Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-03-23
CHAPTER K.
BETWEEN THE LINES.

clai pride OF his friend Carroll Meredith.
Unique they were in decoration; antlers
of ten, hung with varied guns, fishing
tackle and game bags; rare stuffed
specimens on brackets and stands;
while the walls showed best reproduc-
lions 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 it 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 cold! Why don't
he come? His dispatch said five
o'clock
He polzed the fire nervously, lit
fresh cigar, and threw himself into a
great leathern chair. thinking, half
aloud:
ssUm! if Pete has come over, I'll risk
it tonight, without waiting for that
nameless adviser she trusts so implicit
~. If this calm holds, the river will
freeze; and then
Brisk chatter of hoofs on the stones
without brought the thinker to his feet,
with the exclamation:
SAT last, thank heaven!'
But as he waited expectant for Car
roll Meredith's entrance, the door
banged, slow, heavy step crossed the
hall, and a stout, ruddy-faced Irish
woman, with neat band of grizzled hair
low over her forehead, entered the room.
Where is he, Mary?'' he queried, inn
patiently.
Hes rid aft, sor," the woman an
swered, ''afther LAWN this note for the
masther."
''WaS that not hep
cat tn dhoor? Shure it was wan av
thin blue-coats, bad luck to 'emi He
fetched this: Wild dispatch from hid
quarthers,' he sid. I'd like to crack has
hid-quarthers be tn same tol1en!'
With an angry toss of her head, she
laid the note on the table. 1t 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.
taking it up more than once, as though
his curiosity would force him to open it.
Could it be an arrest? he wondered.
His friend made frequent trips to 1.-The
Ferry but his ordinary huntsman's
life left them presumably without sus-
picion. Besides, were it an arrest, it
would come in very different manner.
A warning, perhaps? Yet Meredith had
f--.A &c &1o GaIo Ic
avoided the officers, and even 1ectured
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 it densely
| Opaque.
"Who brought it, Mary?" he asked of
the servant, still lingering by the table.
'An orderly?'
''Virry, sor! A dacint-shpoken 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. Sic sid it was
| immayjit; and 1 sid I'd hand ut to tn
| masther in three winks av a pigs eye!
I wudn't be afther Ettin' 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"
us it that? 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 av tn blue
divils matther." The woman spoke
hotly and honestly, though there was
keen twinkle in her eye as she finished.
every well, Mary" the man an
swered, looking keenly at her. ''Pll
! give him the letter as soon as he re-
turns And, as the servant closed the
door, Mckee resumed his restless walk,
with many glance at the suspicious
| miSsive.
It was full hour after nightfall when
Carroll Meredith clattered up, dis
mounted and entered his own coy
| apartment.
Hello, Williel U-ughl but it is bit
ter cold!' was his greeting, as he threw
off coat and gloves and stood with his
back to the fire.
81 should have thought you would
ride faster" was the reply. Here's a
letter for you.''
Faster! Selim and 1 did the thirty
miles in an hour less than usual" Mere
dith answered, taking the letter care
lessly. ''It was broad day before old
Pete padded into the creek; said the
river was full of transports passing up.
| Wonder if they can be massing for a
a move this weather"
"Were the creeks freezing?" the other
asked, andously. Carroll, if the river
| freezes, how can we ever get her
across?''
Clipper route-Harper's-an cross
on the ice," Meredith returned, prompt
~.
| Not If they're massing above Wash
| ington- Besides, hang it, she's obstinate
as burro about that cursed anonymous
| meddler. But for him I'd have had her
| across that night
| ssHis information was strictly cor
rect" his friend replied.
| Read your letter. Mckee retorted,
abruptly; and the host read, slowly:
"sMaj. Bond begs to hand Mr.. Car
roll Meredith the inclosed, just received
from Wheeling, with request for imme-
date delivery UIni polite enough;
but I'm getting into, good company fast!