Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-04-29

MY DEAR ToM-The password tonight is
cartridge" If you get out 20 TO the corner
this side Of the flagstaff which YOU can see
from your window, and give a low whistle. A
colored man will come from the basement of
the tall building on the right and address Won
as "Massa Tom" Follow him and | think Won
will be safe May God help you to escape!
MABEL.
The night proved an suspicious one for
my purpose. 1t was very dark and a heavy
thunderstorm shook the old jail so that
no amount of filing or prying could be
heard. With the acid and the tools [
made short work Of the bars across nv
window and of the irons which fettered my
limbs.
l squeezed through the window and
dropped to the ground.
l had not gone far when n guard called
out sharply, Halt Who goes there?"
"a friend, )" | answered
Give the countersignW
Cartridge"
Pass on!"
On reaching the corner whistled softly,
and In answer negro came up and said
interrogatively, "Massa TomY"
YES" | replied.
He threw long cloak over my shoulders
and started up the street at sharp gait.
followed him perhaps half a mile, when he
stopped before a plain brick house, I'M
locked the door and babe me enter. had
scarcely glanced around the dimly lighted
hall before the mysterious Mabel" &C
companied by a young lady taller and
darker than herself, hurriedly entered
from an adjoining room. They had evil
IDENTIFY been waiting for me.
l only heard my benefactress say, ooh,
Tom, thank heavenp' before her compan-
ion, with a wholly glad and half hysterical
cry, threw her arms about my neck and
showered tears and kisses upon me in most
embarrassing profusion.
l was utterly dumfounded. Finally, col
lecting my thoughts, l turned from the ex-
cited and half crying woman held in my
arms to the one partially knew, and said:
my dear Miss Murfree you have saved
my life, and | am bound, as an honorable
man, to tell you that you have made a
strange mistake in thinking you know
mep
Mistake" gasped the young lady who
had so passionately caressed me. "Mistakel
What do you mean2 Are you not Tom
AthertonW
mot quite" l answered, "but if you
thought | was he, the mistake is not a
very bad one. ! am his twin brother,
Ned"
The surprise and confusion which had
overwhelmed me were transferred to the
young ladies, and for moment we all
simply stared at each other Then Mabel
laughed and said:
And so you are that wonderful brother
Of whom Tom used to tell US
Eyes, fortunately" | answered.
~ nd ypn stood tbora arI Iot 49, L..
you without saying a word" Agnes q
found out afterward she was Agnes) said
reproachfully.
you didn't give me time to object, even
if l had wished to-" was my perfectly
truthful reply.
81 don't know but that it is so, she as
scented. But, Mabel what shall we do
with himf"
Il am entirely in your hands, and will
do whatever you wish" | said. IF my
being here will endanger you in any way
will try and get through the lines tonight"
You will be much safer here" Mabel
said. eve owe it to you to do whatever
we can for you"
"Owe it to mel l said, "for WHAT"
For your brothers sake. He saved my
sisters life and protected our property
from destruction and us from insult. He
is the best and truest man that ever lived.
and we cannot do too much for his brother"
was compelled to keep a dark retreat
only part Of the time, and several hours
each day were spent with Judge Murfree
or his daughters.
Mabel Murfree had saved my life, and
the gratitude felt was perhaps enhanced
by the fact that she was a rarely beautiful
woman.
After weary weeks Of siege the city was
captured and the soldiers Of Grant and
Sherman entered it in triumph and was
free.
When the time came for me to 90, having
said goodby toJudge Murfree, went to the
parlor to see Mabel and Agnes, feeling
how hard, how very hard it was to say
farewell, and when | saw Mabel dressed
in pure white, with white flowers in her
beautiful hair her cheeks flushed with ex-
citement and her deep blue eyes unwonted-
ly bright the duty was not made any
easier
Agnes is writing letter to Tom for
you to deliver" she said, as / entered the
room. "She will be down in few mo
ments."
II am quite willing to wait" replied,
land indeed / am sorry that | must 20 at
all 1 do not expect TO ever again find
such friends as | have found here"
you must thank your brother for
them" Mabel answered.
Miss Murfree, Mabel, you wish to rob
your act Of saving my life Of any personal
significance. You do not want me to be
misled by the gift Of my poor life to ask
for that which can make it valuable. re-
fuse to be warned. ! love you, Mabel
love you madly, hopelessly-love you as
never thought TO love any one and while |
dare not hope you will return my love- .
could not leave you without speaking. |
Forgive me if ] have panied you, but it |
was impossible for me TO go away without |
telling my love, and you will at least be /
fortunate in the fact that an opportunity /
will not soon occur for you to be troubled /.
again by one whose love was stronger than /
his fear Of offending"
Tears tricllled through the long dark |
lashes, then, half smiling through her |