Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-07-25

AAO 4SeAe tsAS SStaA We ~ - - - WI
the rope. He awoke with Q cry.
Laura Fain-no, Laura Msynard-his
wife-was standing beside him.
She sank down by the cot, and In q
moment they were In each others arms.
Neither spoke. Neither wished 70 %
Nlght but leave tears-tesrs Of an sx'
arisite happiness-to dow on silently.
For o time Laura saw In Marks face
,nly reflection Of her own happiness.
He was feasting his eyes upon her, pass
Ing his fingers through her dark hair or
smoothing 1t back with his hand, while
he covered her face with kisses.
Suddenly thought seemed to come
between her and him.
"What is 1t darlingr she asked snx.
Iously.
81 was thinking said Mark. "But
eo; I will not think Of that"
"Tell me-"
~ was wondering-Laurs, did you
love himY'
Laura cast down her eyes.
"Lovei Was II lover She asked the
question Of herself. at was . summer
breeze, while this
"Thisy'
"Is o tempest"
Drawing her to him, before imprinting
0 kiss Mark added to her simile:
"a wild west wind.'"
"You are thinking Of your Shelley"
she said. II shall love him too, now,
since 1t was he who betrayed you to
me-"
"Aud 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 garret when In
her imperious way she had claimed that
saving his life had made her Its owner.
She remembered 1t, too, and smiling fin.
ished for him:
"And made you my slave. But who
made me your Tyre even rs the forest
Is to the west windY
Her caresses prevented reply for .
time. When there was pause Mark
exclaimed wonderingly:
"Oh, woman, why must you 10 often
deny to the worthy that which you may
give In such abundance to one whose
only recommendation Is an ability TO
catch your fancyy
Again there came into his face the ex.
preston Of thought which seemed for
the moment to carry him away from
her.
"what Is 1t nowY" she queried snx.
iously.
Mark smiled. "You viii laugh at me
when I tell you."
"Then you must be laughed at"
"Iwas wondering II, when get back
to headquarters, the general will want
me to 90 right away on another mis-
sion."
Her arms were about him. She drew
a 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.
"If you 90 again" she said fercely,
''into the presence Of such o 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
to leave the garret; "you shall
lie there till you promise that you will
he spy no more"
"Let me up" cried Mark, smiling at
her earnestness.
"Lie stilll'
"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 I love thee iuan.
itely."
Mark was on his back, his arms pin.
ioned. He was powerless. He was sur.
prised at Laurs's strength.
"Promise.
"Neverr'
"Promise."
"why soi I know shall be dying to
20 again In a week."
"Then you shall lie there till the war
Is over"
"But thought you told me once that
II you were n man you would be all !
have BEEN"
$50 I would. And you, being man,
might continus to be 80 were you the
husband Of any other woman; but mine,
neverr"
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 .
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 situationsf
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
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
but without her former cor
diality. Az 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 q measure modifying.
That afternoon the party that had rid
den into Anderson the day before rode
out Of Altamont In the direction Of No
Minnville. To all outward appearance
The situation was the same, but really
Aow different! Yesterday Mark was In
imminent danger, while Laura was In .
state Of terror. Then they rode with
Q word. Now language was
inadequate TO convey al they wished TO
express.
In the evening the party drew mp be-
fore General Thomss' tent ct AcAinn-
vile.
Marx went inside.
"0snsr.l," he said. ''you received my
IslegrsmY
~ did"
"iiad you not tsasivsa ths iaiorsns-
U1W- -~~