Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-21
In Wars Alarms
BY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE.

@LA4 III AaANa-4A AaNH - ~ aA-I- "
tTemulous sound. but gradually gaining to
q fierce drumming. which stilled the homely
noises Of the night
The girl stirred unessily in her sleep
and sighed. then suddc=ly found herself
erect In her bed. tensely awake and palpi-
ta-t With alarm. The familiar darkness
OF he- room seemed as a protecting bull
vark. but from beyOud-from far in the
north. she judged-cane with increasing
intensity that heavy hsumering upon the
pike. She arose quickly. struggling with
& vague fear. and made her way 70 the
window. there to lean far out. listening with
a quickeninE heart. vainly straining her
eyes against the dense blackness Of the
night.
Out Of the volume OF sound lesped sharply
the clatter Ct the leader. the pursued, driv-
ing nsdly down the slight decline 10 the
creek. the resonant booming as he crossed
the bridge. clatter again as he breasted the
rise. As he neared the house there seemed
TO be a momentsry cessation OF this sound.
wherein that OF the pursuers rang with
terrifying prominence-but only for the
fraction Of an instant. vhen cuce more the
hoofbeats Of the fugitive took up the domi-
nant note Of the unequal duet. soon. how
ever. 10 yield 10 the rushing roar Of those
who followed. An invisible vhirlEind
swept past, q very nightmare Of creaking
leather. clanking hoofs. and faded rapidly
into the distance.
For awhile she remained at the window.
Quiescent. but definitely troubled because
Of what the incident might portend. What
could it mean Cshe asked herselD but the
coming Of war-that war which hitherto
had seemed 50 remote. so almost unreal ~
times?
And Il not, why then had the perennial
peace Of the Valley Farms been broken BY
this hideous clamor BY night, this fight
Of fear from the lust Of blood: II war
was TO ONE what should be the fate o,
her invalid father and herself: Il could
not surge about them, she knew. and leave
them unframed
a fash Of vivid light ilumed the land.
scape. then came crash upon rolling crsst
OF thunder. and the rain in torrents. She
crept barefoot over the cool. wide hall L
the door OF her fathers room. where she
croached for an hour or more. listening fol
his stentorious breathing till at length tbs
storm had spent itself and her fears were
stilled; he had not walked. And so 10 bel
bed and the swift. tranquil sleep OF youth.
She was reused by the singing Of bugle.
and the stir OF drums. From her window
as far as the eye could see the vale,
swsrmed with blue-eoated soldfery. regi
ment after regiment, pouring in at the bas
Of Round mountain in the north. pressinI
steadily toward the Gap in the south. Tn,
earth -fbrsted 10 the ramp OF many fee
in time &c hfes and drums. And there,-
and thereon every hand Vavered an
tapped. rusty. bloOd-stained and battle
rent, the flags OF her country.
Presently a veteran regime swung dow
the. pike and debouched into the field op
posite. making way for a detachment Q
cavalry which passed at a rapid trot. III
men broke ranks; one OF two immediatel
crossed TO the house. A dozen followed; {
a trioe half the regiment pressed about tn
kitchen door and the well curb.
she dressed hastily and descended TO ID
! kitchen, where she found a highly excite
negro cook vigorously -epelling The humor
ously smorous advances Of a tattered scam
"a sergeant by his stripes.
&C long now, you. white men" sh
: shrilled. A amt got no ordehs. An don
toIe you. Dinzh a do mos anythin' 70
uh union sodger, but she amt got ptmis
sion. Gwunum heah, All tells you!"
. "Aw. but Dinah dear the man begged
: Then he fell back. removing his cap an
bowling as the girl entered Excuse II
; Miss"
But the girl interrupted him.
"Dinah. cook everything you IAN. Nal
: eohee-hsve 'Lige bring up hams from II
, smoke house. and
: Deed. Missy Betty. Dinah TiIl- d
; thank de-"
d You're most kind. Miss" said the sci
geant.
kind she echoed. "what-vhy. e
q poor boy. you look Left starved
q The nan smiled; be was at least -
q years her senior.
y I'VE are" he confessed, "a night mar,
y sharpens Up appetites fearfuily. We ca
only thank you now. but III see that 70
= are paid"
.e Indeed. you must do nathinE Of Il
Is sort. This is the least we can DO"
A negro boy tugEed at her Slesye.
!. Missy Betty. Msssa want yo'.'
y When she re-entsred the kitchen II ",
ee deserted but for Dinah. The last soleI
er was disappearing around the corner o: Il
n house. beth hands full. munohing as Re II
J. 10 rejoin his command
- ''Dinah. / think you'd better tell Iii
We to ride over for the doctor
40 "Lawsy, Missy. he amt Wuss."
ke NO. I don't think he Is worse. Re
es excited and irritable: he worries abo
OF Fred. you know. He blames re ior lettil
ad him 20. Poor father
ID Poor iii Missy"
VI Suddenly her eyes dimned and she q
- from the servants sympathy. She sto
81 i-resolute in the hallway until presently
sanctuary offered and she ven 20 Il glad
"A sacred place, ever inviolate from 81
= light: quiet, cool. fragrant with pot pour
- Il had been her mothers room
Painting, she sank upon the bed. T
singing pain Ct her fathers injustice. 10
and pity for him. fears for his safety,
his life. even. in the impending strugl
which trembled ip the air. these stirr
90 her. Her mind turned 20 her abse
brother. the weIl-beloved black sheep
the family, a runaway 10 the wars S
~. had known that he was going and had k5
W silence-hsd deemed 1t but right that
should go. Fer this she vas 50 blame
Ne As II she did not care. Is Il, since
,es departure. her life had not been one &C
ne slant prayer for his safety.
BY degrees she came 20 the relief Of tel
and wept convulsively; then in an instl
m lay still. sJrsngling q sob in her thro
acutely conscious OF an intrusive presen
er- she could plainly hear q rapid BREATH
on. sharp and regular, 50 different from
a. soft huttsring Of her own. She stes
herself against the terror which grip
8s her heart and rose. intending flight;