Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-04-07
The Iron
! Brig /
q A STORY or THE ARMY 8
~ OF THE POTOMAC
By GEN. CHARLES KING
AskAsr egs Norman Holt. '''fAs Coioasi's
DezShteF, -" Fort Frayns." Etc
Oa.snxAk lso2. by q. ". DllliasAan O.

They were standing two hours later
In the dusk of the old portico. There
had been blessed, yet almost solemn
meeting at the bedside of the agins
father, and all the story OF that la.
mentable month two years earlier, with
many tear had been told. With ths
squire and Elinor returned to the west
there was no one to warn them
against Mckinnon, who from the very
first had seemed to gain the guileless
doctors confidence. 1t was Chilton's
childlke belief that every well-man-
nered man was a gentleman until
proved otherwise, and 1t was not long
before McKfnnon knew all about them
and all about Jack. It had been Rosa
lies growing belief that her aunt must
have had help, and that Squire Benton
or his son was the helper; but at the
last her father amazed her with the adj
mission that he had given his personal
note to McKinnOn for money to be
sent to Jack, and for other needs. Lit
tie by little her intuitive aversion to
the man had given way before his ap-
parently unobtrusive courtesies. He
had never limited at such thing as
quarrel with the BentOns, father or
son. He never referred to them ex-
cept guardedly until Ladue's recapture
and Jacks narrow escape. Then he
had told her aunt, to whom he had
been kindness and helpfuiness itself,
that the plan was known to the secret
service, that Benton and Ladue had
been still in covert correspondence; ]
that Ladue wished to make it appear
that he was striving to rejoin his regi-
ment, while in point of fact he planned
to be again captured and confined
where he could escape the dangers OF
the battlefield. and the expedition to
capture him and Jack was guided by
information furnished by Benton him.
self-Benton, who had been under
cloud and hoped by the capture Of con-
federate officers to win his way back
to favor. RosaIie had Indignantly re-
fused to believe at first: had even had
fierce verbal ARRAY with the major,
who brought the Virginian, Jennings,
to prove a truth that, as McKinnon
put it, he never thought could reach
her ears Or it should never have es-
capped these lips" An eloquent man
was McKinnon. and music was in his
voice and mischief in his soul. Benton
had planned, he said, to capture Jack,
and Jennings there stood ready to
swear to it. Then, before She had time
to recover herself, she had been ush-
cred into that coy parlor, and had
come face to face with the man who
filed her thoughts. 1t all looked like
design on his part, and in her wrat n
and doubt and bitter trouble, she had
hurled her accusation and fed. But,
long before Ladue's visit to Charlottes-
Vile, she had begun to suspect both
McKinnon and Jennings. After his
coming she had known no moment of
peace, yet how could she write or tell
him whom she had so outraged? Of
what use was it? He would forget it
and her-in course Of time
'Does this look like it?" asked Ben
ton.
They were standing by the open
doorway. She had brought down to
him the beautiful sash he had left with
her when he rode away, for this very
night he must return to GordonsviIle
and join his chief for the mornings
march. Meantime he had been wind
ing it about her, the silken folds cling
ing to the dainty white dimity, and
now, having thrown the tasseled ends
over. his arm, had seized her soft hands
and was looking down fondly, wonder
ingly, in that almost unreaIizing, I'M
believing bliss of newly requited love-
Does this look like it-that for two
years should have been making every
effort to reach you, only to be stormed
at as if 1 had sinned past pardon in
having clasped you-here?" and rails
ing her little hands he held them firmly
upon his breast, the creamy white
upon the dusky blue. Then, one hand
being quite big enough for that pur-
pose, he stole his right arm round her
and drew her closer. The sound of
slow, measured footballs and soft
voices could be family heard along the
shaded street. Some of her coterie
were surely coming to scout the ap-
proaches il not actually to seek the
presence Of their erstwhile queen. Not
that they would interrupt for worldsi
They only wished to see. And through
the summerlike stiffness Of the night,
afar down at the railway station, the
suffering hiss Of steam told that the
iron horse was waiting impatient fer
the start. eft may be weeks before I
can hope to reach you again." he MUIR
INJURED. ~and-isn't that Georgia SCOTS
voice?" A swift upward glance OF
the soft, dark eyes said yes. and though
for an instant they fell again. it was
but for an instant: there was some
thing so compelling in the glow OF his.
Then" said he. speaking and
bending lower.
sThen-what?" she murmured, per-
sistingly insistent on being told,
though her head dropped again.
s'Then-it.s time for some-token OF
s11rrondcr IL If NOT And rnxu Ions