New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-02-20

Colonel Maynard she said, Il
have sent for you to ask you to deliver
my last messages. I once met you, in
the house of one who is dear to YOU.
There l received shelter from the storm
which ragged without, but which was
nothing to me beside another evil that
threatened me. was sore pressed and
IN great danger Of capture. The women
in that house-an elderly lady, a young
girl who visited there and your wife
took me in at great risk to them
selves. Your wife certainly had much
at stake, for your honor might be in
volved. have sent for you now to ask
you to say to them that I have treasured
their remembrance and their kindness
to me. =
She waited moment for him to &C.
:, cept the trust. She might have waited
till the crack Of doom without reply.
He had no power to utter word. He
simply bowed.
desire also to intrust this keepsake
to you, to be sent to my brother -
She took locket from about her neck
and held it up before him. On it was
painted miniature Of a young man in
the uniform Of a Confederate officer.
Maynard looked at it and started back,
with a cry, as if pierced with redhot
IRON
"He-he ISL
my brother. -
"Oh, God!' He staggered to the
wall and leaned against it, shivering.
You know him, colonel There is no
necessity for deceit now. I have long
known the singular circumstances that
surround you and him-that you both
loved the same woman; that you won. -
+ And that twice-twice he gave me
my life?''
That he never told me-"
"Ah, he never told you that?" replied
Maynard, kind Of wonder in his tones.
"When at Mrs. Fain's plantation,
discovered under whose roof was shell
tered. Your wife had never seen me,
and determined that it would be best
for all that I should not make myself
Known
Maynard stood in amazement at these
Developments, in horror at the situa.
t1on as he now knew it to be.
"And you are the sister of Cameron
Fitz Hugh?''
II am. am Caroline Fitz Hugh"
"You shall not de-
When Colonel Maynard spoke these
words, there was a grandeur in his Tone
his figure, the lines of his countenance
the light in his eye, strangely inconsist-
ent with resolution he had made the
moment before they were uttered He
had on the instant reversed his decision
made not ten minutes before to do his
duty, in the ordinary acceptance of
what that duty was. He had determined
to save the woman before him, even il
it were necessary to take upon himself
far greater ignominy than the death to
which she was sentenced. There was 81
lence between them, during which Miss
Fitz Hugh stood looking at him in ad-
iniration, mingled with inquiry She
knew that some secret charm was at
work within, but she did not know what
it was.
''How can my death be prevented?'
II am charged with your execution.
Twill take you to your lines myself this
pight'
What was that subtle influence, far
stronger than battalions Of infantry or
batteries OF artillery, which gave it to
one not present, unconscious of his pow
er, to hold Mark Maynard over preci-
pice and to cast him into a black gulf
below? Was it circumstances that had
year before led Fitz Hugh to accept
the very part Maynard was now called
upon to play? Was it love that had
given Maynard the bride Fitz Hugh was
to have possessed? Was it some invisi
BILE fiend that had made Maynard rob-
Der OF that bride from the man to whom
he twice owed his life and was now
bringing Oh his punishment? These
were indirect causes, but they cannot
explain that indispensable, intangible
sense of honor which will lead a man,
to speak paradoxically, to commit a
crime and sacrifice himself at the same
time for another.
The expression On Miss Fitz Hugh's
face as she heard Maynard speak words
which would save her from death and
give her liberty underwent a change.
For moment after they were spoken
there was a delighted look, but DIS she
realized what they meant to the man
who would save her it was transformed
into an expression which can only be
described as bordering on the confines
of angel land. There was a holy look
in her eyes, a radiance of purity from
the soul expressed in every feature
There was the superhuman attribute OF
choosing death before life and liberty
at the price of wrong.
''No, colonel, we Fitz Hughs cannot
accept sacrifice, and especially wrong,
from others. We give; we are not &C.
oustomed to receive"
Maynard stood gazing at her with a
look as if in refusing the sacrifice she
had stabbed him. .. -...
''What then," he said at last, 'scan
do?'' .-..."a.
Send the news of my condition, Of
my expected she shuddered at pro.
nouncing the word" execution to ou1
lines Knowing that am condemned,
they can bring what influence they may
Il II L.