The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1911-12-16

enemy of all she held sacred Gould
any good thing come out OF Naza.
reth?"
The time has come when 1t ce-
comes my duty 10 look after your
comfort and safety" said. striking
TO disguise all self-consciousness.
Every moment we delay now merely
increases the danger of our remaining
here"
Il imagine | might very easily dis
pense with any further care on your
part"
Her reply nettled me. and | answer
ed with an earnestness which she
could neither ignore nor check: Pos
sibly you may think so. but if you do
is merely because of your utter ig-
norance of the disorganized conditions
which prevail In these mountains.
Your pride is almost ridiculous under
all the circumstances. You have no
just cause to feel that | am forcing
myself unnecessarily upon you. Our
being compelled to take you in charge
has proven as disastrous to us as to
you. Personally | can say that moth
iIs will relieve me more than to be
able to place you uninjured into the
care of your own people. | would
willingly assume great risks to that
end. But while you remain here and
my care, shall perform my full
duty toward you as though you were
my own sister Now please listen to
me, and | assure you shall speak
nothing for the mere purpose of alarm
ing you, but simply that you may bet
influence our present relationship.
have sent forward Sergeant Craig
with the message especially intrusted
Il me for delivery. and thus, II 1t
tails to reach its destination. | have
laid myself open to the charge OF
grave military crime. In doing this
have not only periled my own future,
but the lives of my comrades and the
faith Of my commander. Yet ! have
deliberately chosen to do so because
feel the impossbility of leaving you
here unprotected. and because was
companion. dare not permit you to
traverse these roads alone The noun
tains all about us, deserted as they
now appear. are filed with wandering
bands of desperate and hunted men
whose tenderest mercy is death. Any
outlaw. any dark ravine the rendez
vous of as wild a gang as ever MUIR
dered for plumber"
But the Sergeant said there was a
Federal picket post at the crossing OF
the White Briar"
Her voice trembled as she spoke.
He merely supposed there would
be; but even if it were true, We have
no positive means of knowing that the
men stationed there would be of the
regular service. Doubtless those
thieving. numbering bands-such as
that headed by Red Lowrie. of whom
you may have heard-are sufficiently
organized to keep patrols posted, and
may, indeed, be utilized at times by
both armies for that purpose. Were
ply walking into den of wolves"
But could you not go with me?"
| smiled at the naive innocence OF
her query.
Il wish you to feel that have
never thought so much about my own
danger as about yours" | returned
quietly. But would it be a pleasure
even to you to behold me swinging
from the limb of a tree. hung as a
spy without trial. merely because |
ventured to walk with you into a Fed
eral camp?"
| could see her eyes now resting |
full upon me, and much OF the hard |
ness and doubt seemed to have gone |
out of them as she scanned my un-
covered features in the dim light. !
scarcely think | was ever considered |
a handsome man even by my friends, |
but | was young then. frank of face. |
with that about me which easily In
spired confidence. and 1t did me good |
to note how her eyes softened. and to |
mark the perceptible tremor in her |
voice as she cried impulsively:
"Oh, no! Not that"
Your words yield me new heart" ! |
replied fervently. determined. now |
that ice was partially broken, to per-
nit no excuse for it's again forming. |
for If you but once fully realize our
situation you will certainly feel that |
| am merely endeavoring to perform
my plain duty"
Il will of course. bow to the newt
a BILE. sir" she said. land shall en-
deavor to adapt myself to the require
ments OF my unfortunate situation.
May | venture to inquire what you