Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-11-18


mns1Y assif I had y0TIFignrire ccrE cence-
Let me be the judge of what 1 ought
TO do, with full knowledge fsll these
mysteries"
She descended the steps, andsfor. sew
raj minutes / heard, whispers but not
word of what was said; then she came
aclx and told me to raise the trapnoise- /
Il ,ssly aud come down.. j did so, and
Margaret led me TO the window,
through which shono.the moon- and by
it's pale light savE-son either side of B
the easement boy and girl Neither
could have been over II, andS their
features we're cast, in the same X
mould. looked wondering ly from
one to ths,0ther, for IN each perceived
that apparition which had haunted me /
the face at the Window The gSriSvas \
she had seen in confederate uutform I
This is my brother Harold Mar I
4aret Whispered, land this is my sister
Georgia. They are twins. Harold, this \
/ Is Lieut. Halt. We are in his hands |
He may Keep our sessret. or intozm on !
us, as hes chooses"
Georgia's eyes werSeurned on mine
with a deep pleading aSshe said. you
won't betray Harold, will your
I couldSo1ly stand stupidity tongue
tied in presence of her hewitching face.
Margaret did not leavSme long tOsfeast
my eyes en- her sisters beauty taking
me aside to- whisper briefly such ex-
plantations as were necessary. She told
me that Harold and Georgia had both
come to her throughsthe trap, having
gained the roof, HarnId from IN. ,un-
used chimney opening into the room in
which he was hiding~ through
a broken slkylight- Then she gave me
the main points of hsr story nom the
first.
Harold Beach had been induned by 8
confederate. officer much older than
himself to GO with him in disguise into
the union lines at Knoxville for the
purpose of making a drawing of the
| defenses.-, Having completed the work..
the officer shifted the plan from him
self to Harold, both succeeded separ-
ately In leaving Knoxville, and Harold'-
resumincn. his uniform was making his
way southwark when he was taken Ill
. Being near home. he sought refuge
with mother and sisters reaching
| the plantation but asfew minutes before
us the day we first met Margaret. The
|" first knowledge she>had of his presence
! was seeing his face at the window
!. Hearing a searching party coming
= up the stairs, Harold escaped through
the traPs climbed down aslbrirk Chin
:, ney, and, lodging between rooms be
:, low, easily avoided .searchers who hao
J. not his intimate knowledge of the
house.. That night Margaret pen
suadeG Harold to permit her to burn ths
plan, which, IL discovered on him
wouldlprove him q spy. She had gonet'
the kitchen TO put 1t IN the stove vvhel
" I caught her. Learning. that thasof
" ficer who had made tie. drawing wa
in the neighborhood I'M command of !
confederate force sheyeageFly accePte'
"e my proposition sOf n parole and at one
co went TO informs him OF her brother
90, and her own peril, am act which di
nd not directly involve the breaking of he
ng promise interrupted Margaret
ng narrative at lbs point To sxclainI:
-. :, Maj. Bernal Berankag-
Yes"
d Bernate made magnificent prenaAsa
I'VE which he never performed. GeoTg-
ON conceived tue, idea OF putting on, Ha
old,s uniform and cenfessing that 81
was the real .culprits She hadsdonn'
~ the uniform and taken down her. Ia
'n to cut it OF when i saw her at the wi
- dow. Margaret, entering the room
the moment, .stopped the sacTifce-
Meanwhile the general Kept. SUI
Lon strict guard about the housethat Hs
&C. old, though his sister watched eve
80 opportunity. WAS unable to,mske
escape. Margaret steadfastly maj
~ | tanned her. secret, and stood. betwe
- him and DEATH Then folloNed b
a.. trial, our. expedition to the cave, a
the subsequent events.
The uuraveliag of this mystery v
a. great relief to me, though / v
obliged to- confess to myself that
danger. threatening this, uafortun
family. was not whit lesSGned by
newly acquired knowledge. Ihad co
to consult with Margaret, hat there '
something In the person, Of Georgia
delicate oval face, liquid black (,
and above all contiding, hopeful 81
with, which she greeted me-that dr.
planning out of my head. Margs
soon perceived that if the object
which 1 had come was TO be acc
plished she must Withdraw my az
ton from her sisters.
'sWaat do you propose?" she asRe'
2 What do you suggestp'' rePhe
~ with Harold pennsd up in this h'
- we. can do nothing. We're he sa
away, 1 might make a clean hreas
the. matter to tho. general, as ha'
'Ootoa, yon. But no; it would appear ii
WAS inventing a story about Hare
that there was no such person,
VAIN there were, that I was using hil
81" bear my burden"
paea- ssRut T."
"Would mob be believed either"
"Your mother and sister,