Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1912-01-18
CHAPTER XVII.
An Embarrassing Situation.

CHAPTER XVII.
An Embarrassing Situation.
1t was we'll into the third day when
We came down into the fertile valley
of the Cowskin. 1t had proven an I'M
eventful ride thus far, for we had met
with no adventures and had observed
little worthy Of consideration from a
military standpoint.
While constantly observant of those
points regarding which had been dis
patched, my one overmastering
thought during all those hours was the
possibility Of again meeting with Edith
Brennan and proving of some assist
ance to her. Her greeting Of me in
the Federal hospital had been so
sweetly gracious, 80 marked with ten.
der sympathy, while the memory of
her words, and even more of the look
which accompanied them, had so re-
NAMED with me In encouragement
that longed to encounter her again.
God knows what hoped for, for l
knew we'll 1t must all inevitably end
In despair, yet like the moth I must
continue to SINCE my wings until the
flame devoured me. Now, however, as
we actually drew near to where sup
posed she might be, felt my earlier
courage fast deserving me. Nor was
l furnished with even the slightest
excuse for pressing on; my orders did
not positively compel me to proceed,
and nothing appeared along the way
to lead me to suppose that harm of
any kind threatened that peaceful val
ley Everything meeting my eyes evil
denced that here, at least, was with
Its attendant horrors had not come.
Totally without the beaten track of
those great armies which had battled
so fercely for the Shenandoah, it had
been traversed only by few scouting
and foraging parties, and so short had
been their stay that even the rail
fences remained undisturbed to guard
the fields, and nowhere did note out
ward signs of devastation. 1t was Vir-
ginia as recalled it in those old days
of peace and plenty, before civil strife
had sown the land with dead.
What possible excuse, then, had
for going there? In my own heart
knew l had none, or one so poor and
selfish scarcely burst whisper it even
to myself; yet l rode steadily on. I'm
PEELED by my own weakness, or drawn
irresistibly by fate-whichever the
real cause know not-I would at
least look upon those walls that had
once sheltered her, would learn if pos
sible If she was yet there. Then
we'll, in the bondage of my passion l
hoped for what might happen, as
every lover does
1t must have been two o'clock; we
had baited our horses, remember, an
hour previous; and the Sergeant had
enjoyed his MONDAY siesta beneath
the shade of a great bush bearing pur-
pie blossoms. The road we had been
travelling since early morning wound
IN and out among great trees, and
crossed and recrossed the little stream
called the Cowskin until | almost
thought we had lost our way. We met
with no one In all the long days rid
Ing, not even stray negro, and in
deed 1t was some hours since we had
passed a house of any kind. Leaving
the brook behind us we toiled slowly
up long hill, and at the top Bungay,
riding beside me, pointed to the west
| ward
Cap" he said, thar is Their Minor
place."
The very sight of 1t in the distance
was thrill-a great white house
placed well back from the road and
almost hidden from sight by fine,
large trees an old-fashioned, big.
roomed house 1t looked to be, built
after the colonial type, a wide veranda
upon three sides, with fluted columns
to support the overhanging roof.
Hain't no signs es fer es l kin see
OF any trouble havin' Cured thar"
Jed said slowly, his shrewd gray eyes
roaming over the peaceful scene.
Somebody ter hum .tew, fer Their
chimley is a smokin'"
or course, now 1 was there, the only
sensible thing for me to do would
have been to ride openly to the front
door, and thus learn all desired. But
what man who loves, who is continual.
ly swayed by hopes and fears, by
strength and weakness, ever does the
sensible thing? 1 had certainly in
tended doing SO at the start, but now
my nerve failed me. She was the
wife OF another. 1 could not confess
l had yentured to come to her in love,
nor could look into those clear, hon
est, questioning eyes and lie.
Halt" I ordered. Sergeant"
Il am here, Captain"
Take your men down into that hol-