The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-02-08

he has never once mentioned your
name to me since that night"
mot even when came here with
my troop. believer"
mo; yet I did not connect that
fact with the other I supposed It
mere oversight. OF that he believed
the mention of your name would not
greatly interest me. Surely, Captain
Wayne, you are not keeping open this
unhappy wound?"
ION my word, no; but I regret to
confess 1t is very far from being
closed"
"He-Major Brennan does not know,
then, that you are here now with me-"
She evidently hesitated to ask this
question.
Certainly not" In surprise at her
apparent innocence. You cannot have
supposed l had been sent here by
him to talk with your"
IL did not know. do not think
| realized" she stammered. vainly
seeking for words with which to make
clear her bewilderment. 81 imagined
you might have come at his sugges-
tion to see that we we're amply pro
tected This is all so very strange.
He does not even know you are here
with us?"
NO" I admitted reluctantly. per.
haps | have no excuse even for being
here at all My duty as a soldier is
certainly elsewhere, but | could not
rest content until knew you were In
position of safety. Believe me, Mrs.
Brennan, have intended no indiscre-
tion, but was informed by soldier
that you were being held here under
fire."
Her hand touched mine impulsively
and 1t was warm and throbbing.
"T can merely thank you with all
my heart, Captain Wayne, and assure
you | both understand and appreciate
your purpose. But truly do not wish
any trouble to occur again-you will
go back to your post will you not?
You can serve me best In that way,
and retain the gratitude and admira-
tion have ever felt for you"
"At once, Mrs. Brennan" returned
earnestly. II realize / have done
wrong in ever coming here as have.
II is my first act OF disobedience to
orders In all my military life. But
tell me first that l have forfeited
neither your confidence nor your
friendship"
She paused moment, then added
quickly, as though in sudden rush Of
feeling: mo friend stands higher In
my esteem than you-now please go,
Captain Wayne"
AS | crept back through the dark
ness, passing beneath the piano into
the front room, which was filled with
the choking fumes Of powder, my
mind was chaos OF emotions impos-
sible to analyze. The very depth OF
love which drew me to her operated
now in restraint God alone knows
the struggle in the darkness as / con-
tinued to move slowly away from her
and toward the door. So deep was my
agitation, so intense my thought, that
scarcely realized was creeping
along barely beneath the dead line OF
those bullets which constantly swept
the apartment. Their crashing into
the wall was almost meaningless, and
| barely noted either the dense smoke
or the fitful flashes of flame as the
little garrison returned shot for shot
1t was Brennan's voice-how hateful
1t sounded then-which recalled my
attention.
"Mapes," he said, with the sharp
tone OF wearied command, take a
crack at that fe low over yonder by
the big tree; he must be In range.
You men, verify believe, shut your
eyes when you shoot, for there hasn't
man dropped out there In the last
half hour"
had reached the door by this time.
but paused now, determined to ven
ture one word Of expostulation at his
recklessness.
Major Brennan" said. speaking
sufficiently loud to be audible above
the uproar, do you not think they will
attempt TO charge the house?"
mot while We keep up this fire." he
returned coldly, evidently recognizing
my voice.
II grant that, at least while dark
ness lasts. But you have just COM
planned that your men were doing but
small execution, and is there not dan
ger of exhausting our stock of ammu-
milton by such useless fusillade?"
1T will last until our fellows get
here-that is, If your man was ever
really sent for aid, as you say"
There was a thinly yelled sneer In
the words as he spoke them, but |
curbed my temper
We'll, In my judgment, strand
tell 1t you because deem It duty
retorted plainly, you are making a
grave mistake which you may realize
when 1t becomes too late to rectify IT.
Possibly / have no right to criticise
one who Is technically in command
yet I am serving as a volunteer, and
the conditions are peculiar. | not