The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-05-27

disposed to linger long.
BE ye all ready, Cap?" questioned
Bungay, bending his head down. "Fe,
If ye be, I'm a goin' up"
| "All right" answered. struggling
to my knees in the narrow space;
only take it slow. Jed. I'm a trifle
bigger man than you. and this il
rather close quarters"
wal, yes, maybe a matter Of q
poun' er two." he retorted, and the next
moment could hear him scraping
his way upward, feeling for foothold
upon the irregular layers OF stone
followed, pressing my knees firmly
against the rough wall, and trusting
more to my hands than feet for &C.
curity against falling. There was
evidently a fireplace of some kind on
the first floor, with a considerable
/ opening leading from it into the chin
ney we were scaling. for as Jed SLOW
ly passed. l could perceive sudden
CLEAN of light streaming across his
face from the glare of the lamps with
In. He glanced ,anxiously that way,
but did not pause in his steady climb
upward
"A moment later came opposite
that same beam Of radiance, and
cautiously peered down the sloped
opening that led to the disused fire.
place. All 1 could perceive was a
pair of legs, evidently those Of cav
airy officer, Judging from the broad
yellow stripe down the seam of the
light.blue trousers. and the high boots
ornaYnented with rowel spurs. He
stood leaning carelessly against the
mantel, talking with some one just
beyond the range of my vision.
At that moment the music ceased
suddenly. and afraid to proceed until
it should strike ID again, braced
r4yself securely on a projecting stone
and bent my head over the orifice un-
til could catch portion of the con-
versation being carried on by my un-
conscious neighbors.
NO." said the cavalryman, gruffly,
and apparently in reply to some previ-
GUS question, "the fellow was most
devilish obstinate; wouldn't tell the
first thing; even a threat of treat
ing him as d spy and hanging him
outright proved of no avail But
Sheridan's theory is tina. Lee has or
dered Longstreet to hit our rear,
while he makes direct attack in
front. That's why the old man pro.
poses to get in his work first, and
we march at daylight to form con-
nection with Hancock. BY Jove.
Chesley. but that woman in black over
there with Follans' -e is the handsom-
est picture I've seen south of the line.
Mark how her eyes sparkle. and how
prettily the light CLEANS in her hair.
Who Is she. do you chance to know"
Yes" lisped the other. languidly,
met her at breakfast. headquarters,
this morning. Deuce6 pretty and all
that. mighty good style. too, but taken,
old man. She's Brennan's."
What! not Major Brennan?" in sur.
prise. why. he's always posed as a
bachelor among our fellows"
Don't know anything Hout that,
dear boy" indifferently, but the lady
came in with him yesterday. was in
troduced to the crowd of us as Mrs.
Brennan, and he called her Edith.
Deuced nice name, Edith. AS Bren-
nan has shown such poor taste as to
be absent tonight, l am inclined to give
little Of my time to his lady. Far
and away the prettiest thing here.
Well. so long. Somers: see you in the
morning. I'm going to give the fair
Edith a whirl."
The cavalry legs shifted tho. posi-,
ton; tho band resumed its functions.
and In the renewed activity and noise
began again the toilsome climb. nv
mind now a bowildered chaos between
my plain duty to Lee and my nearly
uncomfortable desire to meet once
l. ore the woman who was dancing in
the room beDw.
The little mountaineer, as active as
a cat, and not especially hampered by
lack Of room in which to work, was
well above me by this time. The
chimney, acting as tube. brought
down to me from time to time the
slight noise of his climbing, varied
by an occasional exclamation or CON-
ment. but could perceive no other
evidence Of his presence. Above, all
was as black as the grave.
Holy smoked" he calculated. prob
ably unaware that he was giving utter
ance to his thoughts. THAT was a
sharp rock! Durn II thar's a inch .
skin left on my knee. Ough! stop
tibet! who's got hold o. my fut?"
Hush your racket. you little fool"
l said angrily. do you want the
whole Yankee army to trap us here
like rats? l cannot get up this chin
n. any further: 1t is growing too
small to permit my body to pass"
rs tibet so. Cap?" he asked anxious
ly. Whit be ye goin' ter dew bout
it,"
made no answer for a moment: /
was cropping about in the darkness of
our narrow quarters to see IL could
determine exactly where We were.
"HOw high is this house led do VIM