The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-04-25

With q prayer of thanksgiving ON her
lips she rushed ON over the slippery
track, through wood and valley, Over
hill and plain. the gray horse al true 81
steel, until In an unlucky leap he STUN.
bled and fell, throwing his rider with
force against o rock ON the edge Of the
ditch over which he had tried to spring.
The foaming steed was unhurt and in
o moment was ON his feet again. but
poor Jennie Jared worse and rose with
a broken arm hanging useless by her
side. Regardless of the numbing pain.
she chung tenaciously TO the horses
bride, and after quieting him by gentle
words and patting him softly with her
able hand she managed to spring into
the saddle and gave the brave fellow
free rein. Now do your best, = she said
coaxingly al she stroked his long name.
DO Your best, my good fellow, for
upon you depends the safety of my
friend. good Colonel Adair.
AS IL understanding the entreaty, the
gray horse raised his head, and setting
his feet firmly gathered his strength once
more. az il for a final plunge; then, gal
Looping down the steep hillside, he gained
on the troopers at every leap until he
paused at the colonel's gate fully q fur
long ahead of the pursuers. Throwing
the rein over the gatepost, Jennie rushed
up the path and without knocking flung
open the c~olonel's door, crying in her
eager haste: Quick, be quick, colonel,
Isayl Fly, fly for your life, for the red
coats are at the door. Don't wait-you've
mo- a moment to spare. They come!
They comel Away! Awayl'' And then
she tainted and sank to the floor.
With q hasty goodby the colonel left
his bright Preside and rushed out into
the nights fearful storm, not, however.
until he had kissed the pale brow of the
girl who had risked her own life to save
his
SpriYEging on his horse, always sad.
died for just such emergencies, he was
soon on his way to where the patriot
army was in camp.
The tramp of the troopers horses
reused Jennie from her swoon, and as
the angry men came rushing in she
turned her pale face toward them and
laughed, even in the midst of q moan,
as she said feebly:
Good sirs, your bird has flown, and
it was / who frightened him from his
nest. Do not harm his dear ones i'm the
home, bat do with me as you think /
deserve. / only ann to blame"
You need not fear, my brave lass, !"
said young Captain Long, bowling low.
"Of all heroic women / must crown you
queen Never before have I seen such
courage in u 70 young, and for your
sake not q hair of Colonel Adair's head
shall be harmed. Even il he were here
in his quiet home this minute chivalry
would forbid his capture in your pres
ence. ] am sorry that my brave gray
Jess did not carry you through without
stumbling in such an awkward fashion
u to break your arm. He is usually
Sure footed, and the darkness and an un-
known road must excuse the blunder. /"
He made mp for the i'll luck after the
fall, " suggested one OF the troopers. ~
mean in speed, which OF course could
not restore the broken bone, a fact we
all regret" he added gallantly.
81 do not mind that since my good
friend, the colonel, is out of your pow
er, !" said Jennie, trying to smile. "How
cruel in strong young men like you to
try to harm an old mana gallant sol.
dier, too. like Colonel Adair! I should
think you would be ashamed of your
selves"
"War Is war, my fair young miss, "
answered the captain, land nothing
that war demands can be called cruel.
This Colonel Adair is worth a whole
regiment of Us, and the way you have
baffied us will prove a great disappoint-
ment to our cause.
Still ! honor you for your bravery
and loyalty to your friend, and if you
will wear this ring as q token Of my
admiration i will come back and marry
you when the war is over
There's q lad in Putnam's corps
who told me the same thing the morn
ing he marched away to the beat OF the
drum. | promised TO be true as steel to
him, and as you two could never agree
1 think You may keep your ring for some
pretty British maid who cares for you
more than / do, was Jennie's reply.
The captain laughed as he slipped the
ring back ON bis little finger, and way-
ing her goodby rushed out, mounted his
gray Jess and was soon Gathering down
the rough road after his men. Regard
less OF her broken arm, Jennie insisted
upon returning home that night, as her
mother would be In distress until she
knew she was safe. But Mrs Adair would
not suffer her to take this risk, knowing
az she did the danger to be incurred In
stead she dispatched q messenger to the
little brown cottage with the informa-
ton that she would keep Jennie until
morning, and being pretty much. of a
surgeon herself she set the broken arm
made the young girl as comfortable
az possible until she could be- removed
her mothers home. At the close Of
the war Jennie gave her hand and her
heart as well into the keeping of the lad
who had marched away with Putnam's
corps, and she lived to relate her expe-
rience OF that night to- her children and
her children's children-down to the
A--A 49, 49, EGN XH. - A-4I