The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-05-24

Narey and Julia. very pretty girls. The
sons were all serving in the Confed-
crate army.
"Cn which side of this fracas are
your sympathies, MADAME" asked Cart
! right.
The husband and father took II upon
himself to reply. THE fracas, as you
call 1t. suh," he said, '1s being dis
posed of by the armies of the respec-
tive sides. We noncombatants have
nothing to do with the settlement. We
intend to treat you no'theners when
you come to us rs ouah guests. Let me
help you. sub, to some mo- of the
| chicken. Do you prefer the white meat
! or the dahk?"
Cartright would have preferred
both, but, that being out of the ques
tion, he said either would do. and
| doubtless he could have eaten even the
bones. Besides, he was observing Carey
Randolph, whose southern beauty was
especially pleasing to him. The dinner
| proceeded with marked attention on
the part Of all the family to the young
captain, who, in the presence of south
ern matron and her two attractive
daughters, strove to make himself as
agreeable as possible The dinner fin
ished, he was conducted to the draw
! ing room, where he sat in the most
comfortable chair in the room, sur
! rounded by the Randolph family.
Nothing of moment occurred during
this after dinner compnnionship ex-
cept that the captain, looking out of
window, saw jim, Mr.. Randolph's body
servant, riding down the lane leading
from the house to the road. Then in
a few minutes the officer saw his or
derly, Mike Pinegan, riding full tilt
in the same direction.
Presently Cartright saw Mike riding
leisurely back and felt relieved. Ris-
ing, he thanked the members of the
family for their southern hospitality,
which he declared was famed all over
the world. All were extremely gra-
cious TO him and hoped that the for
tunes Of war would bring him their
way again. Mr.. Randolph assured him
that he would always find welcome
at the manor house. There was an un-
observed pressure of the hand between
Cartright and Miss Carey Randolph
and a soft look between the two.
Then the captain went out, called for
the horses to take him and his orderly
on their way, and, mounting amid
many gOodbys, he rode away with
Mike at the regulation forty PAGES in
his rear.
They had not gone far before Mike
called, Captain
"What is it?"
Are ye shure the dispatches are all
rightY
Yes" And the captain felt his
breast with his fingers.
Wouldn't it be well to take 'em out
and look at 'em? Them people is bad
secesh."
They're fine people, anyway" re-
piled Cartright But he unbuttoned his
coat, took out the envelope and looked
at it with astonishment. There was
no address or army stamp on the up
per left hand corner. Tearing off the
cover, he exposed blank paper.
''Great heavens! he exclaimed.
what is it, sorrr' asked Mike, rid
ing up beside his superior.
ave been tricked. Some one has
substituted this for the dispatches"
"Begorra, that's bad!' exclaimed
Mike.
The captain was pale and trembling.
What excuse could he give for his in
caution, his trustfulness? His delin-
quency might wreck McClellan's army.
Orderly" he said, draw your re-
volver and put a bullet through my
brains; then destroy this blank paper,
ride on to General Mcclellan and tell
him that we were attacked on our
way and robbed of the dispatches.
You'll do that for me, won't yvu"
'oi'm thinhn', captain, that there's
betther way q dotn' it"
"What wayr"
'Presintin' the real dispatches"
but they're gone"
'They moight como back"
What do you mean?"
well, SORT, they say all the nagurs
Of the south Is wild us. One of 'em
isn't, l know-that black spalpeen, the
planters body servant. | was eatln'
me dinner, and saw i'm goin' out TO
the stable, putin sOmepin that looked
lOike the dispatches In his shirt Thin
he KEN out wild a horse, mounted and
made off. Rushin' to the shtable, took
horse and followed i'm. l caught
i'm on the road and fired at i'm, bring
in i'm to a halt. ON trouble We for
the papers in your shirt said 'Wha'
papersF he asked Fur reply cut
off his ear wild bullet from me re
volver. Wild that he TUX the papers
from under his shirt next his dirty
black skin, and here they are"
The captain seized the envelope, took
out the contents, satisfied himself that
they were really the dispatches, then
fell on his orderly's neck.
But how in the world could the ras-
cal have got them?" asked the captain.
wondering.
81 dunno, sOrr. | only know be haG