Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-09-29

do you" | asked, gaining some
slight control over myself refer ia
the lady who came in with his party
last EVENING""
Most certainly; she was presented
] to all of us as Mrs. Brennan, she has
been assigned rooms at his quarters,
and she wears a wedding-ring. Far
| such master, but then that is not so
| uncommon a mistake in marriage.
/ Why, come to think about II, you must
have met her yourself Have you
reason to suspect this is not their
relationship"
Not in the least" | fastened to
answer, fearful lest my thoughtless
exclamation might become the basis
for camp gossip. Indeed | was
scarcely in the lady's presence at all
coming in, as / was left in charge of
the sergeant"
Perhaps he felt that he had already
said too much, for we tramped on in
silence until we drew near a large,
square white building standing direct.
ly beside the road.
This is the old Culverton tavern.
known as the Mansion House," he
said. 1T is tremendous big build
ing for this country, with as fine
ballroom in 1T as | have seen since
leaving New York. We utilize it for
almost every military purpose, and
among others some of the strong
rooms in the basement are found val
liable for the safe-keeping of i'm
portant prisoners"
We mounted the front steps as he
was speaking, passing through a cor
don of guards, and in the wide hall
way / was turned tower to the officer
in charge.
Goodnight, Captain" said Cation,
kindly extending his hand. You may
rest assured that | shall say all can
In your favor, but it is to be regretted
that Brennan has great influence just
not man to lightly overlook those
hasty words you spoke to him.
l could only thank him most warm
ly for his interest, realizing fully
from his grave manner my desperate
situation, and follow my silent con-
stairs until we stood upon the cement
ed floor of the basement. Here a
heavy door in the stone division wall
was opened; l was pushed forward
into the dense darkness within, and
the lock clicked DULY behind me.
So thick was the wall l could not
even distinguish the retreating steps
of the jailer.
Tired as I was from the intense
strain of the past thirty-six hours,
even my anxious thoughts were insult
ficient to keep me awake. Feeling
my way cautiously along the wall,
came at last to wide wooden bench,
and stretching my form at full length
upon it, pillowed my head on one
arm, and almost instantly was sound
asleep.
When l awoke, sore from my hard
bed and stiffened by the uncom-
Portable position in which l lay, it
was broad daylight That the morn
ing was, indeed, well advanced
knew from the single ray of sunlight
which streamed in through grated
window high up in the wall opposite
me and fell like bar of gold across
the rough stone floor | was alone
Even in the dark of the previous night
| had discovered the sole pretence to
furniture in the place. The room itself
proved to be a large and almost
square apartment probably during the
ordinary occupancy of the house a re-
ceptacle for wood or garden produce,
but now peculiarly we'll adapted to
the safeguarding of prisoners.
The solid stone walls were of suf
ficient height to afford no chance OF
reaching the great oak girders that
supported the floor above, even had
the doing SO offered favorable open
ing for escape. There were, apparent
ly, but three openings of any kind
the outside window through which
the sunlight streamed, protected by
thick bars of iron; second opening,
quite narrow, and likewise protected
by heavy metal grating; and the
tightly locked door by means of which
l had entered. The second l con-
cluded, after inspecting it closely, was
a mere air passage leading into some
other division of the cellar. / noted
these openings idly, and with scarce
ly a thought as to the possibility of
escape. l had awakened with strange
indifference as to what my fate might
be. Such feeling was not natural
to me, but the fierce emotions of the
preceding night had seemingly robbed
me of all my usual buoyancy of hope
II one sense l yet trusted that Mrs
| Brennan would keep her pledge and
tell her story to Sheridan; even if she
| failed to do this, and left me to face
the rifles or the rope, then it made
| but small odds how soon it should be
| over If she cared for me in the
| slightest degree she would not let me