Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-17

Jack spoke the word In her quic
way. posing her head on one side I
listen. She had heard low whistle
| In another moment 1t was repeated
| seeming to come from below, where W
had built our bonfire. A figure was ad
vancing through the gloom, holdin
aloft a white handkerchief. jumpe,
from the rampant and ran down L
meet this flag" which l soon saw wa
borne by Captain Ringold.
what do you want!"
Don't let your women come into on
camp again. Jaycox Is back. and h
and Halliday have got the upper hand
I'm powerless."
"Will your men let the women 60 l.
give myself upT'
mo; stay with them to the last"
zone word more"
There's no time. l have stoleI
away, and IL ! am missed and til
known where have been III be dea(
man"
He was gone before the last wore
was spoken. returned to the fortress
What is lt?' cried Jack eXpectantly
'He has lost the power to protect
you. He advises me to stay with yor
to the last"
"Will your
Yes" l replied, with a sigh.
THANK Godw exclaimed Helen.
Another night of horror; rising sun
flooding the face of the rocks and our
wan faces with ruddy glow. A more
wretched lot of beings could not be
found among castaways at sea. We
had not slept during the night, for
whatever of rest had come to any of us
had been rather stupor than sleep. Our
cheeks were sunken; our eyes. deep in
their sockets. were turned toward the
red orb of day. which to our fevered
imaginations seemed to be advancing
to strike the final blow.
A great change had come over us
during the night. Jack alternated be-
tween bursts of passion and n devil
may care spirit sprinkled with humor-
Gus sallies between tears and smiles,
which served to tighten momentarily
the gloom for the others. but only rem
dered me more wretched: Buck craved
food more than all the rest and after
few vain efforts to appear unconcerned
took on ghastly look that cut me to
the heart: Ginger spent great deal of
his time In prayer; Helen seemed calm,
yet noticed a strange look in her eye.
Up to this terrible morning she had
been the mainstay of the party. I'm
der the strain that smolder!ng fire
which burned within her fared omi-
nously. Turning to me, she asked
harshly:
"Are you Confederate or are you a
Yankee?"
what matters 1t now"
81 came TO save you. understanding
you to be q Confederate"
Would you abandon me now IL you
knew me to be a Union manT'
She turned away. and l saw that she
was weeping. put my arm about her
and drew her head down on my breast.
There she wept long and silently.
Whether she was unconscious of what
she did or whether her sufferings made
her careless l did not know. but as l
felt her heart beating against mine |
was conscious of the birth Of new
love.
AS the sun rose higher It beat down
upon us with all the eneryating heat of
an unreasonable day. The water drip
ping back of US alone sustained and
refreshed us. One by one we would go
10 the cleft and. standing under the
cooling drops. receive them in our
mouths. We envied the birds the food
hey bore to their nests and the free
ION of those soaring far above in the
imitless ocean of air. Why could we
lot be given wings to fly from our
'ocky prison? The wrecked are prone
o dwell on Authorizations. So to US
anne sounds denoting the approach of
escuers. One would hear the tramp of
Lrmed men. Another would see the
white covers of a wagon train. All day
We were tortured by these fancies till
t last ceased to pay any attention to
hem.
81 hear horses hoofs." said Buck.
"Oh. no, you don't, Buck" said, lay
ng my hand on his head.
"I tell yo do"
Listen" said Helen.
We all listened, but SO far as / was
oncerned there was no unusual sound.
Il hear them. too" said Jack.
1t was singular that these two should
gree. looked anxiously at Helen.
~ hearing was not especially acute.
{ Helen had heard. / might have
bought there was something to hear.
he listened a long while, but no sound !
an1a 70 her