The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-07-26

tllhf uuN WIS never IN liont OF NNoht
guns long. They must be shooting at
shadows. But, Major, We forget where
We are. the perils about us, and the
necessity OF your immediate escape.
We must not stand talking here"
She was close beside me, looking NJ
into my face, her eyes filled with anxi.
ETY.. There were words upon my lips
l longed to speak, questions I desired
TO ask, but / held these sternly back,
restrained by the pleading in those
eyes.
''No, for your sake / must go at
once," answered soberly "Seldon
must not find you here, nor must
Grant suspect your connection with
my assault upon him. doubt II he
recognized my face in this darkness,
although he will surely realize the
truth when he learns OF my escape,
But how can / leave you here unpro'
tectedY When this man returns to
consciousness-and that can mean but
a few moments-he will be furious"
Il shall be safe enough. He will
have no opportunity to find me alone
again. Tonight l had no conception
that he was near, and was not even
armed. I-have been afraid Of him
for months; he has acted like a crazed
man. But you must gol" She caught
my arm, urging me toward the thicket
where the horse was concealed; then
suddenly paused with a new thought,
Take his hat and coat" she whis'
pered swiftly. There are British pa
trolls between here and the Delaware,
Quick, and will have your horse un.
tied"
did as directed, feeling the value
Of the suggestion, and, moment later,
to all appearance an officer of Queens
Rangers, slipped through the thicket
of trees, and took the reins from her
hands.
"You will go straight back into the
house?"
"Yes," she said obediently; then ex.
tended her hand. "Goodby, Major
Lawrence. l suppose this ends our
acquaintance"
mot If l can avoid such a fate" !
replied, holding her fingers closely. "f
| believed that l am not sure but
would return to the cell. It has been
a strange intimacy into which we have
been thrown; three days have made
us old friends. Surely you cannot be-
lieve me so ungrateful as your words
seem to imply"
,,k I md a mi n r.
ing no effort to draw away, yet look
ing into my face frankly. Perhaps
you have misunderstood. Is it not
possible for the women Of these Colo
MES to sacrifice as well as the men in
the cause of patriotism? You must
not believe that l have done this mere
ly for your sake, Major Lawrence"
''Yet l would like to believe So" l
insisted warmly. you are the daugh-
ter of a loyalist."
And Eric is the son Of a loyalist,"
la,ghingly, "and wears Continental
uniform. 1 am not privileged to go so
far, restrained by the limitations of
sex, yet may be equally a rebel"
(which would seem to mean that all
your kindness toward me would have
been similarly given to any patriot
soldier" j
"Why-why, yes; II think So"
"And l do not, Mistress Claire; l
refuse to so believe" Her eyes
flashed up at me, and l lost all re-
their swift challenge. Il am
going to speak-just a word, yet l
must give it utterance before l ride
put into the dark, away from you.
love you. It makes no difference to
me where your sympathies may be in
his struggle, you have won my heart.
Look up, dear, and listen. l am going
back to camp, back to the campaign.
know not what the night, what the
morrow may bring. But l know for
sver l love you, and that if l live l
shall surely come back. Will you be
glad? Will you promise me welcome?"
l could feel her tremble, yet there
vas no shrinking in her face, no alarm.
"Oh, why were you compelled to
Jay that l tried so hard not to let
,ou. Il cannot make the promise,
t would not be right"
Not right"
mo. you do not know me. told
-ou before / was a sham, fraud, not
What / appeared to be. I will not ex-
lain even to you, and you must not
SIX me. Only it hurts me to hear
,ou say what you have, and be COM
Ielled to return this answer"
you care then-you do not dis
uise that?"
She threw her head back proudly,
making no attempt to withdraw her
ands.
yes, care; any woman would. 1t
not true that l have served you
lerely because you were a soldier Of
he Colonies. think it was true, per-
APPS, at first, but-but later it was
ifferent. OH why do / say this!
Why do 1 delay your departure by con-
enting to remain here in conversa- {
on! Major Lawrence, cannot you
aalize that my only desire is to have
Ju get away safely?"
"9ut that is not my only DESIRE" l
rotested. "It must be weeks, months, +
efore ] can hope to see you again.
am a servant of the Colonies, and
lust goswhere l am sent; we are upon t
le verge Of a campaign involving ex- g
Osure aud battle. / may not even t
ome forth alive. Must I go without q
word, without hope? Claire, Claire, I
weetheart, you have no right to turn
lie away, because of some phantom of =
t
But it is not, 1t is terribly real" t
GfJ pora not. 7 yvor1d ctf1I 1Ova Won =