Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-14
DAILY SHORT STORY
A WOMAN ScORNEO


and are well fitted 10 go into the enc
my's camp and bring me information
| need
My home lies just within the Yam
aee lines. general
| Very well. BY midnight / would
ike an estimate Of the enemy's force.
and be sure TO count his guns"
Il will do my best, general" And
the young man withdrew.
Jasper Harding. dressed in butternut.
| that afternoon appeared before Union
| picket and, saying that he wanted to
20 home. was admitted within the Tn
ion lines. He would have got on well
enough had he trusted 10 his memory,
but. fearing that he might forget. took
out pencil and paper and began to
count the cannon, noting the number
4 of the different kinds. In this he was
\ detected by an officer. Harding saw
him approaching oIninously and, turn
/ Ing. ran. Being Il swift runner, he soon
found himself beyond the camps, al
though he was obliged TO run TO the
rear or away from his own lines. He
4
men would overtake him. and he must
| he taken If he could not find some place
OF hiding.
! There are times when q great deal
| will go through ones mind in single
moment. Harding remembered that
Jennie Morgan lived with her mother
In house but few hundred yards
farther up the road Time was when
Jennie would willingly have given her
life for his, but since then he had Tilted
| her True. he had learned since then
that Jennie was the girl he wanted,
| but he had never had an opportunity to
| tell her so and did not believe she
would forgive him If he did. Indeed.
he had been given to understand that
she hated him with the hate OF a wom-
an scorned. But now either Jennie
must hide him or he must meet the
fate Of a spy. which was death
When he reached the house he looked
| back To see II he was observed and,
being satisfied that he was not, turned
III. Jennie, who was in the kitchen
| ironing. hearing some one enter, went
! into the hall and met him face to face.
A fierce look sprang into her face.
which was but slightly sOftened at see
| ing the hunted look on his. Setting her
lips tight together. she pointed TO the
door.
There was no time to plead with her.
for at the moment Harding saw
| through the window Il couple of cayal-
rymen shoot out from behind trees at
a bend in the road and had only time
TO step into closet before they rode
/
the porch and said 10 them quickly:
'Lookin' 70 a man that came run
min by hyer IA spell ago."
Yes. Have you seen him."
| Reckon. I'd turn him over to you
except he done me u mean trick Onct,
and l want him TO- myself. Whatll
you do to him if l give him up to you?"
Probably hang him."
"Hangin' is too good TO him"
Il don't see how we can do anything
worse by him unless we torture him,
and we're not savages.''
I'm ~pin' TO torture him when I git
hold of MIN"
Come: tell us where he's hiding"
III tell you what Ill do. I'll turn
him over To you If you'll keep him
byer till morning and give me Il chance
TO git my revenge"
At this moment an officer rode up,
and after a brief consultation the girls
terms were agreed to. Harding had
heard the conversation and. without
waiting to he given up. opened the
closet door aud walked ont.
Il don't want any southern girl" he
said. Ito have the stain on her OF be-
.x-in Of haF 10
You didn't think nothin' o. what y
did TO me, Jasper Harding. It's my
turn now"
The soldiers looked on at this lovers
quarrel with establishment What a
devil woman can be sometimes" re-
marked the officer in an undertOne.
Jennie gave the soldiers supper,
after which the officer rode back TO re-
port what had been done, leaving the
prisoner in care of the two men.
About 8 O'Clock Jennie stopped shak-
: ing her fist at Harding which she had
continued to do at intervals, accom-
panying her action with vituperatioD,
and started off into the darkness.
When she returned one of the men was
asleep on the living room lounge, the
other was on guard. Jennie unrolied a
bottle she had brought back with her
and asked the guard if he would like
glass OF wine she had brought him.
He was not loath to accept, and Jennie
poured him out a glass. He had no
sooner drunk il than he began TO feel
drowsy and in ten minutes was asleep.
Jennie, who was watching him, as
soon as she saw his head fall on the
. back Of his chair motioned TO Harding
upon whom a light had been breaking,
and the two left the house together.
Jennie he whispered. Il treated
you wrong. but / treated myself worse
found out when il was too late that
you were the only girl for me-
did you. Jasper knew they'd
search the house and find you
Yes, / did Lord how you've been