Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-19

followed by two men, came riding back.
Maybe they were coming to the house.
They stopped at the gate. One Of the
men rode forward, dismounted and
opened it. The officer entered and rode
up to the front door.
Marks heart seemed to stop beating.
He could not see what was going on
below so close under his window, but
presently heard the officer talking 10
some one On the veranda.
"A Federal spy escaped last night
from Chattanooga, madam. He was i'll
the disguise of negro girl" There was
something more which was unintelli-
gible.
Then Mark heard the word "no"
spoken in voice which he thought was
Mrs. Fains.
lie was tracked to tie river, which
he must have crossed. He probably
landed mile or two below Chattanooga,
and we believe he is hiding somewhere
within few miles Of this place.
You are welcome to- Mark could
not hear to what the officer was welcome,
but he sulnised it was to search the
house.
"What time did You go to bed;"
The reply was inaudible.
You saw nothing till then?"
"No, sir.
"And everything was shut up at ten
O'clock
"Ies, sir"
"Nou arc good Confederates, Ireclion."
"les. sir; NY son Mark could not
hear the rest, except the word "army.'
well. with you permission, madam,
we'll search The rest was lost. In
deed Mark was too terror stricken to
listen with due care. He supposed the
house would he ransacked.
In a moment his terror was turned
TO delicious sense Of relief. The officer,
after calling TO the men at the gate, rode
around to the negro quarters.
But there was danger III the search
which would follow in the cabins Dan
iel would remember the negro girl he
had let in the night before, and would
Surmise that she was the person the men
We're looking for. Would Daniel betray
him? He thought not. Daniel gave no
hint, for presently Mark saw the trio
ride away to join the troop.
Laura Eain had spent night no more
comfortable than Mark. Tie RESPONSE
Dility of human life weighed upon her
heavily. At one moment she would
picture Marks face, pale, haggarl. do
spairing, as he would be dragged from
his hiding place. The next she was
conscience stricken at the part she was
playing III shielding an enemy Of her
cause.-the cause Of her brother and her
lover. She heard the dogs as Mark had
heard them on the river bank, and lay
shivering till the baying died away III
the distance. Then III the morning she
saw the cavalry go by; the officer come
up and talk WIN her mother, whom he
asked the negroes to call from her bed
that he might question her about the
presence of the spy. Laura got up her
self and stood at the landing, listening
breathless while they talked. When the
man rode away she muttered ferve1t
THANK God"
As the morning frightened and it was
time to rise, her fears We're less intense,
and she began to think of how she
should keep her prisoner concealed from
the rest Of the household. How should
she feed him? When her maid came
up she told her that she would take her
breakfast III her room, but surprised the
! girl by the large quantity of food she
wanted brought to her. When the
| breakfast came, Laura was up aud
! dressed. She directed the girl to set il
on a table and then sent her to the stable
with message to Daniel about her rid
ing pony. Her maid having gone, Laura
took up the breakfast and carried it to
the trap.
In another moment she was standing
on the ladder with the tray in her hand,
half her body below and half in the at
tic, regarding a handsome fellow Look.
ing very much like a gentleman in he1
brothers clothes. He in turn was re.
gardmg what nc considered very pretty
young girl holding Il tray in her hands
ON which he knew full we'll was n break.
fast he was hungry for. Then he took
the tray and laid it on the lounge.
1t WAS the first time that Laura had
seen Mark dressed becomingly. Thi.
was the man she had been Instrumental
in saving, the man she was protecting
the man she must exercise her wits I,
give an opportunity to get away TO q
land of safety from the halter. 1t we,
pleasant to sec that he was good to loob
upon. What fine brow, what reso
lutte mouth! Those locks are golden and
fitted for woman's head, The eye,
are heavenly blue. And all this beauty
holds II soul capable Of plunging into
the most frightful of dangers.
And this being, so dazzling to a youne
girl scarcely twenty, was in her power
Could she not at word give nina over L
an ignominious death? And could sh,
not by care almost certainly insure hi,
freedom? He WIS her slave, bound t
to her far more securely than Alice, hel
maid, who had been given her by he1
father. she could order linn to craw