Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-09-30

"You mean faith in the other party?"
"Of course; one cannot be conVen-
tional in wartimes, and there is no one
here to properly introduce us, even II
that formality was desired. So must
accept you on trust"
my uniform alone should be suff1-
cient guarantee"
She laughed; her eyes sparkling.
well, hardly. I imagine you fail to
comprehend it's really disreputable
condition. But-well, you-you look
like an officer and a gentleman"
For which compliment I sincerely
thank you. However, Miss Harwood,
my story can be quickly told. am
lieutenant, Third United States cav
alry-see, the numeral is on my hat
attached to Heitzelman's command,
now at Fairfax Court House. | have
recently been detailed to the recruit
ing service, and ordered to this Sec
ton
l found it strangely difficult, front
ing her calm look of insistence, to go
on. But there was no way OF escape.
Beyond doubt the sympathy Of this
girl was with the cause Of the North,
and if | were to confess myself Tom
Wyatt, and a Confederate spy, all hope
Of the success of my mission would be
Immediately ended. Besides I lacked
the will to forfeit her esteem-to per
nit her confidence in me to become
changed into suspicion.
Then l will go on" I said more
slowly, endeavoring better to arrange
my story. 81 picked up a guide at
Fayette, but the officer in command
there could spare no escort. The man
who went with me must have been a
traitor for he guided me south into
the Green BTiar mountains. Last night
at dusk we rode into a camp CT guer-
rillas."
"Who commanded them? Did you
learn"
"a gray-headed, seamed-faced noun
taineer, they called Cowan."
She emitted a quick breath, between
closely pressed lips.
"You know the man." I asked.
Eyes; old Ned CoWan; he lived over
yonder, east of here in the foothills.
He and-and my father had some trou
BILE before the war. He-he is vim
dictive and dangerous" She stopped,
her glance sweeping about the room.
81 have some reason to suspect"
she added, as if half doubling whether
she ought to speak the word, that
either he, or one of his men, broke in
here"
'In search of something's"
"a paper; yes-a deed. OF course
I may be mistaken; only it is not to be
found. The desk in the library was
rifed, and it's contents scattered over
the floor when I came. l put them
back in place, but found nothing of
value among those that remained. My
father must have removed those Of i'm.
portance.
POSSIBLY he carried them with
him?'
She leaned her head on her hand,
her eyes thoughtful.
81 think he once told me they we're
left in charge of banker at Charles.
ton-an old friend. 1t would be too
dangerous TO carry them about with
him III the field You see I do not
know very much about his affairs,
she explained. 81 was away at school
when the war broke out, and we have
only met briefly since. My father did
not talk freely of his personal matters
even to me. learned of his feud with
Cowan by accident"
ut was feud them"
con one side at least. My father
was shot at, and several of our out
houses burned. The trouble arose
over the title to property. Cowan,"
she explained, was squatter on land
which had belonged to our family ever
since my grandfather first settled here.
We had title from Virginia, but the
surveyed My father had it done, and
discovered that Ned Cowan and two OF
his sons occupied part of our land
with no legal right"
Her eyes uplifted to my face, and
then fell again, one hand opening and
closing on the back of the chair. She
laughed pleasantly.
II hardly know why am telling you
all this family history" she continued
almost in apology. ct is as if talked
to an old friend who was naturally in.
terested in our affairs
perhaps the manner of our meeting
accounts for it," / ventured. But
truly am more deeply interested than
you imagine. 1t may prove of mutual
advantage for me to know the facts.
Did Major Harwood try to force them
from his land?"
ooh, no." hastily, my father had no
such thought. He tried to help them
to purchase the property at a very
small price, and on long time. His
intention was to aid them, but he
found himself unable to convince either
father or sons of his real purpose. They
either could not or would not under.