The record-union., 1899-06-11

rudely, and approached their new vic
tim. He was unbound and allowed to
see the sunlight. As far as he could
look in every direction was heavy
growth Of Southern pine, their tops
waving in mournfui music, sounding
like dirge to all his hopes.
Now, we'uns II jest talk business te
yuh uns fer while. Eff yer doc jest
ez we'uns advise yer'll be ready, in a
| mighty sort time, ter furnish cannon
feed fer Their rebs. Eff yuh'uns got as
much as $500 in gold-in gold, mind
We'll blind yer eyes an let yuh be led
outern this air tract-quite a sib' BILE
piece, tew-or eff yuh'uns hezn't got
ther cash We'll see that Their kunnel O.
yuh'uns regiment knows yuh' uns sit
ooation. Or, theirs other ways. Least
ways it centrally happens So We kahn
get word to yuh'uns reltives UP North.
We kahn fix 1t SOS ter get 'em word
'ithout bein' too nigh 'quainted. Mil
| irity breeds contempt, yuh'uns knows,
an thet's sut'nly true in our biznes'
But eff this amt done we'uns IL callate
to mex yuh'uns mighty anxious ter
dispense 18th we'uns hospitality.
We'uns don't set up ter keep no poplar
tavern"
Il can only answer" Lieutenant Pear
main replied, that I have no desire to
avail myself of any of these proposals.
Any further conversation on that topic
would be wasted
well, yuh'uns hez taken rather an
unusual WOO O. the matter fer a start
off. We hev a few methods We'll try on
yuh. Then all callate you'uns sing a
leetle lower note"
Had this proposal been made before
the breakfast it is probable it would
have been accepted. But new interest
had come into coEsideration-the help
less situation of a woman upon whom
he had not yet fixed his Eyes. It might
have been the innate chivalry of the
man; it might have been love- The
young trooper did not know himself for
that matter
The girl was Angelina Gordon, only
daughter of Colonel Gordon, Virginia
planter, who had left his estate in the
hands of an overseer and entered the
ranks Of the Confederacy He had not
ben absent month before the place
was raided, as he supposed by Federal
troops, and his daughter was taken a
captive. He had duly received the de-
mand of $1,000 for her ransom, and had
no means of judging whether SIZE was
in the hands of Southern or Northern
'bummers.'' But it would have been
impossible for him to have obtained
much smaller sum. All he had in the
world, except his acres, had been de-
stroyed. There was not bale Of cot
ton on the place.
His Indebtedness was supreme.
T 4 mt
tured the father was vainly endeavor-
ing to secure the needed funds. But it
was we'll night impossible, for the little
money there was to spare was devoted
to the cause Of the Confederacy, which
was pre- eminent.
The door Of the hut in which the DIES
peradoes made their home had been
open when the above conversation be-
tween Lieutenant Pearmain and his
captors took place Much as she
despised the people of the North, indi-
vidually and collectively, she listened
to his clearly spoken words, and in
spite of herself felt an emotion of adj
miration rising within her. Something
in the mans voice gave her the first
CLEAN of hope since she had been
brought to the place. Could 1t be, she
thought, that he remains here for my
sake? But she dismissed the idea from
her mind. That would be sacrifice Of
self, of which she believed the North
erners to be incapable
"We'uns II not bind yer fer ther
present, my Yankee rooster" the chief
said, addressing Pearmain. EFF yer
should start ter run likely enough
som'un on US would put a ball inter
yer; an eff we'uns didn't feel like ex-
ertin' ourseps so much as tibet, yuh uns
could never find yer way outern this
forest. All jest thought Aid tell yer
ter save. yer from any extra trouble
We'uns allus keeps gyard here when
we co.
The first few days Lieutenant Pear
main kept himself some distance from
the house, making plan after plan for
escape, none of which appeared FEAST
BILE He had made no overtures toward
an acquaintance with his fellow-cap-
tive, nor had any advances been made
by her But in none of his many plans
was she omitted His fine white charger
was looked upon as a great addition to
the troop, and she was often taken on
their trips of might marauding. Occa-
sionally, however, when she had been
overdriven she was kept at home When
she saw him she neighed piteously for
his caresses. but he carefully avoided
any interest in anything, for fear he
would excite suspicion.
AS the days passed and he made no
movement toward securing his escape,
his captors became more disagreeable
and he felt he must soon be subjected
to greater torture. although he could
conceive of no greater trial than to be
the daily witness Of the degrading
treatment to which Angeline Gordon
was subjected.
Gradually her rare, uncommonly
beautiful face grew upon him until he
felt that he would rather die than leave
her to her merciless fate. He did not
know then that he was learning to
love her.
She bore up under the strain of daily
insult and abuse wonderfully. It only
seemed to deepen the strong, regular
lines of her face and to increase the
pure, spiritual radiance which gave it
light and fascination Her FURNISHED,
waving hair, with its careless ringlets,
and her deep violet eyes set in her pale,
oval face were picture that was never
absent from his mind, them and for
many weary months afterward.
When he had been searched the little
red book had been read and contempt
uously returned to him, as it contained
nothing OF value. On many occasions,
when unobserved, he found time to
make notes in the book.
A few weeks passed. Lieutenant
Pearmain's captors became impatient
and he had as yet found no opportunity