Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-03-19
CHlCKAMAUGA.
By Captain F. A. MITCHELL.
Copyright lsol. by American Press Associa'
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across the Chickamauga creek by way
Of Dyers' bridge. to DO ready early th'
following day to make reconnaissance
beyond tho Pigeon mountains He or
dered an ambulance for his prisoner Il
ride In, since he had no option but Il
take her with him. The distance to b
traversed was but few miles, and oil
though it was nearly sunset before th'
command broke camp IL was barely dari
when the tents were pitched in the new
situation. Luckily house was founc
for the reception Of the prisoner, ant
the headquarters Of the colonel com
manding were established near ii.
AS soon rs Maynard's tent was pitch
ed he went inside and shut himself NJ
from every one The matter of the lif,
in his keeping, his desire to save hi.
| prisoner, the impossibility Of his doins
so except by betraying his trust and con
niving at her escape, We're weighing ter
ribly upon him. A desperate struggle
between his duty rs an officer and hi'
repulsion at carrying out sentence
upon woman which had once beer
passed upon himself was driving him
we'll nigh distracted One thing wa,
certain-he could not save Miss Bagg'
without sacrificing himself He wa'
ready TO sacrifice himself IL he could Dc
so honorably He might even conside,
the matter Of doing that which he hao
So ,,cht - IL b,t u,,ra tho davil ,pny
care days Of his scouting new world
had opened 10 him, which made the
struggle more complicated than 1t would
then have been. He had wife whom
he loved devotedly. and any obloquy ne
might take upon himself must DO shared
by her and his son. He knew that il he
could conceive il TO be his duty, or II
he could make up his mind without the
approval Of his conscience TO connive
at the prisoners escape, he would have
a fair chance Of success. He was charg-
ed with the execution. and this would
give him power over her person. On
the other hand, such aviolation Of trust
was too horrible even for consideration.
and if he did not SO regard Ii the pen
atty he must suffer-disgrace. IL not
death-would well nigh kill his wife
For a long while he revolved these con.
siderations in his mind and at last came
TO decision. He would suffer the tor
ture of carrying out the sentence He
would do his duty to his country. his
wife and his son.
He had scarcely arrived ut this deci-
sion when message came from the
prisoner asking 10 sec him.
The racking Of his whole nature,
which had been partially allayed by his
decision, came back to him with the
summons. He dreaded an interview.
He felt that the resolution no had
formed was Of too little inherent
strength to warrant placing himself
under so great n temptation. But his
memory took him back 10 the Jail in
which he had been confined on the eve
Of his own intended execution at Chat
tanooga, and he thought how no would
have regarded any one who would refuse
him such a request at such time He
got up and walked over to the house
where the prisoner was confined
He paused few moments before en-
tering, in order 10 collect himself, then
walked slowly up the steps. The guard
stood at attention and brought his piece
TO a a"present, bu, Maynard did not see
him. did nos return his salute He open
ed the door. entered the house and in q
few minutes was in room IN which
the prisoner was confined She was
standing by window. As he entered
she turned and stood with her hands
hanging clasped before her, her sorrow
ful eyes fixed steadily upon him.
Colonel Maynard, she said. Il
have sent for you TO ask YOU 10 deliver
my last messages. once met you in
the house Of one who is dear 10 you.
There received shelter from the storm
which ragged without, but which was
nothing 10 me beside another evil that
threatened me. was sore pressed and
in great danger Of capture. The women
in that house-an elderly lady, 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 have treasured
their remembrance and their kindness
to me.
She waited moment for him to ac-
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 in.rust 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 young man in
the uniform of Confederate officer
Maynard looked at it and started back,
with cry. as if pierced with o redhot
iron.
"He-he is"-
'My brother"
"Oh, Godw he staggered to the
wall and leaned against it, shivering.
"You know him. colonel. There is no
necessity for deceit now. / 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:''
ssTbat ba povar told mo
"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-
ton as he now knew it 10 be.
"And you are the sister of Cameron
Fitz Hugh!"
ST am. l am Caroline Fitz Hugh.
"You shalt not die. -
When Colonel Maynard spoke these
words, there was grandeur i'll his tone,
his figure, the lines of his countenance,
the light in his eye, strangely inconsisr-
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 II
it were necessary to take upon himself
far greater ignominy than the death to
which sbe was sentenced. There was 81