West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-10-17

$50 You told him our plans." he cried
bitterly. And 10y this time b. hsa re-
ported TO his general"
MY private letter she cried In
genuously. but he would not listen.
"Iraltrcse," he cried. and his eyes
cleaned dangerously. and he took her
by the shoulders and pushed her from
the house OF her fathers. while her
mothers voice rose M to the old time
darkened roof IN long scream OF az
ony ana pity.
Martha staggered forward. aud the
door closed with n crash behind her
The girls checks were white now as
milk. but there was I'm her eyes no an
ger or fear. merely sense OF dazed
wonder, as n the world itself had been
leit behind She was utterly alone.
The women stood at their doors silent;
children pccped from behind their
mothers skirts. frightened. yet curious.
as at sight OF n bogy. For a moment
Martha glanced up the street and down
The village was very stln In the or
charis. sloplng upward behind the
houses on other side the narrow street.
there was no sign Of life-no picKers.
no pruners. I'm the broad park below
the clear brook bubbled through the
trees, and the oxen fed as usual. bur
the merry herders were not there. Only
the thinly piping voices OF two very
small urchins rose up from the mead
ows. The church was deserted: the
store was closed Nowhere were there
any but two very old men ut their
stoeps. Even the boys OF fair size were
away.
Even TO her bcwildered brain the alb
sence OF the men folk and the conse-
quent lack OF noise. of sound OF work.
struck strangely. Then she remember
ed; they were commandeered. her faith
ers and her brothers. brethren. the
Beers. Every one OF them was now
away, with his faithful gun, TO the
army. and by the morrow probably
many would be dead-many OF her
own people, many OF her lovers peo-
pie, perhaps her father or brother. per.
haps her bctrothcdN Her lip trembled,
but she looked up bravely aud met the
eyes OF the silent women. She pitied
them. She knew what they were, as
she herself might have been IL these
happy years OF school life In Cane
Town had never come TO her-stoIid
ignorant OF all things save their Bibles
unable TO Judge their enemy. only TO
hate him. Vet they were grand In their
faith and simplicity. trusting In the
Lord for victory on The next day. She.
too although she knew what the red
soldiers cou!A DO. feared-yes. feared
that her countrymen would win. for II
they did, forctelllng n crushing blow.
she guessed the fate OF her daring
lover, so conscious OF his own mems
Fighting powers. so contemptuous OF
those OF the farmer soldiers.
So She lDukc1 bravely into the eyes
Of the Bocr women. They might call
her 'trGhrcss" and groan as they did
now, hul she had done the best she
knew, The only thing she could do. TO
warn Nenable that he was fighting
against no Zoe to laugh at. LET God
Judge size murmurcd. III | was a
traltress. Could II be tFeachery to try
20 save the life OF the beloved?" Very
simple she WAS. very innocent OF the
grandcr motives OF herolnes. for all her
studies little better than a child. act.
ing by hearts impulse and loves
prompting. and these alone This she
had done. hut now her father called
her 'tiaitrcss," and that was bitter.
anil her home was closed forever
against her and the women whom she
had played and worked among hootcd
her. small boy threw a stone. and
her brother cried sullenly TO her to
hurry
When they had driven out Of the viii
iage and out OF the quiet valley and