The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-05-09
In the Lists of Love
(Concluded from first page.

shed when 1 found you had escaped,
Fritz" she said. "And then came to
wait here by your horse. Are you
safeT
At that instant the notes of a bugle
gang out, calling the men to mount.
''My darling child, you must not stop
here!' cried, pressing my lips to hers.
81 must not stay either. They know
the road l must take, and in minute I
shall have the whole gang at my heels
and the countryside reused in pursuit
of me''
''Oh, it is terrible. it is terrible" she
sobbed. Take me with you, Fritz!
They will kill me for this nights
work."
"My dearest, l dare not. My horse
could not possibly carry us both, and
we should be caught before we had
gone mile"
Forgive me! know, l know! But 1
am mad at having brought you to this.
Goodby. God bless you, Fritz, husband,
even if l never see you againp' she
cried.
1t was agony to leave her, but it
would have been death to have taken
her. l strained her to my heart, and
even as our lips met 1 could hear my
pursuers in the distance My heart was
torn at the pain of leaving her, but
there was no other course.
l clambered into the saddle, bent
down for a last caress and dashed off
along the pitch dark road at top speed,
glad she did not know of my wounds.
If had not known every step of my
road, could not have escaped. After
half a mile at mad gallop put my
horse at the low hedge by the roadside
and struck out bee line across coun-
try. 1t was heavy going and treacher-
Gus, but it saved very considerable
distance, and when emerged on to the
road again l could hear nothing Of the
troopers.
let my horse get his wind, there
fore, and waited until l caught sound
of the men again before | pricked for
ward once more at the gallop. / knew
of another point where l could take a
short cut, but this time was delayed
by the very heavy going, and when
reached the road again l found the
men close behind me.
A loud shout soon told me they had
heard the sound of my horses hoofs,
and a moment later they commenced a
desultory dropping fire with their car.
bines.
began now to despair. l was near
ing village where had come across a
scouting party on my way out, while
my horse was beginning to feel the
fects of the big effort he had had to
make.
But set my teeth. drove my heels
into his willing sides and resolved to
hold on till he dropped or one of their
chance bullets should hit me. / encour-
aged him with words and caresses as
well as the spur and he seemed to feel
| the danger as much as |.
AS | clattered into the village l look.
ed eagerly ahead and around, and, to
my infinite relief. there was not sign
of the scouting party. But my pursu-
ers were closing up behind me, while
| the shouts they sent up brought the
| few people who We're still out of their
beds running to doors and windows to
watch the strange race.
| had only two miles farther to ride
now. but as left the village street and
! splashed on between the hedgerows
again my heart sank suddenly.
The rain had stopped and the sky
lifted Il bit, and at the top of a short.
easy slope | saw drawn up across the
road, their figures blackly silhouetted
against the sky line, Gordon Of horse
| men.
1t was all over. WAS caught be-
tween the two parties drew rein,
| pulling my faithful beast almost on to
his launches, and glanced desperately
at the tall hedges on either side to see
il could possibly leap them. They
were hopeless. Had my horse been
fresh and myself unwourded l could
not have dashed through them. But
my one forlorn chance now was to
make the attempt. ] backed my horse
| to one side and was about to dig the
rowels into him and urge him to an eff
| fort when my heart gave leap of joy.
| "Who goes there?"
The challenge was in German, and in
| less time than it takes to tell 1t was
among my own men. safe, though al
most fainting from fatigue and loss Of
| blood.
My pursuers heard the challenge, too,
| drew rein and then retreated.
! had fallen In with scouting party
Of my own corps in the nick Of time.
and they took me back to camp, where
the story of Won Masson's treachery
created great sensation.
Instantly Il strong party was dis
patched to Mobanne to try to catch
lin and the officers. but the house was
found to be deserted by all except
Lota, her aunt and their servants, who
were all just starting for Paris.
l.ota wrote me a description of the
scene that followed my escape and re-
neWed in the letter the vows she had
breathed in my ears at the moment Of
our parting.
Mileage,
Tho fret onpnr0cs D,o..;JoI &I,ok - IL