The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1898-03-05

Of itself. leaning tenderly over him.
smoothing the hot pillow, while the
agc-veined hand put the cooling draught
70 his lips. And the girls sense eould
actually hear the words of fervent
prayer go up, above the boys fair hair,
amen changed to cheering talk Of sister
soon to come and bring relief.
Quickly, unconsciously, memory's
camera had changed its slide, and in the
Goals before her the picture was of q
gay ballroom of the previous year. 1t
was New Year night, the roads frozen,
and Richmond's best and fairest were
there-her bravest and her tenderest.
To dim nook, stairway half hidden
from the throng, came subdued hum of
distant voices softened music of waltz.
She heard the very notes--low, sweet
and tremulous-and her breathing kept
time to the strain, Lanners "Romanti-
kerr" And to that rhythm there had kept
time eager, earnest, pleading of a
strong, brave voice, tempered by deep
est feeling and resistless truth, as it
told anew "the old, old story"
A SILVER ran through her 1.-THE form,
the shining coils of ruddy hair bent
lower on her breast, as Carolyn Clay
saw the woman in the Goals hesitate
half yield; as she heard her own voice,
scarce protesting, give its solemn pledge
to remember, to cherish those words
always-to wait until the war was over,
but to trust-until the death.
Then groan burst from her CULVER
ing lips. The cheeks that glowed-spite
of captivity and peril spite of watching
sallowed, and the lips, thin-curved by
scorn, pressed tightly on each other,
and cruel light of disdainful hate
CLEANED from the hot gray eyes.
For now memory whispered of that
gray, bitter cleaning at headquarters
when the hints of men became certain
ty. Rumor-coming as the wind comes,
whence no man listeth--crept through
the camps that he-Peyton Fitzhugh,
their pride and boast, though but three
months returned from Europe to serve
his state-had ridden out of the lines
without leave and was heard of no more!
Then-worse than news of capture i
death itself!-that he, flower of Virgin
ian chivalry, had deserted.
OH the shame, the hidden horror OF
it! None dreamed of his plighted love-
of her half-plighted troth; but Carolyn
Clay came of line to whom their own
disapproval was keenest of all reproach
And her heart hardened itself, even as
Pharaoh's of old, against the man who
had betrayed her-worse. himself
worst of all, his country
Nor was room left for doubt Rumors
strange doubts, crept in at first, Their
came stories of 5lisloyal work, with
raiding federals; and, last, Capt. Charl
ton reported that, riding with gay
party from a farmhouse frolic, he him
self had seen the traitor by the fedora
officer who had ambushed them. Charl
ton had fired, in his fight, and saw the
tall deserter reel in his saddle, blood
streaming from his brow, as his Ken
lucky hunter cleared the fence and dis
tanced pursuit. And when this forma
name and date given, the fair, franz
face OF Gen. Stuart had grown black a:
night. Twice he advanced on Charlton
ready to speak. Twice, by supreme eff
fort, he controlled himself, striking his
fist upon the table at last, and thun
dering out;
From this hour, let no man dare tC
breathe the name of Peyton Fitzhugf
in my command! Gentlemen, so in
struct your troops. Remember, this is
not a request, but an order, See that
it is obeyedm
So the grave of oblivion had closed
over the memory of him who had beer
Stuart's chosen soldier, his knight ex
emplar. For Jeb Stuart's word was
law, sealed by the love of his men; ant
for months Peyton Fitzhugh had beer
as dead to his old comrades as though
his body actually festered in the grave
with the stake of superstition driver
through it.
Thus the fair girl sat and thought the
night away, its minutes gliding swiftly
: on, as though her fancies had beer
sweet; the snow falling without, faster
deeper, more silently; the thud of the
ssntry's football less and less distinct
the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. faIIino ;,to cole
fast crroviro mo och p,7+ sho noro'
noved 0rIT az obar,oof,l AZ - fooI
;ng over hor Too+,roe +oll;nn +ba+ sh,
stiIl walked ana tbonobt ana srfrerod
evon villa +ha for+i1o b,.ain for,ro,
blan after nlan for escone eacb n,,;cl