Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-21

terrupted Capt Jennings, bitterly, 81
thought Of that but the old man said 1t
was more diplomatic just now 10 prevent an
attempt than even to successfully re-
sist it.''
But when they were alone again in their
little cottage, and Zephas' honest eyes,
with no trace of evil knowledge OF suspl-
cion in their homely, neutral hghtness,
were looking in D hers with his usual SIM
pie trustfulncss, Mrs Bunker trembled,
whimpered, and-I grieve 70 say-basely
funked her boosted confession But here
the Deity which protects feminine weakness
interviewed with the usual miracle. As he
gazed at his wife's troubled face, an apollo
getic cloud came over his rugged but open
brow, and a smile of awkward, deprecating
embarrassment Sufused his eyes II de-
clare 20. goodness, Mollie. but l must tell
you suthin', although guess 1 didn't kali
kilate to say a word about it But, darn 1t
all, kant keep it in. Mol Lookin' inter
that inherent face of yournn-pressing her
flushing cheeks between his cool, brown
hands-"and gazing inter them two truth
full eyes''-they blinked at this moment
with divine modesty-',and thinkin' of
what you've just did for your kentry-like
them revolutionary women o. '76-I feel
like darned swab of a traitor myself.
Well what want ter tell you is this: Ie
know, or ye've heard me tell o. that Mrs.
Fairfax as left her husband for that fire.
eatin, Marion, and stuck to him through
thick and thin, and stood watch and watch
with him in this howlin' Southern rumpus
they're kickin' up all along the coast, as if
she was a man herself. Well, jeS as l
hauled up at the wharf at Frisco, she comes
aboard. y
"sYou're Cap Bunkerl' she says.
'''rhat's me, ma'am,' says.
''sYou're aNorthern man and you go with
bun ha kthT1f uo11-ra a " hifa
man, and thar's no cur blood in you But
you amt listenin', AIollie, you're dead tired
lass,n with commissioning look at her
now whitening face. land I'll haul in line
and wait. Well, TO cut it short, she wanted
me to take her down the coast bit to
where she could join Marion. She said
she'd BEEN shook by his friends, followed
by spies-and blame my skin, Mollie, eff that
proud woman didn't break down and cry
like baby. Now, Mollie, what gotme 10 all
this was that them Chivalry folks-ez was
always jawin' about their Southern danes
and their ladye fairs and always runnln'
that kind of bilge water outer their soup
pers whenever they careened over on fair
wind-was Jess the kind to throw OF on a
woman when they didn't want her, and
kinder thought I'd like her to see the diff
ference betwixt the latitude o. Charleston
and Cape Cod. So 1 told her 1 didn't want
the jewelry and dimons she offered me, but
if she would come down to the wharf after
dark I'd smuggle her aboard, and I'd allow
to the men that she was your auntie eS l
was givin' free passage to! Lord dear I!
think o. me tal1in' the name O. Molie
Bunker'S aunt in vain for that
sort o. womanl Think o. me-" continued
Capt Bunker with tentative chuckle,
sort o. pretenin' to hand yo'r
Auntie to Kernel Marion for-for his lady
Lowell Idon't wonder you're half frightened
hole lap i,s he added no his wifi
uttered a hysterical cry; sit was awful
But it worked, and 1 got her of, and wots
more 1 got her shipped to Mazatlan, wher
she'll join Marion, and the two are goin'
back to Virginy, where l guess they won t
trouble California again Ye know now,
dearie,' he went on, speaking with diff
Guilty, through Mrs. Bunker's clinging
arms and fast-dripping tears, ''why didn't
heave to to say good-by.' But it's all over
now-I've made clean breast OF 1t, Mollie
and don't you cry!'
But it was not all over, for a moment
later Copt. Bunker began to tumble in his
waistcoat pocket with the one hand that
was not clasping his wife's waist zone
thing more, Mollie; when left her and re-
fused to take any of her dimons, she put q
queer sort o. ring into my hand, and told
me, with a kind o. mischievous, bedevilin
smile. that must keep it to remember her
by. Here it is-why, Mollie-lass! are you
| craZy?"
She had snatched it from his fingers and
was running swiftly from the cottage out
into the tempestuous night. He followed
closely, until she reached the edge of the
rocks. And only then in the struggling,
fast flying moonlight she raised a passion
ate hand and threw it far into the sea.
, AS he led her back to the cottage she
said she was jealous, and honest Capt.
Bunker, with his arm al ound her, felt him.
self the happiest man in the world!
From that day the flag few regularly
over the rocky shelf, and. in time, bugles
and morning drum beats were waited from
it to the decks of passing ships. For the
Federal government had adjudged the land
for its own use, paid Capt Bunker hand
some sum for its possession, and had dis
creetly hidden the little cottage of Mrs.
Bunker and its history forever behind bas-
ton and casemate.
1.-THE END.