Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1901-05-22

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silently he had ridden away, faithful
70 his friend. He had lain under her
hands wounded by the pistol shot, and
no woman ever hated a helpless, suffer
ing man. AS for his receptions, his
plots, some fearful necessity must have
compelled him. The other woman?
She had been too base for him-she had
been at heart a murderess. She il was
who had dragged him down. And was
he not caring for the child? Frances
would not have admitted it to herself
had she realized it, but in the depths
of that heart she had forgiven Richard
Somers. Her heart was big enough TO
hold him and all his weakness Was
there "a loss of some thing from her ma
ture? Or was there gain?
No message had ever come to her
from Somers, no good or evil report.
None? Yes, just a scrap soon after the
war began. From some one. Brodnar,
probably, since his name was upon il,
she had received northern paper Civ
ing in its war gossip information that
Richard Somers had been reinstatcd in
the army and promoted To be captain
of artillery.
But one day early in the spring of
1862, when the great federal movement
against Richmond was beginning and
when every train was bringing in
bloody harvest she leaned above a
wounded enemy The questi so often
asked. To what command do you be-
| long?' drew forth an answer that
filled her with excitement. She felt
her heart begin to beat madly and her
limbs yielding to a sudden excitement.
Your captain! What is his name ?''
Richard Somcrs, miss" How
strangely thrilling sounded the name
that morning! 1t was the first time
she had heard it spoken since its bear
er had said among the pickering shad-
ows of her room: eff to carry in mem
DRY the living record of one face will
help you, take mine, and with ii, right
or wrong, the love OF Richard Somers."
The scene, never dimmcd in all the
months that had passed. stood forth
again, illumined like some strong pic
ture under the swift magic of the light
ming. The wounded man saw in her
face the glow of its reflection. Tri-
umph shone in her eloquent eyes, a
sudden agitation locked the soft white
hands.
do you know him. miss?''
81? Yes. yes! Is he wells he safe p"
! The man read more than she suspected
and turned his eyes away embarrassed
He was singularly helpless from his
wounds, and she had his face at her
mercy. Her womans instinct dis
cerned his thought; her lips moved
without sound, but her soul was in the
appealing look rivetcd upon him.
II thinll-not," he said. reluctantly,
! at last. I'm fact. | know that he's
wounded
"Dead!-you meant" she gasped in
the struggle to conceal her anguish.
mo, miSS-not exactly that; but bad
! ~ wOunded-very badly. am afraid. 4"
where is he?" She made no effort
! then 10 conceal the truth. She was on
her knees. her eyes close TO his. "In
Gods name, my friend. tell mc--tell
me all! Can't YOU see? cant YOU see ."
She covered her face, unable to con-
! tinuc
Il can only tell YOU what [ know,
miss. He was not dead when saw him
! last. Our guns were in the line when
the charge came. The line was broken
at both tanks, and the yelling confed-
crates were Swarming about us. Every
horse We had was down. when word
came for us to look out for ourselves.
and back we went to escape capture
what was left of us. Well miss. some
body said then that No. , had been
| left loaded doubles hottcd with can
lister; the man at the lanyard had fall
en- dead just as he lifted his hand to
| pun. And so the gun stood. ready to
be turned upon rs. Then Capt. Somers
halted and looked about for some one
t. send back; but / think. miss. he
II ust have seen that the chance was
d 'Spcratc. 1t was only an instant. and
II wouldn't order any man to 90; he
ished forward over the so yards.
reached the gun and seized the cord.
lie was my captain, and couldn't leave
him there. you know. so had followed
him. too. Then up in front an army of
gray seemed to rise a from the ground.
and they fired volley as he pulled on
;he lanyard. | threw myself on my
face and escaped. When | looked up
the crowd ahead was disordercd and
torn. but still coming on; and the cap
tain lay by his gun. ,rawlcd over
and laid ny hand upon him.
Tom he said. cool as / am right
now I'm gone, but if YOU get out take
the papers in my pocket and my watch
to my mother took them rs he told
me. He tainted / think. and was
afraid he was dead, but he breathed
again. And then, miss hadn't tried
lt since ! was bov-hc was lying upon
his face. and rolling over, / lay upon
him. back 10 back. locking my arms
through his. Turning over suddenly [
had him on me dead weight. and then.
somehow. / got up. The whole thing
vas not minute long. The confed-
crates gave me a cheer instead Of vol
ley till the boys rushed back y meet us.
] got IT in both legs then and thi, shout
der. and down We wont Tho no.. Annl.