The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-03-22
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a dim light showing as fringe to the
fire.
Il think you'd better go to sleep,
said to the girl sit is always well to
save ones strength, and now is chance
for rest -
''And yo1?'
Il don need any sleep. I'll stay at
the window ard watch -
'But you need rest as well as l.
"Why do you bother yourself about
: villainous rebel who is going to be
hanged anyway by his justly angry
king?"
Il wish yen would stop talking that
way"
Her tone was rather plaintlve. Un-
eouhtedly she was tired and worn by
lnxieties, and obeyej her request.
made her wrap her cloak around her,
and, though she declared stoutly that
! she would not go to sleep, merely wish
ing to lean her head against the wall
and rest, her eyelids drooped and fell,
and in two minutes she was asleep
The fire sank lower, eating it's way
along the log until only few inches of
wood were left. The girl slept soundly.
The curve of the chimney into the wall
formed kind of nook, and her head
and shoulders rested easily there like a
picture framed against the rough logs
which were upholstered and not even
smoothly hewn. l trusted that she
would sleep the night through, and as
the fire sank lower and lower and the
darkness crept up to the hearthstone
almost hiding her figure, the stiffness
of midnight came, and could hear her
regular breathing i'll tie dead silence.
went back to tho window. The fire
of the Britial faced it, and | could see
that three Of the men had lain down
and gone to sleep The other two were
sitting up, weapons at hand, and infer
red that they had been detailed as senti-
pels, though their lazy attitudes showed
we'll enough that it was a job they did
not like. For all | could tell at the dis
tance, these men. too, might be asleep
sitting
| watched them for half hour OF
more and grew very tired of the bust
ness The brightness of the moonlight
had eliminated, and the earth lost it's
silver tint, shading into dark, dull
gray. The figures of our besiegers grew
shadowy and shapeless. 1t was time
for sleep, and felt it in all my bones
A trooper doesn t ask much. IT could
have taken my blanket and put myself
down ON a reasonably smooth piece of
turf under the shade of tree, with the
certainty that no enemy would waken
me, it would have been sufficient for
me. would have slept the sleep of the
just Or the tired unjust, which is often
as good
drew the old pine box up to the
window and sat on it, resolved to listen,
now that was tired of looking I won
dered what had become of Old Put, the
man slayer, and tried to discover why !
had been such fool as to distrust him
even for moment.
Thus musing, discovered that the
fire had gone out; that could see moth
ing-in fact, that the room was pitchy
dark. ! opened my eyes, remembering
that all things must be dark to a man
with his eyes shut, and saw again the
Pickering fire and the figure of the girl
half reclining in the chimney corner.
This would never do. | was the whole
army-horse, foot, artillery and baggage
wagons, commander in chief. colonel,
captains and privates-and we could
never go to sleep all at once. under
took to walk briskly around the room in
order to stir my sluggish blood into
watchfulness, but that would wake the
girl, and l did not want to do such a
cruel thing ! stopped in front of her
and looked at her face attentively
Asleep she did not look at all the spit
fire she was awake. Mingled with her
beauty now was a certain wanness, a
something that was pathetic, a look
that appealed to q man for protection
and strength. After all, she was but a
girl, and why should I care for the Bit
ter things she said when probably half
the time she said them she was sorry?
went back to the window and looked
out once more. The besieging army was
taking it's comfort. The part which had
stretched itself on the ground remained
stretched, and the part which watched
sagged more than ever toward the hori-
aontal 1t was q lazy army, that was
evident, and resolved that would set
it an example of superiority
Having made these brave resolutions
sat down on the stool and leaned my
head once more against the wall, not be-
cause l was tired and sleepy but merely
that might reserve my strength for a
crisis, the most necessary thing in the
world for soldier, every man of ex-
perience knowing that an army fights
better if it goes into battle we'll fed,
! we'll clothed and well rested 1t was q
, good argument, that bore extension, and
closed my eyes that they, too might
have rest. for they felt. weary and clog
ged Then, do what would or could,
WEAKNESS and sleep took charge Of me-
Tired muscles rose in open and defiant
rebellion against mind and will The
combat was short and fierce, but matter
triumphed over mind, and in five min.
utes was in the midst of sleep that
was heavenly with rest. unpeopled by
bad dreams, with my head back against
the wall and my breathing long and
regular. Meanwhile the bed of Goals on
the hearth grew smaller and paler. The
rim of fire narrowed. Goals turned from
red to black and then to gray and crum-
bled into ashes The darkness crept up
to the very edge of the hearthstone and
! then invaded it The girl WAS comnlete-