Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-01-14
DAILY SHORT STORY
Her Prisoner.

In the manor house of = plantation in
Kentucky two Confederate generals
net 10 arrange a plan of campaign
against the Federal troops occupying a
strong position not far 10 the north.
Shortly before the interview was closed
one of them took the memoranda that
had been accommodating. threw il in Il
stove and ignited it.
Now, Dolly Payne. an inmate of the
house. was much Interested in what
had tranSpired between the two gener-
ais. Her father was fighting us a colo
mel in the Union army. Her mother
and her sister were at home and, being
ardent sympatlhzers with the southern
cause. were employed i'll conveying in
formation of Union movements to the
Confederate authorities. Such was the
singular division in the Payne family on
the great question then ut issue. Isabel
Payne. the elder sister. was engaged To
Major Downing of the Confederate ar
my. while Dolly was as good as en-
gagged To Captain Fellowes of the Union
army. both men being with their re
Spective forces in the neighborhood.
The generals had no sooner departed
iuhn MISS Dolly went lDlO lne TOOTH
they had left and began Il still hunt for
something of Importance they might
have left behind to take To her lover.
whom she was To meet that very night.
Not scrap of paper lay on the table,
nor could she find one on the floor.
Looking into the stove she found one
half burned bit. Withdrawing ii, she
saw something written on il in pencil:
BIS division to attack before daylight
Turn enemy's left. As soon as attention
is drawn there Us brigade leads on their
right; then VS., then LIS. All engaged as
dawn opens.
This was every word. She turned
the paper over. examined the back and
held it up to the light to see if there
were not some faint lines she could not
otherwise trace. There was nothing
more except "23d" indented in the pa
per by what might have been the wrong
end of a penhOlder.
1t did not take Dolly Payne long to
figure out from this that the generals
had arranged for an attack on the Fed
erals just before daylight, probably on
the next morning. which was the 23d
of the month. Three hours later. just
as dusk was falling. she mounted her
horse and rode away from the planta-
ton As she cantered out of the gate
who should canter in but the Confed-
crate officer to whom her sister was
engaged.
Harold" said Isabel as her lover
was dismounting. Dolly has gone off
somewhere. | think to meet that con
temptible Yankee she's infatuated with.
I've ordered my horse and am going 10
follow her. | want you To go with me"
Major Downing consented. and the
two set off at once. Both Downing and
Fellowes were between the lines and
not under flag of truce or anything 10
bar their condition as enemies. Dolly
Payne was going on Il far different
quest than her sister and had armed
herself with Il revolver. which she car
ried in her hand concealed by the folds
OF her riding skirt. Major Downing
and her sister, not expecting that she
would ride rapidly. followed slowly, es-
pecially as they didn't care to make
known their presence inopportunely.
Suddenly on rise in the road they
saw the silhouettes of those they
sought Turning into Il wood, they
proceeded unseen till they came near
enough To hear Dolly's voice.
Il looked everywhere for something
more, but found nothing. This was
the only scrap not destroyed
a very important scrap" said Eel
loves. Who were the generals"
Il don't know their names"
And you're sure this paper was
placed in the stove by them?'
I'll stake my life on it,
Isabel took in the situation at once
and whispered an explanation TO her
lover.
He shall never get back with that
paper" said Downing and. riding for
ward. shouted:
Throw up your hands,
Captain FeIlowes found himself Gov
cred before he could draw his weapon.
You have the advantage of me-" he
said. Il suppose l must surrender"
The Confederate proceeded TO disarm
his prisoner and while doing so felt
something cold against the back of his
neck and heard Dolly say:
Shall l fire or do you give in:''
Downing dared not stir. FellOwes.
taking advantage of his enemy's handi-
cap. drew his revolver. and the Confed-
crate was covered 10y two weapons in
stead of one.
Meanwhile Isabel. who witnessed the
scene. wrung her hands and wept that
she could do nothing TO aid her lover.
Drop your pistol" said Captain Eel
loves 10 his enemy.
DOwning's pistol fell with a thud. Is
abel spurred her horse forward to pick
Inn Shn xy-aS faI Nv ar
sister. Then followed hurried confer
ence between Captain FeIlowes and
Dolly. at the end of which Dolly cried
out to her sister. Throw up your
hands. Is; you're my prisoner" Isabel
turned her horses head To leave. but
her sister rode up beside her and. seiZ-
ing her bride rein. detained her.
The upshot was that Major Downing