Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-04-13

to think he was fast asleep. thc ugh IN
reality he was wide awake lie was
dressed in the uniform of a captain IN
the British army | set him down as q
partisan chief On small scale He had
five comrades, cast in the same mold al
himself. all dressed in British soldiers
uniforms and rather wild Of look
They bound me securely and set me
with my back TO the log and my face to
the fire, much IN the position that had
occupied while the girl was singing
Confound her for lulling away my eau
ton and suspicious i'll such manners
had no doubt now that she had seen the
red uniforms Of the BRUSH when first
went into the wood TO search for the
cause of the noise | was fool to let
my distrust OF her decrease for mo-
ment
That was complete Job, Miss How
ard, said the leader, well done by ev-
erybody, and your part is the best done
of all =
lyon have rescued me from the
hands of rebel, Captain Crowder, she
replied land am back with my own
people, for both Of which thank you.
| thought il was time for me to say
something.
1T is true you have trapped me be-
tween you, Captain Crowder. for so
hear the lady call you" said, "but l
wouldn' exult, because the next chance
might be mine, and it would hurt your
feelings for me to pay you back. "
II don't know about any next chance
for you, /" he said, because here in the
south we generally hang rebels"
did not reply to his threat, thinking
that | had said enough. and turned my
head away. My glance fell now upon
Old Put. His eyes were full of reproach
to me- The told you SO expression was
there, and the am sorry for you and
myself expression was mingled with it.
81 will never lose faith in you again,
best of all comrades" | signaled back.
Captain Crowder, having seized me,
also seized my camp evidently with the
intention of spending the night there,
and he posted one sentinel, while the
others sat around the fire, making them
selves comfortable. The girl occupied
her old seat on the tree trunk, leaning
against the projecting bough.
.Do you know where my father is.
Captain Crowder?" she asked.
with Tarleton, he replied.
"And where is Tarleton?'
"Hot on the chase of the rebel major
and his men. :"
"Can we overtake Tarleton by noon
tomorrow"
Undoubtedly, for he has TO go rather
slowly, not knowing just where Morgan
is. He doesn't want to run past the,
game Morgan S hard to catch, but when
Tarleton once comes up with him
there'n be an end to one rebel army"
/ listened to this conversation with
the closest attention and continued to
listen while he described Tarleton's
movements, force and equipment. If I
could escape him and the hangman' 8
rope with which he had threatened me,
this information would be of great
value to us. I was glad that, for the
sake of precaution, / had torn up the
girls letters and other written facts
about us when l captured her, for now
she could rely only upon speech.
waited for her to tell Crowder about us,
but she said nothing upon that point,
and l reflected that her reticence was
natural, as she would want to give her
information herself to Tarleton, and;
thus secure all the credit instead of let
ting the guerrilla, Crowder, claim at
least half of it.
Two of the men disappeared in the
a1 a fazxy ants
leading the horses of the band, which.
they tethered to the trees near by. I
guessed that they had seen the light OF
our fire at distance and leaving their
horses there had crept upon me-
"You will excuse us, Miss Howard,
while we eat and drink little, " said
Crowder We've ridden far today, and
we're tired and hungry
Their appearance was sufficient indi--
cation that they needed food and rest,
for the CRIME of travel was thick upon
them They rummaged their haversacks
and saddlebags and produced bread and
meat, which they began to eat greedily.
They were absorbed like wild animals
in their repast and paid no attention to
anything else.
The girl rose and walked over to me-
Reaching down, she seized the end of
my silk handkerchief, which was pro-
jecting from my pocket, and jerzed it
forth. She threw it into the fire and
watched it burn, the red heat gripping
the delicate silk and converting it in 4
moment to ashes. Then she turned upon
me a face of flame.
lyon dared to bind me, 7" she said
''you a rebel and an English woman,
the daughter of a loyal English ofiiceri
You dared to insult me so'
And j presume that is the reason
You burn the handkerchief with which
/ bound YOU" l said.
Eyes +"
Now that you have begun the job
of burning | suppose you would like to
burn me, too, as am the man who tied
the handkerchief, and / did so because