Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-12-02
The Iron
Brig ade 1
! A STORY OF THE ARMY q
OF THE POTOMAC II
By GEN. CHARLES KING
Author of"Norman Holt, ''-3he Coionel0
Daughter Port FrayEs," Etc.
CoDyrisht 1901. By G. w. DILLINGHAM; o.
(Continued.l

And so Henry found him, when in
his stocking feet, a little later. he
climbed the ladder to the loft with
wOnderous news. DR.. Chiffon and his
daughter were coming-were even then
on their way from Warrenton.
Much of the early morning of the
following day he spent with Rosalie
by the side of the wounded boy Now
that DR.. Chiffon had gone on in search
of the commanding general, hopeful of
permission to take his crippled soldier
home, the vital question arose, What
was to become of Paul? He had no
excuse for parole. He had not been
grievously wounded. He was there
of his own volition, undiscovered, with
in the hostile lines, and, though wear
ing his new and natty uniform and in
no sense spy, still, the lot of southern
prisoner in northern hands was a prob
lem yet unsolved. Then Rosalie Chill
ton, the daring, quick-witted girl,
planned the escape so successfully eff
fected
Little luggage had she brought with
her on that hurried journey, but, soon
as it was dusk, she dotted the gown
and Skirt she wore-even the crinoline,
at period of our national life regarded
as Indispensable to the wardrobe of the
gentlewOman-then donned soft
wrapper, and ten minutes later, Paul
Ladue, shOrn of his new uniform, was
attiring himself aloft in the travelling
dress of Virginia belle. He WELL
nigh ruined the whole plan-and crino-
line-by putting his foot through the
fiimsy cage as he searched the stairway,
but from the floor below came ominous
':eHush-sh-sh!" in Rosalie's tragic tones,
and she shook him almost savagely
while giving some finishing touches to
his toilet. How dare you be so care
less with my best hoop-skirt, sir?
Don't you know that's almost the very
last one in Virginia?" Then, duly in
formed as to the paths in the garden
and the exits through the fence, with
her shawl over his head and prayer
on her trembling lips she sent him
forth, and Jim Ferguson, officer of the
guard, bowed to her representative with
killing grace-and let him go.
Half an hour later Paul had shed his
skirts at the stone house, had had a
whispered word with Jennings-he of
the subsequent demijohn-and,i in some
old clothes of that worthy and with a
note to farmer friend back of Grove
ton, was away en- route to Hopewell.
By nine he was in saddle, with a horse
borrowed of the farmer friend; by ten
he had learned that Judge Armistead
was at Gainesville, having reached the
Thornton farm too late. and there were
they both-judge and lieutenant-when
the little ambulance train came along
in the morning.
Such was the story of Ladue's es-
cape from within the union lines. But
the story that agitated at least three
men was that of Rosalie Chiffon Why
should she have essayed her perilous
masquerade? Why should she have
left her brother and, in the dress of
confederate officer, before the last of
the yankees were clear of the plateau,
before Stuart's fellows were sure of the
Sudley road-why should she have
dared that night dash down to the
pike? Even in his battered condition
Fred Benton found himself bordering
over the problem, for he had heard her
father urging her to eXplain-had heard
her implore that father not to press the
question now.