The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-02-22
tenant Cation, and will bring you

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| word"
She thanked me with glance of
her dark eyes clouded with tears, but
as | turned hastily away to execute
this errand, 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 apprehend."
AS | 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. Ny remains of uniform lit
orally chung to nae in rags, my bare
| shoulder looked a confused mass OF
battered flesh, my hair was matted
end my face blackened by powder
| stains and streaked with blood.
Il certainly do appear disreputable
enough, l admitted; but 1 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 encountered the young, red
faced officer hurrying along the hall
uyo of thu hnad a IF End oru1
cavalrymen. Recognizing me in the
gloom of the passage he paused sud
denly,
Il owe you a belated apology, Cap
TAIN" he exclaimed cordially, "for hav-
ing mistaken you for ope of those mis-
creants, but really your appearance
was not flattering."
Having viewed myself since within
mirror" replied, Il am prepared to
acknowledge the mistake 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"
I'VE rode hard he said, "and were
in saddle within fifteen minutes after
the arrival of your courier You evil
IDENTIFY made a hard fight of it; the
struggle. We are reioiced to learn
I that Lieutenant Cation was merely
stunned; we believed him dead at
| first, and he isbsfar too fine 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 IL
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 the 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 l
avoided unpleasant contact with the
1 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 / found | could do
| little to improve the condition of my
clothing. but after making such
changes for the better as were pos
sible, soaking the clothed blood from
out my hair, and washing the powder
stains from my face, j 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 depositing 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. carefully 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
to temporary hospital.
Irresolute as to my next action,
passed out into the upper hall. 1t was
! deserted and strangely silent, seem.
ingly 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, to think. to map out my future
course before proceeding down the
stairs to meet the others. With this
in view | sank down in complete
/ WEAKNESS upon a convenient set
! tee My heavy head sank back
upon the arm of the settee. and
deep sleep closed my eyes. II
was in my dreams / felt it first-a
light, moist touch upon my burning
/ forehead-and / imagined / was a
child once more, back at the old home,
caressed b. the soft hand Of my moth
er. But as consciousness. slowly re-
turned began to realize dimly where
] was, and that | was no longer alone.
A. gentle hand was stroking back the
hair from off my temples, while the
barest uplift of my eyelidss revealed
the folds of dark blue skirt pressing
close to my side. Instantly ! realized
who must be the wearer, and remained
motionless until | could better con-
troll my first unwise impulse.
She spoke nosword, and cautiously
opened my eyes and glanced up into
her face For time she remained
unaware Of my awakening.Nand-s sat
there silently stroking my forehead,