The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-03-14
prisoner, ne salu:
Madam, will you please accept my
heartfelt sympathiaa?D

prisoner, ne salu:
Madam, will you please accept my
heartfelt sympathios?''
Miss Baggs, who had already recog-
nized Colonel Maynard, simply bowed
her head in acknowledgment without
speaking, but fixing her largo dark eyes
upon his. Whom placed in q similar
position, Maynard had met his enemy's
glance with affected GOODNESS in a vain
hope of deception. Not SO tho woman
before him. Tho time for deception had
passed with hor She was Charlotte
Corday, knowing that tho guillotine
awaited her, martyr in whose eyes
cleaned tho divine light Of a willing
sacrifice to cause she believed to DO
sacred.
The colonel spoke again:
Madam" he said, cit is my duty
to report your case to my commanding
officer for transmission to the headquar-
ters Of this army. There is little house
across tho road. If you are able to 20
there, you will be more comfortable
while we arc awaiting tho reply"
"As you like, colonel" "
Perhaps 1t would be better to Wv
the ambulance"
II can walk. would prefer it,"
will you accept my assistanoe2''
She took his offered arm, and the two
walked slowly toward farmhouse q
few hundred yards distant AS the colo.
mel passed q sentry he directed him to
havo tho officer of tho guard summoned
and sont to him. On reaching the house
and mounting tho few stops that led up
to tho door, they were received by O
farmers wife and ushered into q small
sitting room. Bowing to the prisoner,
Colonel Maynard stepped outside to in
struct tho guard. 1t was not essential
that no should haston, but he did not
feel equal to al interview.
After seeing sentinel posted on each
sido of the house Maynard turned to 20
to his tont. He was drawn by some un-
accountable instinct to look once moro
at the abode Of his prisoner. She was
gazing out at him with pair of eyes
melancholy, unreslsting, full Of resigna-
tion.
What fond had suddenly thrown this
beautiful woman, this queen Of mar
tyrs, into his keeping, with death star
ing her in the face, and he perhaps to
inflict the penalty2 Why, if he must
suffer this turning of tho tables by fate,
could not the victim have been man,
some coarse creature who would die
like brute? And why had it not come
upon him before love had introduced
him to that instructive delicaoy, that
gentleness, those finer heart impulses of
woman2
30 GodP' no murmured, "suppose-
suppose she were-Laura2"
He could not bear to look and could
not turn away. For q few moments the
two gazed upon each other, while the
woman's natural feminine disoernment
told her that she was pitied; told her
something Of what Maynard suffered
that her enemy was really her friend.
She gave him faint smile in recogni
tion.
There was something in the smile
that was even harder for him to endure
than had she shed tear. Hers was O
winning smile, and her position was &C
desperate. She was so brave, so ready
to sncrifice for her struggling people.
She bore her trial with such gentleness,
yet with such frmness.
She was woman, and she must die.
Ho turned almost flercely and strobe
back to his tont. Reaching it, he found
the man who had brought the prisoner
waiting for him. Tho soldier saluted
and handed him another envelope.
"Why did you not give mo this with
tho othor?" asked Maynard, surprised.
II handed 1t to you, colonel, but you
did not see it,"
Maynard stared at tho man without
making any reply. He had been preoo-
cupied, deprived Of his ordinary facul-
ties Opening the envelope, he took
out small bundle Of papers. on the
back Of which was indorsed, Inter
cepted dispatches found on tho person
OF Elizabeth Baggs, captured Sept.
-, 1863"
Without looking at their contents he
dismissed tho man who had brought
them, and turning won't into his tent.
1t was noon before tho courier sent to
announce tho capture of Miss Baggs
rode up to Colonel Maynards headquar-