Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-01-31
XIX. CoNrlvr4Ls5

ss.5 XIX. -CoNrlvrII
s Harold Beach had been induced BY q
Y confederate officer much older than
himself to go with him in disguise into
y the union lines at Knoxville for the
purpose of making a drawing Of the
/ defenses. Having completed the work,
the officer shifted the plan from him
self to Harold, both succeeded separ
ately in leaving Knoxville, and Harold,
resuming his uniform, was making his
way southwark when he was taken ill.
Being near home, he sought refuge
with his mother and sisters, reaching
the plantation buta few minutes before
us the day we first met Margaret. The
first knowledge she had of his presence
was seeing his face at the window.
Hearing a searching party coming
up the stairs, Harold escaped through
the trap, climbed down a brick chim-
+ ney, and, lodging between rooms be
low, easily avoided searchers who had
not his intimate knowledge of the
house. That night Margaret per-
suaded Harold to permit her to burn the
plan, which, if discovered on him,
would, prove him spy. She had gone to
the kitchen to put it in the stove when
I caught her.. Learning that the: Of
ficer who had made the drawing was
in the neighborhood. in command of a
confederate force, she eagerly accepted
my proposition Of q parole and at once
went to inform him of her brothers.
and her own peril, an act which did
not directly involve the breaking of her
promise. I interrupted Margaret's
narrative at his point to exclaim:
Maj. Bernal Berante?'' ..
EYES,"
Bernate made magnificent promises
which he never performed. Georgia
conceived the idea of putting on Ear
ODDS uniform and confessing that she
was the real culprit. She Ii. d donned
the uniform and taken down her hair
to cut it Off when I saw her at the WIN
dow. Margaret, entering the room at
the moment, stopped the sacrifice.
Meanwhile the general kept such
strict guard about the house that Har-
old, though his sister watched every
opportunity, was unable to make an
escape. Margaret steadfastly main
tanned her secret, and stood between
him and death. Then followed her
trial, our expedition to the cave, and
the subsequent events. :.
The unraveling of this mystery was
q great relief to me, though I was
obliged to confess to myself that the
danger threatening this unfortunate
family was not a whit lessened by the
newly acquired knowledge. Ihad come
to consult with Margaret; but there was
something in the person of Georgia.
delicate oval face, liquid black eyes,
and above all confiding, hopeful smile
with which she greeted me-that drove
planning out of my head. Margaret
soon perceived that if the object for
which I had come was to be accom-
plished she must withdraw my atten-
ton from her sister. 49, ~
''What do you propose?" she asked.
what do you suggest?" I replied.
With Harold penned up in this house
we can do nothing. Were he safely
away, I might make a clean breast Of
the matter to the general, as I have to
you. But no; it would appear that I
was inventing a story about Harold
that there was no such person, or if
there were, that Twas using him to
bear my BURDEN
"But L"
"Would not be believed either"
"Your mother and sister?''
''Are too near to me; their evidence
would not COUNT -,
''Is there no other?"
Eyes, one, but he could not be
reached Re-.
Maj. Berante?" s.M.
"Maj. Berante." "
''In matter of life and death he
might be brought in under flag of
truce" 49,
! s'To confess that he has been spy?"
Certainly, if protected by the flag"
Margaret thought moment and then
said: ''But all this is useless talk, for
Harold is here and cannot get away"
..Hemust get away!" exclaimed, for
getting caution in my intensity, and
speaking aloud. Margaret clapped her
hand over my mouth, and knew had
blundered. rs. =: IL
We heard the sentry come and stand
by the door, evidently listening. I
seized a hand Of each girl and we stood
mute, waiting, our eyes fixed in terror
on Harold. If the sentry opened the
door, he was lost. The man listened a
few minutes, then stepped to the head
If the stairway. s8s
h Corporal of the guard" he called.
Corporal of the guard!" sounded an
other voice. family, downstairs.
Corporal Of the guard" came
i through the windows from the yard be-
low, like the last of successive echoes.
Margaret whispered to Harold to
60, and motioned to me to follow. But
i, annoyed at. having the interview so
summarily interrupted, especially at
leaving Georgia, and calculating that i
would have few minutes before the
arrival Of the corporal, loitered.
Go, z said Margaret; ''and you, too,
!. Georgia
Eve have made no plans, 3 I protested.
Too late. Go; there is a step on the
gallery below. Z
S She pushed me to the ladder.
~. Harold must escape, whispered,
u s II nscended. |
HE can't moaned Georgia, who
was mounting behind me.
= neverSwas q good hand to unite
knots. I must always cut them. re-.
solved to cut this knot, If in doing SO I.
tied a hangman'ssnoose under my ear.