American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1912-09-26

oo AT tOWaA Xix lulCAe
"nere the horse was concealed; ther
suddenly paused with a new thought
Take his hat and coat" she whis
pered swiftly. There are British ma
trolls between here and the Delaware
Quick, and l will have your horse I'm
tied"
did as directed. feeling the value
OF the suggestion. and, a moment later
to all appearance an officer of Queens
Rangers. slipped through the thicket
Of trees. and took the reins from hel
hands.
You will go straight back into the
house?"
Yes" she said obediently; then ex
tended her hand. "Goodby, Major
Lawrence. | suppose this ends orr
acquaintance"
Not If | can avoid such a fate"
replied, holding her fingers closely. III
l believed that l am not sure but !
would return to the cell. 1t has beer
a strange intimacy into which We have
been thrown: three days have made
us old friends. Surely you annot be-
lieve me so ~ungrateful as your words
seem to imply"
But I deserve no gratitude" max
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 I have done this mere
ly for our sake. Major Lawrence"
"Yet ! would like to believe So" I
insisted warmly. You are the daugh-
ter Of q 10y
And Eric is the son Of a loyalist,"
laughingly, land wears a Continental
uniform. l am not privileged to go so
far, restrained by the limitations of
sex, yet I 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"
"Why-why, yes; Il think So"
"And l do not, Mistress Claire; !
refuse to so believe" Her eyes
flashed up at me, and l lost all re
straint in their swift challenge. Il am
going to speak-just d word, yet |
must give it utterance before I ride
out into the dark, away from you. !
love you. 1t makes no difference to
me where your sympathies may be in
this struggle, you have won my heart.
Look up, dear, and listen. | am going
back TO camp. back to the campaign.
| know not what the night, what the
morrow may bring. But l know for
ever | love you. and that if | live
shall surely come back. VIII you be
glad? VIII you promise ne welcome?"
| could feel her tremble, yet there
was no shrinking IN her face. no alarm.
oh, why were you compelled to
say that! I tried so hard not to let
you II cannot make the promise,
it would not be right"
Not right"
No, you do not know me. I told
you before I was a sham. a fraud, not
what | appeared to be. | will not ex-
plain even to you, and you must not
ask NE. Only it hurts me to hear
you say what you have. and be com
PEELED TO return this answer"
You care then-you do not dis
guise that?"
She threw her head back proudly.
making nc attempt TO withdraw her
hands.
Yes. l care; any woman would. II
is not true that l have served you
merely because you We're a soldier Of
the Colonies. l think it was true. per-
haps. at first. but-but later it was
different. oh! why do I say this,
Why do l delay your departure by con
senting to remain here in
Major Lawrence, cannot you
that my only desire is to have
you get away safely?"
But that is not my only DESIRE" l
protested. 1T must be weeks, months,
before can hope to see you again.
am a servant of the Colonies, and
must go where l am sent: we are upon
he verge of a campaign involving ex-
oosure and battle. l may not even
'ome forth alive. Must | go without
word, without a hope? Claire, Claire,
'weetheart, you have no right to turn
ne away, because of some phantom of
Imagination"
But ii is not, It is terribly real"
Il care not; | would still love you
n spite of all; you may be a spy-a
spy-but the fact would mean
TO ME. | would trust you.
your womanhood; l should
NOW that whatever you did was in
with your conscience, and
'e content-if you but love me. And,
hank God! know you do"
"I-I-no. You cannot mean that"
"Ay, but | do. Have you supposed
could not read the message of those
yes? Oh, it may be dark, dear. but
here is a star-gleam, and when the !
ashes lift-they confess a thousand
ines more than your lips acknowl-
dge. Yet | insist on the lips! Now
ell me-" and l held her to me. tell |
re-" L