The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-13

officer like a knife. Every instant he
| expected to hear rifle shot ring out. or
| the shouts of the soldiers as they rushed
| from their hiding places. The stairs creak-
ed family. He was coming up. Then the
| door opened slowly and noiselessly, and
face appeared at the widening aperture,
a thin. clean-shaven face, with large dark
| eyes like those of the little boy upon the
| bed The lieutenant had seen 1t before. 1t
was the face of the spy.
CHANGING carefully about the room. and
! finding 1t apparently unoccupied except
by the sleeping children, he advanced to
the foot of the bed and stood looking
wistfully at the curly heads nesting side
| by side on the pillow. Presently he turn
| ed reluctantly away, and unstrapping a
| knapsack he carried on his back pro-
| duced a skipping rope, a diminutive doll
with an immense halo of yellow hair, a
| box of tin soldiers. a wooden sword. and
! several small packages which would no
doubt be a source of gleeful curiosity
when eager little fingers unfastened them
in the morning. He was thrusting the
| yellow-haired doll into the little girls
| stocking when his eyes, roaming like a
wild animals ceaselessly about the room,
| rested on the curtain. Some almost i'm
| perceptlble sound or movement or per-
haps the CLEAN of the lleutenants eye at
the rent, had aroused his suspicious. For
moment he stood motionless, and then
like a flash his hand went to his hip
pocket. But, quick as he was the lieu
tenant, being prepared for some such
emergency was quicker. He threw aside
the curtain and covered the spy with his
revolver.
Put up your hands" he whispered
cor I'll shoot"
Mackenzie withdrew his hand from his
pocket. but otherwise remained motion
| less. He seemed paralyZed by the sudden
appearance of the lieutenant's grim face
and levelled revolver. Presently ne glanced
in the direction Of the bed, and a spasm
of pain distorted his thin features. For
n few moments he struggled visibly to
regain his self-control
Don't shoot" he said, at last, in a
husky whisper. You've got me right
enough. I'll come quietly. Don't wake
the little ones"
IAN right" answered the lieutenant.
He stepped across the floor. his finger
still on the trigger of his revolver, and
dextrousely took possession of Macken-
| zies weapon. which he thrust into his
| own pocket. Then after an awkward pause
he motioned toward the bed.
Care to say goodbye to the young
sters?' he asked, turning his eyes away.
Mackenzie's throat moved as though he
were swallowing something.
Il reckon not he said, huskily. Bet
| ter not disturb them"
He turned hurriedly away and moved
| toward the door. He had almost reach
ed 1t when the lieutenant laid hand on
his shoulder and put his lips close to his
ear.
=
| you cut and run. I'll shoot right away,
but ! guess l shan't hit you. See?''
Mackenzie gazed at him incredulously,
a wild hope struggling with the tragic
despair in his eyes.
you mean it?' he faltered.
The young officers face was quivering
with agitation.
Yes" he groaned; Il mean it. I ought
| to be shot for doing it, but ! can't help it.
| You cut and run. It's poor chance. but
it's the only one you've got
God bless you" stdmmered Macken-
| ze, and drew his hand across his eyes.
Then he moved briskly towards the door.
| But as he opened it he started back, with
a sti1ed cry Of despair. In the doorway,
revolver in hand, stood the captain.
All" said he. with swift glance from
one to the other, you've got him, lieu
YES. sir" rejoined the lieutenant,
promptly 1--WE were going down quietly.
so as not to awaken the youngsters"
The captain glanced at the sleeping
| children. and turned quickly away.
Very we'll" he said, come along"
| In another moment they were outside
| the house. where the soldiers. in response
to a low whistle from the captain, imme-
diately surrounded them. Then they
| marched swiftly in the direction of the
camp. but halted again a few hundred
yards away from the house. couple Of
candles were lit, and stuck, three or four
| feet apart on a fence that bordered the
| road. the prisoner being placed between
| them with his back against the fence. The
| men formed a line a few yards away. the
| butts of their rifles resting on the ground.
| The captain stepped aside and drew out
his watch
and stood waiting with the watch in his
hand.
! seconds Elsie was galloping madiy BACK