Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-11-24
CHAPTER v.

>ii<hi iiSIN W
In another instant bugles were ring
ing through the camp, with the hurry
ing mass OF mounted officers and the
tramping OF forming men. The house
itself was almost deserted. Although
that single cannon Shot had been Gre
ated TO prove that it was not mere
skirminshing of pickets, Brant still did
no believe I'm any serious attack of the
enemy. His position, as in the previous
engagement, had no strategic impor-
lance to them. They were no doubt
only making a feint against his posi-
ton to conceal some advance upon the
center of the army a mile or two away.
Satisfied that he was In easy support
ing distance of the division command
err, he extended his lines along the idge
ready to fall back in hat direction
while retarding the advance and mask
ing the ven of his chief. He
gave a few orders necessary to the
probable abandonment OF the house.
and then returned to It. Shot and shell
were already dropping in the field be-
low. A thin ridge of blue haze sheathed
the line Of skirmish fire. A small conf
cal white cloud, III a bursting cotton
pod, revealed an opened battery In the
willow-fringed meadow. Yet the pas
toral peacefulness Of the house was un-
changed. h afternoon sun lay softly
on It's deep verandas; the pot pourri in
cense OF fallen rose leaves haunted II
still.
He entered his room through the
French window in the veranda, when
the door leading from the passage was
suddenly hung open, and Miss Faux
ner swept quickly inside, closed the
door behind her and leaned back heay-
lily against it-panting n breathless.
Clarence was startled, and for a mo-
ment shamed. He suddenly realized
tina in the excitement he had entirely
forgotten her n the dangers to which
she might be exposed. She had prob
ably heard the firing, her womanly
fears had been awakened she had come
to him for protection. But as HI turned
toward her with a reassuring smile, he
was shocked to see that her agitation
and pallor were far beyond any phyis-
ical fear. She motioned him desperate
ly to shut the window by which he had
entered, and said with white lips:
Il must speak with you alone"
Certainly. But there is no immedi-
ate danger to you even here-and l can
soon put you beyond the reach of any
possible harm"
Harm me! God! II it were only
that"
nc SldItu III neT uIledSlly.
Listen" she said, gasping, listen
to me! Then hate, despise me--kiIl me
II you will. For you are betrayed and
~ruined-cut off and surrounded! 1t has
been helped on by me, but / swear to
you the blow did not come from my
hand! l would have saved you. God
knows how 1t h~apepned-it was fate!"
In an instant Brant saw its truth In
s~unctively and clearly. But with the
came that wonderful calm
ness and perfect sell -possession which
never yet had failed him in any emer-
gency. With the sound of the ~increas-
ing ~cannonade and It's shifting position
made clearer TO his ears, the view of
his whole threatened position spread
u k a map before his eyes, the
swift calculation Of the time of his
men could hold the ridge, in his mind
even the hurried estimate of the prec-
ious moments he could give to the
wrecked woman before him-all this he
was keenly alive to al he gravely, even
gently, led her to a chair, and said in a
critical and level voice:
This is not enough! Speak slowly,
plainly. ] must know everything. How
n In what way have you betrayed
me?"
She looked at him imploringly-re-
assured. yet awed by his g%entleness.
You won't believe me! You cannot
believe me! But I do not even know: I
have taken n exchanged letters
whose contents I never saw-between
the confederates and a spy who comes
to this house-but who is far away
by this time. / did 1t because I thought
you hated and despised me, because I
thought 1t was my duty to help INV
cause, because you said 1T was war
between us. but have spied on you. I
swear it,"
Then how do you know Of this at
tack?" he said, camly.
She Frightened, half timidly. halls
hopefully. There Is a window In the