Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-01

torrent OF tears and sprinkled them on
the paper
This ended the fight for me- My
rout was complete. / was ready to
turn traitor to my country by assisting
in the escape of one of her enemies
who might cause the defeat-indeed, the
Slaughtered her sons, among whom
were my own brothers. To get him out
OF the house during the day seemed
impossible. and by evening the mes
senger might return with soldiers to
take him away. But l was now as
hot for the enemy as l had been
against him. l looked out OF the win
dow. There was the man on guard,
sitting on wood pile with a shotgun
between his knees. A wheatfield ex-
tended from few yards OF the house
to n wood an eighth Of mile away.
In the interval there was not a tree
or an obstruction OF any kind. The
wheat had been cut and was stacked
on the ground in sheaves. Could any
thing be more hopeless for an escape?
But that power OF duplicity. SYM
pathy. unreasoning antagonsm to see
ing fellow creature-especially a man
who has awakened the divine spark
of love-suffer, had been aroused In
me, and l was as ready TO do and dare
in my field as a man in his l must
act in broad day; dare not risk wait
ing for night. | looked at the sheaves
and the guard below, and an idea-no.
two ideas-came to me like the fash
of gun. Selling n part OF the bed
covering. l began to tear it into strips.
Are you strong enough | asked
the invader. ito let yourself down from
the window by this?"
II am strong enough. sweetheart"
he said. his countenance lighting with
hope and love, Ito do anything you re-
quire."
oh, that word sweetheart" 1t stung
me with ecstasy. When l had made n
rope long enough to reach nearly from
the window to the ground went down.
stairs and. taking an empty bucket
and giving 1t to Sam Warder. the
guard. who "a crown for my treachery)
had asked me to be his wife. asked
him to go to the spring across the
road in front Of the house and bring
me some water while | guarded the
| detestable Yankee" in his place, and
sealed the iniquity by giving him
| Judas kiss.
His absence gave me just time
enough to seize one of the sheaves
and toss it up to the prisoner. whom
! called to the window. He caught
| II and took it in. Then l returned to
the room where he was and unbind
ing the sheaf put 1t about him and
tied it up again. Then | put one end
of the rope of bedclothes into his
hands and tied the other end to a
leg of the bedstead. This all done. |
| told the spy to watch by the window
and If he saw me disappear, when he
heard me give little shrek. to make
the descent and take position in the
| field as n sheaf of wheat.
Going downstairs again l began to
talk to Sam Warder about our affair.
putting up my lips near his to tempt
him. He begged for a kiss. and after
teasing him awhile | told him that II
he would come around the corner Of
the house where there were no win
dows | would give him one. After
a hesitating glance at the prisoners
window he consented-"Only for
minute"-and attempted TO take the
kiss. | gave d little shrek. then nj
lowed him to take me In his arms and
give me as many kisses as he liked.
When he started to go back to his
post | looked at him reproachfully
and asked him If he was through so
soon. This detained him for a few
minutes longer. when. fearing that II
endeavored to keep him further he
might suspect my design. / went back
with him to the rear OF the house.
There was the wheatlied. but / could
not detect the sheaf which contained
the man for whom had become a
double traitor. While my heart was
beating wildly | ran upstairs.
The room was empty.
danced for JOY. There would be
no banging. | had undone what had
done for my country and deserved to
be hanged instead OF the spy. But in
twinkling ] had been changed |
would rather suffer death for the prls-
oner than live for my country. My
decentralization was complete.
Later in the day looked At the
wheatfeId and saw that one sheaf
had fallen on the ground. | knew the
man inside 1t could not stand. was
terrified. for fear some one would go
and set IT up. In an agony Of suspense,
waited for darkness 10 come. II came
at last and the messenger did not re.
turn till 10 O'Clock ut night. to find that
the spy. had escaped
When the war was over the Yankee
spy came back to claim the girl who
had saved his life and the story came
out. But | had become shameless.
The whole family, remembering my
Confederate proclivities when the war
began. laughed at me But father said:
Kit. you made the kind OF soldier
women are fitted TO make. and you de-
serve medal of honor.
NO" ! replied. Il made a coward
a renegade. traitor and deserve to be
hanged. but I'm glad OF it,
Nov. / in American