Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-10-28


we did not dare trust Mellodew-I |
did not consider rank of any impor-
lance. I therefore divided the watch |
into four hours each, and took the al
ternate watches myself
After supper remained in the cave
for awhile, sitting beside the fire with |
Margaret. There was plenty OF dry
wood which PUNK and had gathered
during the day, and heaped on enough
to make a rousing flame. Indeed, the
place would not have been habitable
without a continuous fire, and it was
arranged between PUNK and myself
that whoever was on watch should keep
il burning. ] had my brierwood pipe,
cut from laurel root during a cam
paign in western Virginia, and, as Mar
garet did not object, L enjoyed COM
Portable smoke. There was splendid
draught. and both the smoke from the
fire and that from the pipe rose readily,
passing out of the natural chimney.
what are we to watch for?' asked
Margaret, suddenly.
'The passage of trains"
al know that. For what further OBJ
jectP"
Il am not permitted TO tell.
MY life depends on our making
discovery. Surely shou. know what
it is"
Il would gladly tell you, but, you see,
the general"
"Would not trust me" she interrupt
| ed, impatiently, A tear glistened in her
eye.
I could never stand woman's tears.
I thrust my hands in my pockets and
strobe back and forth in the cave, vain
ly endeavoring to steel my heart to do
my duty. Had 1 left the cave might
have succeeded, but / did not; L cast
a glance at the weeping girl, threw
up my hands" and revealed the whole
story.
'I should not have told you this I
concluded, but it seems absurd to trust
you so far as to guide us here, and not
trust you with the object of our COM
ing, especially since if the move is made
YOU must see it as well as the rest of us
1 think it very unreasonable of the
general to keep the secret from you"
She did not encourage me in my self
excusing; she was silent.
Don't you?" / asked.
"No; 1 think the general was pru-
dent. There was no use in telling me
what might not need TO know"
/ This bit of feminine inconsistency
} and ingratitude fell upon me with such
crushing weight that, without reply "a
: her thrust, got up and went outside
$ cursing my folly and vowing that nc
woman should ever again extract Sc
cret from me-a vow 1 religiously kept
r until 1 was besieged by the next WON
an.
PUNK had gone on watch at eight
2 o'clock, and when / went out from
: the warm fire into the cold moonlight
: l saw him walking back and forth, oc
D oasionally swinging his arms to keeI
himself warm. / selected a round roo
d of tree for pillow, wrapped myself
in my blankets, and tried to sleep. Blu
n the ill-humor was in prevented. Addet
; to the cause which had produced i
! was another. had given Margaret m,
blanket, and was covered by one 1 uses
: under my saddle. During my rest j
was constantly question whether
d should endure the cold or the odor o
e horse.
e finally got some sleep, and whel
e PUNK called me at - o'clock shool
o myself awake and turned out TO assum
my watch. The moon, which was jus
at the full, stood on the meridian, light
ing up the mountains, the valley. an,
the river winding through the hills Xix
huge glow-worm. 1 have always ha
an especial friendliness for the mooE
Tonight it's round face seemed to has
o an amused quizzical look on it. as niue
as to say: That's very comical, you
); letting her get your secret from yoI
a But don't worry over it, my boy;
lie you had watched as many men foolin
E. women as l have. you'd see that tn
J. balance is on the other side"
ID made up my mind 20 dismiss MAJ
i garet and the moonlight from my min
IS and try to remember that 1 had dut
r 20 perform. / was especially anxioJ
to to keep awake. But / was young, an
the young need plenty of sleep. Will
n out great care / would drop away /
1 spite of myself. So I walked and SWIM
g my arms and occasionally ran a fe
tn yards till felt tired, then sat down Q
o. the ground and fell TO thinking of Il
probable uselessness of our expedition
of I'VE have had our fighting and OF
IN watching and our marching all for not
a ing" muttered to myself. was &c
yn ting drowsy. eve have had our figh
he ing'-the tree tops kept rustlipg-"aI
70 our watching''-a thin cloud sale
as lazily over the moon-"and our marc
he ing" This was the last word; sluI
u Der came before 1 could repeat a
tn other.
on 1 dreamed that 1 was up in TIRE
D. clinging to branches tossed by the win
#. 1 held on till a sudden gust loosen
as my grip, and 1 was about 70 ia
% when
il A hand grasped my shoulder. Ope
-et ing my eyes, blinded by the rising su
NO l looked up. There, directly over II
were the stern face and steel-gray ey
he OF the general
"Do you know the penalty of sleepii
on most 90