The Red Cloud chief., 1895-01-11
DY or EA'MTTCNEL,,
eosvaosr. 1884 sv A~saeAs sass. Assoc A,,ow..

He turned and saw What must be
Miss Baggs, for her dress was tina same,
though her head and neck were changed,
standing In the buggy, her back to the
horse, her face directly toward him.
Her glasses were gone, her sunbonnet
hung in one hand, while she held reins
in tho other. Never had the corporal be.
held 80 great o change In 10 brief q
space Of time. The jolting had disar.
ranged q mass Of dark hair which had
partly fallen over her shoulders. Her
eyes were black and lustrous, her com.
plexion III olive relieved by q ruddiness
Of the cheek. Her superb head was set
OH her mock a II IL had been placed.
there by ali artist. The face was lighted
by u smile Of triumph-a smile 70 be.
witching that 1t haunted the corporal to
his dying day.
Ratigan had not recovered from his
~lrprise before she spoke to him in a
rich contralto voice. " little like that
he had heard from her as n fife % like
tho mellow tones Of an organ.
Corporal, please present my compli.
meats to Major Burke and thank him
for mo for his kindness, and tell him
that when he sends another woman
through the lines under p~retense Of keep.
ing her eyes shut. when no has an espe.
Cial pUipOso OF his own in view, not to
send an 'Qirisliu!an' for M escort" Tho
smile on her lips broadened and showed
q set OF white tech. 1.-THE 'Oirish' race
as diplomats are not usually successful.
Au rcvoir, corporal"
There was q grin on the faces Of tho
Confederate lockers on and astonish.
mont on the honest countenance Of Cor.
porll Ratigan.
And. Rats, /" she continued, evident.
ly enjoying bringing out the word with
her rich voice, as ono loves to roll old
wine oil tho tongue, ''when q woman
desires to race, IL is not always for the
money up" She tossed the bill she had
won toward him.
"And, Rats, don't race again with
any n with % rawboned animal with
long legs. Bobby Lee is from the blue
grass regions Of kentucky. There's
something wrong about his breathing
apparatus. but ever with that disadvan.
tago he q trot q mile over a good road
in $3.50"
Had Miss Baggs appeared less be.
witching rs she stood there under tho
protection Of half a dozen Confederate
troopers, Ratigan would have turned
away impatiently. As it was. she seem.
cd to hold him by n spell.
Zone thing more. my bonny cardinal
flower. Tell the major that l like tho
young man from County Cavan' he has
recommended to me very much" Her
eyes fairly danced. "When the war is
over, ! hope you will look me up. In.
quiro for Betsy Baggs at the st. Cloud
hotel. Nashville"
the tips of her fingers, which, now that
her glove was removed. he noticed were
white and round. There was really
something sympathetic in the last glance
she gave him. In 1t was n regret that it
had been necessary for her to deceive SO
honest and manly a fellow. 1t was the
final dart that pierced tho Irishman's
heart and completed his inthrallment.
Leaving the corporal and his men gap.
Ing in the road, the party moved away.
The last thing Ratigan heard was q
hoarse laugh from one of the Confeder.
ates, which was rebuked by Miss Bags
and rcprimanded by the officer.
Tho corporal led his party northward
in no good humor. At tho picket post
lie left the men he had taken with him
and rode OF alone meditatively. In pass.
ing n part OF the road where there was
no one to hear he refined in his horse
and exclaimed aloud:
Dbl it'll l believe the witch is car.
rying important information"
The thought filed him with horror.
Who was she? What was she? What
was the box she called q galvanic bat
terry? For more than an hour no had at
tended a rude country girl, who, when
under the protection Of Confederate Of.
fcers, bloomed into q handsome wom-
an. He was as much chagrined at his
W stupidity as he was bewildered by
the cunning Of Miss Baggs.
Entering the camp, no skunk away to
his tent and did not report the outcome
Of his mission to Major Burke till Just
before taps" Then he only said,
Their piokets are three miles down
the road beyond ours."
. "Are 70 shure?"
"Oi am. OF left the young lady-Oi
mean the country gurrel-among 'em.
And the vixen blew me q kiss at
partin."
"Ah, Rats. ye're . sly dog. Dim
shure 70 did your work WE'LL"
Major, replied the corporal. "don't
~ believe II. All the divils in hell II
they be men are 10 match for q WON.
an"
And II they be women, Ratsi"
"Then God q v 'em both"
CHAPTER III.
A CONrEDERA ATE.