The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-01-23
AnUnreCOrled Battle

plantation.
1t was at the beginning of the civil
war, and the girl was eagerly discussing
the burning question of the hour. Her
companion, however, took so little inter
est that she looked at him inquiringly.
"Surely, Rodney, You intend to enlist?'
''To enlist!' he echoed duly Nv by,
Muriel, darling, do not feel as you do.
Besides, the sight of blood sickens me
how could fight. and how could-l leave
youT'
''In Short" interrupted Muriel sharply.
you are u coward. Il traitor to the south.
"a coward" she repeated scornfuily. Il
could never love coward"
Have a carer' cried the man in
strange, choked voice. "Do not repeat
that word. If you were a man. would
kill you!" Murie shrank back. appalled,
at the storm she had raised in her lovers
breast. He turned quickly away. but
paused to open the door. "Goodby. Mu-
riel," he said brokenly, all the ierceness
gone from his voice. II will enlist to-
morrow.
She sprang after him. a new light
| shining in her dark eyes, and ere the
perfumed curtain of vines had fallen
from his hand she had thrown her arms
about his neck in d perfect abandon of
/ love and pride.
| When he left her to make his prepara-
| tions for joining the army. he carried
with him her proUise to marry him as
| soon as the war vas over. And that
will not be long. dear Rodney" Muriel
| said hopefully, for the Confederacy will
soon be established and then-we will
never rore be parted. And should you
never come back. | will be your widow
/ lx heyxst yuif
| will remain so until t11eath unites my
spirit to yours"
| These assurances should have satisfied
| Rodney. and did for awhile. But when
he learned that Maurice Hardcastle, Mu-
riers cousin, who had been an unsuccess-
| full suitor for her hand and had gone into
the army at the. first cal1; had returned
home severely wounded, his jealous fears
| awoke. Muriel would help to nurse him;
her soft fingers would dress his wound;
she would pity him, and he would have
the best of opportunities of renewing his
suit. Rodney told himself that he trust
ed Muriel implicitly. and yet the thought
of her companionship with Maurice
haunted him day and night and made his
life burden.
The day of his first battle arrived.
Rodney was sickened by the wholesale
slaughter in the midst of which he was
now plunged. At first he turned faint
and could scarcely keep his seat on the
horse, for there was blood, blood every
where. Great streams of it began to flow
for the fight was fierce and hard push
ed-glowing viyidly red where the sun
shone upon it or creeping in a dark,
mysterious line where the thick foliage
of the trees cast a deep shadow over it
But though there was great carnage that
day, and Rodney Fordyce was constant
ly in the thick of the fight, he came out
of the battle unhurt.
| And yet he had courted the bullets OF
the enemy and longed for thrust OF q
bayonet-not that he longed to die, ol
even thought it possible that he could
be killed; but if he were wounded he
| might be sent home for Muriel to nurse
| But the battle was over, and he had
come out of it unscathed. That night
Rodney, in company. with one Altar
| Winslow, started out to deliver impor
tant dispatches to camp some miles
away. They were nearing narrow pas:
overhung by frowning cliffs when Wins
low, who knew the country well, said:
"There may be spies on the cliffs who
could pick US off as easily as dog kill:
a lamb" As he spoke his saddle turned
girth.
"Ride on, Fordyce," he said, "and II
catch up directly. Keep a sharp look
+ out"
Suddenly Rodney felt that his oppor
!. tunity had come. His companion hat
said it was probable that spies were
lurking on the cliffs, ready to shoot them
Could he not, before he Joined him, il fiic
a wound on himself which would max,
his arm useless and the truth never b,
discovered?
Remember, you who read this story
that this man was not in normal condi
ton; he was terribly unnerved by th'
days fighting and the fear of losing TIL
woman he adored had warped his bette
Judgment. A devil was before hin
tempting and alluring him with enticin'
visions. He fought against this evi
power, but the struggles grew weaker
He glanced back. Winslow was still
working at his saddle, and he was, to al
intent. alone He swiftly drew a re
volver from his pocket and, holding ou
his arm, took aim. His finger closed o.
the trigger. In another second the bulle
would have been suddenly imbedded il
his flesh. But suddenly the arm droppe'
| by his side, there was a whir, and th
revolver, flashing in the bright sunlight
went flying through the air and fell in
wilderness of underground beyond tn
;. pass.
At the moment when Rodney's finger
were ready to press the trigger he hear
the voice of Muriel as distinctly as if
were close to his ear. Her proud, youn
| voice rang out blotting out time an
distance-"1 could never love a coward.
Then Rodney realized that he had bee
saved as by a miracle from becoming
creature worthy of the scorn of he
whom he loved above all others.
Brief had been the conflict, but the vic
tory was great. Cowardico dropped, lik
discarded mantle, from the soul of thi
young soldier; ignoble jealousy fed hi
q mind. and q tender trust supplanted il
and he rode out of the pass determine
that nothing should ever tempt him |
barter away his manhood.
Often in after years, when seated a
their own freside Rodney Fordyc
e would relate tales of battles in which II
had taken part to his wife Muriel. Bu
Of the battle fought thai memorable ~
in his own breast he has never spoker
- That victory marked the turning poin
in his life and made him the brave
courageous man he has ever since prove
himself to be.-Chicago News.
Flunk-That man Fluster has wol