Smyrna times., 1892-07-06

as the tissues of flower leaves. The
note said:
DEAR Tom l was so startled and
horror struck to see you yesterday that
| almost betrayed the fact that recog-
nized you. Fortunately did not, and
now l will try to help you. Examine
carefully everything bring; 1t may
have something useful. Agnes is al
ready almost i'll and l have not dared
to tell her. MABEL.
Evidently the lady thought 1 was
someone else.
A guard came to my cell after she
left and said:
I saw you were one of the favored
ones to-day.
Yes. Ireplied; who is the lady ?
Miss Murfree-Mable Murfree.
Her home is in Vicksbury, l pre-
sumeP
No, Judge Murfree, her father, lived
outside, and his plantation was for sew
eral weeks in possession of the Yam
KEGS. Finally he came here to be in
safe place and brought his daughters
along.
The next day Miss Murfree came
again and when she reached my cell
she handed me another bouquet.
waited until 1 was free from OBJ
servation, then examined my bouquet
In the hollow stalks of the flowers was
a very small file, slender but strong
steel bar with sharp point, and . lit
tie platinum hydroAorc acid. The
flowers had been carefully sealed up at
the bottom to prevent their contents
from falling out. Besides the tools for
escape was this note.
DEAR ToM-TO-mOrrOw l will try
and find out the password from young
officer who visits us. MABEL.
l awaited the result of her effort
with painful interest, and when she
came the following day and gave me
the useful bouquet found the follow
ing note.
MY DEAR Tom The password to.
night is Cartridge" If you get out
go to the corner this side of the flag
staff which you can see from your win.
dow, and give low whistle. A col.
Ored man will come from the basement
OF the tall building on the right and
address you as Massa Tom. Follow
him and l think you will be safe. Nav
GOd help you to escape. MABEL.
The night proved an auspicious one
for my purpose. 1t was very dark and
thunderstorm shook the old Jail, SO
that no amount of filing or prying
could be heard. With the acid and
the tools l made short work of the
irons which fettered my limbs.
l squeezed through the window and
dropped to the ground.
had not gone far when a guard
called out sharply, Halt! who goes
there?
A friend. answered.
Give the countersign
Cartridge.
Pass on.
On reaching the corner l whistled
softly, and in answer a negro came
up and said interrogatively, Massa
Tom?
Yes. replied.
de threw a long cloak over my
shoulders. and started up the street at
sharp gait. followed him perhaps
half mile, when he stopped before a
plain brick house, unlocked the door
and babe me enter. l had scarcely
glanced around the dimly lighted hall
before the mysterious Mabel, accom-
panied by a young lady taller and
darker than herself, hurriedly entered
from an adjoining room. They had
evidently been waiting for me.
l only heard my benefactress say:
Oh, Tom, thank heaven before her
companion, with a wholly glad and
half hysterical cry, threw her arms
abOu my neck and showered tears and
kisses upon me in most embarrassing
prOfusion.
l was utterly dumfounded. Fin
ally, collecting my thoughts, 1 turned
from the excited and half crying woman
l held in my arms to the one 1 partly
knew, and said:
My dear Miss Murfree, you have
saved my life. and am bound, as an
honorable man to tell you that you
made strange mistake in thinking
you know me
Mistakel gasped the young lady
who had so passiOnately caressed me.
Mistake What do you mean ? Are
you not Tom Atherton?
Not quite, 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 started at each other.
Then Mabel laughed and said:
And SO you are that wonderful
brother Of whom Tom used to tell us.
Yes, fortunately, answered.
Aud you stood there aud let me kiss
you without saying word, Agnes II
found out afterward she was Agnes)
said reprOachfully.
You didn't give me time to object
even if 1 had wished to, was my per-
fectly truthful reply.
don't know but that is SO, she as.
sented. But Mabel, what shall we do
with him?
1 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. We owe 1t to you to do what
ever we can for you.
Owe it to me, said, for whatP
For your brothers. sake. He saved
my sisters life and protected our prop.
erty from destruction and US from
insult. He is the best and truest man
that ever lived, and we cannot do too