The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1913-05-09

suspicious"
81 am more than delighted to lear
that cloud is no longer to overshadoy
us. Miss Minor has made full e1
PLANTATION, then?"
'You have been completely exon
Grated, and restored to my goo
graces."
AS she spoke, l became aware tina
she was busily engaged upon som'
task, and when she ended 1 felt the
steel of gun-barrel touch my hand.
please pass this to Maria" sh'
said calmly, "and hand me back the
one she has"
you are loading, them" I asked, az
complied with her request.
1--WE have all been busy. Isn't Il
terrible? l was so frightened at first
but now they tell me that yAsI and
your men have come, there is no Ion
ger danger of those horrible creatures
getting in here"
you knew, then, that l was in the
house?"
81 was told some noble Confederates
had accompanied Lieutenant Cation
back to aid us, but your name was
not mentioned"
Then my appearance must have
proven a complete surprise?"
eyes, and no." she answered frank
ly. 81 was not sure it was you, of
course, and 4 did not venture to ask,
but l knew you were in the neighbor-
hood, and that such an act would be
in a way characteristic. l was GER
tain you would come if you knew, and
II, we'll really, l hoped it was"
In spite of slight effort at restraint
l CROPPED in the darkness until
touched her hand. For the moment
she permitted me to retain 1t, as if
unconsciously. within my grasp.
"Why?" l questioned scarcely rely
ing upon my own voice.
"Oh, one always trusts friends more
readily than strangers, and l have
seen you in danger before, and pos
sess such confidence in your courage
and resource"
But Miss Minor took particular
care to inform me you felt little or no
interest in me-that you never even
spoke Of me except as she Sompelled
you to do So"
For a moment she did not answer.
How constant the firing continues"
she said at last, as l sat struggling
dumbly with temptation.
"a mere waste of powder, 1 fear"
was my reply, given thoughtlessly.
when the rush finally comes we are
likely to be without sufficient ammu-
milton to repel it. I hardly expect
those fellows out there will ever
leave without a determined effort to
carry the house by storm. I have no
doubt they are simply drawing all this
fire in the hope that our ammunition
will thus be uselessly expended. 1t
is an old army trick, and one am sur
prised to see so experienced an officer
as Major Brennan yield to. In my
judgment they will make an effort to
rush us as soon as there is sufficient
light"
"But why not warn him?"
"Major Brennan would scarcely well
come any interference on my part"
But surely, as soldier, he must
value the advice of another soldier?"
Possibly you forget" l explained,
striving to speak as lightly of it as
might be, that there is lack OF
friendship between Major Brennan
and myself"
"Still?" she asked. Truly l thought
that might all be over. Even IL it sur
vived until now, this noble act Of
yours in coming to our defense should
have earned you his gratitude. He
he has never once mentioned your
name to me since that night"
mot even when I came here with
my troop. l believer"
mo; yet l did not connect that
fact with the other. l supposed It a
mere oversight, or that he believed |
the mention Of your name would not |
greatly interest me. Surely, Captain
Wayne, you are not keeping open this |
unhappy wound?"
ION my word, no; but I regret to
confess It is very far from being
closed"
'He-Major Brennan does not know. |
then, that you are here now with me?"
She evidently hesitated to ask this |
question.
Certainly not" in surprise at her
apparent innocence. You cannot have /
supposed l had been sent here by /
him to talk with your"
II did not know. do not think /
realized" she stammered, vainly |
seeking for words with which to make /
clear her bewilderment Il imagined 1
you might have come at his sugges-
ton to see that we were amply pro
tected. This is all 30 very strange.
He does not even know you are here /
with us?"
NO" admitted reluctantly. Per
haps l have no excuse even for being 4
here at all Ny duty as a soldier is
certainly elsewhere, but / could not 1
rest content until I knew you were in
position of safety. Believe me, Mrs. /
Brennan, have intended no indiscre-
ton, but l was informed by a soldier /