Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-06-20
But There Was a danger in tha search

tci Wouiu toinohooE sno ucBto Bhi "
had let In the night before. and would
vurmise that she was the person the men
were looking for. Would Daniel bstray
himf He thought not. Daniel gave nc
hint, for presently Mark saw the trio
ride away to join the troop.
Laura Fain had spent . night no more
comfortable than Mark. The responsi.
bility Of hnman life weighed upon her
heavily. At one moment she would
picture Marks face. pale, haggard. de-
spairing, ss he would be dragged from
his hiding place. The next she was
conscience stricken at the part she was
playing In 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 In
the distance. Then In the morning she
saw the cavalry go by; the officer come
up and talk with 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 mp her.
self and stood at the landing, listening
breathless while they talked. When the
man rode away she muttered . fervent
"Thank Godr'
As the morning frightened and II was
time to rise, her fears were less intense,
and she began to think Of how she
should keep her prisoner concealed from
the rest Of the household. How should
The feed himi When her maid came
mp she told her that she would take her
breakfast in 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 1t
ON q table and then sent her to the stable
with message to Daniel about her rid.
ing pony. Her maid having gone, Laura
took mp the breakfast and carried 1t 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 handsome fellow Look.
ing very much liae u gentleman In her
brothers clothes. He In turn was re-
garling what he considered u very pretty
picture In the half exposed figure Of
young girl holding tray In her hands
ON which he knew full well was u break.
fast he was hungry for. Then he took
the tray and laid II on the lounge.
II was the first time that Laura had
seen Mark dressed becomingly. This
was the man she had been instrumental
In saving. the man she was protecting,
the man she must exercise her wits to
give an opportunity to get away toa
land Of safety from the halter. II was
pleasant to see that he was good to look
upon. What fine brow, what reso-
lutte mouth! Those locks are golden and
fitted for woman's head. The eyes
are heavenly blue. And all this beauty
holds a soul capable Of plunging into
the most frightful Of dangers.
Aud this being. SO dazzling to young
girl scarcely twenty, was In her power.
Could she not at word give him over to
an ignominious deathl And could she
not by care almost certainly insure his
freedomy He was her slave. bound to
to her far more securely than Alice, her
maid, who had been given her by her
father. She could order him to crawl
on the floor before her, and he would
have to do SO. She had once seen a
woman enter cage Of u lion with only
slender whip In her hand, and the
huge beast had obeyed her slightest mo-
tion. Mark was her lion, and she felt
inclined to give him just one touch Of
the whip to see what he would do. She
stepped into the room and let down the
trap.
"Miss Fain.- Mark said, 'you cannot
have any conception Of the fervor Of my
gratitude. You stand between me and
death-not the death OF a soldier, but
OF felon. And here" pointing to the
breakfast. "you are ininistering to my
wants with your own hands"
"And yet | told you not to come here
"l did not understand you So"
Mark was hurt. His heart was full Of
gratitude. He could not understand
how. after doing and risking so much
for him, she could blame him for throw
ing himself ON her generosity.
ii am sorry that You regret your kind
ness" he added. with almost n tremble
In his voice.
III did not say that regretted it."
"But you remind me that 1t Is not
agreeable to YOU"
"How can 1t bel You are a Yankee
Q spy-and on mission to discover the
movements of our troops"
"Why, then, do you not give me upT
She shrugged her shoulders. "Can ]
turn executionery
81 see. ! am indebted for my present
safety to the fact that you do not care
10 do an unwOmanly act"
"You must draw your own infer
ence."
"But l should like to be grateful.
How can when you tell me that you
do all this for mo that your white hands
may not have stain upon theinY'
ut Is not necessary that you should
feel grateful"
Mark studied her face for moment
earnestly. Then his manner changed.
"NIiss Fain." he said, pointing. stake
away the breakfast"
"Why soy' she asked. startled.
ii will not he under any further obi.
cation to one who acts from pride rather
than sweet charity. You have saved me
from the hounds and from the gallows.
Were II not for you should now be
either about to mount the scaffold or
have passed by this time into that land
where the only human attribute can
imagine as fitted to he there Is charity.
Whether the danger Is now passed from
this neighborhood don't know, but. ]
am going to risk II. am going down
stairs and out from under this roof"
"You will do no such thingr
III willr And had she not placed her
self between him and the trap he would
have carried out his intention.
"Stay where you arer' she said In o
voice In which there was something
commanding.
"By what authority do you assume to
direct meY'
.Your life belongs to me-"
True" He bowed his head.
"You understand me-" She spoke with
even more authority than before. ~
own you. I own your life. You are
my slave In stronger sense than my
colored girl"
at Is that ownership Of human beings,
Miss Fain. coming down to you from