Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-06-15

In conceaiment and had fallen ep.
Your voices azvoEe me. was men,
Der of Reynolds battery. having On
listed from Illinois, Then | told her
OF my wound and consequent plight
She did not change her posture. yet
as I paused l could plainly hear her
rapid breathing.
"But-but it was not the orderly you
attacked" she exclaimed 1T was
Calvert Dunn
Yes. il was Lieutenant Dunn. but
i assure you he was left unhurt- What
followed think you already know.
how ! was discovered by Joe and your
brother. how in the gloom they very
naturally miStook me for Dunn. how
they insisted upon my coming up to
the house. | was compelled to yield
to their insistence. or else fight them.
/ never Thought ut that moment OF
Dunn's special mission: IL merely seem
ed rs If the mistake in identity gave
me an opportunity for escape. You
realize how all the rest was forced
upon re. There appeared no possible
way to avoid what happened"
! paused in vain: there was no sound.
no movement
Il knew how you dreaded that mar
riage with Calvert Dunn
And she burst forth. did you i'm
agine / would prefer one with your
Certainly not. but 1t saved you from
him and from what might have proved
a lifetime of misery You need never
see me again. and any court would i'm
mediately grant you divorce on the
ground of fraud l even doubt IL such
a marriage would be held legal
'But-but you do not understand"
her words almost sobs. II have ridden
away with you l am here alone with
you now
My purpose is to leave you at Fair
view 1t will require no more than
two hours from the time we left your
people before we arrive there. No
one need ever know the truth. except
ing those anxious TO protect your good
name. You may trust me Implicitly
Trust you-you. What. after all
this? After your lies. your eavesdrop-
ping. your spying. your tricking OF me
INTO this awful situation? God forgive
me-! Married to a Yankee. Release my
REIN
| hesitated. the fierce flaming up OF
her anger so suddenly paralyzing Icy
senses There was IL swift uplifting
of her arm 10 Il level with my head
Il mean it. You thought me help
less and-and in your power. but 1 an
not You drop that rein or I'll fire.
Oh. | can do it. you-you miserable
Yankee spy. | hate and despise YOU
She drew back her horse. wheeling
the animal about. yet turning in the
saddle herself so as to keep me in
view.
II do not know why / do not kill
your she exclaimed. her voice grow
ing bitter with anger lit is what i
should do You deserve it by your
own confession. and the one shot
would release me. Married to a Yam
keer every syllable kissing from her
lips The very thought crazes me
and puts murder in my heart am
going to Fairview alone-ulone. Do
you hear that? If you dare attempt
To follow me l will shoot you in your
tracks as would a dog. you low
down Yankee cur"
With single swift leap forward
both horse and rider disappeared in
the gloom
Surprised ! certainly was by this
unexpected outburst- Scarcely realiz-
ing previously the indomitable spirit
of the girl. before the sound of her
mares flying hoofs had ceased to echo
along the hard road 4 had given my
roam the rein and was squirting speed
lily after. We We're between the lines
of two hostile armies. in a debatable
country, where bands Of irresponsible
guerrillas. deserters and fleeing con-
scripts roamed unchecked by authori-
ty. where no woman alone in the
night could be considered safe for an
instant.
1t seemed to me we must have fully
covered that quarter of a mile back
to where she had indicated the branch
road as leading down toward Fair
view. yet there was no turning or
an opening between the walls of rocks
to my left visible even in that dark
ness. and l drew up the roam sharply.
swinging myself instantly to the
ground and feeling about hastily with
my feet for the ruts of travelled
roadway. There could be no other
road branching off at this point. Yet
the girl was riding directly westward.
riding at full speed. her horses hoofs
sounding fainter each moment
l stood there an instant. puzzled. IN
certain. Then the truth came to me
in a fash. She suspected I had over
heard more than I had confessed. that
i knew of the projected movement of
the gray army and that it was DOW my
purpose TO warn the blue. That was
why she was now riding straight on al