The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-01-30
"A WARTIME LOVE STORY
'-= By G0UVERNEUR MORRIS. ---
Copyright 1902 By III CentMyC O. S Used by Permission.
By G~OUVERNEUR MORRIS.

I'll God bless Jefferson Davis and
every future president of the confed-
crate states, if there are any, ten mil
lion times, If you'll help me out, nd"
VIII you promise not to fight any
more?"
A long silence.
You needn't do the other things
either" said the girl, presently. Her
voice, oddly enough, was husky.
y thought it would be good to see a
Yankee suffer- h said after a while,
but 1t isn't"
If you could let a ladder down."
said Aladdin, IT might be able to get
up It,"
I'll get one" said the girl. Then she
appeared to reflect. NO." she said;
I'VE must wait till dark. There are
people about, and they'd kill you. Can
you live in that hole till dark?"
II you could throw down a lot Of
hay" said Aladdin. Its very wet
down here n hard"
The girl went, and came with a bun
die of hay.
Look out for the lantern,'' she
called. and threw the hay down to him.
h brought. In all, seven large bundles
n was starting for the eighth, when,
by a special act Of providence, the
flooring gave again, and she made an
excellent imitation of Aladdin's shute
on the previous evening. BY good for
tune, however. she landed on the soft
hay and was not hurt beyond a few
scratches.
Did you notice. she said with a lit
tie gasp, that I didn't scream?"
You aren't hurt, are you?" said
Aladdin.
No" she said; 'but-do you realize
that we can't get out, now?'
She made a he'd ne fba hav
You crawl over on that she said.
Aladdin bit his lips and groaned as
he moved.
girl.
Aladdin lay back gasping.
You poor boy" she said.
The girl borrowed Aladdin's pocket
knife and began whiting at a frag-
ment of board. Then she tore several
yards Of ruffle from her white p%etticoat,
cut his %trouser leg off below the knee,
cut the lacings of his boot, and BAN
daged his broken leg to the splint she
had made. All that was against a Sc
ries of most courteous protests, made
in a fearful voice. .
When she had done, Aladdin took her
hand in his and kissed the fingers.
They're the smallest sisters of
mercy I ever saw" said he.
She made no attempt to withdraw
her hand.
TT was stupid Of me to fall through"
she said.
Isn't there any possible way of get
ting out?'
mo; the walls are stone"
20 Lord!" said Aladdin.
What were you doing in our stable?"
said the girl.
II got lost, and came in for shelter"
W| fEV ~, 49, ~ So -. a --AL r 1----l
you knocking, and saw you from the
window. But I wouldn't let you in, be-
cause my father and brother were away,
and besides, I knew you were a Yam
kee."
1T was too dark to see my uniform"
II could tell by the way you rode"
rs it as bad as that?"
"No-but it's different"
The girl laid her and on Aladdin's
forehead.
You've got fever" she said.
TT doesn't matter" said Aladdin, po-
litely.
Does your leg hurt awfully?'
ut doesn't matter"
Did any n v e tell you that you
were very civil for a Yankee p"
TT doesn't matter" said Aladdin.
She looked at him shrewdly, and saw
that the light of reason had gone out OF
his yes. She wetted her handkerchief
with the cold, filthy water spread over
the cellar floor and laid it on his fore
head. Aladdin spoke ramblingly or
kept silence. Every now and then the
girl freshened the handkerchief, and
presently Aladdin fell into a troubled
sleep.
When he awoke his mind was quite
clear. The lantern still burned, but
family, for the air In the cellar was
becoming heavy. Beside him on the
Stc., vy I n ~ fh1 oi,, c1no-;,,~ ~. 49, -
head footsteps sounded on the stable
floor. He remembered what the girl
had said about the people who would
kill him if they found him, and blew out
the lantern. Then, his hand over her
mouth, he walked the girl.
Don't make a noise" he said. lis
ten
The girl sat up on the straw.
9TH call" h whispered presently,
and pretend you're not here"
But the horse?"
III lie about him."
She raised her voice.
who's there?" she called.
Its I-Calvert. Where are you?"
Listen" she answer; 1--WE fallen
through the floor into the cellar. Don't
you see where it's broken?"
The footsteps approached.
Your not hurt, are your"
mo; but don't come too close, don't
LILY W lOOh uOWu, tue HOOT 8 Ir1ghtfully
rickety. Isn't there a ladder there some
where?"
A man laughed.
Watt he said. They heard his foot
steps and laughter receding. Presently
the bottom of a ladder appeared through
the hole in the floor.
Look out for you head" said the man.
The girl rose and guided the ladder clear
of Aladdin's head.
What have you done with the Yankees
horse?"' she called.
"He's here"
where's the Yankee do you suppose?'
w hin he must have run off into the
woods
That's what I thought"
The girl began to mount the ladder.
I'm coming up" she said.
She disappeared, and the ladder was
withdrawn.
She came back after a long time, and
there were men with her.
Its all right, Yankee" she called down
the hole. They're your own men, and
Y IT, -