Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-07-25
"A Fair
Blockade Breaker !
BY T. C. DELEoN.
CHAPTER Va.
rANGLING THE sKEIN.

TANGIING THE SKEIN
The musicale had broken up early,
and the Gilmor Gray mansion was
| tightly closed. Not one light shone
from its tall, brown front, and the'very
servants quarters were dark and still,
as the clock of the church hard by
changed out twice upon the night
Bessie Westchester had soon left her
hidden guest, to mingle brightly again
with those below; but never had the
cordial hospitality of that fair maiden
of her whole household, in fact-really
found so sweet" that proverbially
much-slandered "old word, Goodbye
Necessary sequel@ of feast properly
looked to, though In unusual haste for
a notable housekeeper, Mrs. Gray had
dismissed her willing servants to rest;
and, a little later, her husband had
quietly locked the door leading from
their wing to tho family section of the
dwelling.
"I may disappoint some colored lodge,
for once" he had remarked to his wife,
rs he pocl1eted the key; but tonight
even our own eyes and ears are danger
GUS to trust to-"
And now Bessie Westchester, her be-
coming ball-dress changed for loose,
but equally becoming wrapper, again
nestled on the floor, close to Carolyn
Clay, who waited, calm and resolute, as
the minutes sped on with feet that
seemed leaden-shod to her anxious sus-
pense. And below, her mother and
sister moved noiselessly about the
pantry, packing, as 'compactly as deft
hands might, an ample luncheon into
the fiat tin case.
"She will probably get wet, poor
childv" the matron said, removing n
layer of thin sandwiches to wedge in
slices of fruit cake 1.-The tin is the
safest; but, dear me, how little it
holds!'
But these must go in, mamma" an
swercd Miss Westminster. Dear Carol
No telling when she'll see fruit cake
againl How dreadful it all is, mammal
Only think what she tells us about
sorghum and corn-bread! Wait; press
on the sandwiches while wedge in
these sardines."
Really, wife," interposed the late
bachelor club man, you must expect
her to realize that green colonels Or
ders issued to his men, to cook and eat
five days rations immediately
"I wish they all could over there!"
the wife retorted, her wanting logic
condoned by deep sigh. Just think
of your poor brother Llowndes, Gilmor,
starving on bacon and hard tackl'
'It is good for his liver, my dear, "
Mr.. Gray replied, with a lightness be-
+ lied by his eyes my brother L1owndes
has so far in his life eaten pate and ter
rapin enough to bring camp-fare for the
next ten years up to pretty luxurious
average"
But away up In the attic hiding-place
no badinage was spoken. Carolyn Clay
had several times gone over the details
of her perilous trip across. Each time
she had spoken with naive freedom of
her fears, her suspense and her joy at
rescue-all without reserve. But one
thing Bhe had never told-approaching
it with ready purpose, only to find her
lips close and throbbinG something
lust beneath her throat which she could
not control.
She had never explained that the man
- who had saved her, at risk of instant
traitors doom, was himself a renegade
doubly traitor to the cause that made
him so, by that very act. Far less haC
she been able to frame the two words
of his name, once sweetly familiar t.
- her lips, now bitter as Dead sea fruit
upon them.
Often-after Bessie had listened will
signs and tears of sympathy, then lef
, her-Carolyn Clay would upbraid he
conscience for this half-confidence K
friends so tender and so loyal, even nov
risking so much for her. And then he
conscience would argue, not without 1
bubble, that it was so unnecessary
that it could but disgrace his name TO
those true ones who bore it so we'll
that this one exposure could do no good
So the girl - reassuring herself, il
l. woman's way, that no lingering though
a of his past, no pity for herself, mixe'
with the resolve-accepted her wish n
s. her duty, and was silent. And Bessi
k, Westchester had accepted as true he
10 own brain-built little romance that tn
self-sacrifce and grave peril had BEEF
lg incurred by some federal officer for SAX
of her friends helplessness in danger
perhaps, she told herself, for sake of he
fair face
And now the dark eyes of the hstene
stood wide, and her gentle bosom heave
H1>a-H ~