The Holly chieftain., 1916-04-07
G!lepED MIST
A IAIF OF CIVIL STRIFE 7.
6cRANDAIL PARRISH n
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l ventured to broach the subject which
! knew must be also uppermost in her
! mind.
1T is an odd situation in which we
find ourselves" l began awkwardly.
my eyes on the ground. but ! hope
you-you will not feel embarrassed
or-or fail to have complete conf
dence in me. IL have no wish to
take any advantage; or-or assume
any authority"
stopped. unable to express the
thing l desired to say. and the silence
seemed long. lifted my eyes. and
she was looking at me.
May ask you one question:"
"A Dozen"
mo. the one 10 all. You really b.
lieved those who attacked US were
Cowan's men?"
Il had no other thought, Miss No.
reen." Z
"Then your proposal was merely
made in the hope of thus protecting
me from insult?"
That was my sole thought at the
time" replied soberly. 1T was a
desperate chance. yet the only one ap-
parently left US. That is what I
wanted to say. to explain" went on
hastily. before she could interrupt. Il
realize the serious mistake made, and
how embarrassing 1t must all be to
you. But you must believe me Q
gentleman. would never have spo-
ken one word; never have made any
claim upon you. Miss Noreen. real
lie that have no right"
"You may call me Noreen," she said
simply. I'VE have been friends. and
! think we will always be. l do trust
you. and believe in you: only wanted
to understand fully your motive. 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 I should not have
said what l did back there in Lewis
burg 1 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 I could urge
for such disloyalty."
"And now you are sorry?"
lido not know" hesitatingly. T
cannot decide. Where do you take
met"
."Noreen," I said soberly. struggling
to keep my head from touching her
own, where 1t rested on the grass. ut
is too late now to go back; to think
Of going back. We cannot deny or
conceal our marriage. since you have
openly acknowledged 1t, and we have
gone away together. There is only
one straight path left for US now
across the mountains to old Virginia. :"
I'll know-and then?"
"You must trust my honor, my dis
cretion. We are friends. you say, and
/ mean to prove worthy. My orders
will take me to Richmond; have you
either friends or relatives there?"
Il am not sure, the war has made
such changes-but hardly think any
In whom l could confide."
"Then we will find way for you to
join my mother; she is in North Caro-
lima, out of the track Of armies. You
will consent to go to herr"
IF you think 1t best. IL have
never met your mother; perhaps"
"You will be just as welcome; I
will write her every detail. and she
will be rejoiced to shelter you. The
only trouble is the necessary delay in
volved by the war; the impossibility
of your venturing to return to Green
Briar until the conflict is over"
She was silent long while. her eyes
cast down, her breathing noticeably
rapid. waited, not knowing what
else to add. and was about to propose
her lying down, when she spoke sud.
denly:
"You mean our-our separation"
Certainly. That can be easily ar
ranged as soon as the courts are again
in session. Possibly the ceremony was
not even legal without witnesses, but.
under the circumstances, it had better
be dissolved in court. Such action
would remove all doubt from your
mind"
"Yes-l suppose so; you-you make
1t very clear. And that would have
to be done in Green Briar?-the-the
action for divorce?"
AT Lewisburg; not necessarily, Of
course, but l supposed you would rath.
er have the facts made known there.
SO that your friends can realize all the
conditions-the cause, mean. Pos.
sibly you may not need to do this"
Not need! Why?"
"A soldier never knows what an.
ofher ninnta nnaana. I a m a anldia.