The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-26
a FFTIETh ANNIVERSARY WAR STORY
By F A MITCHELL.
! nITCHEL,


(Continued)
"That doesn't prove anything" Fitz
Hugh remarked. Il don't believe
there's an officer in my regiment knows
that. But it becomes us to be very
careful The commanding general has
made it known unoficially through
his staff officers that he is especially
DESTROYS of concealing his intentions.
One spy penetrating for even day at
Chattanooga might Illustrate all his
plans. If the enemy knew that we
are concentrating there, and how weak
we are there at present, he would or
at least he should come down with a
large force and drive US SOUTH
A troubled expression crossed Laura s
face.
"Indeedv' said Mrs. Fain. 81 was
not aware Of that. Suppose the young
man was a spy"
Cameron" said Laura, II wish you
wouldn't talk so to mamma. She will
be suspicious of every poor beggar that
asks a crust. The mans name was
Slack There are plenty of Stacks
among the poor whites about here. /
have a sick family Of that name on
my hands now not a mile up the road"
HAS the fellow gomez" asked Fitz
hugh .'I think / would better see
him.
Gone! OF course he's gone" said
Laura, with heaving bosom.
where did he say he was going?"
ITO Chattanooga" said Mrs. Fain.
foll aoy r,
easily overtake him on horseback"
Nonsense" said Laura, with pOut;
"you have kept away from me for a
week, and now you are going as soon
as you've come"
"But, my darling, would you have
me-
81 would have you stay where you
are. and"-
Mrs. Fain, seeing that some cooling
was coming, wisely withdrew.
"And what, sweetheart?'
'sTell me what love to hear" she
said softly.
1--WE told you that so often you
should certainly be tired of it by this
time ~rczz-~r.s .-slazs .1.ss1s=t
Fitz Hugh looked inquiringly into
her face as he smoothed back her hair.
He was used to these requests to re-
peat his assurances Of affection, but
there was a nervous something about
his fiancee this morning that puzzled
him.
His back was toward the window,
while she was facing it. Suddenly she
clasped her arms tightly around him.
"Now go If you canp' she said, af-
fecting playful tone.
"Why, Laura, what does this mean %
he asked, astonished.
"You don't love me-" she whined.
"Love you, pet! You know do"
''Then why do you act sop
"Act how?"
"You never come any more but you
want to go right away"
But, sweetheart''-a half dozen
kisses for exclamation points, only
intend being gone little while"
"If you once start out to follow some
body you don't know anything about
you'll be gone all day, and then youl
be ordered away, and maybe I'll never
see you any more"
Never was a lover more charmed at
such evidence OF woman's affection,
and never had this lover less cause to
be charmed at the evidence Of his hold
upon Laura Fain. Had Captain Fit
Hugh seen what Laura Fain saw from
the moment she put her arms around
him and held his back to the window
Mark and Jakey going down the wall
to the gate-he would have exclaimed
"Oh. woman, thy name is perfdyr'
"Oh. woman" the departing soldier
would have responded, 'thy name is
indeed perfdy, but how glorious thy
peridyr'
"Jakey," said Mark as they passed
behind trees that hid them from the
house, II don't like that officer coming
to the Fain plantation just at this time.
There'u surely be some mention of us,
and it is possible he may want to have
look at US. You know, Jakey, we're
only poor, modest people, and don't
want to be stared att
I'VE ain't got or store clothes on,
and Ca..t want ter make no acquaint-
-nnces," Jakey observed solemnly.
Mark had Noticed Laura FANS agita-
ton when she caught sight Of the off,
Ger at the gate, and knew there was
good reason for It. He did not fear
that she would betray him intention
ally, but that she might be led to do
so from her very anxiety to keep his
secret
''The first chance we get, Jakey,
Wen take to the woods. We told them
we were going to Chattanooga, and If
thu officer takes it into his aristo-
cr-ac head to escort us with true
southern politeness a part of the way
he'll expect to find us on the Chatta-
Tooga pike"
an twouldn't be perlite TO- ter git in
his way"
They had gone but trifing distance
when they came to creek flowing-as
= wdsTerer tney met told them
--=ous1 k1occt1s-n gap. The road
crossed it by something between a
hedge and a culvert. Mark let the way
from the road up the creek and began
to climb the hills, on which there was
sufficient growth Of timber to afford
concealment-
At last they came to hut occupied