The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-04-18
CHAPTER K.
A MERITED OPINION.


his enemies attacked, as he expected
them to do, they would not find him
unprepared.
Standing thus, he kept his gaze fixed
upon the point where the fitting form
of a man had shown moment before.
1t was impossible to guess around which
end of the dwelling the second individ-
ual would appear, but the officer was
sure he would hear the stealthy footstep
in time to be ready for him.
Two or three minutes had passed,
when a faint flicker under the trees in
dicated that his foe was moving; but,
instead of approaching the lieutenant,
he began edging toward the farther side
of the grove.
Had he been the only foe to consider
Oakman would have run forward and,
revolver in hand, called him to account,
but there was no saying how many
others were near, and the officer would
have been a poor soldier thus to uncover
himself.
As the man receded he came into
palmer view because of the moonlight,
which was less obstructed, until finally
he walked out from the streaked shad-
ows and began ascending slight rise
lying just beyond. This brought him
into distinct sight, and, with an invol-
untary exclamation of surprise, the lieu
tenant recognized him.
There was no mistaking that Tapping
straw hat, the stopped shoulders and
the shuffling gait. They could belong tc
no one but Pete, the old slave of Gen
eral Eldridge.
$50 it is he who has been playing
the spyl' muttered the lieutenant tc
| himself. 81 know of the confidence
| which these people place in their coloret
servants, but hardly thought it extend
ed to the point of setting one of then
| to watch the action of guest. b"
The negro was plodding in the direc
| ton of his own cabin and walking fastel
than usual, as if his errand was urgent
''He is not going home, but to ap
prise others of my fight. Pete mus
have seen me drop from the window
despite the darkness-shl
In the furry of the moment the off
Ger had forgotten the second person
but another dim Pickering near tn
point where the African had beel
standing apprised him that despite hi
watchfulness this individual had passe
around the end of the house, joine
Pete under the trees and was now steal
ing back again to the front of tn
dwelling.
| Oakman's position was the more ia
vorable, for not only was the side @
the building near the ground complete
ly yelled in shadow, but he kept SO clos
that at every stealthy step his elbo1
brushed the structure. His intentio
was to intercept Captain Trenholm-fo
he was certain it could be no one else
and to force reckoning with him.
Half the intervening distance wa
passed when Oakman paused, fearfr
of going farther lest he should betra
himself. He could make out the figur
that was moving toward the front {
the dwelling unaware that if he col
tinued in direct line he must inevits
bly, reveal himself by crossing a brie
space partly illumined by the moon
rays.
A minute later the form came int
plain sight and was identified by Oal
man, who if astonished when he recos
nized the slave was literally dumfount
ed by the discovery that the person b
fore him instead of being Captain Trel
holm was Miss Eldridge.
The revolver almost dropped from b
grasp and he stared in open mouthe
Rmazement until the young woma
passed from sight, stepped lightly c
d the porch and entered the dwellin.
: ! closing the door after her.
Never for an instant had he dreame
that it could be she whe had met tt
slave under the trees, held whispere
conference with him and then returne
| within doors, where it was not to
supposed her mother or Captain Trel
holm had any knowledge of her extrao
binary conduct.
: But she had come and gone like
phantom of the night, and the quit
witted officer readily solved the meal
ing of it all.
| ''She warned me of my danger befo1
the coming of Captain Trenholm. 81
showed me that my only safety lay
departing at once. The assuring wor'
If that officer may have Gained h
fears for time, but they did not r
move them. She believed it was tt
same with myself. She ordered Pete
bring her horse from his hiding pla'
g. and to watch whether l attempted
l. leave secretly. If I did so, he was
II place the animal at my disposal. -
3 This explanation of what he had SEE
was SC reasonable that the ieutenal
accepted it as the true one, even thous
some of its phases were not Who'll
= reasonable.
Why did not the African go straig
up to the officer, when he saw him dr.
to the ground, and make the situate
clear, instead of affecting all this my
N terry? Doubtless he was acting und
\ the orders of his young mistress. B
v why did she give such strange dire
tions, and why did she herself act
whimsically?
At The answer that Lieutenant Oakmi
IS gave to these puzzling questions cou
s. not have been surpassed in wisdom:
as ''She is woman"
ID But he had put his hand to the plo'
and it was too late to turn back.
had resolved to get out of the nelghbC