Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-07-01

allow him to escort her to her home.
"Such outrages in time Of war are
difficult always to prevent" he said
"but you risk much by appearing un-
attended on the street. Always your
fatber-your brother"
"Aht" she interrupted, "do you
leave us our fathers and our brothers?
No have been to the hospital car
ing for the poor men who may be
spared to their daughters and their
sisters. As for me, you have already
taken from me my all. "
And she moved quickly away, as if
the conversation were at an end but
the young officer kept pace beside her.
Pardon me, he said, "but you are
too young and too pretty to pass
through Paris unmolested. You hate
me as your foe, but you must let me
guard you to your home, even though
YOU hate me the more"
There is no need" she replied.
81 go every day to the hospital, and
every day at this hour, or very little
earlier, must return. "
A shadow, and then light, swept
over the young mans face.
81 am stationed so near here that,
if you will permit me, every night |
will be your escort, he said.
81 would rather die than accept a
kindness from your hands, or those of
any of your blood" she answered
hotly-"you, who are my dear old
fathers murderers !"
And as she spoke the last words
she paused before a gate, which the
concierge hastily opened for her adj
mission, and which instantly swung to
behind her.
But alone in her room, Marie paused.
Singularly enough, she could recall
every feature of the young officers
face-a face which seemed to her to
realize some dream of manly beauty
the echo of his voice fingered in her
cara voice low, and rich, and musl-
cai--musical even when he had sternly
addressed the soldiers in his own gut
tural tongue.
Her heart was beating high with
fear and excitement, and indignant
anger but mingled with it was a
strange thrill of JOY.
at is because l proved my hate,
she murmured to herself. "Yet he
was kind to me. But for him
She would not continue her thought
to the end. Resolutely she put it
from her.
All the next day she was busy again
among her wounded. Since her IA
theirs death she had gone into the
hospitals.
Sitting, with folded hands, in the
midst of all the misery about her, with
her own wretchedness for mantel food,
she had felt herself upon the verge of
madness, and so had offered her SER
vices, which only too gladly were ac-
cepted, though there had been some
little demur about her youth.
When evening fell she fastened
homeward, but with new dread, new
sinking, until, looking behind her, as
she turned the corner of a street, she
saw, following her, her protector OF the
night before.
Until the gate again closed behind
her. he let but that little distance in
tervene between them.
Hot blood mounted to her face, and
vet an instructive sense of care and
protection mingled with what she
named his presumption.
Every night afterward it was the
same. Earlier or later, as she might
chance to be, he was near her, nor
left her till safe within her own home.
One night he approached her.
"There will be fighting tomorrow,
he said. Il cannot be here to aid you.
You must not go out alone. Promise
me that you will not.
For moment she was almost tempt
ed into forgetfulness that he was a
Prussian. For a moment she was
almost tempted to answer, a promiseI
then she recovered herself, and turned
hotly and Indignantly upon him.
Pass my word to you p she said
ito you, my enemy-the enemy whom
l hate y
"And YOU, nv enemy, are the enc