Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-01-14
HER ANSWER

back to take Sneller III lne Woous
and mountain passes the victorious
host had encamped upon the field
of action. A thick, misty haze hung
over the landscape, through which
the setting sun shone like a great
copper shield FURNISHED and ready
for combat.
Since early morn the battle had
been in progress, and the carnage
was frightful. Even the sturdiest of
the surgeons had more than once
turned pale as they worked over
their improvised operating tables,
and all had felt a sensation Of faint
ness that they did not care to own.
In one corner Of the field when
the fight had been the hottest, in a
little grove of half a dozen trees at
the angle of a stone wall, knelt the
colonel of New York regiment be-
side the PROSTATE form of his own
lieutenant, a young man OF English
birth and a great favorite among his
comrades. His breath came slowly
and painfully, and when he strove
to speak the lifeblood welled up in
his throat so as to almost choke all
utterance.
mCreston. my bow said the colo
mel in the low voice which he al
WAYS used when in the presence of
suffering, for the colonel was as
kind and as gentle as a woman to
the sick, "is there anything more
that l can do for you-any word or
message that YOU want to send 4!
For you know
Creston's lips parted with a faint
and almost imperceptible motion,
and the colonel, bending low,
caught the words, 'Lift--mc-up."
Raising the dying man to half
sitting position, the colonel held
him in his own strong arms and
gently wiped the red froth from his
lips.
"Colonel"-the words were weak
and low-"my vest-open--the-
the-pocket-inside"-
The exertion was so great that he
could say no more. The colonel,
opening the vest, drew from an in
ner pocket a miniature, the portrait
of a young and beautiful girl, so
beautiful that even then the colonel
could not help gazing upon the like
ness with interest and admiration.
"And this?" he questioned as he
held it up to the eyes of his dying
comrade. The pale face of the suf-
ferer grew strangely bright when he
looked upon the bit of painted ivory
before him.
ON England" he whispered,
"she lives-Densmond in Devon
shire-you'll remember-take her
this yourself-no one else. Find
her in Observation-Disclosures Burton,
Tell her-I didn't forget a tor
rent of crimson lifeblood gushed
from his lips, and all was over. The
colonel arose, folded a blanket and
placed it beneath the head of the
corpse. Then the night winds gath
cred and whispered among the trees
and brushed with their dark pinions
the bright, cold drops that stood on
the pale forehead of Herbert Ores
ton.
Already the sun was casting long
shadows over the landscape around
the pretty English village of Dens.
mond in Devonshire, for Densmond
was pretty and everybody said so
that is, everybody who had ever
been there said so. And, as for those
unfortunate beings who had MOI
been there, they were so very muci
in the minority that no one evel
cared straw what they said Of
thought.
The day had been hot and sultry
and with the advent of the cooling
breezes of evening every one wht
could possibly get out of doors die
so. for the air was delicious now
after the empowering heat of thu
day.
Along the dusty highway man
well dressed and evidently stran
per in the country through which HI
was passing, was walking slowly
evidently absorbed in thought. Ii
was about forty, of bronzed com
plcxion and dark hair, now slight.
tinged with gray. On the whole, 1T
was far from handsome, nor die
the scar of a saber wound across
his forehead add to his attractions
Just now he paused before a cot
tage that stood somewhat back from
the public road, almost buried IL
flowers, like the modest and retiring
cottage that it was. Sounds Of hap
py laughter came from an arbo
concealed By the surrounding hedge
Colonel Nathaniel Pember pause
but a moment, however, before h
opened the gate.
"Can you tell me-" he asked one o
the party of young girls that met HI
view as he entered, eff you know o
any one residing in this neighbor
hood of the name of-of Ameli
Burton? ?"
eyes, indeed" answered one o
the voting ladies, with a meanln
smile, "but you'll have to hurry
though, for there will be no sue