The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-06-03

and generally with fair success. l
must ask to be excused from discuss
ing this matter further now, but--but."
her voice trenbled to whisper, Il
am sure your safety depends upon
your leaving me-"
Astonished by these words, sudden
ly wondering II she suspected me,
scarcely com pretending what she
meant, / stared into her face. as we
circled the room Grant stood stifiiy
against the wall where we left him,
his eyes fastened moodily on the
crowd; realized his presence, yet
my whole thought was concentrated
on the girl, the strands OF her hair
brushing my lips, her steps lightly fol-
lowing the music, her eye downcast.
Into the cheeks there came a flush OF
pink, and she glanced up to read tho
surprise In my face. 1t#
"Do need to say more"
eyes, you must" insisted, you can
never believe ! would leave you be-
cause of personal fear"
Il did not know.-at first. Now /
realize 1t viii require higher motive
to influence you; not love OF life. but
love Of country"
| felt the closer clasp of her fingers
on my guiding hand, and knew took
deep breath of surprise.
Lean your head just a little closer"
she whispered. II know you, Ma
! ior Lawrence, and--and | wish you
, well"
How kept to the measure l cannot
imagine, for, in an instant, all my
house OF cards crumbled into nothing
ness. She knew me, this blue-eyed
girl; knew me, and sought to aid my
mission, this daughter Of q loyalist,
this lady Of the Blended Rose. 1t was
inconceiyable, and yet fact-my
name had been whispered by her lips.
Suddenly she looked up laughing, as
though to make others feel that we
conversed lightly. We passed Grant.
even as | held my breath, almost
afraid to venture with words. Yet
/ they would not be restrained.
"You certainly startled me; how do
you know this? Surely we have never
met before?"
II refuse TO be questioned. sir; 1t
! means nothing how | know--the fact
| that | do should be sufficient"
| "Must Mistress Claire"
! Rather Mistress Mortimer"
'Yet the captain called you Claire.
sand we were children together
you can scarcely claim such familiar
! ity."
Il warrant you can name me-"
ALLEN, Ia it not. sir?"
! What was 1t the witch did not know !!
This was no guess work, surely, and
yet how could her strange knowledge
be accounted for? Sweet as the face
was, greatly as 1t had attracted me,
there was nothing to awaken throb
OF memory. Surely could never have
seen her before, and forgotten; that
would have boen impossible. The mu-
sic ceased, leaving US at the farther
extremity OF the hall.
sand now you will go?" she ques.
toned eagerly.
"You mean, leave here?"
"Yes; you said once tonight, that
but for me you would be riding yon.
der. realized all you meant, and
you must not remain. The guard lines
are slack tonight. and you can get
through, but II you wait until tomor.
row 1t may be too late. Believe me,
am your friend, a friend of your
cause"
| Il do believe yoM; could not con,
meet you with deceit, but / am Devil
dered az this sudden exposure. Does
Captain Grant also suspect my iden
tity?"
II think not--not yet, at least, for II
he did you would be under arrest. But
there are others here who would rec
ogni2e you Just az have. There ia
no mystery about 1t. was in Phila
delphia when the Continental troops
were here, and you were pointed out
to me then. No, we have never met
| Jct was buIo iGCO6ul6C0 you this
afternoon"
| II was pointed out to you by
whomf"
/ "My hrother--my twin brother or
the staff Of General Lee"
did you not inform me your family
were loyalists%
Eyes; 1t is true" earnestly, her foot
tapping the floor, as though annoyed
at such persistent questioning. 81
have father and brother in the
kings service--but one Is a renegade
and II"
"You are whatw
! II am merely woman, sir, unable
to determine whether to finally be
come loyalist or rebel"
| looked gravely into her eyes until
they fell, yelling their revelation OF
truth behind long lashes.
! Mistress Mortimer" murmured
bending 80 close to her pink ear, felt
the soft touch of her hair on my lips
'you dissemble 80 charmingly as tc
even puzzle me. But II leave you
now, as you request, must first have
promise of welcome again."
"Then you mean to return---a pris
IL