Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-02-13
I1NvA s,a.,., No =. H.1d Mead = 11mn"ny
CHAPTER TX.
The Shot That Killed,

door back of the house whence he had
entered. There was no doubt but that
the back windows would be equally
well guarded. The house was sur
rounded, no escape was possible. He
was trapped, virtually a prisoner, al
though, for tho time being they had
left him a certain liberty-the liberty
OF that one large room! 1t was quite
evident to him that LIE was the object
Of their suspicious, and he more than
feared that his real affiliations had
been at last discovered.
Apparently, there would be no OPP
portunity now in which he could carry
out his part in the cunningly devised
scheme of attack. "Plan 3" would
evidently result In failure, as so many
previous plans had resulted. because
he would not be able to send the or
ders that would weaken the position.
The best he could hope for, In all prob
ability, was the short shrift OF a spy.
He had staked his life on the game
and it appeared that he had lost.
Nay, more than life had been wa
gered, honor He knew the contempt
in which the spy was held; he knew
that even the gallantry and intrepid
ity of Andre and Hale had not saved
them from opprobrlum and disgrace
And there was even more than honor
upon the board. His love! Not tho
remotest idea Of succumbing to the at
fractions of Edith Varney ever entered
uyhn hn nj Cd no
perate, the fatal role. At first he had
regarded the Varney house and her
self as chessboard and a pawn in
the game. The strength of character
which had enabled him to assume the
unenviable part he played, because OF
his country's need, for his country's
good, and which would have carried
that were sure to be visited upon him
with death at the end-did not stand
him in good stead when it came to
thoughts Of her. Until he yielded to
his passion, and broke his self-im-
posed VOW Of silence, he had fought a
good fight. Now he realized that the
woman who should accept his affec-
ever in the eyes of everything she
hold dear. even II he succeeded and
lived. which was unlikely.
He had never, so he fancied, In the
least and remotest way given her any
evidence that he loved her. In reality,
she had read him like An open book,
as women always do. He had come
hat Iryl, 10 h.
from Jonas, and then to bid her good
bye forever, without disclosing the
state Of his affections. II he succeed
ed In manipulating the telegraph and
carrying out his end Of the project, he
could see no chance Of escape. Ulti-
mate detection and execution appeared
certain. and any avowal would there
fore be useless. But he had counted
without her. She had shown her feel
ings, and he had fallen. To the tempta
ton Of her presence and her artless
disclosure, he had not been able &c
make adequate resistance.
He was the last man on earth tc
/ blame her or to reproach her for that;
, but the fierce, impetuOus Temperament
, of the man was overwhelming when Il
| once broke loose, and he felt that hi
must tell her or die.
Because of his iron selfrepressior
for so long he was the less able t
stand the pressure in the end. HI
had thrown everything to the winds
and had told her how he loved her.
Out there in the moonlight in thu
: rose arbor, the scent Of the flowers
/ the southern night wind. the proxim
ity Of the girl. her eyes shining like
stars out OF the shadows in which
they stood, the pallor of her face, the
rise and fall OF her bosom, the fiutter
,, ing of her hand as unwittingly or wit
tingly. who knows, she touched him
= had intoxicated him. and his love anc
I passion had broken all bounds, anC
= he had spoken to her and she had an
t swered She loved him. What die
: that mean to him now?
Sometimes woman's love make:
j, duty easy. sometimes it makes 1t hard
Sometimes it is the crown which vic
tors wear, and sometimes it is the
pail that overshadows defeat.
What Edith Varney knew or sus
, pected concerning him, he could no
q tell. That she knew something. thai
0 she suspected something. had beer
d evident, but whatever her knowledge
/. and suspicion. they were not sufficient
r ly powerful or telling to prevent hel
r from returning love for love, kiss fol
kiss. But did she love him In spite
of FER knowledge and suspicion? Tht
u problem was too great for his solu
/ ton then.
n These things passed through hi
r mind as he stood there by the window
k with his hand on his revolver, wait
n ing. II was all he could do. Some
times even to the most fiery and tn,
most alert of soldiers comes the con
viction that there is nothing to do bu
wait And II he thinks of 1t he will
, sympathize with the women who ar
: left behind In times Of war, who hav
. little to do but wait.
, The room had suddenly become hi
a world, the walls his horizon, the cell
= ing his sky. At any exit he would fin
I the way barred. Why had they lef
him In the room. free, armed. his re
yolver in his handf
None but the bravest would hav
= antered upon such career as he ha,
. chosen. His nerves were like stee
in the presence OF danger He ha,