The Washington herald., 1911-07-27
Icopy,isht. 1911. IAs .sobbs-Msrrin Company

, She threw back her head like rest
less horse, blooded, mettlesome, aud re-
sumed her pacing up and down, her
hands clasped behind her back
when left the carriage with my
maid Jeanne, there she resumed at
length: when I passed through that
dark train shed at midnight, I felt that
something was wrong. When the door
OF the railway coach was opened I felt
that conviction grow. When you met me
the first time 1 ever saw you, sir-I
| felt my heart turn cold"
Madam
"And when the door OF the coach
closed on myself and my maid-when we
rolled away from the city, in spite of all
could do or say-why, then, sir, you
| were my jailer. Have matters changed
since them"
Madam. from the first you were SPLEEN
did You showed pure courage. am a
prisoner" you cried at f1rst-not more
| than that. But you said II like a lady
! a noblewoman. 1 admired you then be-
cause you faced me-whom you had never
seen befofe-with no more fear than had
l been private and you my command
| ing officer
Fear wins nothing"
Precisely. Then let US not fear what
the future may have for us. have no
directions beyond this point-Pittsburg.
was to convey you out into the West.
somewhere, anywhere, no one was to
know where. And someway, anyway
my instructions were, I was to lose you
to lose you. madam, in plain point of
fact. And now, at the very time I am
indiscreet enough to tell you this mucn,
you make my cheerful task the more DIFF
ficult by saying that you must be re-
garded only as q prisoner of war;
Serene 20
him with no fear whatever showing in
her dark eyes The clear light OF the
bright autumn morning had no tcrr, rs
for youth and health like hers. Sho
put back a truant curl from her
forehead where it had sought egress
to the world. and looked him full
in the face now, drawing a deep
breath which caused the round Of
her bosom to lift the lace at her
throat Then. womanlike, she did. the
unlocked for, and laughed at him.
a low, full ripple Of wholesome laughter,
which evoked again a wave Of color to
his sensitive face. Josephine st. Auban
was prfsoner-a prisoner of state, in
fact, and such by orders not understood
by herself, although, as she knew very
well, prisoner without due process Of
law. Save for this fearful maid who stood
yonder, she was alone, friendless. Her
escape. her safety even. lay In her own
hands. Yet, even now, learning for the
first time this much definitely regarding
the mysterious Journey into which she
had been entrapped-even now, prisoner
held fast In some stern and mysterious
grasp whose reason and whose nature
she could not know-she laughed, when
she should have wepti
My instructions were to take you out
beyond this point" went on Carlisle;
and then was to lose you, as I have
said. I have had no definite instructions
as to how that should be done, my dear
Countess" HIS eyes twinkled as he
stiffened to his full height and almost
met the level OF her own glance.
The agent who conveyed my orders
to me-he comes from Kentucky, you
see-said to me that while I could not
bow-string you. It would be quite proper
to put you In q sack and throw you over
board. Only said he to me. be care
full that this sack be tightly tied; and be
sure to drop her only where the water IS
deepest. And for Gods sake, my dear
young man. he said to me. be sure that
you do not drop her anywhere along the
coast Of my own State Of Kentucky: for
II you do. she will unite the sack and
swim ashore into my constituency, where
have trouble enough without the Coun-
tess St. Auban. active abolitionist, to
increase It Trouble'-said he to me-
MY dear lady, to that last. agree.
But there you have my orders. You ara,
as may be seen, close to the throne, SO
far as we have thrones IN this country"
Then am safe until we get below the
Kentucky shoref' she queried calmly.
II beg you not to feel disturbed" he
began.
WIN you set me down at LouisvineY"
Madam. ISannot.''
you I've not been hampered with ex-
orders. You have Just said,
the carte blanche Is In your hands"
II have no stricter orders at any time
than those I take from my own con-
science, madam. must act for your own
good as well as for that OF others"
Her lip curied now. "Then not even
this country 10 freei Even here thers are
secret tribunals Even here there are
hired bravos."
"Ah. madam. please. not thati beg
Of you"
CONTINUED ro-MoRRowo