The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-16

"But why cannot 90? You say he
 Is hurt and suffering, and yet order me no, lV se >~ '>-.---. 'T merely request you to remain here for . moment until we can guard you through the tunnel" "Guard mer' her eyes searching the dark opening. "Trom what! Is there
 any peril there?"
 "Honestiy. do not know, but it is no place for you to attempt to trav- erse alone. I will not permit it. See, am going to trust you fully to wait my return. Take this revolver and
 watch that opening until come back" !" She accepted it, our hands touching
 for an instant, before a vague sus- picion of my real purpose dawned upon her.
 "What-what are you planning to
 do. Take your men through here?" "Yes," I acknowledged, already at the head of the stairs. '"This is our opportunity for escape" "And you believe I will be an ac- complice? You intend to use me for the defeat of my own peopleT '.No. Miss Denslow," and came back. looking directly into her indig- nant eyes. There is no manner in which you can possibly rpreyent our
 escape in this way unless you delib-
 erately choose to kill me. You can do
 that, for you have my weapon in your
 hand, and I stand here unarmed. Are you willing to do that for the Confed-' eracyT
 I saw the flush sweep into her cheeks, the gray-blue eyes falling be- fore mine. 'No-no," she faltered, mot that" '1Then you are helpless to interfere. ], desire to take you with us to the as-
 sistance of Colonel Donald, but if 1t is your intention to make trouble, then we shall have to lock you up again and leave you behind. Which is your choice?"
 She could not doubt my sincerity, for
 the earnestness with which l spoke was convincing. Her eyes uplifted to mine for one single questioning in stant.
 q win wait," she said slowly, "but but believe hate you" "I would far rather you felt thus, Miss Denslow," l returned quietly, ''than to be utterly indifferent toward me-"
 caught her sudden look of surprise, the quick uplift of her face, but be- fore she could find expression in words
 I had slipped down the stairs to the | hall.
 They came struggling forth from the various doorways, biackened with pow der smoke and sleepy eyed from the long night vigil, yet fairly tough
 looking bunch of fighting men, and
 ranged themselves before me. They
 had scarcely had opportunity to ob- serve me before in the rush of that first attack, but the cavalry officers uniform I wore had an immediate eff feet, and they remained respectfully | silent, leaning on their carbines, wait | ing for me to speak.
 "Well, men," said soberly, we're | going out of this, but we are liable to
 have bit of stiff fighting before we | get away. I'll explain the situation because you will have to operate in the AdAh hy anu CdOA LAdA LAQSL 0SC u16 OWh l Judgment to some extent. although we will try to keep together. Those fel
 .ows out wonder are part of Donalds band of guerrillas, with a small squad | of regular cavalry. They'll outnumbel US little over three to one, but ar, scattered around the house. the maiI | force punched in front I've been ou | and looked them over, and if we cal | strike them suddenly in the rear w ought to have them on the run in fv' minutes. They haven't any guard
 out, and have found a secret passag
 leading underground to negro cabi
 a hundred fect west of the house kitch en-. But we've got to act at once, am before daylight, for another bunch o those fellows are marching this wa: l and may show up at any minute. Ar you lads ready for a scrap" y Their faces as we'll as voices an swered
 As I turned to step upon the stai
 above two shots suddenly rang out il
 the upper hall. the sharp reports thos'
 of revolver. Jean! It must be Jean 1 I leaped forward, the men racing ray heels.
 She stood, crouching slightly. hal way between the stair head and th end of the hall. staring into the black ness of the open fireplace, the revolve' yet smoking in her hand What was it, Miss Denslow? What were you firing at?'
 The tenseness of her muscles gave way, and her slender form swayed ] back against the support of my shoul- ' der, one hand clasping at my sleeve,