The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-14
None But the Brave
I looked at her in amazement.

AyOhAu at litI III dI1dZttuGni.
 T think-I am afraid" Then she stopped and pretty flush went over her face. T am afraid women like-a-littie masterful treatmentr' And, as I am a sinner, off she went like any young girl with the fires on her cheeks.
 lay back in my bed an instant. and then called her back.
 Dear baroness" l said. Twill you en- ter a little conspiracy with me?"
 She nodded brightly.
 .I shall be very i'll again. said I. And shall shriek some more. VIII you chance to pass by with-2'
 Do you happen to have any Idea, young man, where she has been these three hours7 7'
 I had not the least. unless out walking with Captain Atherton.
 She is sitting just outside that door by the window in the hall"
 I simply signed to her to begin the con- spiracy. and she passed out, leaving the door ajar. I waited a moment and then began to talk. and rambled on. getting louder and louder, till finally I yelled out a lot of idiotic nonsense, putting In her name. Then I paused and heard through the doorway much whispering. and howled again. hearing in a moment, "Oh what is 1t? Can it be true? Again?' That voice hit my conscience hard, but 1 yelled out again. Whereupon the door opened and in she came running to me and speaking my name softly and taking my hand
 In a moment had her fast by the arm.
 Where have you been all day, madam?"
 She stood back. looked at me in won der but she could not escape.
 ASit down dear heart said "Sit down, sit down. T was all a conspiracy to get you in here"
 Then 1 thought she would be angry, but with a flush she said:
 T am too relieved to be offended but t was not fair, was it?''
 NO, dear, t was a cowardly trick. But Deborah!"
 Down went the face and the eyes looked around the floor, as she sat by my bed
 "Debby, look at me-"
 The eyes never moved.
 Deborah, is 1t necessary for me, sit ting here done up in five miles of rags. too absurdly weak to stand up-is it nec- essary for me to make love to your" Up came the eyes straight at me with some of the old fearless fire in them. Do you want me to ask you to marry me?'
 There was an instant's silence and then she suddenly gave way to a burst of mer- ry laughter.
 Il seems to me, sir" with a toss of her head, that you put your question a bit late In the day. since we have been married now some six months
 That sobered me, for I remembered that knew something still unknown to her, and sitting there by the light of the lamp I told her of the comrade who had helped me in the sugar house, and what he knew of Marvin.
 For a moment she sat quietly looking away from me, her hands lying in her lap. Then turning to me with a depth in her beautiful eyes that seemed so new and recent, she gently laid her hand in mine and sat there looking at me with out a word for a minute; till I leaned forward and took her fair, serious face in my two hands and drew 1t toward me and kissed 1t once, twice. and asked:
 Are you happy, Deborah?"
 "Yes. dear" said she simply
 "Well, what the devil do I care, madam? I've got to dress the man wound. Egad, they can't bill and coo twenty-four hours in the day. Let me inl" This from the other side of the door. A whispered pleading was his an swer.
 Not at all! He can't get up till he's well. So in I go.' And in he came, puff ing and fuming, and unwound and wound me up again.
 It was as he was rewinding the band ages after dressing the wound that the door opened and Atherton came in. Up he strode to me with something of a shamefaced look and shook hands.
 How are ye, old man." said he, as If he had seen me and talked but yester- day
 Right and fit, friend" said I, and then we fell to silence. TT is ever a strange thing to me, and yet something I cannot fail to like, to see as l did now, two Anglo-Saxons trying to hide all the good feelings in them. Even Low laughed out as he worked on and said:
 What's the price of beer?'
 "'Gadl I'd like some now eh, Ba1fort?'' cried Atherton, and, growing easier, he sat down and watched the skillful hands of the doctor. stretched out and took his hand.
 Captain" said I, you've done more for me than any,
 "T'ut, tut, man." cried he. wringing my poor weak hand till it ached Not a word TT was nothing. Let 1t pass. Doc tor, for Gods sake give us a drinkl Is there naught of alcohol in this house?
 Drink, you big fool" cried Low. Do you want to kill him?''
 "Oh, he's fit to fight again, and show me what a man can do besides fight"
 Look ye here, Atherton," said I se- riously. I'm your prisoner. What will you do with me?"
 He'll" said he. Let's talk of some thing pleasanter."
 That will not, man." I answered. "I must get away and you cannot let me go."
 He looked at me an instant, and I knew the same thought had been in his mind since he heard could recover.
 "Balfort." he said in a moment, twill