The Portland daily press., 1892-10-01
A FAIR BLOCKADE BREAKER.
y
BY T. G. De Leon.
The Thread of the Story.

1-13. The scene is in Baltimore in an upper
room in the fashionable home of Mrs. Gilmour
Gray, who in the winter of 1868, was an active
but discreet Southern Sympathzer Carolyn
Gray, beautiful Vrginian girl, has arrived at
the Gray mansion from General StiarGs Con-
federate headquarters, after q thrilling expert
ence in which Peyton Fitzhugh, Virginlan Ill
the Federal service, therefore Carolyn's re-
jected and deSpised lover, saved her from De!ng
held as d spy. Carolyn has obtained medicine
able moment to pass the blockade and get
South Peyton Fitzhugh is in Baltimore. much
distruSted.
IA. While Carolyn is still detained, rebel
prisoners are marched through Baltimore.
Is. Carolyn's cousin, Evan Fauntleroy is
discovered among them.
16. Mrs. Gray's daughter, Bessie WestcheS-
ter carries food to Evan, and Peyton Fitzhugh
gives him warm coat with mysterious paper
init.
II. Between the lines; Carroll Meredith re-
ceives a letter of warning
IS. Visit to Carolyn Clay in prison; the con-
tents of the mystic letter.
10. Major Bond gives Mr.. Mckee a pass for
Mary Clonan and daughter. Mckee DISCUSSES
himself
20. The midnight ride and the strange guide
81. A midnight surprise; arrival Of Mckee
and Miss Clay at Pete's cabin.
%. Visit of Evan Fauntleroy to Miss Clay
%. Preparations for escape from the prison
pen.
"a. Evan FauntIeroy and Carolyn Clay once
more together and preparing to cross the
creek
rs. Pete and his passengers discovered while
drifting nOiseessly along.
&c. Pursued by eight sailors, but the light
craft shot through overhanging foliage and
reached the shore in safety.
81 The deserter's record Carolyn Clay
once more at home.
J Christmas came and went, bringing
with it what Of joy and jollity might be
left for some of the families living in
1.-The leaguered capital. A heavy thaw had
made all the roads well-nigh impassa-
ible for horse and man, wholly so for
army trains; and Richmond was full OF
ardent youths, as eager for frolic as I'M
ileashed hounds for the chase. But
Carolyn Clay, resisting all importantly
of friends, moved only from her boys
bedside to that of him so doubly shat
tered now, in body, as in reputation.
And when the New Year came-wst,
dismal, cold, as though in presage OF
the hideous months to follow it-she
heard that her general was summoned
to the capital for a council. And that
morning the surgeons had made closer
examination of her patient, consulting
long and learnedly. And to her eager
query their senior had replied:
HE will live, beyond doubt. The
fever has left him; the wound is healthy
and healing rapidly. Let him, sleep,
miss; his eyes will open sane, next time
he wakes"
Then, as the door closed upon them,
Carolyn Clay knelt by the traitors bed,
bowling her proud head low upon it, as
her heart went forth to the Father of
all, that He might, in His wisdom, spare
this sinner for repentance, might avert
that awful doom which only His grace
could prevent from falling swift upon
his convalescence.
And soon, after, heavy step crealsed
on the stairs; the door flung open, and
l''the flower of cavaliers''-Jeb Stuart
;himself-strode gayly in. A vivid sash
of yellow silk was wound about his
waist, its heavy tassels falling near the
patent-leather knee boots, stitched in
gold and garnished with shining spurs
Otherwise, he was the same careless,
dashing soldier lately seen in camp.
''Miss Clay! bravest little woman!' he
cried, with extended hand; then, noting
her gesture for silence: ooh, he's all
right. met old DIR. Weythe at the
door. He tells me your good nursing
has saved this-deserter."
He drew nearer the bed as he spoke
the hateful word lightly, but she
WINGED under it.
But Stuart did not note that; for she
saw those bright blue eyes, she knew
SO quick to darken with anger or con-
tempt, dancing as with some joy, or
jest, suppressed.
81 did my best, general" she an
swered, softly, but with downcast eyes
and quivering lips. "He suffered 80 ter
riblyl And it was your special command
by Evan"
"By the way" the general inter-
rupted, softly, "that youngster never
told you that this was his work.
s'Evan? Hisi The migrated" Miss
Clay's eyes famed her small hands
clinched, and she almost Kissed the
words at her chief.
sob, not his hurt: meant his being
saved,'' Stuart replied, quickly. "Your
cousin brought him in, through a storm
of bullets
A great breath, half sigh, half sob,
broke from the girls bosom, and some
color came back to her face, as the gen.
eral went on:
by the way, you lost an admirer in
that fight. Capt Charlton was"
''Was he killed." she asked, quickly.
''No; captured unhurt; and after a
great fight, too. The fellow has plenty
of grit; but he is such an awful
romancer!"
A movement in the bed. The black
eyes opened slowly, languidly, but with
full consciousness in them at last. AS
they fall upon the general, the weak.
pale lips form one word: "Jeb!"
'sFitz, old MANI And that strong
right hand, SO rough in sword play,
steals softly as woman's to the white,
wasted one upon the coverlet, and the
left gently and tenderly rests upon the
broad brow, shutting from view the
bright red scar.
/ Then, as amazement riveted her eyes
upon his face, the sad, black ones wan