The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-03-23

what is it darlingr she asked anx-
iously.
81 was thinking said Mark. .sBut
no; will not think of that"
'sTell me-"
81 was neutrality-suspicious., did you
love him?'
Laura cast down her eyes.
..Love? Was it love?' She asked the
question of herself. ut was a summer
breeze, while this
'sThis?"
lis tempest"
Drawing her to him, before imprinting
kiss Mark added to her simile:
"a wild west wind"
ssYou are thinking of your Shelley"
she said. Il shall love him too. now,
since it was he who betrayed you to
me-"
''And I shall love him the more be-
cause he betrayed me-and made me-
He did not finish. He was thinking
of the morning in the garnet when in
her imperious way she had claimed that
saving his life had made her its owner
She remembered it, too, and smiling fin
ished for him:
''And made you my slave. But who
made me your Tyre even as the forest
is to the west wind?''
Her caresses prevented reply for a
time. When there was pause Mark
exclaimed wonderingly:
ooh, woman, why must you so often
deny to the worthy that which you may
give in such abundance to one whose
only recommendation is an ability to
catch your fancy
Again there came into his face the ex-
! preston of a thought which seemed for
the moment to carry him away from
her.
"What is it now?' she queried anx-
iously.
Mark smiled. ':You will laus, at me
when tell YOU
''Then you must be laughed at"
Twas wondering if, when l get back
to headquarters, the general will want
! me to go 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 bur beautiful animal about
to be bereft of her young.
eff you go again. she said fiercely,
''into the presence of such death will
go with YOU"
Mark made no reply, except to throw
, his arms about her neck and draw her
to him again. Her ferceness 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 garnet; ''you shall
lie there till you promise that you will
be a 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 I'll say with
Hotspur to his Kate, When I'm on
horseback I'll swear love thee infn-
! itely."
! Mark was on his back, his arms pin
Toned. He was powerless. He was sur
/ prised at Laura's strength.
I s'Promise.'
| "Neverv'
promise"
"Why so? know I shall be dying to
go 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 a man.
might continue to be SO were you the
husband Of any other woman; but mine
neverv'
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 6
death as he had but a 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.
| Lie arrival VI LAURA Uuc UclOIS
at the farmhouse where her mother hat
stopped, and awaited her coming anx
iously, their resumption of their jour
ney the next day, during which Laurs
confessed all to her mother, their safi
arrival within the Union lines, the find
ing Mark at headquarters, may be passet
over in few short phrases.
Marks meeting with his mother-in
law was, to say the least, embarrassing
Mrs. Fain received him with the sam
dignity that had characterized he
throughout, but without her former cor
diality. AS yet she knew nothing abou
his connections, and she disdained t.
ask. But Mark had satisfied Laura, ant
the information she transmitted to he
!, mother was in measure modifying.
, That afternoon the party that had rid
} den into Anderson the day before rod
out of Altamont in the direction of Nc
Minnville. To all outward appearance
the situation was the same, but reall
, how different! Yesterday Mark was i
imminent danger, while Laura was in