The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-06-07

frightened me far more than 1 had
frightened her l begged her to make
no noise; told her who l was; 1 cast
myself on he" mercy and her mother
wit. Neither failed me. She pushed
back her bonnet and quite forgot that
she was 16 and Il rustic belle. She was
no longer a girl, but a woman. Her
eyes frightened and dilated as she lis
tened to me with breathless interest.
"Wait here" she cried and sped
away to the house, while l helped my
self to a delicious draft from her AL
dernry, thanking my stars that 1 had
learned in my boyhood how to milk
My friend returned presently and i'm
pulsively put into my hand a $40 gold
piece, first of all.
81 had saved that up" she said with
the bright smile with which a woman
makes Il sacrifice. You are welcome
to it, though. and here's q pair of pis-
tolls. My father and three of my broth
ers are in Georgia in the Army of
Tennessee, and here's a suit of citizen S
clothes; you'd better go into the barn
right off and put them on. Leave your
uniform behind the barrel there. I'll
take it away as soon as you are gone.
Hurry. I'll go put you up something
to eat now. Don't you come out until
call you"
l thanked her as we'll as | could
and fastened to do as she advised
When l heard whistle, l came out
of the barn, clad in very baggy, but
very comfortable, suit. There was no
trace of the soldier left, except my pis-
tolls, which made me feel pretty COM
Portable in my mind, 1 can tell you, as
l brckled them around my waist, and
/ felt very grateful to the giver. |
met the girl at the door.
You can come in and eat your sup
per at the table," she said. Aunt Sa-
rah is sick, and William"-Lere she
blushed rosily-"has gone to town"
Nothing loath, followed her into
clean, pleasant kitchen, where my
eyes were gladdened Ey an cid fash
ioned wood fire and my nostrils re-
galed with savory odors to which they
had long been strangers. We seated
ourselves at the table. | am afraid to
say how much | had e;,tcn and intend
ed to eat under these serene circum-
stances on the camel principle of pro-
viding for at least three days ahead
know was engaged on my sixth bis
cult when whiz! a bullet came through
the window pane and lodged in the op-
posite door. | sprang to my feet and
grasped my pistols. Quick as thought,
the girl blew out the light OH the table
She seized me, crying This way.' and
pushed and pulled me toward an cid
sideboard.
What are you going to do?" cried.
Pull it out" she whispered. l did so.
"Get in behind there" she said, Gin
that hole" l felt about with my
hands. l found that blessed hole and,
doubling myself up like a jackknife,
crept in. My brave friend pulled the
sideboard back into place and had just
relit the candle when several men
burst into the room, crying: "Where is
be? Where's he gomez
"Out that door, and l hope he'll get
to the stable before you," said the girl
composedly. l could hear her clearing
away the table as she spoke. The men
sWore at her. Some of them dashed
into the other rooms of the house.
None of them suspected the innocent
looking sideboard sitting fiat against
the wall in the kitchen. Kitty had curl
ed up underneath it. There was clear
ly nothing there that they could see,
and the blind staircase in the hall out
side told no tales. / heard no more un-
til the men returned en- masse, institut-
ed another search and left the place in
a state of furious disappointment.
They had hardly gone before Will
liam returned. l heard him enter the
ball, and before he reached the kitchen
the girl came over to the sideboard and,
rafting the ware on it, said, You'll
have to stay where you are until mid
night"
"All right" said l in return. / now
had the pleasure of being ear witness
to conversation to which l would
have preferred to be quite deaf, for
William was very much in love. and
when William had supped he settled
down by the fire and waXed very ten
der indeed. He would not be switched
off the track. He refused to be snub-
bed into silence. He could not be
choked off from avowals. He insisted
on an embrace and kiss then and there.
| could hear the girls attempts to
dampen his ardor and defer his love-
making to a more suitable occasion.
could hear her pushing her chair far
ther and farther away from him, and
l nearly laughed out when at last, half
laughing and half crying, she cried out,
well, | can't help it-I don't care who
hears mel do love you, William, with
all my heart"
Embraces and kisses a-many followed
this declaration, of course, and | wish
ed myself farther.
'Why, who should hear you, my
darling" asked William.
"Oh. no one, of course" said Miss
Fibster. l had to listen for hours to
all of Williams moving tale, and in
that hot, dark, stifing hole second
hand lovers raptures were certainly
below par. The repetitions and the
endless deathless egotism Of the situa-
tion palled upon me considerably to-
ward midnight. l am afraid l went to
sleep. heard William approach the
sideboard and wakened with a start.
Conclu LED, next week.
bennington, VT, can boast of hav-
ing the oldest hotel clerk in the coun-
try. This functionary has Just cele-