The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-08-24

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Redcoats came thronging back upon
her. "a Their quiet little village had es-
capped SO far, but perhaps their time
had come at last. Then she thought
of her mother and the children; had
she not told her father when he went
away that she would take care of themP
She shut her lips firmly and crept
softly out of bed. Her hands shook so
that she could scarcely dress, Dolly
stirred restlessly as she was leaving
the room. Barbara went back
and kissed her softly. Her heart
beat so that it seemed as if it would
choke her, as she stole down the
stairs; but when Barbara Ravens had
once set her resolute little face to-
ward anything she was not the girl to
turn back.
The kitchen door was open, and the
room bright wish moonlight. Two
people stood there talking; one was
her mother, and the other-the two
turned quickly at the girls sudden
exclamation, and the next minute
Barbara was in her fathers arms
Barbara" said her mother, in @
displeased tone; chow came you
lhere2"
II thought twas Redcoats, and I
came down to protect you and the
children" sobbed Barbara, quite
overcome by the excitement and sud-
den relief.
Her father could not help smiling,
and even Mistress Havens's face re-
Taxed q little, but her voice was still
stern. "'Tis no time for tears" she
said, "and you are too big girl for
them. Since you are here you may
as well know the truth. Yur father
is-on secret duty-and must ride
4 away at dark tomorrow. Meantime
= he will hide here"
Barbara's face grew white. els hi
a spy?" she whispered.
Z Mistress Ravens nodded; her fac
j looked drawn and tense.
"He would be called So" she said
Q ''We fear Andrew Gardiner; he of oil
! men must not know your father ha
= been here, Now be quiet, Barbara
l and seek 20 know no more, twill b
: best SO. "
9 "Look not so sadly frightened, lit
e tie daughter" said her father, cheer
/ fully; tits not likely my mission i
4 suspected. must go now and tur1
old Sally out in the wood pasture-sh
q would, perohance, be noticed in tn
9 barnard I'll return straightway."
l 'Let me co." begged Barbara
9 tits but a little way, and the moon i
r full 1 can do that, at least"
K "Yes, Abne-, let her go, said tn
I mother; ''you are worn out. :"
$50 be then, answered her father
y "You are not afraid, daughter?"
y "Nay, there's naught to fear" al
Q swered Barbara, gravely. She wei
T out aad unfastened old Sally, and lie
r her up the lane toward the wood pa
5 ture, What strange, strange nigl
i, it was, she thought, as she wake
g along with Sally Flooding YEARLY b.
y side her-such o great, quiet, silvt
II world in the moonlight 1t did M
1t seem as If there could be any DANCE
y in it, But in spite of that, she starte
at every sound and shadow, and IL
way seemed interminable. She tugge
harder at Sally's bride, and when 81
z reached the bars, fumbled over the
so that she thought she would nevt
le get them down. But at last she lie
lie the mare into the woods, put the bal
is up again and ran home. She W
l afraid her mother would send b.
d, away, but she did not. Barba
ID moved close to her father, and S
l. perfectly still, listening as
0, told of the hardships and p1
or vations of the soldiers, of the
lie devotion to the general.
d, One hour, two, passed; then Il
moon sank behind the trees and the
|" was a strange, cold dimness in t
OF room.
d, "Tell your father good-by and tn,
tn go up stairs, Barbara" said her mot
to er. 'You are tagged out. You shl
ur sleep late in the morning."
m Barbara silently chung to her faith
it moment and then went up stall
be but she could not sleep; she wonder
ne where her father could hide and VII
lip they would do if Andrew Gardin
lis suspected him. Suppose he shou
e. come and search for him Back al
forth in her tired head the anxio
," thought kept surging, until finally s
GU fell into q troubled sleep.
rls The sun was quite high when S
I'D awoke At first she could not thi
what made her feel 50 tired; then t
l." memory of the strange night ca
go back and she hurried down stairs. E