The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-02-09
81 whIch he was aui,s .est.L1 eAc. .

81 which ne was quits ssssf<IJ chcz 81
not dangerously wounded--that ne wac
in good hands and would be we'll cared
for. and this news--A great relief-was
promptly transmitted to Fred's general
and by him telegraphed to the far
western home.
On well-made stretcher lay the cen.
trail figure of household and local In
terest, Lieut.. Jack Chiffon, slowly but
surely gaining strength and spirits
with every day. And who wouldn't
under similar infuences?-for two fair
young daughters of the old common
wealth We'd with each other In assidu-
Gus effort to entertain" the trooper
invalid. Lovely were they both. these
cousins o. the blood. and most carefully
had they been chosen for this special
duty by their acknowledged leader,
chief Of the little clan Of kinswomen.
Brilliant. beautiful and daring, who
of their brave order could lay claim
to leadership so long as Rosalie cared
10 hold L.? They followed and obeyed
her eagerly. Loyalty. though i'm yeara
she was but IS, and FIVE, at least,
Of the sacred band were her seniors.
Ever since the days of short dresses.
oraids and pinafores. she had been
dominant among them. Tomboy had
they called Resale at ten, for she
could ride any horse within miles OF
Charlottesville. and preferred walking
stills, flying kites or running races 10
the customary allurements Of eirlhood
She had one envy. one champion, one
idol-her brother, barely two years
her senior-and apparently but one
sorrow-that she could not do every
thing that Jack could, and not for lack
OF trying
Then as they grew older. and other
girls brothers began showing hithsr-
to unsupported fondness for Jacks So
ciety. and coming TO see him at all
hours of the day. and other girls them
selves began making eyes at Jack, hgf
Indifference TO the first and her fury
at the second were comical 10 see. Ard
then. when the war came on and VIZ
ginia sprang TO arms and Jack TO ssd-
die and his first commission IN Jeb
Suart's famous First cavalry, she was
all afire with fervor and patriotism Gu
the one hand and OF mad jealousy al
Maud Pelham on the other. for on
Maud had Jack cast favoring eyes.
And so. when she brought her brother
home 20 nurse and pet and coddle TO
her hearts content, while hhe was all
soothing sweetness on the side that
showed to him. she fairly brisued on
the other-that which all well-fayored
feminine callers. inquirers and friends
must needs encounter when they asked
10 see him. She established a regular
roster book and told on the list Of
the sacred band-her henchwomen. in
to four "reliefs" OF two girls each-ons
relief only to be on duty each day and
no outsiders to be admitted Needless
20 say Maud Pelham was net OF the
elect. and Jack speedily showed he
wished It we're otherwise.
And so this sweet April morning.
with a soft, languOrOns air playing
about the wooded. sun kissed heights.
she had two such awfully Mica
young girls to cheer him, while she
herself turned dutifully to another
wounded officer a youth in dark blue
ana gold who ala bean for over an
hour a silent watcher Of the merrl-
ment about Chilton's cot. while he.
Fred Benton. sat lonely and longing
to get far away.
II was not that they were cold, con-
strained or inconsiderate when speak
ing TO him. but. the doctor had to be
much away now; Lieut.. Jack was al
ways surrounded by his fair body
guard. the one man Benton loved, his
boon companion Paul. had gone TO re-
Join his regiment. and the one woman
who could have made Benton's stay a
world Of strange. sweet. watching de-
light was beginning day after day to
show less inclination TO approach him
at all A fortnight OF watching that
beautiful dark face had done It's work.
Fred Benton was mending In body,
but not in mind. for doubly now was
he a prisoner
ITO BE Continued