Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-23

situation. Luckily q house was found for the reception of the prisoner, and the headquarters of the colonel com. manding were established near it.
 As soon as Maynard's tent was pitch ed he went inside and shut himself ur from every one. The matter of the life in his keeping, his desire to save his prisoner, the impossibility of his doing so except by betraying his trust and con niying at her escape, were weighing ter ribly upon him. A desperate struggle between his duty as an officer and his repulsion at carrying out a sentence npon a woman which had once been passed upon himself was driving him well nigh distracted. One thing was certain-he could not save Miss Bags without sacrificing himself. He was ready to sacrifice himself if he could dc so hOnorably. He might even consider the matter of doing that which he haG no right to do, but since the devil may care days of his scouting a Few world had opened to him, which made the struggle more complicated than it would then have been He had wife whom he loved devotedly. and any obloquy he might take upon himself must be shared by her and his son. He knew that if he could conceive it to be his duty, or ii he could make up his mind without the approval of his conscience to connive at the prisoner escape, he would have fair chance of success. He was charg ed with the execution, and this would give him power over her person. Or the other hand, such violation of trust was too horrible even for consideration, and if he did not so regard it the pen alty he must suffer-disgrace, if not death-would we'll nigh kill his wife. For long while he revolved these con alterations in his mind and at last came to a decision. He would suffer the tor ture of carrying out the sentence. Ht would do his duty to his country, his wife and his Sun.
 He had scarcely arrived at this deci sion when a message came from tn, prisoner asking 10 see him.
 The racking of his whole nature, ! which had been partially allayed by hi, | decision, came hack to him with tn, ii summons. He dreaded an interview 1 He felt that tho resolution he haC < formed Was of too little inherrn 1 strength to warrant placing himself under so great temptation. But hi memory took him back to the jail il l which he had been confined on the evt ] of his own intended execution at Chat tanooga, and he thought how ho would l have regarded any one who wnld refus, him such a request at such time. H' got up and walked over to the houst where the prisoner was confir5ed He paused q few moments before en tering, in order To collect himself, theI walked slowly up the steps. The guarC stood at attention and brought his piec to present, " but Maynard did not se him, did not return his salute. He open ed the door, entered the house and in ] flow minutes was i'll room in whicl the prisoner was confined. She wa standing by window As he cntere, she turned and stood with her hand hanging ClaSped before her, her sorrow full eyes fixed steadily upon him.
 "Colonrl Maynard, she said, '' have sent for you to ask you to delive my last messages. l once met you il the house of one who Is dear to you There 1 received shelter from the storn which ragged without, but which wa nothing tu me beside another evil tha threatened me. 1 was sore pressed an i'll great danger of capture The womel in that huu>,-an elderly lady, youn girl who visited theTc and your wife took me in at a great risk to them selves Your wiGo certainly had muc at stake. for your honor might be ill volvcd. l have Stclt for you now to as | you to say to them that I havc treasure their rcmcmbrancn and their kintlneS to me.
 She waited moment for him to aC cept the trust. She might have waite till the crack of doom without reply He had no power to utter word H simply bowed.
 II desire also to intrust this keepsak to you, to bo sent to my brother. - She took lnckct from about her nee and hell it up before him, On it wa painted miniature of young man i the uniform of Confederate officer Maynard looked at it and started bacl with a cry, as if pierced with a redhC iron.
 "He-he is''-
 My brother.
 "Oh, God!" Ho staggered to tl wall and leaned against it, shivoring. You know him, colonel. There is Il
 necessity for deceit now. 1 have lon known tho singular circumstances thi
 surround you and him-that you bot loved the same woman; that you won. And that twioe-twice h0 gave N my ife:''
 : That he never told me"
 "Ah, he never told you that:" replie Maynard, kind of wOnde. in his tone When at Mrs. Pains plantation, discovered under whose roof was she tered Your wife had never seen Ill and l determined that it would be be for all that l should not make myse
 known.
 Maynard stood ill amazement at the:
 developments, ill horror at the situi
 tion as he now knew it to be.
 And you are the sister of Camero
 Fitz Hugh:"
 II am. l am Caroline Fitz Hugh .
 You shall not die '
 When Colonel Maynard spoke the,
 words, there was a grandeur in his ton
 his figure, the lines of his countenanc
 the light i'll his eye, strangely inconsis
 ent with a resolution he had made u
 moment before they were uttered. |
 had on the instant reversed his decisiC
 made not ten minutes before to do h
 duty, in the ordinary acceptance
 what that duty was. He had determine
 to save the woman before him, even it were necessary to take upon himse II far greater ignomimy than the death which she was sentenced. There was { lence between them. during which Mi ,, Fitz Hugh stood looking at him in a u miration. mingled with inquiry. S v knew that some secret charm was