Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-12-06
CHAPTER TX.


ulated.
CHAPTER TX.
The threatening shadow Of the war
cloud, daily and hourly expected to burst
its fury over the Southern States, had
transformed peaceful grove into
camp Of armed men. Steel flashed in
the summer sun between the dark green
Of the cypress and the paler verdure of
the laurel bushes. Rows of white tents
stretched in even lines in the open space
made gaudy by the red and blue uni-
forms which occupied them.
The main por on Of the Louisiana
ZouaYes was composed OF boys barely
out of their teens, but in addition to this
raw material, the battalion embodied in
Its ranks very considerable number OF
old French soldiels. Col. Adams was
proud of his men, and only that very
day bad taken especial elation in show
ing their proficiency TO no less a person
thar an officer Of the United States regu-
lars--a possible enemy, in fact--to his
cousin, Capt. Demon.
Capt. Demon was on leave of absence
from his command far out West in the
wilds of Kansas. He had been slightly
wounded in an action with the Apaches,
and, having been furloughed, had come
to his native city. little dreaming that
By the time he arrived there he would
find the townsmen arrayed against the
authority to whom he had sworn allie
glance.
Adams plantation was only divided
from the camp of his regiment by thick
copse of magnohas, then in the pride OF
their spring bloom, which perfumed the
air with the sweetest scent of any tree
in the wide. wide world The house
itself was struggling erection, mostly OF
one story only, but standing upon a space
large enough for a small village.
Adams was seated in the welcome
shade of the awning over the porch with
little writing table in front of him,
piled high with papers of all kinds. OPP
posite him sat Walter Giaydes, dressed
in the dark blue. gold-braided uniform
Of a lieutenant in the Louisiana Zou-
ayes.
Walter had changed but little physi-
cally since the day when he was so
grievously wounded lie had allowed his
beard to grow, and his face had become
bronzed by exposure to Southern sun,
but beyond that he still looked the hale
and stalwart young fellow who had
fought against the reds in Paris.
Kindly Nature and g healthy constitu-
ton had repaired all his hurts except the
one which left a blank in his mind. He
was still as ignorant of the past. from
the day be was born to the day he was
wounded. as if tfose days had never eS-
listed for him. Even his own name was
mystery to him. Helene had first of
all called him Jack, and when they had
settled at the old plantation everybody
had come to call him Jack Adams, and
the name had chung to him.
There was one bright light which illu-
| mined his path-namely, the near pres
ence of Helene. She was his idol, his
goddess At her bidding he would glad
~ have laid down his life. He loved her
with the pure and devoted affection of a
faithful dog.
Helene, in her turn, had grown up, I'M
der Adams teaching, exactly what Ad-
ans intended her to be--ft to enslave
men and ruin kings. That she was a
beautiful woman no one might have de-
MED, though hers was a kind Of beauty
which recommended itself not to all men.
Adams had brought her up and trained
her to despise men. He had laid open to
her every weakness of the so-ealled stern
err sex, and in the result he had fashioned
a woman who, if she had a heart. was
guarded at every point where love could
sssail it, The natural untutored girl
had become woman OF the world; and
though suitors came and suitors went, if
she loved anybody, that being was her
self.
Adams success with his pupil was his
own punishment. As Helene grew from
child's estate to that of woman, the as
cetic revolutionist unbent himself to her.
and little by little he grew to hunger
for that which he had striven so hard to
eradicate. Little by little he began to
yearn for Helene's love, while he him
self had taught her that it was unwise
TO love anybody. He had never dared
to confess to the woman whom he had
reared from child's estate that he would
have been so happy could he have made
her his wife, and when he saw her sur
rounded by admirers his heart for the
first time in his life felt the bitter stabs
of jealousy.
Adams was paying out little attention
to the papers in front of him. but gazed
steadfastly in the direction of the copse
of magnolias, where Helene was stroll
ing between the trees by Capt. lemons
side. Walter looked from Adams to
Helene. aud from Helene to Adams with
puzzled inquiry. He had discovered
new trouble. Was Adams in love with
Helene as well as all the others who
came and departed again? He would be
nearer and dearer, if he were accepted,
the load would be harder TO bear.
.Denon seems to be in favor" he burst
out after waiting weariedly for awhile.
Yes, my poor friend" said Adams,
rather systematically. Il am afraid he is
in favor
Walter read in the words ccnirma-
ton of his fears, and was silent.
Whatever hopes Capt Demon may
have cherished were cut short by the
arrival of a young lieutenant with the
news that war between the North and
South had actually broken out and that
Fort Sumter had been attacked. Capt
Demon Immediately babe farewell to his
cousin and took the first train for Wash
! -.