The Huttig news., 1915-11-20

 A safer place surely could not have been found We were in narrow de- He, scarcely fifty feet across, and guarded on either side by high rock walls, precipitous, and exhibiting no sign of trail. 1 picketed the horses close to the stream and spread blan- kets for the lady to lie on at the foot of the bluff, where she would be we'll screened by thicket of underbrush Then l came back to where she sat silently against the bole of large tree, watching my movements.
 No doubt we are safe enough here," l said, opening the pack. But I'll not rtsk fire; you can eat, l suppose?"
 q hardly know" wearily. Perhaps can choke little food down; but really 1 am not hungry. How far have we come?"
 "As mere guess I should say near ly ten miles since leaving the cabin By the sun it must be nine o'clock Eat what you can, and then lie down en the blankets and rest. We will not leave here until just before dark"
 And you?"
 ''Oh, I may doze later if there is no alarm; l shall never be far away"
 She ate of the coarse food daintily, apparently without appetite, but l did full justice to the meal, satisfied, for the time being at least, that we were securely hidden. There was a strange constraint between us, and, finally, hoping to make her feel more at ease, 1 ventured to broach the subject which I knew must be also uppermost in her mind.
 Tt is an odd situation in which we find ourselves" 1 began aWkwardly, my eyes on the ground, but 1 hope you-you will not feel embarrassed, or-or fail to have complete conf- dence in me. I-I have no wish to take any advantage; or-or assume any authority
 l stopped, unable to express the thing l desired to say, and the silence seemed long. I lifted my eyes, and she was looking at me
 May I ask you one question:"
 "A dozen"
 "No, the enc is all You really be lieved those who attacked us were Cowans men?"
 T had no other thought, Miss No reen."
 Then your proposal was merely made in the hope of thus protecting me from insult?"
 That was my sole thought at the time" l replied soberly. It was a desperate chance, yet the only che ap- parently left us. That is what wanted to say, to explain" l went on hastily, before she could interrupt. sI realize the serious mistake made, and how embarrassing it must all be to you. But you must believe me a gentleman. would never have spo- ken one word; never have made any claim upon you. Miss Noreen, I real ize that have no right
 You may call me Noreen," she said l simply. We have been friends, and
 think we will always be do trust you. and believe in you; only I wanted to understand fully your motive. I do not blame you, nor myself; we did what seemed best at the time and now we must meet the issue as We best can. Perhaps 1 should not have said what l did back there Ill Lewis burg. l had no time in which to con slider, and my only thought then WAS to justify my action in aiding your escape. My-my being your-your wife was the only excuse l could urge for such disioyalty."
 And now you are sorry?"
 "I-do not know" hesitatingly "l cannot decide. Where do you take me?"
 "Noreen," I said soberly, struggling to keep my head from touching her own, where it rested on the grass, it is too late now to go back; to think of going back. We cannot deny or conceal our marriage, since you have openly acknowledged it, and we have gone away together. There is only one straight path left for us now across the mountains to old Virginia"
 1T know-and then?"
 You must trust my honor, my dis cretion. We are friends, you say, and 1 mean to prove worthy My orders will take me to Richmond; have you either friends or relatives there?"
 T am not sure, the war has made such changes-but I hardly think any in whom l could cenfde.'
 "Then we will find way for you to join my mother; she is in North Caro-
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