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

on June 80, HTS. Even Colonel Win
throp's leaf-embowered house in the
beautiful valley of the Shrewsbury
was at least 20 degrees warmer han
the comfort of the occupant de-
manded
Mistress Betty Winthrop, follcsfel
by colored lad, walked slowly up
through the shrubbery. 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 in
closer rings.
She was pretty picture as she sat
in the shade, her white hands clasped
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 at her for a moment, then
passed quickly up to the front door
and disappeared into the house.
Betty glanced carelessly at him and
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. "
fWho 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 fo't 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 courtAouse-and
land that many of our men and
officers are-killed? Oh. fatheri''
"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 a strong
right hand with which to strike a
blow for his country" aud 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, J." she continued in calm
voice, yet with look OF intense anx-
iety in her beautiful eyes. ''t6at 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 man in whose
welfare you are particularly inter
ested l fancy he is safe enough. But
a gentleman arrived here 20 minutes
ago who saw the whole encounter.
Yon 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 mau
whom Betty had seen from the lawn
stood in one Of the deep windows. His
back was toward them. He still wore
his hat, and n beneath its brim a
shock of black hair struggled down
upon his shoulders. One arm was
raised and rested against the window
frame, and Betty noticed with sur
prise that the loos sleeve of his coarse
gray jacket, which had fallen back at
the wrist, revealed a 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 man
at the window turned hastily.
my father, said Betty, and paused,
looking curiously at the slouch hat,
which he did not remove, though his
hand sought it inyoluntarily. Some
thing in the strangers eyes was famil-
lar, and she proceeded in puzzled
tone: my father tells me that you
bear tidings OF the great battle fought
at Monmouth courthouse. am most
anxious to hear them; but methinks |
could listen with more comfort, sir, il
you would remove your hat. "
Madam l will, !" he responded and,
dinging it of, along with a mass Of
black hair, revealed the face of Frank
Balfour, lieutenant in Washing on 5
army and the atfianced lover of Mis-
tress Betty Winthrop
Frank
"Betty =
Colonel Winthrop chuckled: "You
see, my love, there is still a remnant
of our army left p"
THANK God' murmured Betty.
whose face was hidden against Bal
four's breast.
"Amen," echoed her lover aud the
colonel in a breath.
Then the colonel said 81 was
right in thinking that you would pre-
fer to hear what this gentleman had to
tell from his own lips, was / not?''
and without waiting for reply to this
evidently needless question, he con-
tinued; II mean to send Carlos out
to watch lest some stragglers from the
kings troops get wind of your pres
enee here alone and take it into their
heads to pay us an unexpected visit
We are not far out of their line Of
march, il they are EN- route for Sandy
Hook" With kindly nod to the
young people the colonel left the
room.
ITO think that l should not have
known you from the first, Frank. 4"