The Irish standard., 1896-05-02


ss.Iryerre IS ssesaSe 90 diyisi
leftts leaving me alone. And theiir Snsef
5of drawing our oznlaaxi1er rs assiat Mo
would not have Been successfuI, g 81
HID suspected Il md sentA nlusessage Is
him that wanted no help L q I.
It was the truth It was the sol4 puf::
port Of the note he had sent through,
Miss Faulkner. He might not haHedis.
closed it, but so great wassthe strange
domination Of this woman still over him
that he felt compelled to assert his sns
periority. She fixed her eyes upon him.
"And Miss Faulkner took your mes
sage she said, slowly. Don't deny II!
No one else could have passed through
our lines, and you gave her q safe con.
duct through yours. ] Yesl. 4 might
have known it. !, And: this 10 the crea.
ture they sent mo for On ally and co !
fdant!" ,41::5 s: III.
For an instant Brant FELT the sting Of
this enforced contrast between thetwo
women. But; he only said: You forget
that did not know you were the spy,
nor do believe that she suspected you
were my wife" 81. :sss
''Why should she :" she said, almost
fercely. 81 am known among these
people only by the name of Benham---
nv maiden name. Yes! you can take
me out and shoot me under that name,
without disgracing yours. Nobody will
know that the southern spy was the
wife of the northern general. You seeI
have thought even of that"
''And thinking that" said Brant, slow
~, "you have put yourself-1 will not
say in my power-for you are in the
power of any man in this camp, who
may know you, or even hear you speak.
Well-let us understand each other
plainly. I do not know how great a
sacrifice your devotion to your cause
demands of you. I do not know whatit
seems to demand of me. Hear me, then!
I will do my best to protect you and get
you safely away from here; but, failing
that, tell you plainly that I shall blow
out your brains and my own together"
She knew that he would do it. Yet
her eyes suddenly beamed with new
and awakening light; she put back her
hair again and half-raised herself upon
the pillow to gaze at his dark, set face.
"And as shall let no other life but
ours be periled in this affair." he went
on, quietly, land will accompany you
myself, in some disguise, beyond the
lines, we will take the risks together
or the bullets of the sentries that may
save us both all further trouble. An
hour or two more will decide this. I'm
til that time your condition will excuse
you from any disturbance or intru-
sion here. The mulatto woman you
have sometimes personated may be
still in this house; Twill appoint her to
attend you. I suppose you can trust
her, for you must personate her again,
and escape in her clothes, while she
takes your place in this. room as my
prisoner"
"Clarence!"
Heryoicehad. changed suddenly; twas
no longer bitter and stridulous, but low.
and thrilling, as he had heard her call
to him that night in the patio of Robes.
He turned quickly. She was leaning
from her bed-her thin white hands
stretched appealingly toward him.
"Let us 60 together, Clarence" she
said, eagerly. .''Let US leave this hor-
rible place-those vulgar, cruel people,
forever! Come with me! Come with
me to my people, to my own faith, to
nv own house, which shall be yours!..
Come with me to defend it with your
good sword, Clarence, against those vile
invaders with whom you have nothing
in common and who are the dirt under
your feet Yes! Yes! know you!: /
have done you wrong; have lied to you
when spoke against your skill and
power. You are hero--a born leader
Of men! know it! Have not heard
It from the men who have fought
against you, and yet admired and un-
derstood you, aye, better than your
own? Gallant men, Clarence! Soldiers
bred, who did not know what you were
to- me, nor how proud I was of you.
even while hated you! Come with
me! Think what we would do, together,
with one faith, one cause, one ambi-
ton! Think, Clarence, there is no limit
YOU might not attain! We are~no Mig
CARDS of our rewards and hono1's; we
have no hirelings' votes to truckleTto;
we know our friends! Even I, Clarence,
II there was q strange pathos in the
sudden humility that seemed to over
come her--"I have had my reward and
know my power. / have been, sens
abroad, in the confidence of the highest,
to the highest. Don't turn from me. !
am Offering you no bride, Clarence, only
your deserts. Come with mel! Leave
those ours behind and live the hero that
you are!" ~. !.
He turned his blazing eyes upon her.
'If you were mani" he began, pas
eionately, then stopped.
''No! / am woman and must fight
in woman's way" she interrupted,
bitterly. II entreat, implore, I
wheetlle, hatter, fawn, I lie! I creep
where you stand upright, and pass
through doors to which you would not
bow. You wear the blazon Of honor
on your shoulder. I hide mine in a
slaves gown. And yet have worked
and striven and suffered! Listen, Clar-
ence--" her voice again sank to its
appealing minor. Il know what you
men call 'honor'--~which makes you
cling to q merely spoken word and an
IL Xy<1l IA