The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-12-18

prisoners dare not reveal what they
knew of her, and it was with grim
triumph that he thought of composing
Ler escape without their aid. Nothing
of this, however, was visible in his
face, which the younger man watched
with kind of boyish curiosity, while
Col. Lagrange regarded the ceiling with
a politely-repressed yawn. Il regret"
concluded Brant, as he summoned the
officer of the guard, "that 1 shall have
to deprive you of each others COMPANY
during the time that you are here-bur
I shall see that you, separately, want
for nothing in your confinement"
eff this is with a view to separate in
terrogatory, general, can retire now"
said Lagrange, rising with ironicaI po-
likeness.
81 believe I have all the information
I require" returned Brant, with undis-
turbed comPosure. Giving the neces-
sary orders to his subaltern, he ac-
knowledged with equal calm the formal
salutes of the two prisoners as they
were led away and returned quickly to
his bedroom above. He paused instinct
lively for a moment before the closed
door and listened. There was no sound
from within. He unlocked the door and
opened it.
So quiet was the interior that for an
instant. without glancing at the bed.
he cast a quick look at the window,
which, till then, he had forgotten, and
which be remembered gave egress upon
theveranda roof. But it was still closed,
and as he approached the bed he saw his
| wife still lying there in the attitude in
| which he had left her. But her eyes
were ringed and slightly filmed, as if
| with recent tears.
1t was, perhaps, this circumstance
| that softened his voice, still harsh with
! command, as he said:
'Isupposeyou know those two men?"
Eyes"
"And that I have put it out of their
| power to help you?"
81 do
| There was something SO strangely
submissive in her voice that he again
looked suspiciously at her. But he was
shocked to see that she was quite pale
now, and that the fire had gone out OF
her dark eyes.
"Then I may tell you my own-and
|
we must find this mulatto woman who
has acted as your double"
'She is here
| "Here?"
yes"
| "How do you know it?" he asked, In
| quick suspicion. =.
''She was not to leave this place until
| she knew 1 was safe within our lines
L have some friends who are faithful to
me-" After a pause she added: -.She
has been already"
He looked at her, startled. 'Impos-
| sible-I-"
You locked the door. Yes, but she
has second key. And even if she had
not there is another entrance from that
closet You do not know this house;
you have been here two weeks; Ispent
two years of my life, as a girl, in this
room"
An indescribable sensation came over
him; he remembered how he had felt
when he first occupied it; this was fol-
lowed by a keen sense of shame on re-
f1ecting that he had been, ever since,
but helpless puppet in the power of
his enemies, and that she could have
escaped if she would, even now.
Perhaps" he said, grimly, you have
already arranged your plans"
She looked at him with a singular re-
proachfulness even in her submission.
Il have only told her to be ready to
change clothes with me and help me
color my face and hands at the time
appointed. l have left the rest to you"
Then this is my plan. 1 have changed
only a detail. You and she must both
leave this house at the same time, by
different exits, and one of them must be
private-and unknown to my men. Do
you know of such a one?''
Yes" she said, beside the negro
quarter"
Good" he replied. THAT will be
your way out. She will leave here pub
licly, through the quarters, armed with
n pass from me. She will be over
hauled and challenged by the first SEN
try, near the guard house, below the
wall. She will be subjected to some de-
lay and scrutiny, which she will, how
ever, be able to pass better than you
would This will create the momentary
diversion that we require. In the mean
time, You will have left the house by
the wing. and you will then keep in the
shadow of the hedge until you can drop
down along the run, where it empties
into the swamp. That" he continued,
fixing his keen eyes upon her, lis the
weak point in the position of this place,
that is neither overlooked nor defended.
But, perhaps" he added again, grimly,
you already know it?''
1T is the marsh where the flowers
grow, near the path where you met
Miss Faulkner. I had crossed the
marsh to give her a letter." she said.
slowly.
A bitter smile came over Brant's face,
but passed as quickly.
Enough" he said, quietly, 81 will
meet you beside the run and cross the
marsh with you until you are within
hailing distance of your lines. 1 will
be in plain clothes, Alice" he went on,
slowly, ''for it will not be the COM
mander Of this force who accompanies
you, but your husband, and, without
disgracing his uniform, he will at least
be your equal, for the instant he passes
his own lines, in disguise, he will be-
come like you. spy. and amenable to
it's penalties"
Her eyes seemed suddenly to leap up
to his with that strange look of awaken