Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1911-12-01
CHAPTER VI.
A Struggle in the Dark.


have seldom been more deeply
embarrassed than at that moment. /
knew not what to say or now best 10
approach this young woman, leIt SO
strangely to my protection The very
fact, which ! now realized. that she
was both young and fair. added some
indefinite burden and complicated the
delicate situation. saw no safety
Tor US but in careful hiding until
Craig could return. a squad OF hard,
riding troopers at his back To per
nit the girl to venture forward alone
through the desOlate country we were
in, overrun as | knew it to be by ir-
regular bands whose sole purpose was
plumber, and whose treat ment of won
en- had made my blood run cold as /
listened to its recital, was not to be
so much as thought Of
There was no help for it. and but
one way out, disagreeable as that
might prove to my lady She stood
there before me. motionless and silent
as statue. exactly where she had
alighted when the sergeant took her
horse, and II seemed to me could
plainly read righteous indignation IN
the indistinct outline of her figure and
the naughty pose OF her head To her
at that moment was evidently most
disagreeable and even hated compan
ion a Rebel" the being of all others
she had been taught to despise. the
enemy of all she held sacred Gould
any good thing come out OF Naza
reth?"
The time has come when it be-
comes my duty to 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 dc
it 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
ing 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
in my care. shall perform my full
duty coward 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
ter comprehend the facts which must
influence our present relationship
have sent forward Sergeant Craig
with the message especially intrusted
to me for delivery. and thus. If it
tails to reach its destination. | have
laid myself open to the charge OF a
Si6NS Luiiltaiy SiiiuS. III coiuS lHlS
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 impossibility of leaving you
here unprotected and because | was
unwilling to trust you alone with my
companion. | dare not permit you to
traverse these roads alone. The noun
tains all about us. deserted as they
now appear, are filled with wandering
bands OF desperate and hunted men
whose tenderest mercy is death. Any
rock may be the hiding place of an
outlaw, any dark ravine the rendez-
vous of as wild a gang as ever muir
dered for plumber