The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-02-22

| NOIu.
She thanked me with a glance Of
| her dark eyes clouded with tears, but
as | turned hastily away to execute
this errand, Mrs. Brennan laid re
straining hand upon my arm.
Captain Wayne" she said with
much seriousness, you are very un
selfish, but you must not go unit
your own wounds have been attended
to; they may be far more serious
than you appreheEd.
As | gazed at her. surprised by the
anxiety she so openly displayed
| Glanced to behold myself reflected
within a large mirror directly across
the room. One glance was sufficient
! to convince me her words were fully
| justified. My remains Of uniform lit
orally chung to me in rags, my bare
| shoulder looked a confused mass oil
battered flesh, my hair was matted
and my face blackened by powder
stains and streaked with blood.
Il certainly do appear disreputable
enough ! admitted; but | can as
sure you It is nothing efficiently Sc
rious to require immediate attention.
AS | stepped without and closed the
| door behind me- | was at once start
led by the rapid firing of shot from
the rear of the house, and the next
moment encountered the young, red
I eed officer hurrying along the hall
way at the head squad of Federal
| cavalrymen. Recognizing me in the
gloom of the passage he paused sud
denly.
Il owe you belated apology Cap.
| tain" he exclaimed cordially, "for hav,
| ing mistaken you for one of those mis-
creants. but really your appearance
was not flattering"
Having viewed myself since within
mirror" replied, Il am prepared to
acknowledge the mistake a most nat.
ural one. However. ! am grateful to
be out of the scrape, and can scarcely
| find fault with my rescuers. Five min.
end"
I'VE rode hard" he said, land were
in saddle within fifteen minutes after
the arrival Of your courier. You evil
IDENTIFY made a hard fight of It.; the
house bears testimony to terrible
struggle. We are rejoiced to learn
that Lieutenant Cation was merely
stunned: we believed him dead at
first and he Is far too fine a fellow
to go in that way
HE is truly living. them" ex-
claimed. greatly relieved Miss MI
nor, to whom he is engaged, is sor-
rowing over his possible fate In the H.
brary yonder. Could not two of your
men assist him to her? She would
do more to hasten his recovery than
any one
Certainly" was the instant re-
Spouse. "Haines. you and Mcdonald
get the officer out Of the front room;
carry him in there where the ladies'
are, and then rejoin US"
left. remembering then my own
need BY using the back stairway
avoided unpleasant contact with the
traces of conflict yet visible at the
front of the house, and finally dscov.
cred q bathroom which afforded facili-
ties for cleansing my flesh wounds
and making my general appearance
more presentable. | found | could do
little to improve the condition of my
clothing, but after making such
changes for the better as were pos
sible, soaking the clotted blood from
out my hair. and washing the powder
stains from my face, felt | should
no longer prove an object Of aversion
even to the critical eyes OF the women.
who would fully realize the cause for
my torn and begrimed uniform
A glance from the window told me
the Federal cavalrymen were bearing
out the dead and depositing them be.
yond view of the house in the desert
ed negro cabins. Ebers and one or
two of my own men were standing
near. carefully scanning the uncovered
flces as they were borne past, while
scraps of conversation overheard
brought the information that the long
dining room where ! had passed the
night on guard had been converted in
to temporary hospital,
lrresolute as to my next action.
passed out into the upper hall 1t was
deserted and strangely silent, seem.
ngly far removed from all those ter.
ritl, On lat nnupfaJ in hn
rooms beneath. My head by this time
throbbed with pain: | desired to be
alone. to think. to map out my future
course before proceeding down the
stairs to meet the others With this
in view | sank down In complete
WEAKNESS upon convenient set.
tee. My heavy head sank back
upon the arm OF the settee. and
deep sleep closed my eyes II
was In my dreams | felt It lirst--a
light, moist touch upon my burning
forehead--and ! imagined | was a
child once more, back at the old home
caressed b. the soft hand Of my moth
err But as consciousness slowly re-
turned | began to realize dimly where
! was, and that ] was no longer alone
A gentle hand was stroking back the
hair from off my temples, while the
barest uplift Of my eyellds revealed
the folds of dark blue skirt pressing
close to my side. Instantly realized
who must be the wearer, and remained
motlonless until | could better con
troll my first unwlse impulse.
She spoke no word, and cautiously
opened my eyes and glanced up into
her face For time she remained
unaware OF my awakening and sat
there silently stroking my forehead
L. .......lIa oil.