The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-06-22
a loud guffaw from the passing regi


Gee whiz !" snorted the Texan
"These Maryland beauties are load
ed" and he tramped on, all the
starch taken out of him by Polly:
reply.
Nearly all that day along the val
ley pike and past the Crumbine home
tramped the men in gray. Not wish
ing to irritate them at the risk of be-
ing insulted, Polly retired indoors
and watched the marching lines from
safe distance.
More than once she wondered what
had become of Jake. She had not
heard from him since his departure.
No doubt he was safe enough some
where in the mountain, for as he had
assured her, he knew every foot of
that spook haunted territory and
would be able to avoid conscription.
She scanned the sides of the noun
tain just beginning to show the gol-
den fringe of autumn in hopes of see
ing handkerchief futter for a mo-
ment among the bushes, signal that
Jake was still safe and on the alert.
But not a single signal was vouch-
safed her.
1t seemed to the inhabitants of the
valley that the rebel army would
never cease coming. The stars and
bars seemed everywhere, and caval-
rymen dashed hither and thither look
ing after the stragglers and keeping
all faced to the front.
"This is about the toughest propo-
sition I ever tackled" calculated a
man who from a secure place on the
mountain, looked down upon the
Crumbine farm. "I've been two
hull days away from Polly and it's
all General Lees fault. I don't see
what business he had to invade Mary
land for anyhow and keep poor nom
combatant like me in hot water. I
can't stand this much longer and when
the last ragged rebel is gone m going
back to Polly If it costs me my life.
She looks like mere speck from here
when she comes into the yard and I
know she's all tore up about her
Jake. What if one o. them con-
founded rebels should take a notion
to her and carry her off? Well, if he
should d'-and here Jake clenched his
hands at the bare idea, "I'd foller
him to the devil or to Texas but what
I'd get her back and me a non-com-
batant, too !"
When night came and the last line
in gray had left the valley to lose
itself somewhere in the mountain
Jake left his hide out. As he had
expressed himself, he could stand it
no longer. Why, he had seen Polly
every day for mouths and to be away
from her for forty eight hours was the
most inhuman torture.
Jake did not know that Polly had
at last conf6ed her secret to Reuben.
Jake was gone, she said, gone to hide
out till the war had left the valley.
Polly told Reuben that Jake would
not return till the last sign of danger
had vanished, but Reuben doubtfully
shook bis head.
"He won't stay that long, Polly"
the brother said. "Jake's dead gone
on you, as blind man can see, and
he'll be sneaking back and run into
some sort of a trap"
Heavens p cried the girl, "you
really don't think he'll do that, Reu-
ben 7"
"When feller's dead in love there's
no telling what he won't do. If you
had married Jake in the summer"
"But he never asked me to-" inter
rupted Polly with blush, "He's a
bit backward, Jake is, and"
"Yes,' grinned Reuben, "when a
feller can hold girl on his lap half
the night he must be all fired back
ward. I mention no names Polly, so
you needn't get red. If Jake wouldn' t
ask you, why in the old Harry didn' t
you ask Jake !"
"That was Jake's business, not
mine," responded Polly as she walk
ed away. leaving Reuben alone at the
woodpile.
It was night when Jake, venturing
from his hide out, slipped over the
mountain trail with the noiseless tread
of the rabbit. He thought that the
last rebel had left the valley else he
would not have ventured forth. He
didn't count on the rear guard nor on
the little army of spies detailed to
keep track of McC Clellan' movements,
but from what he had seen from his
retreat. the last gray back was out of
the valley.
Jake soon found himself in the
neighborhood of Polly's home. He
was cautious despite what he had seen
and had made up his mind that, hav-
ing seen Polly, he would go back and
remain until the Union Army had
come and gone. When he entered
the yard he found no lights at the
house. The family had been so an.
noyed by the Confederates that they
had resolved to set no lights in the
house which would only attract scat
tered bands of providers and invite in
suit and plundering.
Jake was astounded when he found
the farmhouse wrapped in darkness.
What had happened? A thousand
fears flashed through his mind. Had
the rebels carried Polly away? And
had the little household gone in pur.
suit? AS he shivered at these thoughts
which had taken possession of him he
caught sound that sent chill to his
marrow. 1t came from up the road
toward Middletown, and the next
moment his ears were assailed by the
voices of men and the jingle of mill
tary accoutrements.
The poor refugees soul was at once
filled with thousand new fears. He
I had come back at the wrong time
after all. He had walked into rebel
trap and now he would be caught and
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