Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-22

aAoAAooAe1h5 NY LIE uOleu anu JOV1ally
swarming all over the premises.
Another moment, too, and they had
surrounded the wagon with its help
less load. Then Averell himself had
ridden up to investigate, and one of
his first orders was that the Henry
house and grounds were to be pro-
tected against all possibility of pillage
and vandalism.
So it had happened that for two days
Paul Ladue lay concealed within the
Henry house-once when the guard
was changed hearing voices he recog-
nized as those of men he we'll knew in
his western home.
And again the word was passed from
the sentries at the front: Here comes
the general" and while the guard
sprang to their stacked arms, Pau,
Ladue, crouching sadly in the little
garnet, crept to the westward side and
peered through crevice at the coming
cavalcade.
All in the uniform of their rank, in
frock coats, belts and sashes, gaunt-
lets and forage caps, with regulation
horse equipments--the general and his
little staff made gallant show as they
breasted the slope. There were only
five in all, with three orderlies and no
escort, but in three of the five Ladue
saw the faces of men whom he had
looked up to, honored and esteemed,
while the face Of the fourth was thai
of the faithful and devoted friend whom
he had loved as David loved Jonathan.
Ladue threw himself upon the floor.
SO sick at heart that 1t was relief
to sob like homesick child.
And SO Henry found him, when IN
his stocking feet, little later, he
climbed the ladder to the loft with
wonderous news. DIR. Chiffon and his
daughter were coming-were even then
on their way from Warrenton.
Much of the early morning of tho
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 prob
lem yet unsolyed. 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 1t 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 a soft
wrapper, and ted minutes later, Paul
Ladue, shorn of his new uniform, was
attiring himself aloft in the travelling
dress of Virginia belle. He we'll,
nigh ruined the whole plan-and crino-
line-by putting his foot through the
himsy cage as he searched the stairway,
! but from the floor below came ominous
Hush-sh-sh!" in Rosalies tragic tones,
and she shook him almost sayagely
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 a 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
whispered word with Jennings-he Of
the subsequent demijohn-and, 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.
CHAPTER TX.
ESCAPE POSSIBLE.
1t Is by no means a far cry from
Manassas to Charlottesville as one