Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1912-06-19

word"
She thanked me with a glance Of
her dark eyes clouded with tears. but
as ] turned hastily away TO execute |
this errand, Mrs. Brennan laid re-
stralning hand upon my arm.
Captain Wayne" she said with |
much seriousness you are very I'M
selfish, but you must not 90 until
your own wounds have been attended
to- they may be far more serious
than you appreheEd"
AS ! gazed at her, surprised by the
anxiety she so openly displayed, |
CHANGED to behold myself reflected
within a large mirror directly across
the room. One glance was sufficient
to convince me her words were fully
justified. My remains Of uniform lit
orally chung TO me in rags, my bare
shoulder looked a confused mass Of
battered flesh, my hair was matted,
and my face blackened by powder
stains and streaked with blood.
Il certainly do appear disreputable
enough, admitted; but | can as
sure you It is nothing sufficiently Sc
rious to require Immediate attention"
AS l stepped without and closed the
door behind me, | was at once start.
led by the rapid firing Of shot from
the rear Of the house, and the next
moment l encountered the young. red
faced officer hurrylng along the hall
way at the head a squad of Federal
cayalrymen. Recognizing me in the
gloom Of the passage he paused sud
denly.
Il owe you a belated apology. Cap
tain" he exclaimed cordially, "for hay
ing mistaken you for one Of those mis-
creants, but really your appearance
was not flattering."
Having viewed myself since within
mirror" replied, 81 am prepared to
acknowledge the mistake a most nat
ural one. However, | am grateful to
be out Of the scrape, and can scarcely
find fault with my rescuers. Five min
utes more would have witnessed the
end"
we rode hard" he said, "and we're
in saddle within fifteen minutes after
! the arrival of your courier You evil
IDENTIFY made a hard fight of It; the
house bears testimony to a terrible
struggle. We are rejoiced to learn
that Lieutenant Cation was merely
| stunned; we believed him dead at
first, and he is far too fine a fellow
to go in that way"
"He is truly living, them" l ex-
claimed, greatly relieved. Miss MI
nor, to whom he is engaged, is sor-
rowing over his possible fate in the IL
brary yonder. Could not two of your
men assist him to herr She would
do more to hasten his recovery than
any one"
Certainly" was the instant re-
Spouse. "Haines. you and Mcdonald
get the officer out of tho front room;
carry him in there where the ladies'
are, and then rejoin u.s."
left, remembering then my own
need BY using the back stairway /
avoided unpleasant contact with the
traces of conflict yet visible at the
front of the house. and finally discov-
cred a bathroom which afforded facili-
ties for cleansing my flesh wounds
and making my general appearance
more presentable. l found l could do
little to improve the condition of my
clothing, but after making such
changes for the better as were pos,
sible, soaking the clotted blood from
out my hair, and washing the powder
stains from my face, felt should
no longer prove an object of aversion
: even to the critical eyes of the women
who would fully realize the cause fol
my torn and begrimed uniform.
A glance from the window told mi
the Federal cavalrymen were bearing
out the dead and depositing them be
yond view of the house in the desert
} ed negro cabins. Ebers and one 0
two Of my own men were standing
near, carefully scanning the uncovere
l faces as they were borne past, Will
scraps of conversation overhear
brought the information that the Ion
| dining room where had passed tn
night on guard had been converted IL
to a temporary hospital,
! Irresolute as to my next action,
passed out into the upper hall. 1t wa
| deserted and strangely silent seen
| ingly far removed from all those te
| rible scenes so lately enacted in tn
| rooms beneath. My head by this tim
1 throbbed with pain; desired to b
4 alone, to think, to map out my futur
4 course before proceeding down tn
| stairs to meet the others. With tn
| In view l sank down in Comple
| WEAKNESS upon a convenient sc
! tee. My heavy head sank BAG
I upon the arm of the settee, an
1 deep sleep closed my eyes.
I was in my dreams felt 1t first
light, moist touch upon my burniI
| forehead-and l imagined l was
| child once more, back at the old HON
: caressed b. the soft hand of my mot
Z err. But as consciousness slowly 7
turned l began to realize dimly whe
l was, and that was no longer alon
T. A gentle hand was stroking back Il
" hair from off my temples, while Il
IT barest uplift of my eyelids reveal
the folds of dark blue skirt pressil
tn close to my side. Instantly realiz
le who must be the wearer, and remain
n. motionless until / could better &C
ne troll my first unwise impulse,
opplya No uvprd nd I cautions