The Washington times., 1911-06-01

W. aSs.hsd PSssR u I feel sAslsi' and how H1T !
regret this unfortunate dis
turbance of a lady under my roof
1t amt chivalrous!-Tm darned If II
Is! If you'll pardon my expressin
myself so. But, ma'am, it appears
there are two bloodthirsty Yankee
spies sneakin' around here under
cover of night And Colonel Bled-
.soe's got Gov'ment authority, ma'am,
and I'm just positively powerIess to
protect you"
Then he is not here to do murder?''
Il am here to make arrests +" said
Bledsoe. Beware how you resist. Re-
member, your conduct may influence the
authorities in regard to another member
of your family"
At this the girl turned even whittier
than before and clasped her hands
tightly together. Colonel Bledsoe's firm
moderate, inexorable language had had
,its Que erect on her excited and per-
picked mind; and at the last appeal she
began rapidly to weaken. After all, she
knew nothing about the fugitive except
from MS statements and the discharge
papers-and dischage papers could easily
be stolen, bought, or forged.
She raised her voice again:
VIII You promise TO use no violence
against any in this room?"
u give my word as an officer and
tGod-fearing man." replied Bledsoe.
| there will be no violence unless there
Us a resistance to the Government
represent" His patience in thus reas-
surfing the young woman and allowing
her to prepare herself was due to his
belief that the tavern was too closely
beset for any one to escape.
]. But what II you were to find here an
opportunity to avenge some private en-
mity?"
'T hold no private enmities''
DO you hear?" the girl eagerly whis-
pered to Potts. IF you're not the spy,
?he dare not harm you after such prom
tses TO me. for 1 have powerful rela-
'tives in Richmond who would have him
punished
'Blodsoe's right smart of a liar"
Potts grimly replied.
1t was clear, however, that Miss
Coombs was about to yield him up. She
had begun to look upon him with con-
siderable suspicion, remembering that
there were thousands of Union parti-
zans in the mountain regions. Ardent
little Confederate that she was, hating
the Yankees. woman-like with an in
tolerant bitterness far surprising the
'rancor of the men who faced them in
the field-the mere suggestion that she
was harboTing one of the detested crea-
lures made her impatient to fling open
her door and demand a strict investi-
cation and an abject apology.
The fugitive saw this in her manner
as, with face partly averted, she ner-
Sously- bit her lip He took one glance
about the room and then calmly played
his last card.
Upon the table lay the letter, wet with
her tears, which she had been poring
over when he entered. There IL lay be-
tween them. where she had let 1t fall,
the signature in plain view under the
candle-light: The mans hand extended
signature. He leaned across the table,
fastening his steady blue eyes on hers,
and whispered:
Believe me spy or not. miss, as
you please. But II my enemy, Bledsoe,
finds me hyar tonight. 1 die And If
I'm the only witness that en- save him.
Hold them men at that door five min
utes till 1 git away. or you kill your
brother
would scarcely have been waited from
his lips by it; yet each slow word seem |
ed to knock against her heart. 81 was |
thar, miss. and know how 1t was, 1
swear"
Taking a last steady look at her face, |
into whose pallor a vague light had |
leaped, he suddenly blew out the can |
die and in the darkness glided to the /
window and raised the curtain. He was
about to take a desperate chance with
duration had had resistless power with
the girl. for at this critical moment,
as Bledsoe struck another heavy blow
on the door, she hurriedly exclaimed:
"Oh, oh, II you will be patient a little
longer, sir. will admit YOU"
Just so, Blodsoe replied.
Potts was beginning to climb out over
the window-sill. when an unexpected di-
version caused him to draw back. A
shot rang sharply from the direction of
he Go ri ]
and loud. surprised shouts from several
Of letters men outside.
Hes got away!-he jumped out Of
U1ndow:"
EIfter him. thundered Bledsoe.
Thereupon the hallway seethed like
1 furnace: amid furious clatter the SOL
diers made a rush for the stairs and
went tumbling down. The house was
emptied Of them in moment.
A rapid galloping Of horses hoofs
on the road told that some one was
riding madly away. A third shot now
rang out from directly in front of the
tavern, but the beat of hoofs continued
to diminish into the distance north
ward Then the night awoke again to
the thunder of a dozen horsemen gal
Ioping in fierce pursit; they swept up
the road, and the wind brought back in
the whirring thud of the
IRON shoes. At last all was still save
FOR excited voices downstairs and the
1uavering prayer of the preacher across
The hall who was giving thanks for
his bodily salvation.
"Praise de Lawd, oh, ma SOUL" NUT
tered the old colored woman.
Chuckling softly, Potts turned around
"pog-gone if that spy didn't dust
light smart" said he. I'm obleeged
o him. cause he done got me outen
light hole"
sAh, then there must really have been
!. Yankee hiding here" the girl said.
II suppose he slipped out while they
we're most of them upstairs. / do hope ;
hey catch him" And after a moment
he added repentantly, I'm so glad 1t /
wasn't you. after all. Do you know, {
vas almost persuaded you were a hor- s
id"
"I reckon" Potts drawled, "Bledsoe '
noutn't II been huntin' this kind OF I
rame, but it's Just as well he amt got
me-"
Eyes, IL you're at feud with HIM He
must be a terrible man; even his voice
I'D something remorseless in II"
They stood in silence a little while. !
finally the girl said: !
s'Sorne of his soldiers are still around. I
II be safer for you to walt till
hev all go away?"
"Gh- en- make it now" he answered
ather carelessly. THE moon amt on
his side the house, and they-uns is
ffen their guard" :
"Where will YOU go?" she asked.
'"ro Richmond. 1 allow to find work