The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-01-04
CHAPTER K
nETWnHN THE LINES

OF ten, hung with varied guns, fishing
tackle and game bags; rare stuffed
specimens on brackets and stands;
while the walls showed best reproduc-
tions of the sporting triumphs Of Amer
lean and foreign art.
But the younger man was alone, as
night fell rapidly over the cold quietude
of the city, four days after that Sabbath
when the prisoners had passed through
Baltimore streets; and with II fell the
north wind, that had howled all day,
leaving the outer air piercing cold, and
presaging sharp, hard freeze.
Raising the sash, Mckee peered out
anxiously into the fast-growing gloom.
then shutting the window with bang,
and shivering, as he muttered:
Growing devilish coldl Why don't
he come? His dispatch said FIVE
o'clock"
He polxed the fire nervously, Lit a
fresh cigar, and threw himself into a
great leathern chair, thinking, half
aloud:
'Umi II Pete has come over, I'll risk
It tonight, without waiting for that
nameless adviser she trusts so implicit
ly. II this calm holds, the river will
freeze; and then"
Brisk clatter Of hoofs on the stones
without brought the thinker TO his feet,
with the exclamation:
at last, thank heavent'
But as he waited expectant for Car
roll Meredith's entrance, the door
banged, a slow, heavy step crossed the
hall, and q stout ruddy-faced Irish-
woman, with neat band of grizzled hair
lowover her forehead, entered the room.
where Is he, Mary2" he queried, i'm
patiently.
Hes rid aff, sor," the woman an
swered, ''afther LAWN this note for the
masther."
WAS that not hep
AT tn dhoor? Shure II was wan av
thin blue-coats, bad luck TO 'eml He
fetched~this: Wild dispatch from hid
quarthers,' he sid. I'd like to crack he
hid-quarthers, be tn same tolenl"
With an angry toss Of her head, she
laid the note on the table. II was an
official envelope, printed in the corner,
Headquarters department Of Mary
land, adjutant generals Office. Official
business" and directed to Carroll Mere
dith, Esq, in prim, clerical hand.
Mckee stared hard at the missive,
taking It up more than once, as though
his curiosity would force him to open II.
Could 1t be an arrest? he wondered.
His friend made frequent trips TO "the
Ferry" but his ordinary huntsmans
life left them presumably without sus-
picion. Besides, were 1t an arrest, 1t
would come in very different manner.
A warning, perhaps? Yet Meredith had
no friends among the federals--had
avoided the officers, and even, lectured
Mckee roundly for his courtesies to Maj.
Bond for sake Of passes. Anyway, no
warning could come from that Office.
What could It mean? Again he took up
the envelope, handling It as though It
burned him, then holding it close TO the
ruddy blaze, only to find IL densely
Opaque.
"Who brought It, Mary?" he asked of
the servant, still lingering by the table.
"An orderly?"
"Virry, sorl A dacint-shpolen Lad
emo, barrin' tn blue" she answered, in
an accent that long residence nor long
devotion to the Meredith family had
been potent TO conquer. "He sid II was
immayjit; and I sid I'd hand ut to tn
masther In three winlss av a pigs eyel
wudn't be afther ittin' tn likes o.
thin know whittier he wor in or no."
"You are right, Mary. Prudence can
do no harm these days. OF course Car
roll only goes hunting, but"
'Is II thatp Shure It's tn bad shot
he's grown, thin, fur whin he takes tn
longest thrip tn bag comes in tn impti-
est, But where he goes, an whin, Is
his own bisiness, an none ay. tn blue
divil's matther." The woman spoke
hotly and honestly, though, there was
keen twinkle In her eye as she finished.
Very well, Mary" the man an
swered, looking lseenly at her. 'Y'll
give him the letter as soon rs he re-
turns' And. as the servant closed the
door. Mckee resumed his restless walk,
with many glance At the suspicious
| missivo. plld
| II was a full hour after nightfall when
Carroll Meredith clattered up, dis
mounted and entered his own cory
apartment, tNl birq titN bN ,H5H.sH