The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-06

the story or that IamentaDle month TWO
years earlier, with many tear had been |
told. With the squire and Eiinor returned |
to the West there was no one to warn them |
against McKinnon, who from the very hrst
had seemed to gain the guileess doctor s |
confidence. IL was Chiton's child-like be-
lief that every well-mannered man was
gentleman until proved otherwise, and II
not long before Mckinnon knew all
about them and all about Jack. 1t had been
Rosale's growing belief that her aunt must
have had help. and that Squire Benton or
father amazed her with the admission that
he had given his personal note to Mchinnon
for money to be sent to Jack, and for other
needs. Little by little her intuitive aver
sion to the man had given way before MS
apparently unobtrusive courtesles. he had
never limited at such thing as a quarrel
He never referred to them except
guardedly until Ladue's recapture
and Jacks narrow escape; Then ne
kindness and helpfuness itself, that the
plan was known TO the secret service, that
Benton and Ladue had been still in covert
correspondence; that Ladue wished TO make
il appear that he was striving 10 reJoin his
regiment while in point of fact he planned
10 be again captured and confined where
he could escape the dangers of the battle
field, and the expedition to capture him
and Jack was guided by information fur
nished by Benton himself-Benton, who
had been under a cloud and hoped by the
capture of Confederate officers to win his
way back TO favor. Rosalie had indignant
ly refused to believe at first; had even had
fierce verbal ARRAY with the major. who
| brought the Virginian, Jennings, to prove
| truth that, as McKinnon put II, he never
| thought could reach her ears or 1t should
| never have escaped these lips" An elo-
| quent man was McKinnon, and music was
| in his voice and mischief in his soul Ben
ton had planned. he said, TO capture Jack.
and Jennings there stood ready to swear
| to it, Then before she had time to recover
herself she had been ushered into that coy
/ parlor and had come face to face with the
/ who filled her thOnphtc all lOOkp6
/ like design on his part, and in her wrath
| and doubt and bitter trouble she had hurled
! her accusation and fled. But long before
| Ladue's visit to Charlottesville she had be-
| gun to suspect both McKinnon and Jen-
nings. After his coming she had known
no moment of peace, yet how could she
write or tell him whom she had SO out
| ragged? OF what use was it? He would
| forget it-and her-in course of time
| Does this look like it? asked Benton.
They were standing by the open door
way. She had brought down to him the
| beautiful sash he had left with her when
he rode away. for this very night he must
| return to Gordonsvile and join his chief
for the mornings march. Meantime he had
been winding II about her, the slken folds
now. having thrown the tasseled ends over
his ARM had seized her soft hands and was
looking down fondly. wonderingly in that
almost unrealizing, unbelieving bliss of
| newly requited love.
Does this look like it-that for two years
L should have been making every effort
| 10 ItdCH you, Only 10 De SlOrmeQ at as III l.
had sinned past pardon in having clasped
| you-here?" and raising her little hands he
held them firmly upon his breast, the
creamy white upon the dusky blue Then
one hand being quite big enough for that
purpose, he stole his right arm round her
and drew her closer. The sound of slow,
| measured footballs and soft voices could
be family heard along the shaded street
Some of her coterie were surely coming to
scout the approaches if not actually to
seek the presence of their erstwhile queen
| NOT that thpV would fnr lAcf
They only wished to see. And through
the summerlike stiffness of the night. afar
hiss of steam told that the iron horse was
waiting impatient for the start. 1T may
be weeks before l can hope to reach you
Georgia SCOTS voice. A swift upward
glance of the soft. dark eyes said yes, and
thong h for an instant they fell again, it
| was but for an instant; there was some
thing so compelling in the glow of his
| Then" said he, speaking and bending
lower.
'Then-what?" she murmured, persistent
ly lnsistent on being told, though her head
dropped again.
''Then-it's time for some-token of sur
little hands. leaving them self-clasping on
his breast, he wound the other arm about
and drew her closer still.
Il don't quite, she dimpled. her soft
cheek sinking on her own hands, her tiny
ear catching the loud beating of his heart.
a vagrant tress fiuttering in the breath
| lioHl parted lips.
You do, / think" he answered. half
smiling. When soldier surrenders he
slye sb up sb his sword ; When girl surrend-
ing her more firmly, he bent vet lower
seeking with wordless eagerness the sweet
symbol that he craved. But she nestled
closer sun where he could not see her glow
ing face. and the answer came, half sti1ed
after a moment of shy silence:
You're not magnanmous like your COM
General Lee.
Il seer'-and this very slowly. "and-
you prefer that should belize General
Grant?"
No answer. verbal at least. Even queens
are women and would be wooed He Should
be made to know this, even when both
heart and lips said yield. But the fates
were against her. SIvery Laughter and
SOFT voices sounded close at hand now. All,
some were happy, even in the shadow of
the great surrender, since there were still
loved ones left for the sweet homecoming.
III is Georgia, whispered Benton land
as 1 nve. Kate Falconer! They'll be here
you remember that night three years ago
when you said now or never?"
One moment nom of fiuttering heartbeat-of
last-surrender. Slowly and with down-cast
eyes the queenly head was raised One
swift look into his glowing face. and the
white arms stole about his neck the rosy
mouth uplifted and, meeting the fervent
pressure of those bearded, eager lips. i'm
It's own sweet way, gave answer.
/
6S, We were steaming back through Mis-
sisSippi sound, en- route for New Orleans
by way of the Rigolets. 1t was an ex-
Quisite morning. and the land breeze was
laden with the fraGrance of the magnolias
and soft with the palsam of the Southern
pine. The steamer darted swiftly through
the placid blue waters, bearing among
other passengers little party of officers
and ladies'. returning from a brief visit to
Mobile. Carver was there, captain and
brevet lieutenant colonel in the regular SER
vice, and still with Hancock. who was
then commanding the Department Of the
Gulf. benton was there. holding like rank
with his old friend of the staff: and with
Benton. seated on the upper deck was
!, Rosalie, looking fondly into his face at
times, then again, with earnest interest ON
another pair, talking in low tone together
at the bows. Ii had been a solemn nil
grimage, this mission to Mobile They had
gone thither to lay away all that was NOR
, tai of Paul Ladue, transferred from the
rocky banks of the little stream in far
away Pennsylvania to the shady nook
where. all night long in the moonlight. the
hooking bird sang in this land of his hoy
hood and his devoted love. Gathered about
his final resting place were few indeed al
his kith and kin, but the tempered sun
shine fell on fair women and brave men OF
both North and South-the blue and tbe
gray-all enmity stilled. please God for
ever. And of those who stood with tear.
dlmmed eyes. as bugler of the Ole