San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-02-09

| me 1aJe1ul scar, bDOuSn she HedTu,
through a sound in her ears as the
ooom of the sea, her own voice denounc-
ng that brand of Cain!''
For weary days and nights the strong
trame fought the fever that supervened;
md for all of them the gentle, plying
ouch of the woman who had first loved,
rad later denounced him-who owed to
him her liberty, if not her ife-wrought
tor his. For that hand had once rested
n his own in plight of troth; yet now
touched and tended him as tenderly
as though no mark of treason to her
worse, to his country-famed upon his
forehead.
And through dismal morn and deary
night-watch Carolyn Clay repeated to
herself that she had done as much for
any human creature so stricken and SO
helpless
Christmas came and went, bringing
with it what of joy and jollity might be
| left for some of the families living in
the leaguered capital. A heavy thaw had
made all the roads well-nigh impassa-
BILE for horse and man, wholly SO for
army trains; and Richmond was full of
| ardent youths, as eager for frolic as I'M
| ieashed 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-wet,
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 creaked
on the stairs; the door flung open, and
1.-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
{, 4 L. -
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 "Oh, 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 so ter
ribly 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"
Evan? HIS! The ingraten' Miss
Clays eyes famed, her small hands
clinched, and she almost Kissed the
words at her chief.
"Oh, not his hurt: meant his being
saved" Stuart replied, quickly. Your
cousin brought him in, through 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.
mo; 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 blacl,
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!"
'Fitz, old mani" And that strong
right hand, SO rough in sword play
steals softly as a 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 eye.
upon his face, the sad, black ones wan
dered to Carolyn Clay's. Great wonder
struggled in the mans white face; the