Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1903-04-03

Sidering me always IN danger.
\ doctor must needs be at all
times within reach. a STRIPPING OF a
medical graduate must sleep in the
same room with me, the old gentleman
was constantly coming into the room
to ask If | wanted anything, while his
wife WAS as tender and motherly as II
l had been her own son. Even the
servants We'd with each other in wait
ing on me, and when anything was or
dered for me with haste unusual to
the negro they scrambled to see which
one would bring 1t. Only the girl who
had brought me there came and went
as though l was an ordinary person
with an ordinary wound. to be treated
In an ordinary manner.
All this attention and sympathy
veXed me beyond measure. What right
had | to accept i'll, TennesSeean, In
arms against the south. in search of
Confederate enemy? Yes. and more
was l not the bearer Of information
that would enable the hated Yankee to
swoop down on this fair region and re-
claim it for the Union? The least sus
picion of my true character would turn
the devotion lavished upon me to con-
tempt. My very life would be In dan
ger. Pooh! What cared l for my life,
except that dreaded to so to my long
home detested by those who had sue
cored me. Besides, the information
ossessed-information Of vital impor-
lance to the Union cause-must be car
ried northward.
A crisis came soon enough. 1t was
evening. and l was reclining on my
sofa looking out upon the beautiful
hills lying to the eastward. The girl
with the cool head and impressive face
was standing by n table rearranging
books and bottles and what not which
had been in use during the day. Sud
denly the door opened. and my host en-
tered. saw at once by his expression
that something had occurred to put
him on his guard. or perhaps he had
been thinking. wondering what kind Of
person he was harboring. At any rate.
he came up and, drawing a chair be-
side me, began to talk. 1t was plain
that he wished to ask me questions,
but he was too kind, too generous to
one in my condition, too hospitable. to
ask them directly.
''The doctor tells me, Mr. he be-
gan. upon my word, you have been
with us three days, sir, and we don't
know even your name"
"Branderstane, John Branderstane. ]
am equally ignorant to whom am in
debted for all this attention"
"Our name is Stanforth, sir. This Is
my daughter Helen. Mr.. Brander-
stane."
Helen inclined her head slightly. and
I raised mine far enough from the pill
lows to do the same.
"Mr. Stanforth," I said - there was
gratitude both in my voice and in my
eyes-"whoever bears your name may
hereafter call upon me for any service.
You have placed me under an obliga.
don which,
Tut, tut! You know our southern
customs-we are nothing IL not hos
pitable. You are a southern man, Of
courseT"
"Of course" spoke the words hes
itatingly.
"Your staten
Tennessee"
EAST, middle or westT'
east"
Mr.. Stanforth paused. There was no
Information as to my sentiments in the
fact that hailed from east Tennessee.
More than two-thirds Of the people of
that section were with the Union.
MAY I ask, SIR" said my host, with
nm evident intention Of ending all doubt
In regard to the side with which was
affiliated, "are you a Union or a Con-
federate sympathizerT
l was about to declare myself an
ardent supporter Of the Confederacy
when my little friend Ethel. who had
visited me ON the day was shot, ap-
peared In the doorway. her blue eyes
looking straight into mine. Had my
intended falsehood been rammed back
into my throat with the butt Of re-
volver 1t could not have been more eff.
fectually stopped. Then something i'm.
PEELED me to turn my glance to Helen.
She was about to pour liquid from a
vial into a glass and had paused, her
eyes fixed on me intently.
"Mr. Stanforth," l said, you and
your family have been too kind for me
to deceive you. will not do that, but
1t would not serve my purpose to de.
clare myself"
you are an honorable man, sir, who.
ever and whatever you arew exclaimed