though she
will not talk" replied the provost
marshal, glibly. ''And, sir, when q
woman won't talk"
"Any papers? Have you searched
them?" cut in his superior.
mo, sir. had supposed Maj. Con-
yers-"
'Supposed?' Search them, sir!' And
the young general, with a scarcely sup
pressed oath, locked his hands behind
him, stood with back to the fire, wholly
careless of the fast falling snow, and
watched his officers retreating form as
he approached the pair.
Fauntleroy had been lifted from his
cramped perch behind Doyle's saddle,
and Miss Clay, dismounting, had ap-
preached him, with eager query as to
his hurt.
LEG busted, but only a strain,
guess" he answered, cheerfully, add
ing, rather ruefully: cit will be in
marching trim long before I get the
chance to test it, now!''
'Poor, dear boy! And all for my
sal1e!' Miss Clay whispered back. But
perhaps we may get off, if"
Her suggestion was cut off unfinished
by the brusque order of the provost
marshal:
Fall back, madam! - Sergeant,
search that prisoner! Why in thunder
haven't you done so already?" he added,
in lower grumbling, venting spleen at
his own reproof upon his inferior.
"All right Search away" Evan re-
sponded, with loud laugh, as the girl
stepped back without word, only one
quick motion of her hand to her lips.
And, noting it, the boy swiftly carried
his hand to his mouth, as though to
stop his laugh. With a dash upon him,
the sergeant had his wrist in iron grip,
forcing down the tightly-clinched hand
and struggling to open it. But ere the
long, powerful New Highlander could do
this, only 70 find it empty-Evan's
jaws had worked rapidly, and he gave a
great gulp, as the officer cried:
"Choke him, sergeant"
''For what?" the reb answered, de-
family, springing back. you've made
me swallow my tobacco now; and Oh,
Lord! I'm getting sick!'
With a sudden lurch forward, he
leaned heavily on the officer, almost
tumbling him into the arms of the agile
sergeant.
Lean up, damn your growled the
provost marshall volunteer commits
sion by recent grace, but politician by
descent, profession, and lifelong prac
tice.
There was apparent agony of nausea
upon the boys face; but had the light
been stronger the captors might have
:, caught a CLEAN of merry devil in the
eyes he dropped quickly as the volun
teer again grumbled:
cum! the old spy's trick. Search him
sergeant! Do you hear?"
Without word of protest, Evan sub
mitted to thorough search by the leaf
old sergeant, a regular with chevron:
for service, which yet could not keel
> his lips quite steady, as he finished hi
task and reported, handing over hi.
treasures:
Zone letter, two passes, sir; one pipe
one hoof-pick, one buckle, one piece o
twine." And the veterans hand wen
: from his cap to his side, as the majo
nervously grasped the enumerated
captures.
'sMajor!' The clear cali from tn
little statue at the fire wheeled tn
provost marshal like a top; and he ad
vanced eagerly, saluting with the ham
that held his prizes.
!; tinued, dryly. eff that fellow is reall,
a spy, he made way with his proofs o.
j capture. These are decoys only"
81 think, general, he swallowed"-
the provost blurted out-adding, yer.
quickly, "his tobacco"
The keen blue eyes shot only on
glance at the speaker, now eagerl
scanning the papers by light of the fire
HE did? I'm! send him to my tent.
Eyes, general. viii you examin
these?"
''No, sir. Send him to me-" Thi
shortly, rs the young leader took tn
papers carelessly and turned into tn
small, dingy tent beyond the blaz'
Seating himself on a campstool, h
merely glanced at the papers, by tn
pale CLEAN of lantern They were
:" scrawled letter from soldier, a fal
rier's receipt, and weeks liberty
e. signed by the captain of B troop, br
without date He pitched them on tn
in rough camp table with contemptuor
De gesture, muttering: