Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-02-28


this erFand. Mrs. Brennan laid re
straining hand upon my arm.
Captain Wayne" she said with
much seriousness. you are very un-
selfish. but you must not go until
your own wounds have been attended
to: they may be far more serious
than you appreheEd."
As l gazed at her, surprised by the
anxiety she SO openly displayed.
CHANGED to behold myself reflected
within large mirror directly across
the room. One glance was sufficient
to convince me her words were fully
| justified. My remains Of uniform 1T
orally chung TO me in rags. my bare
shoulder looked confused mass OF
battered flesh. my hair was matted.
and my face blackened by powder
stains and streaked with blood.
u certainly do appear dlsreputable
enough. | admitted: but ! can as
sure you It is nothing sufficiently Sc.
rious to require immediate attention. "
AS ! stepped without and closed the
door behind me. | was at once start
led by the rapid iiring of shot from
the rear of the house, and the next
moment | encountered the young, red.
faced officer hurrying 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 belated apology, Cap
TAIN he exclaimed cordially, for hav-
Ing mistaken you for one Of those mis-.
ereants. but really your appearance
was not hattering"
Having viewed myself since within
a mirror, ! replied. II am prepared to
acknowledge the mistake a most nat
uva; one. However, ! am grateful to
be out Of the sc-ape. and can scarcely
find fault Nth my rescuers. Five min.
utes I1cfe would have witnessed the
end"
we rode hard" he said. land were
in saddle within fifteen minutes after
the arrival of your courier You evil.
IDENTIFY made hard fight of It: the
house bears testimony to a terrible
struggle, We are reioiced 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" ex-
claimed, greatly relieved. Miss MI
nor TO whom he is engaged, Is sor-
rowing over his possible fate in the H.
brary yonder Could not two of your
men assist him to her? 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 thc front room;
carry him in there where the ladies
are. and then rejoin us"
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
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 pc WIDER
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 for
my torn and begrimed uniform,
A glance from the window told me
the Federal cavalrymen were bearing
out the dead and deposting them be
| yond view OF the house In the desert
| ed negro cabins Ebers and one or
two of my own men were standing
near. care lily scanning the uncovered
| faces as they were borne past. while
scraps of conversation overheard
brought the information that the long
/ dining room where / had passed the
night on guard had been converted in
10 temporary hospital
Irresolute as to my next action.
| passed out into the upper hall II was
/, deserted and strangely silent seem
lngly far removed from all those ter
rible scenes so lately enacted In the
rooms beneath My head by this time
throbbed with pain: desired to be
alone. 10 think. to map out my future
course before proceeding down ths
stairs to meet the others. With thi.
in view | sank down In complete
WEAKNESS upon convenient set
tee My heavy head sank bach
upon the arm OF the settee. anC
deep sleep closed my eyes Il
was in my dreams ! felt i. first--S
light. moist touch upon my burnins
forehead--and | imagined | was Z
child once more. back at the old home
oaressed b. the soft hand of my moth
er But as consciousness slowly re
turned ! began to realize dimly wher,
was. and that ! was no longer alone
A gentle hand was stroking back tn,
hair from OF my temples, while tn,
bsrest uplift OF my eyelids reveale,
the folds OF dark blue skirt pressing
close to my side Instantly realize,
who must be the wearer, and RENAME,
motionless until l could better con
troll my first unwlse impulse
She spoke no word. and cautiousl,
opened my eyes and glanced up int
her face For a time she RENAME,
unaware OF my awakening. and sa
there silently stroking my forehead
he gaze fixed nusingly upon tn
window at the farther end OF the hal
J Doubtless she had been sitting thu
for some time. and had become at
/ sorbed sn her own reflections for