The Washington times., 1894-12-30

said, slowly. Don't deny IT. No one else
could have passed through our lines, and you
gave her safe conduct through yours. Yes
/ might have knownft. And this is the crea-
ture they sent me Tor an. ally and confidantr
For an instant Brant felt the sting of this
enforced contrast between the two women.
But he only said: ;"You forget that l did not
know yeu werethe spy. nor do i believe that
she suspected you we're my wife. y
why should she?' she said almost
hercely. 81 am known among these people
only by the name of Benham, my maiden
name Yesl you can take pe out and shoot
me under that name. without disgracing
yours. Nobody will know that the South
ern spy was the wife OF the Northern gem
eral. You see Ihave thought even OF that!''
sand thinking that. said Brant slowly,
you have put yourself I1will not say in my
power-for you are in the power OF any man
In this camp who may know you or even hear
you speak. Well. let us understand each
other plainly. l do not know how great a
sacrifice your devotion to your cause demands
of you. / do not know what 1t seems 10 de-
mand OF me- Hear me, then l viii do my
best to protect you and get you safely away
from here; but, failing that. i tell you plainly
that shall blow out your brains and my own
together"
She knew that he would do it. Yet her eyes
suddenly beamed with new and awakening
Light. She put back her hair again and hall
raised herself upon the pillow to gaze at his
dark, set face.
land as l shall let no other life but ours be
perilled in this affair." he went on, quietly,
and will accompany you myself, in some
disguise. beyond the lines, we will take the
risks together-or the bullets OF the sentries
that may save us both all further trouble.
An hour or two more will decide this. Until
that time your condition will excuse you
from any disturbance or intrusion here. The
I,A.~
sonated may be still In this house; | will APP
point her to attend you. suppose you can
trust her for you must personate ner again,
and escape In her clothes. while she takes your
place in this room as my prisoner"
"Ciarence!"
Her voice had changed suddenly; 1t was no
longer bitter and stridulous. but low and
thrilling. as he had heard her call to him that
night in the patio OF Robles- He turned
/. quickly. She was leaning from the bed-her
thin, white hands stretched appealingly
toward him.
LET US go together, Clarence she said,
eagerly. Let Us leave this horrible place
these vulgar, cruel people forever. Come
with me-. Come with me to my people, to
my own faith. to my owp house, which shall
be yours. Come with me to defend il with
your good sword, Clarence, against these in
vaders. Yes, yes, know you l have done
YOU wrong; have lied to you when / spoke
against your skill and power. You are hero
IA born leader OF men,. / know it. Have
not heard # from the men who have fought
against you, and yet admired and understood
you, aye, better than your own. Gallant
men, Clarence; soldiers bred, who did not
know what you were to me, nor how proud I
was OF you, even while l hated you. Come
with me.
.'ThInk what We would do together, With
one faith, one cause, one ambitionl Think,
Clarence, there is no limit you might not at
tain! We are no niggards OF our rewards
and honors; We know our friends. Even l,
Clarence, Pi-there was strange pathos In
tbs sudden humility that seemed to overcome
her-"I have had my reward and know my
power. / have been sent abroad, in the con-
fldence of the highest. TO the highest. Don't
turn from me. | am Offering you no bribe,
Clarence, only your deserts. Come with me
and live the hero that you are"
He turned his blazing eyes upon her. al
you were man. he began passionately,
then stopped.
mo! / am n woman, and must fight in a
woman way, she interrupted bitterly. 81
entreat, / implort. ] Wheedle, Halter. fawh
/ lie! l creep where yon stand upright. and
pass through doors 10 which you would not
bow. You wear your blazon o honor on your
shoulder. hide mine in a slayes gown.
And yet, / have worked. and striycn, and
8 IGered. listen. Clarence" Her voice again
sank to its appealing minor. Il knew what
you men call honor which makes you cling
to a merely spoken word and an empty oath.
We'll let that pass. / am weary. have done
my share OF this work. you have done yours.
Let as both fly; let us leave the fight to t..ose
who shall come after us, and let US 60 TO-
gether to some distant land; whore the sounds
OF these guns, or the blood of our brothers
no longer cry out to us for vengeance. There
are those living there-I have met them
Clarence" she went on hurriedly, .'whc
think it wrong TO lift up fratrieidal hands in
the struggle, yet who cannot live under the
Northern yoke. They are" her voice hesi-
tated-"good men and women; they are re-
specteG; they are
"Recreants and slaves, before whom you,
spy as you are, stand a queenr' broke il
Brant, rassionately. He stopped and turned
toward the window. After pause he came
back again toward the bed, pau ed again
and then said in a lower voice: -Four years
ago, Alice, in the patio of our house al
Robles, might have listened to this propo-
sal, and / tremble TO think / might have
accepted 1t. loved you; was as weak. as
selfish. as unrefiecting, my life as purpose
less, but for you. as the creatures you speak
or. But give me now at least the credit OF q
deyotioa to my cause equal to your own
which I have never, denied you. For the
night that you left me / sawoke 10 sense Of
haps l have even to thank you for this awak-
ening-and realize the bitter truth. But
that night found my true vocation, my pur-
pose. my manhood"
bitter laugh came from the pillow or
which she had languidly thrown herself. 81
believe left you with Mrs. Hooker-spare
me the details. y
The blood rushed to Brant's face, and then
reeeded as suddenly.
s'You left me with Capt. Pinkney. who haG
tempted you, and whom l kiiledr' he said
furiously
They were both staring at each other
toward the door, as the sound of hurried
footsteps echoed along the passage. But il
was too late; it was thrown open to the
officer of the guard who appeared standing
on the threshold.
"Two confederate officers arrested hover
ing around our pickets. The demand tt
see YOU"
Before Brant could interpose, two men, in
riding cloaks of confederate gray, stepped
into the room with jaunty and self-conh-
dent air.
''Not demand. general ~ said the foremost
tall, MISUNDERSTANDING man, lifting his
hand with a graceful, deprecating air. ''Ir
fact. too sorry to bother you with an affair
Of no importance except to ourselves. A bit
of after-dinner bravado brought US in contact
with your pickets. and, of course. we had to
take the consequences. Served US right, anG
we were lucky not to have got a bullet
through u.s., Cad! I m afraid my men woulG
have been less discreet l am Col. Lagrange
OF the Fifth Tennessee; my young friend here
Is Capt. Faulkner, OF the First Kentucky
Some excuse for youngster like him-none
for me- L"