The Portland daily press., 1892-09-05
The Thread of the Story.

2. On dark m1dWlnIer hlSut VI 1000, Cesi
olyn Clay brave and accomplished N1rglnlan
girl starts from General Jeb StuartS mead
quarters to cross the Potomac, penetrate Jhe
Union lines and obtain medicine LOT het
wounded brother. Her cousin Evan FaunJleroy,
one of Stuarts troopers, accompanies her to-
wards the Potomac.
3. A young South Carolina officer OF Hamp-
toms Legion is with the Confederate Outposts
for several miles and as he leaves them warns
them that the Union cavalry may be on the
South side of the Potomac.
f. The warning proves true, and Miss Clay
and Fauntleroy are hotly pursued by Federal
cavalry.
Clay has shot at a Federal horseman. MISS
Clay demands of the Federal Major that she be
released as a non-cOmbatant.
G. The Federal Commander Custer suspects
that his two captures are spies, and SENDS 1or
his guide, Vfrginian, who may be able to
identify them.
T. The guide turns out to be Peyton Ritz
hugh, Miss Clay's former lover, whom she had
cast off because he deserted the Confederacy.
He recognizes her and she is held as a SPY, pc
ing confined in solitary hut under guard OF
sentinel Here she is left to bitter reflections
on Fitzhugh's perfidy.
s. During the night Fitzhugh appears and,
though she spuns him, finally induces her to
allow him to guide her to a horse on which Sne
may escape.
AS Fitzhugh approached, the brute
reared his muzzle, about to Whitney,
but was silent at his masters quick
touch. $500, boy! Steady, Custer!'
He turned to the girl, who started in
stinctively at the name. ''That is his
name; you must use it, for he knows no
other Nor does he know whip or need
spur. Speak to him as you were his
mistress, and he will carry you to safe
ty and-freedom! Let him have his
head-he knows every foot of road
until day breaks. Then you should be
at Scruggs' farm Take the left fork
there. An hours gallop should bring
you 10 Rosser's advance, Col. Randolph
in command They are moving straight
for Harper's Ferry to cut us off. They
are in our rear"-he hesitated an in
slant, speaking very slowly. as the girl
stared blankly at him. 'sYou under
stand; they are in our rear; and the
general soiB not strike them at Beckley's
Cross Roads this morning as he expects.
Now mount.
The mans tone had changed from
that he had used in the hut. Perfectly
respectful, he yet spoke in a voice OF
command that swayed the woman
with sense of power.
He held out his hand. Without hest
tations she placed her foot in 1t, and was
lifted lightly to saddle, the reins easy
in her firm grasp, her foot in the
thoughtfuIly shortened ssirrup.
Then the man barred his head in the
binding, driving snow, speaking with
quiet Difference her lover lords had
never used>to Britain's virgin queen:
s'You understand, Miss Clay; let Gus
ter go his own way until you strike
Scruggs'. Then the left fork and Ros-
ser's advance" He paused, listening
intently. ''No time to lose: / hear dis
tant change OF arms. The relief is out.
God speed you and save-your boyr'
The woman sat motionless, wordless,
as though she were in dream and
feared. to wake and find it so. Suddenly
she broke down, with great effort half
sobbing:
''Oh! I-should-thanlz- Oh! if"
"Hushl' he answered, softly, but with
a great tremor in his voice; and his
hand, involuntarily stretched towards
her, changed its direction and stroked
caressinglv the tense wet neck of the
horse, that rubbed its muzzle softly or
his shoulder.
Then he turned away,-hesitated,-
spoke:
s'God! girl, do not tempt me-ever
for sake of you!-to say what I should
not-nust not! Go, Carolyn! go! Wal
is uncertainty life in unusual peril
If you hear I have died the spy's death
pray for the soul you believe false te
everything, the soul that God in Heaven
looking on usnow, knows trsle"-a half
sob bore the words-to yow!'
The clank of arms came family OF
the wind. At his touch the horse
moved softly on into the snowy road
the man standing still, with barred head
and eyes appraised. Then, when the
whirling eddies hid the rider from his
sight, that bold rider, that reckless sol
der, that traitor Virginian, fell upor
his knees and dropped his face in his
clasped hands.
Soon he rose, with gesture OF defiance
to the now clear-sounding arms, turned
into the denser woods and strobe rapid
ly away.
Five minutes later the relief reached
the extra post at the hut No sentry
challenged; and the lank New England
sergeant, advancing warily, stumbled
over the prostrate trooper, conscious
but sick and dizzy.
Calling the relief to advance, the ser
geant raised the supposed offender as
he muttered to himself:
s'Can't blame him much! Might my
self, such nasty night. But where il
'tarnal thunder did he git the rum
Phewl Chloroforn!''
CHAPTER v.
BALTIMORE WAR PARTY.
A brilliant and representative gather