Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-11-14
N EDEBA1AAEA AW.
By EDWARD & ELLA
lcoDyrish. iss. b. The AusAee.l
CHAPTER K.
A NrRIrKp OPINION.

L
and held his position beneath the win
dow. close to the side Of the house II
bis enemies attacked. as he expected
them to do, they would not And him
unprepared.
Standing thus, he kept his gaze hxed
upon the point where the fitting form
Of man had shown moment before
1t was impossible to guess around which
end Of the dwelling the second individ-
ual would appear. but the officer was
sure he would hear the stealthy footstep
in time to be ready for him.
Two or three minutes had passed,
when faint flicker under the trees in
dicated that his foe was moving; but.
instead Of approaching the lieutenant.
be began edging toward the farther side
Of the grove.
Had he been the only foe to consider
Oakman would have run forward and.
revolver in hand. called him 10 account.
but there was no. saying how many
others were near. and the officer would
have been q poor soldier thus to uncover
himself
As the man receded he came into
palmer view because of the moonlight,
which was less obstructed. until finally
he walked out from the streaked shad-
ows and began ascending slight rise
lying just beyond. This brought him
into distinct sight. and. with an invol-
untary exclamation Of surprise, the lieu
tenant recognized him.
There was no mistaking that tapping
straw hat, the stooped shoulders and
the shutting gait They could belong to
no one hut Pete, the old slave Of Gen
eral Eldridge.
$50 IL il he who has been playing
the spyr' muttered the lieutenant to
himself IL know Of the confidence
which these people place In their cclored
servants. but hardly thought IL extend.
ed TO the point Of setting one Of them
10 watch the action Of guest.
The negro was ploSlding in the direc-
tion Of his own cabin and walking faster
than usual. as II his errand was urgent.
"He is not going home, but to ap-
prise others Of my flight Pete must
have seen me drop from the window
despite the darkness-shl"
In the furry OF the moment the offi-
Ger had forgotten the second person.
but another dim fiickering near the
point where the African had been
standing apprised him that despite his
wa,chfulness this individual had passed
around the end Of the house. joined
Pete under the trees and was now steal
ing back again to the front of the
dwelling.
Oakman's position was the more IA
vorable for not only was the side OF
the building near the ground complete
" yelled in shadow. but he kept 10 close
tha, at every stealthy step his elbow
brushed the structure. His intention
was to intercept Captain Trenholm-for
be was certain it could be no one else
and to force reckoning with him.
Half the intervening distance was
passed when Oakman paused. fearful
Of going farther lest he should betray
himself He could make out the figure
that was moving toward the front OF
the dwelling unaware that il he con-
tinued in direct line he must inevita-
bly, reveal himself by crossing a brief
space partly illumined by the moons
rays.
A minute later the form came into
plain sight and was identified By Oak
man, who il astonished when he recog-
nized the slave was literally dumfound-
ed by the discovery that the person be-
fore him instead Of being Captain Tren-
holm was Miss Eldridge.
The revolver almost dropped from his
grasp and he stared in open mouthed
amazement until the young woman
passed from sight, stepped lightly on
the porch and entered the dwelling.
closing the door after her.
Never for an instant had he dreamed
that il could be she who had met the
slave under the trees, held whispered
conference with him and then returned
within doors, where it was not TO be
supposed her mother or Captain Tren-
holm had any knowledge Of her extraor-
dinary conduct
But she had come and gone Nike q
phantom Of the night, and the quick
witted officer readily solved the mean
ing of II all
"She warned me Of my danger before
the coming of Captain Trenholm. She
showed me that my only safety lay in
departing at once. The assuring words
Of that officer may have calmed her
fears for time. but they did not re-
move them. She believed it was the
same with myself. She ordered Pete to
bring her horse from his hiding place
and to watch whether / attempted to
leave secretly. II I did 50, he was TO
place the animal at my disposal. "
This explanation Of what he had seen
was SO reasonable that the lieutenant
accepted il as the true one, even though
some Of Its phases were not wholly
reasonable.
Why did not the African go straight
MP TO the officer, when he saw him drop
to the ground. and make the situation
clear. instead Of affecting all this mys-
terys Doubtless he was acting under
the orders Of his young mistress But
why did she give such strange direc-
tions, and why did she herself act 80
whimsicallyf
The answer that Lieutenant Oakman
gave to these puxzling questions could
not have been surpassed In wisdom;
"She is q woman"
But he had put his hand to the plow,
and il was too late to turn back. He
had resolved to get ont Of the neighbor-
hood without delay. and. valuable as q
feet horse would have been 10 him.
nothing could have induced him to ac-
cept the favor at the hands Of Miss FL
| bridge.
Passing forward among the trees. he
made wide circuit beyond and finally
vaulted the low fence into the highway.
over a portion Of which he had ridden.
when he left General Sherman's army
to enter upon the most memorable ex-
perience Of his life.
He was now In the vivid moonlight.
Looking up at the sky. he saw that the
ragged, fieecy clouds had drifted past
and the orb was swimming through the
clear space, with its rays free and un-
obstructed. as they promised to be for
several hours to come The stiffness re-
mained as impressive as before. Not .
twinkle Of light cleaned in any dirsc-