The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-11-25

my OuCy. 11du 1elC the cave mlSnG
have succeeded, but l did not; l cast
glance at the weeping girl, "threw
up my hands" and revealed the whole
story.
II should not have told you this"
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.
l 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 I might not need to know"
This bit of feminine inconsistency
and ingratitude fell upon 1fe with such
crushing weight that, without reply to
her thrust, got up and went outside,
cursing my folly and vowing that no
woman should ever again extract Sc
cret from me-a VOW l religiously kept
until was besiegcd by the next wom-
an.
PUNK had gone on watch at eight
o'clock, and when l went out from
the warm fire into the cold moonlight
l saw him walking back and forth, oc-
casionally swinging his arms to keep
himself warm. [ selected round root
of tree for pillow, wrapped myself
in my blankets, and tried to sleep. But
the ill-hurnor was in prevented. Added
to the cause which had produced it
was another. had given Margaret my
| blanket, and was covered by one I used
under my saddle. During my rest it
was constantly question whether I
should endure the cold or the odor of
horse.
finally got some sleep, and when
PUNK called me at IL o'clock shook
myself awake and turned out to assume
my watch. The moon, which was just
at the full, stood on the meridian, light
ing up the mountains, the valley, and
the river winding through the hills like
a huge glowworm. have always had
an especial friendliness for the moon.
Tonight it's round face seemed to have
an amused quizzical look on it, as much
as to say: "That's very comical, your
letting her get your secret from you.
But don't worry over it, my boy; if
you had watched IS many men fooling
women as I have, you'd see that the
balance is on the other side"
made up my mind to dismiss Mar
garet and the moonlight from my mind
and try to remember that had duty
to perform. 1 was especially anxious
to keep awake. But l was young. and
the young need plenty of sleep. With
out great care I would drop away in
spite of myself. So walked and swung
my arms and occasionally ran few
yards till I felt tired, then sat down on
the ground and fell to thinking CT The
probable usclcssncss of our expedition.
''Wc have had our fighting and our
watching and our marching all for moth
ing" I muttercd to myself. I was get
ting drowsy. "Wc have had our fight
ing'-thc tree tops kept ustling-"ana
our watching'-a thin cloud sailed
lazily over the moor-"and our march
ing" This was the last word: slum-
Der came before I could repeat an
other.
I dreamed that l was up III tree
clinging to branches tossed by the wind
1 held on till a sudden gust loosencd
my grip, and I was about to fall
when
A hand graspcd my shoulder. Open.
ing my eyes, blinded by the rising sun
1 looked up. There, directly over me
were the stern face and stecl-gray eyes
of the general.
'Do you know the penalty of sleeping
on post?"
was too dazed to reply, but sat star
ing at him, wondering if he had not
come up through the bowels of the
earth.
81 will tell you," he added. "It is
DEATH"
made an effort to rise, but his gri1
was Oh my shoulder and held me down
"Where is your auidc?"
"ln the cave, general"
care you sure?"
'I'll stake my life on it,
lie took his hand away and stalkeG
to the cavern, while / rose as quickly
as my joints, stillencel by cold, woulc
permit. and followed him, entering di
rectly behind him.
Great heaven! Margaret was mo-
there.
"Tool." he muttcrcd, contemptu
ously.
81 left her here" exclaimed. "AIy
God! where could she have gomez"
'GOnc? TO bctray you."
started to give him the lie, but hi.
glance and a movement of his hand t
his sword-hilt told me what the mu
tinous word would cost ME, and re
Trained.
"Where did you come from, general q
"From the plantation"
"What for?"
"What for? Am to explain my act
to my subordinates? We'll, under til,
circumstances I will. TO gain a knowl
edge Of the route over which you would
pass, with view to seeing If it would
be practicable TO bring the men t,
Charleston. II we have the luck tt
catch the enemy S advance trains nortl
and his rear trains south Of the IIiwas
see, we may make dash and burr
the bridge, cutting his force in two
But | have been disappointed in m,
hold on your guide. You have kept tn
secret Of the object Of your expedition
Of course?"
hung my head without reply. Th,
general turned from me with an impa