The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-12-07

ly passed, / could perceive a sudden
CLEAN of light streaming across his
face from the glare of the lamps with
in He glanced anxiously that way,
but did not pause in his steady climb
upward.
A moment later l came opposite
that same beam of radiance, and
cautiously peered down the sloped
opening that led to the disused fire
place. All l could perceive was a
pair of legs, evidently those of a cav
airy officer, Judging from the broad
/ yellow stripe down the seam of the
light-blue trousers, and the high boots
! ornamented with rowel spurs. He
stood leaning carelessly against the
mantel, talking, with some one just
beyond the range of my vision.
At that moment the music ceased
| suddenly, and afraid to proceed until
1t should strike I'D again, / braced
r1yself securely on projecting stone
and bent my head over the orifice I'M
til I could catch portion of the con-
versation being carried on by my un-
i conscious nelgnDOTS.
NO." said the cavalryman, gruffly,
and apparently in reply to some previ-
Gus question, ''the fellow was most
devilish obstinate; wouldn't tell the
first thing; even threat of treat
| ing him as spy and hanging him
outright proved Of no avail. But
Sheridans theory is tina. Lee has or
dered Longstreet to hit our rear,
! while he makes direct attack in
| front That's why the old man pro-
poses to get in his work first, and
we march at daylight to form con-
nection with Hancock. BY Jove,
Chesley, but that woman in black over
there with Follans. oe is the handsom-
est picture I've seen south of the line.
Mark how her eyes sparkle, and how
| prettily the light CLEANS in her hair.
! Who is she. do you chance to know"
YES" lisped the other. languidly,
met her at breakfast, headquarters,
this morning. Deucec pretty and all
| that, mighty good style, too, but taken,
old man She's Brennan's."
What! not Major Brennan" in sur
prise. why, he's always posed as a
bachelor among our fellows"
Don't know anything bout that,
dear boy" indifferently, but the lady
came in with him yesterday, was in
troduced to the crowd of us as. Mrs
Brennan, and he called her Edith.
Deuced nice name, Edith. AS Bren-
nan has shown such poor taste as to
be absent tonight, / am inclined to give
little of my time to his lady Far
and away the prettiest thing here.
Well, so long, Somers; see you in the
morning. I'm going to give the fair
Edith 'whirl"
The cavalry legs shifted the posi-
ton; tho band resumed its functions,
and in the renewed activity and noise
began again the toilsome climb, my
mind now bewildered chaos between
my plain duty to Lee and ny nearly
uncomfortable desire to meet. once
Lore the woman who was dancing in
the room below.
The little mountaineer, as active as
a cat, and not especially hampered by
| lack of room in which to work, was
we'll above me by this time. The
chimney. acting as tube, brought
down to me from time to time the
slight noise of his climbing, varied
by an occasional exclamation or COM
ment, but l could perceive no other
evidence of his presence. Above, all
was as black as the grave.
Holy smoke!" he calculated, prob
ably unaware that he was giving utter
ance to his thoughts. ''That was
sharp rock! Durn if thars inch O.
skin left. on my knee. Ough! stop
tibet! who's got hold o. my fut?"
Hush your racket. you little fool"
! / said angrily. do you want the
whole Yankee army to trap us here
like rats? cannot get up this chin
n. any further;.uit is growing too
small to permit my body to pass"
rs thet so, Cap?" he asked anxious
~ ''Whut be ye goin' ter dew bout
it?"
/ made no answer for a moment; /
was cropping about in the darkness of
cur narrow quarters to see if could
determine exactly where we were.
"How high is this house. Jed, do you
know?" 80
Three stories an attic" ,
How far up are swe?'
"'Bout halfway long Their third
story, l reckon; must be jist,. blow
whar. We are thet / stuck my fut
down an openin' Reckon It was moth
er fireplace. like thet one on Their.
first flure."
/ lowered myself silently. and felt
along the stones. until located the
opening, and roughly measured its
dimensions.
Il shall have to risk crawling out
here, Jed said finally, for ] shall
surely stick fast. if / go up another
ten feet Do you suppose you can
squeeze through to, the -top?"
Il reckon kim" he returned calm
ly. "But hadn't we better stic- ter
gether, Cap?"
NO." | answered firmly. You go
on, and one of us must get through
to Lee. Don't mind mo at all; 4geti
down from the roof as best you can.
If am caught it will be all the more
important that you should succeed"
COT is done--I thank thee, Roderick,
for the word; it nerves my heart, it
steels my sword
Even as he spoke could hear him
creeping steadily upw-rd. 1t soon be-,
came evident that his progress was