Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-02-15
Mark smiled "You will laugh at me
when I tell YOU"

! lueu NUu luuSU UC uLs
"Iwas wondering if, when get back
to headquarters, the general will want
me to 60 right away on another mis-
/ sion."
Her arms were about him. She drew
little away and fixed her black eyes
upon him. They shone like those of
some savage but beautiful animal about
to be bereft of her young.
eff you 60 again" she said fiercely,
''into the presence Of such a death I will
20 with you"
Mark made no reply, except to throw
his arms about her neck and draw her
to him again. Her ierceness was with
him her chief charm. Then he made an
effort to rise.
"Stay where you are" she said in the
same imperious tone in which she had
given the order once before when he
threatened to leave the garret; "you shall
lie there till you promise that you will
be spy no more"
! "Let me up" cried Mark, smiling at
her earnestness.
"Lie still"
| "Come, sweetheart" he said plead
ingly, "let me get up, and III say with
Hotspur to his Kate, when I'm Oh
horseback I'll swear I love thee inin-
itely."
| Mark was on his back, his arms pin
ioned. He was powerless. He was sur
prised at Laura's strength.
! "Promise.'
"Never!'
"Promise."
"Why SO? 1 know shall be dying to
60 again in week"
"Then you shall lie there till the war
is over"
But thought you told me once that
if you were man you would be all |
have BEEN"
$50 would. And you, being man,
might continue to be SO were you the
husband of any other woman; but mine,
never!'
Mark looked into her eyes and knew
that his career in the secret service had
ended. The savage opposition he saw
there to his ever again risking such a
death as he had but few days before
barely escaped was too strong for him.
Where was his adroitness, his ingenu-
ity, his readiness in peculiar situations?
Vanished under the gaze of his young
wife. At last he was subdued by
girl.
The arrival of Laura the night before
at the farmhouse where her mother had
stopped, and awaited her coming anx-
iously, their resumption of their jour-
ney the next day, during which Laura
confessed all to her mother, their safe
arrival within the Union lines, the find
ing Mark at headquarters, may be passed
over in few short phrases.
Marks meeting with his mother-in-
law was, to say the least, embarrassing.
Mrs. Fain received him with the same
dignity that had characterized her
! throughout, but without her former cor
diality. AS yet she knew nothing about
his connections, and she disdained to
ask. But Mark had satisfied Laura, and
the information she transmitted to her
mother was in measure modifying.
That afternoon the party that had rid
den into Anderson the day before rode
out of Altamont in the direction of Nc
Minnville. To all outward appearance
the situation was the same, but really
how different! Yesterday Mark was in
imminent danger, while Laura was in
state of terror. Then they rode with
scarcely a word. Now language was
inadequate to convey all they wished to
express.
In the evening the party drew up be-
fore General Thomas tent at McMinn-
vile.
Mark went inside.
General" he said, "you received my
telegram!"
81 did"
"Had you not received the informa-
tion before!"
IF we had, why should we be here?'
There was brief pause.
81 have brought something besides in
and seemed as glad to see him as he was
to see her.
"Ah, Madge, my darling! Once on
your back, old girl, and the devil may
catch me if he can"
He lost no time in putting the bit in
her mouth and strapping on the saddle.
Then, putting his foot III the leather COW
cred stirrup, he lifted himself into his
seat.
|. For the first moment in ten days Mark
felt the comfort of being in the saddle
with his arms about him.
A few steps took him out of the barn;
then, turning his horses head in the di-
rection from which he had approached
the place with Souri,, he rode away
among the trees. Before going hum
dred yards he stopped and listened.
Some sound had caught his ear. 1t was
the gallop of horsemen. He waited,
dreading neigh from his own horse,
which he patted to hold her attention.
The horsemen passed on down the road.
"Ride on, brave boys" said Mark; ''if
you're after ne, the faster you 60 i'll
that direction the better I'll like it."
In the light of the waning moon he
trampled over the shadows of leaves as
on "crazy quilt" He crossed the Sc.
uuatchie by the ford over which Souri,
had guided him, and took care not to
head too far down the stream, as he had
done before. Then he crossed the creek
near the fallen log. He struck the road
by which he had left Jasper just south
Of the fork at which Souri, had halted
him. Without hesitating a moment he
struck out at brisk canter over the left
Of the two roads-the one leading to
Tracy City.
Mark had never experienced such SEN
sations as now. On his own fleet horse,
his carbine slung Oh his shoulder, his
pistol at his side, on the road to the
Union camps, Il wife whom he adored
to Join him in case he should arrive
safely-why should not the spirit within
him fairly glow with hope?
And never had the beautiful Madge
borne her rider with such evident ex'
hilaration. Marks feelings seemed tu
be infused into her as she sped on, hel
iron shoes dashing sparks from the
stones, far brighter than the light OF
the waning moon glistening on the bar
rel of his carbine.
He reached Tracy at sunrise. He did
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