Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-09-03

ON June %, 177S. Even Colonel Win
throp's leaf-embowered house in the
beautiful valley of the Shrewsbury
was at least 90 degrees warmer than
the comfort Of the occupants de-
manded
Mistress Betty Winthrop, followed
by colorel la1, walked slowly up
through the sm.ubbery. She had been
out on the river in search of stray
breeze. Mistress Betty was the one
thing on the Winthrop place whose
appearance the elevated temperature
did not affect unpleasantly Indeed,
if anything, it served to heighten her
charms, deepening the rose on her
softly rounded cheeks, intensifying
the blue of her eyes and caused the
tendrils of gold-brown hair to curl i'll
closer rings
She was o pretty picture as she sat
in the shade, her white hands claspel
about her knees, and so thought the
shabbily dressed young man who rode
up the long avenue leading from the
high road. He dismounted at the foot
of the piazza steps and, throwing the
bride to boy, stood and looked ir-
resolutely Mt her for moment, then
passed quickly up to the front door
and disappeared into the house.
Betty glanced carelessly at him aud
resumed her reverie, of which so un-
inviting looking person could form
no possible part.
Suddenly the voice of Don Carlos,
her fathers valet. broke up her
dream.
Missy, de cunnel done want yo'. y
who was it that went into the
house awhile ago, Carlos?" she asked,
rising slowly.
81 dunno, missy But hear him
say somethin or mother bout big
battle dat was fot yest'dy up at de
Monmouth cot house"
"What! Where?"
Miss Betty's cheeks were white
enough now.
The colonel awaited his daughter
on the piazza. He was tall, spare
man and walked with limp
Father, is it true what Carlos tells
me? Are you sure there has been a
battle at Monmouth courthouse and
and that many of our mon and
officers are-killed? Oh. father"
Come here. Betty Fie. child;
don't be foolish A soldiers sweet
heart and frightened because, per-
chance, he has had to do little fight
ing. Lucky dog to have strong
right hand with which to strike a
blow for his country, and the colonel
looked ruefully at his own right wrist,
from which the hand had been sew
cred.
"Oh. father, those horrible battles
-" But at glance from her father
she stopped, compressed her lips and
Strengthened her shoulders do you
believe, sir, )" she continued in a calm
voice, yet with a look of intense anx-
iety in her beautiful eyes. "that many
of our men have been killed do you
think"
The colonel patted her cheek reas-
suringly. Don't fret. my love. We
have lost some brave men. fear
though for the brave mau in whose
welfare You are particularly inter
ested fancy he is safe enough. But
gentleman arrived here 30 minutes
ago who saw the whole encounter.
You shall hear from his own lips what
he has already told ME.
The colonel led the way into the
house. Father and daughter paused
at the drawing room door. The man
whom Betty had seen from the lawn
stood in one of the deep windows. His
back was toward them, He still wore
his hat, aud IN beneath its brim a
shock of black hair struggled down
upon his shoulders. One arm was
raised and rested against the window
frame, aud Betty noticed with sur
prise that the loose sleeve of his coarse
gray jacket, which had fallen back nt
the wrist revealed bit of what looked
like military coat sleeve underneath,
Sir" began the colonel, II have
told my daughter ."
At the sound of his voice, the mal
at the window turned hastily.
my father, said Betty aud paused
looking curiously at the slouch hat
which he did not remove, though hi,
hand sought it involuntarily. Some
thing in the strangers eyes was famil
lar, and she proceeded in puzzle,
tone: MY, father tells me that yor
bear tidings of the great battle fought
at Monmouth courthouse. am mos
anxious to hear them; but methinks
could listen with more comfort. sir, i
you would remove your hat
Madam, will, he responded aud
Hinging it off, along with mass o
black hair, revealed the face of Franl
Balfour, lieutenant in Washing on
army and the affianced lover Of Mis-
tress Betty Winthrop,
Frank"
"Betty -
Colonel Winthrop chuckled; "Yo,
see, my love, there is still remnan
of our army left. >
"rhank Cod murmured Betty
whose face was hidden against Bal
four's breast.
"Amen, echoed her lover and the
colonel in a breath
Then the colonel said II wa
right in thinking that you would pre-
fer to hear what this gentleman had t,
tell from his own lips, was / not?r
and without waiting for a reply to thi
evidently needless question, he con
tinued: II mean TO send Carlos on
to watch lest some strsgglers from Tia,
kings troops get wind of your pres
ence here alone and take it into thei
heads to pay us an unexpected visit
We are not far out Of their line o
march, if they are en- route for Sand,
Hook" With a kindly nod 10 til,
young people the colonel left tn
! room.
'To think that should not hay,
known you from the first, Frank" +"