The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-10
CHAPTER XIX.
How One May Make Friends With the
Enemy.

A-iASfhys
When I got back to Mrs. Hodges I
found our room empty. 1t was then near
upon 1 o'clock at night, and what
might have taken Acton forth I did not
know. And SO I sat me down to walt
his coming.
My thoughts were none of the bright
est, and our case was hourly becoming
more serious. And yet the thought of
that touch of small slipper was more
than enough to overbalance the danger
of our situation and the chance of the
wreeking of everything In the perhaps
foolish duel I had brought on my own
shoulders.
So they had set a marriage for her,
her father, and, I'd be sworn. the old
aristocratic witch, too. II truth were
knownl The thought of it made me get
up and walk around the room. Indeed,
had notait till then. till I heard of this
danger to her, but t was truel I could
not live my life without her. I could
not see future without that face by me,
belonging to me, to protect and comfort
and serve as I would my own life-aye
far morel Would she have told me of
her trouble. would she have trusted me
with 1t and asked my help, If she had
not cared? Could she, I tried to think,
could she ask a man to save her if she
did not think of him more than of 9TH
ers?
1t could not bel In spite of her knowl-
edge of my duty to my country, in spite
of the fact that she belonged to the 9TH
er side, in spite of all the impossible diff
ficulties, she trusted me- believed In me.
Could she love me? Aye, was 1t not fair
to suppose so? l got up again and shook
the chair as IL 1t had been the hand of
a friend. She could not She should not
God would not deceive a man sol And
If that were true then let come what
would I was young and strong, and 1
would win her to myself. | would! l
would man can not be asked to write
down the dark thoughts that will crop
up Into his brain--I could think of none
but her! Let the cause be what 1t would,
she should be mine though the soulless
rocks and hills of the land were ruled
by king or PRESIDENT Could l not live
in joy and happiness all the days of my
life even in the depths of hell, If she
were by my side? And what could 1t be
to me whether the edicts came from this
side of the water or the other2 Nothingl
Nothing She was my love, and l cared
little of what might become of aught
else! What did l care for Arnold2 He
was a wretched traitor to his country.
Let him live or die, / cared not a whit!
What was the fiend Hazeltine? Nothing
to me. Let him do his worst live or die!
l had not known It'll lad not guessed 1t
in myself till this night. l loved her!
I loved her because she was beautiful,
| I lo1l
that told of a fearless heart She would
do what she would; let no man guess
otherwise | loved her because of her
own dear self as she sat in that little
gown with her arms and throat shaming
the whiteness of the cloth beneath the
glasses, and with Gods good help she
should know it sooni-and Acton came in
and sat down and looked at me.
How long have you been here, friend?'
asked he.
But a moment"
HAS aught happened? Any one
Gomez
mo"
"rhen there will be one here soon.
They're hunting us close" said he, cody.
II care not a tinker's DAM"
what ails thee, man?' asked he. lean
ing forward in his chair and looking at
me closely.
Nothing"
"well, let's to bed There's much to
do tomorrow. We must take the boards
from Arnolds fence by the water to-
morrow evening"
IT do not knew that we cam"
lie turned quickly on me, looking at
me with his great honest blue eyes, and
then, walking up to me- he put his two
big hands on my shoulders, towering over
me, and said again:
what ails thee, mann?
Nothing"
Merton" said he. In his boyish way,
do We forget, man, that there's hum
dreds, perhaps thousands o. our mems
lives depending on the capture of this
Hazeltine2"
II do not much care"
He stood looking at me In wonder for
a moment, and then, gripping me with
his strong hands, he said:
81 do not know thee, Mertonl What
would Rob Curtis say to thy mood? Hast
forgotten thy honour and let 1t sleep?
Wake up, friend. and remember the trust
the great Washington has put in you'll
I do not know all you have to do. You
have not told me. But what's to be done
must be done quickly, or you and I and
Curtis will be dead and nothing done
IT am a crazy fool" I muttered.
"That We are not. Merton" said he with
kindly smile. but something has hap
pened and you shall tell me-"
And he sat me down and drew out of
me the lie I gave Atherton over the wine
and the sequel that was coming in the
morning at six. At that he laughed a
free laugh and cried:
"Why, man, I've seen we in worse
places than that and never anew you to
take on So Is he SO mervelous a
sword?"
could not tell him the truth and