Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-01-31


from a scout among the beautiful.
heights that border the valley on the
east. he stopped his horse at the public
trough and caught glimpse of three
forms that had stopped short at sight
OF the blue-jackets and, after a mo-
ment's hesitation, had turned back tile
way they came. One, an elderly clergy
man, gave his arm to a gentlewoman.
evidently bowed with care and sorrow.
The third form was that of girl, slen-
der, graceful, and in her walk there
was something vaguely familiar to
Benton's eyes. even before he noted
that she wore drab' felt hat, broad
brimmed and feathered. Benton fol-
lowed to the corner, and saw the girl
enter the gateway of an unpretentious
little home, while the other two walked
slowly on. Quickly he crossed the
street, followed along a hedge of rose
bushes, turned sharply through the
gate, and face to face at the trellised
porch met the girl whom he had first
seen sauntering along that leafy side
street at Charlottesville in the spring
of 49, Bearded, bronzed and stalwart
as he was to-day, she saw nothing to
remind her of the pallid prisoner of
the Chiltons, and only indignation a.
his intrusion blazed in her cheeks and
eyes, but, in spite of gallant effort,
she struck her colors at his very first
word, when, with uplifted forage-cap
he bowed and calmly addressed her:
Miss Pelham, 1 believe, whom
had the pleasure Of seeing at Char
lottesville. hope your brother is not
wonderland here"
Then he repented him of his cruelty
when he saw her sway and stretch forth
her hand for the support of the rail-
ing at the steps. Pardon me-" he
continued, his blue eyes fixed on her
almost ashen face, ''but nothing less
could have brought you here, and, par
don me again, but 1 must enter" and
he moved as though to pass her by.
Instantly, almost in terror, she grasped
his arm.
No! Oh, no." she cried 81 give you
my word! My brother is not here!"
Then l am more than glad" said
Benton, for it all seemed to flash over
him in the instant, and, despite her
clinging hands and almost frantic ap-
peal, he sprang up the steps and into
the open doorway There on the bed,
gaunt, fever-stricken, and gazing up
at the startled, colored nanny, acting
as nurse, and then into the face of
the blue-uniformed intruder, lay the
wreck of the one personal enemy Fred
Benton was aware of in all Virginia
all that was left of Scott Lounsberry.
Maud Pelham sprang past the union
officer and stood almost defantly fac
ing him.
you shall not take him-touch
him." she cried, in tones intense and
low. HE is terribly wounded. He
has done you no wrong!"
HE tried hard to harm me and he
made you the instrument" he said.
Did you not know that note was
meant to lure me into trap? Did you
not know that his men were waiting
there to seize or possibly kill me?"
From the bed there came a feeble
cackle of laughter, and the girls wild,
dilated eyes that at Benton's words
were staring at him, turned in sud-
den alarm to the fevered man, whose
voice quavered in sheer of mingled
hate and triumph.
you got away, thanks to her, and
her meddling, but he won't-by God
he won't! They've got Jack Chiffon
hard and fast this time-a spy with a
hatful of information and they'll hang
him within the week."
ITO Be Continued