Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-05-26

ner lasher Joined the army and sent her
nero. But her heart is broken.n
Lieutenant Townly occupied the host
guest chamber that night and saw moth.
ing more Of the unhappy orphan, nor
indeed did he even think of her Willie
IN company with his betrothed, but
when he was going to bed she REQUIRED
10 MS remembrance, and he accorded
nor sigh Of sympathy. At daybreak,
having to join his comrades early. he
arose and began dressing with soldier
IKE haste, but suddenly stopped short
In ms toilet and stood as if paralyzed,
listening.
Agiri's voice. fresh, strong and sweet,
caroled and lifted, not in the set meas.
ures OF any song, but in such an exu-
Derant outbnrst Of roulades, trills and
hourishes of melody as seemed the up
oubbling and outgushing of a purely
happy heart. free from care and sorrow.
My God, he exclaimed to himself,
with look that was almost fright, that
Is Clara singing! lam sure of it! know
her yoicer' He sat upon the edge of the
ped' listened and gasped: Great heav.
ems, what an utterly heartless creature
Or else grief has turned her BRAIN
Miss Farwell appeared ut the break.
last table and demonstrated the posses
SION OF more spirits than all the rest Of
the family added together. Tho lieuten-
ant looked upon her with icy disap-
proval, but she did not seem to be aware
OF 1t. Finally he said in his most solemn
manner, Il learned last evening with
sincere regret Of your recent bereave-
mont, Miss Farwell."
About papa, You mean?" she replied
lauShingly. "Oh, guess it was not true
There are so many stories flying about
now one never knows what to believe.
And with that she seemed to dismiss
the subject.
he had no appetite. Her Gallons in
difference sickened him. Never before
could he have believed her capable of it,
and the hideous question forced itself
upon him, "Arc other girls like her, or
Is she an exceptional monster" Soon he
| got up from the table and CHANGED to
glance out OF n window into the back
yard. There upon the wood pile, with
a piece Of corn bread in one hand and
his medicine tea" pot in the other, sat
the old vagrant darby. He was eating
his frugal breakfast and locking at the
groom bringing the ieutenant's horse
from the stable.
Tho young officer pontlered gloomily
as he rode and had gone full five miles
OF the way back from Winchester to
General Fitzhugh Lees camp before q
certain suspicion occurred to him. At
that point two widely tissimilar things
suddenly presented themselves in juxta-
position before his mental vision. One
was tho heartbroken girl merrily sing
ing; the other the old darby ON the wood
pile. And it came to him as an inspira.
ton that the presence of the latter in
some way-if he could only see how
explained the astonishing change in the
former. 1t was by no means impossible
that the negro should have brought news
to Clara. Monroe was doubtless right in
looking upon all Of that race as, poten-
TALLY at least, Yankee spies Should he
confide his suspicious to the captain, he
would get himself laughed at if he was
wrong and if right terrify and grieve the
family by what might very well happen
were the negro luckless enough to be
caught After much cogitation he con-
cluded to keep his mouth shut, which
under most circumstances is about the
wisest thing o man can do.
General T. W. Rosser's cavalry came
from Richmond q fortnight later and
joined General Early with the avowed
intention of sweeping the invaders
out of the valley" Lieutenant Townly,
deeming that "a contamination devout-
~ to be wished" since Winchester and
Edith Were in the debatablc ground, OBJ
tanned permission to serve with them as
volunteer aid on General Rosser'
staff When General Sheridan gave up
the project of winter campaign in the
mountains and fell back on Winchester,
the Confederate cavalry harassed his
rear SO daringly that he determined to
turn and give them q lesson on the dan
ger of getting too close to him. The en-
suing trouble at Toms Brook Crossing
eventuated in an entire reversal of Gen
eral Rosser' programme. The sweeping
was done, but his cavalry were the
swept. They were scattered in u mad
rout, some by way Of Columbia Furnace
to the mountains, others up the valley
pike into the Massanutten range, and
many never stopped until they got into
General Early's camp south of Mount
jackson. Lieutenant Townly was among
those who took the pike. He had been
sent to the front with orders, was there
when the tide of battle turned and found
himself inextricably involved and help
lcssly carried along by the panic strick-
en- throng. Comrades We're falling about
him, wounded horses dropped in the
WY, increasing the confusion, and the
air was full of q dcafening tumult made
up of clashing steel, gathering equip.
ments, pounding hoofs, cracking car
bines and pistols, yelling voices and in
articulate cries Of those struck by death.
A bullet tore its way through his right
forearm; his saber dropped from his
nerveless hand. The next moment his
horse stumbled and went down. As he
fell he had dim perception of a huge