The Irish standard., 1901-10-05

mercy. Fer woman's instinct dis
cerned his thought; her lips moved
without sound, but her soul was in the
appealing look riveted upon him.
II think-not," he said, reluctantly,
at last. "In fact, 1 know that he's
| wounded"
"Dead!-you meant" she gasped in
the struggle to conceal her anguish.
mo, miss-not exactly that; but bad
ly wounded-very badly, am afraid"
where is hep" She made no effort
then to conceal the truth. She was on
her knees, her eyes close to his. Sin
Gods name, my friend, tell me-tell
| me all! Can't you see? can't you see?"
She covered her face, unable to con-
tinue.
II can only tell you what 1 know,
miss. He was not dead when saw him
last. Our guns were in the line when
the charge came. The line was broken
at both tanks, and the yelling confed-
crates were swarmng about us. Every
horse we h was down, when word
came for us to look out for ourselves,
and back we Went to escape capture
what was left of us. Well, miss. some
body said then that No. had been
left loaded--double-sh with can
ister; the man at the lanyard had fall
en- dead just as he lifted his hand to
pull. And SO the gun stood, ready to
lie turned upon US. Then Capt. Somers
hllted and looked about for some one
I" send back; but think, miss, he
ust have seen that the chance was
.sperate. 1t was only an instant, and
h. wouldn't order any man to go; he
lshed forward over the so yards,
reached the gun and seized the cord.
He was my captain, and couldn't leave
him there, you know, SO I had followed
him, too. Then up in front an army of
gray seemed to rise as from the ground,
and they fired volley as he pulled on
the lanyard. l threw myself on my
face and escaped. When looked up
the crowd ahead was disordered and
torn. but still coming on; and the cap
tain lay by his gun. I crawled over
and laid my hand upon him.
Tom he said. cool as l am right
now, I'm gone, but if you get out take
the papers in my pocket and my watch
to MY mother!' | took them as he told
me. He tainted, think. and was
afraid he was dead, but he breathed
again. And then, mss-I hadn't tried
it since was a boyle was lying upon
his face, and rolling over, lay upon
him, back to back. locking my arms
through his. Turning over suddenly
had him on me dead weight. and then,
somehow, | got up. The whole thing
was not a minute long. The confed-
crates gave me cheer instead CT VOL
ley till the boys rushed back TO meet us.
got it in both legs then and his shout
Ger, and & swn we went. The boys took
him and left ne. which was right; for
four men had died there to save him
| and I looked like the fifth" Frances
was kneeling by the wounded man
when he finished, stroking his cheek
and brow, her frame trembling.
ooh, brave! brave!" she cried. "God
bless you and keep you-and keep
you'll" she sank her face beside him,
sobbing for joy. "The watch-the pa
pers!" she cried, excitedly, remember
ing his commission. "Oh, sir, am his
Il am his nearest relative, south!
Give them to me. give them to mel"
''In my coat" said the stranger
gently, wan smile upon his pale face.
Don't worry, miss; guess the cap
tamil pull through all right" The
watch was there, and there too were
the letters sealed for his mother ready
for delivery if he were picked up dead
by friend or foe. No line for her, the
woman who loved him once-loved him
as she had known him. Upon the inner
case of his watch was his own name
and address; and still no line for her,
| the woman who held him so dear. But
in the locket dangling from the chain
there were two lines cut into the vir-
| gin gold:
Frances. my wife.
Richmond, April 18th. 1861"
How roseate then grew life for the
| girl. He remembered! He had kept
| her words with him night and day.
He loved her; he had told no false
hood for the value of her fathers
wealth. AS she stood by the wounded
soldier, his eyes resting in sympathy on
her, her own seeing nothing but the
face in that half-lit room where her
shrine was raised, all that was left
of resentment vanished out of her
heart. When afterward she realized
this she was amazed and troubled.
One federal soldier at least in all the
hosts that fell into confederate hands
had no cause to complain of his nurs-
ing. A hospital stretcher bore him to
the home of Frances Brookin and into
her room. 1t was her whim, and the
stepmother was INDUCING her whims
in those days. There Frances and
nanny, with William as helper and
Brodnar as an occasional adviser, law
ished on him such care and attention as
he had never dreamed was possible, for
he was one of those homeless waits to
whom war had promised nothing but