Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-11-07
CHAPTER VIII.
A NOTE OF WARNING.

"What my warrant is for my pledgei
Know then, my enemy. that. we have
hidden few things beyond the reach
of the marauders. My favorite pony
has been concealed for mcnths in the
woods, where he can be found only by
Pete. our faithful slave. will have
him brought to the house tonight and
placed at your service; but remember. y
she fastened to add. reading the pro-
test on his lips. al expect you TO return
him TO me II IL be possible when he
shall have served your purpose. Do as
you choose about donning the uniform
of Captain Trenholm.
81 accept your offer. and words fail
me TO express my gratitude. +"
Then oblige me by not hunting for
the words You will need a guide, and
there is che real trouble. she said
thoughtfully, "for there IL no extra
horse for him. Suppose l let Rastns
conduct you for few miles. after which
you must rely upon your own discre-
ton and the assistance Of heaven. "
lyon are the general and / the pri-
vate: therefore il is mine to obey. May
I ask when am TO march
''The sky is clear and the moon at its
full do not know whether that is an
advantage or not You will start while
the night is young unless
She hesitated and resumed nagging
the earth with her parasol.
Unless whst," he asked gently.
at becomes necessary for You TO go
earlier. 1t is growing late. Let us en-
ter the house.
He sighed for there was much he
wished to say. but could il interest her
He rose TO his feet and walked by her
side acroes the lawn 10 the porch in
front Of the mansion. Both were silent.
He was on the point Of making COM
monplace remark when she started
with the exclamation;
"Why. what surprisel'
A tall. bearded man in the faded uni
form Of Confederate captain came
hastily down the steps and. hat in hand.
strobe across the lawn. Catching the
miss in his arms. he warmly embraced
and kissed her. The faces Of both
glowed with delight and for brief
minute they remained oblivious OF the
presence Of the wondering. chsgrined
and-shall IL be said-mentally tortured
Union officer.
Then, recalling her forgetfulness. she
presented Captain Wager Trenholm TO
Lieutenant Ledyard Oakman of the
Union army. The Confederate officer
extended his hand
Happy TO meet you, lieutenant! /
learned few days ago Of your misfor-
tune and also Of your good fortune in
being quartered at the home OF General
Eldridge.
There can be no question OF my
good fortune. A son and brother could
not have been treated with more kind
ness than l.
Which is all q matter Of course,
wherever this family Is concerned. New
ertheless. l have come to inform you
that you are no longer u prisoner.
"How is that. captain
The big. handsome soldier laughed
heartily.
AZ have become 30 accustomed to be-
ing taken prisoner that il is growing
slightly monotonous l fell into the
hands Of party Of your folks the other
day. Through Tim Masters and Jim
Ackers, two Of our scouts, word came TO
your people that You were staying at
the house Of General Eldridge. as
wounded and paroled prisoner. While
il may not have been strictly en- regle,
the situation was 80 peculiar that an
arrangement was made by which was
paroled and set free under the pledge
that l should make the agreement
known to you, and that upon your ar
rival within the Union lines the ex-
change would be completed and We
could both straightway set to work 70
cut each others throat-begging your
pardon. Adele-with our aforetime vigor
and honesty"
That. then. was the simplifed situa-
tion. The exchange, 50 far as Captain
Trenholm was concerned, was complet-
ed. All that remained was for Lieuten-
ant Oakman to get back to his own
lines, which might prove easy or impos-
sible. Usage required that he should be
provided with an escort, but in the gen
eral turmoil and confusion that was
difficult. il not wholly ont Of the ques-
ton.
But the captain in bis breezy way
suggested solution:
81 will give you letter. signed by
myself. certifying that you are Union
officer who has been regularly exchanged
and is therefore entitled to safe conduct
TO your own lines. am sure the pres
entation Of that document to whomso-
ever stops you will be sufficient to clear
the path.
"You are entitled to an escort. add
ed the Confederate, "and II is quite
likely one will be furnished You. Ire
gret that, inasmuch as / have ridden
the last ten miles alone, It is out Of my
power to aid you. but ! am sure you
win find my letter all that is needed in
the way Of Q passport. You will re-
main with Ms few weeks until fully
recovereds"
MANY thanks, captain, but am
now fully recovered.
Miss Eldridge. who was looking into
his countenance, remained silent.
Strange that she did not unite in the
request Of her friend! It would have
made no difference in the decision OF
the lieutenant. but he felt pang Of
disappointment at this evidence Of her
indifference.
But why should she feel otherwise
She was q native Georgian, with her
heart bound up in the triumph Of south
ern independence. The man ut her side
was her hero Their tastes. hopes. as
pirations. prayers. dreams and longings
were the same. The other had been
sheltered at her home; but. all the same,
he was an enemy.
It Is the fashion for the story writer
| to make the wounded Union officer win
the heart Of the fiery southern girl. It
was done many time. but not always
"What warrant had for any such
grotesqne hoper' Lieutenant Oakman
asked himself. But for the coming Of
his rival he would never have confessed
even to himself that he had ever held
| such hope. s'She and her mother felt
pity for me. That's all. This fellow
is an internal sight better looking than
l. He's a Confederate. he gained her