Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-25
CHICK
By Captain F. A. MITCHELL.
ICopyright. 1894, by American Press Asse ,ia-
 tion.l
CHAPTER NIX.
IN TIE SHADOW ur . GATI-

Once IF 't!s' HIS ttAlt NStNHt- . -dSS Hahu said:
 "Corporal, I waEt you to get ule the uniform ot q private soldier, NoW must do SD without exciting suspicion.
 '.Oi don't know how Oi'll do it, colo mel. without goin back to me own camp"
 Il fear that will take too long. Can't you steal one from one of the tents near by:''
 "Oi moight be able to do it, and Oi might spend the whole night tIyin. Oi can get one at mo camp certain.
 II would takc your jacket, but 1 want your assistance. There's no other way but for you to go to your camp.
 "Coloncl. Oi'll ride hard. "
 Ride, and remember that every mo- ment is worth years at any other time. " Ratigan lost no time i'll mounting and was soon galloping on his way. Once ort of the camp from which he started he found no guards to pass and was able to drivc hiS horse to tho utmost. The night tyfurr he lad chased tho woman whom hu had then known as Betsy Bags in mad race 10 capture her. Now he was tearing alCuS iu q mad race to save her from the consequences Ot his capturC Fast woods and waters flew tho corporal. over bridges and hills through holluwS and rivulcts. till he came to his own camp. There he at onCc sought the quarters of Private Elan acaI
 Flanagan. ho cried, shaking the ! private, yer wantCd'' ..NNl,ar I- ,.,,-ro.sf-.,1:''
 Let me take yer clothes and ask no Quc>rion>.
 .'Tako cm, And divil question will Oi :>k except what yc do be wantin 'cm fer ''
 Ratisan S, ized tke bundle, and, with an inJuact:oI to Flanagan to keep his 1 mouth shu, If he wanted to save him. self from fugurr trials. mounted his hors, and w.,s again flying over the ground back tn Colonel Maynard s head quartv~.
 IT waS HOW the small hours of the night. The corporal cast his eye to the east and saw faint streak of white light th,"o Digging his spurs into his l beasts Hanks and urging him with his voice .t the samo time rider and horse | sped on i'll a race between life and death.
 "Go on, yc bc2St" cried the' corpo- ral Go on. ne darlin. Stretch yer CusS,d lc.;S, for 1 don't care if ye kill yerSilf if we loSo no time. Whats yer loife compared with hers: On with ye, nc Lcauty! Win the race with the sun that is showin his light there, an, Oi Il worship " forever. With such contradictory and incohe- rent phrases Ratisan urged his horse till hr could go no faster. Again did l hills. wales, wOo,;S, waters, fences fly by till at last tho corporal dismounted at tho camp ho rode for, and in n mo- mcnt was in Colonel Maynard's tent.
 The corporal started back. A man stood there whom he did not recognize for few monrntl as Colonel Maynard. He had ln 1, lvu. while the colonel had had d heavy ,.,y His hair and eyebrows wure UlavI. while the colonel's were light. and iho kair which had hung be- low his l,at in short curlS was now crop ped
 Give Inc the clothes. Quick"'
 The corporal handed him the bundle, and Maynard lost no time in getting into them.
 "CurYu-al. " said tho colonel. ''let me explain what l am about to do. I know something of the blood that flows ill the vein, uf Caroline Fitz Hugh She will never accept her life at the price intend to pIy tor 1t. She must not know that 1 intend to save her by violating ( trust. Ivy mourning my own downfall or she will not leave her jail. Do you undcr~tand:'
 Il G1, colonel. She would chide mt if she knew I was doing the same, "
 While yOu havo hccn away hay, placed three horses i'll tho wood wonder. .
 Il see. colonel
 Corporal Ratigan. every man ha his own part in life to perform. Tn, distinctive feature i'll mino seems 10 b to dr, i3, quickly between conflictin: duties. a:n going to violate trust, l. perform q sacred obligation If you vii aid mo. follow nc
 Taking up slip of paper lying ol his camp cot, on which he had writer m order the two left the tent. The, were challenged by the sentry on post but giving tho cOuntGrsign proceede, till they were again challenged hy tn guard at the temporary prison. Ther the colonel advanced and gave the coun . tersign and passed into the house.
 The sergeant in charge met them an asked what they wanted. The colont handed him the paper he had brough with him. IL was an order for the pel son of the prisoner The plaoe was onl lighted l'y a candle. and the colonel too care t0 stand with his back to it. Br
  was complete. Corporal Ratigan T, mainctl without the door. on the porcl
 Tho sergeant looked from the paper 1 the man who stood before him inqui ingly,
 This Is very strange. '' he said,
 Maynard made no reply. , Here is Colonel Maynard's order, the sergeant added. reading it ov, = again Do you know what he wan with herr
 Do you suppose don't know aI better than 10 ask questions when z an ordcr:" replied the spurious priva gruftiy.
 The sergeant went into the roo where Miss Fitz Hugh was confined ar led her out, pale and wondering.
 It isn't sunrise. she said in a vol = which it was difficult for her to ket ; from breaking.
 Come, said the colonel She fC lowed him to the porch, and Corpor Ratigan joined them, but it was t sa dark for the prisoner to see who he ws -' and he did not dare to make himse known. As soon as they had got to safe distance he whispered:
 "Darlin!"
 "Ratsr
 - Not word till We get furth }, away"
 They walked on at an ordinary paC