Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-12-06

ly possible hope for lis lay in the fact
| that Melton had at once taken me to
be his stepmother and paid no atten.
| ton whatever. After disposing Of the
| dragons he returned to Agnes, his
manner hardly less violent than be-
fore.
"a fine story, that you gave Clin-
ton! Broken your troth, hey! Afraid
OF my opportunities - whenf By
why did you tell him thatH"
Because I meant It," returned the
| girl. facing him fearlessly.
"And you mean it now?"
"Aye, do. Henceforth we are
nothing to each other"
"Damnation! Has that fellow so
prevailed on you? Agnes, l."
1T is useless, Lysander," inter
rupted the woman, whom / now saw
was in no danger of breaking down
| before him. 1T is matter long con.
sidered by me-"
"And you dare tell me this to my
face?"
faye, / dare-and do"
| "Hell's fire on earth, 1t Is Dressler's
doing! I'll cut his heart out! You
have been protecting him! You saved
him from Arnold?"
Eyes" Her answer might have
come from corpse. so little was the
emotion in it; the word was as crisp
and as short as the snap Of an icicle.
"And you know where he isf"
IL know. But he was never 80 safe
II his danger depended on my telling"
Goods DEATH" screamed Melton,
losing the little hold he had on him-
self. "You acknowledge you are pro-
tecting a rebel-a spy?"
II am one myself"
"My God!" Melton staggered
back. "You a rebel - spy! Con-
verted by that willy devil! Why not
confess that you love him?"
"Lysander Melton" returned Az
nes, drawing herself up and looking
him steadily in the eye. 81 have made
one confession-enough to damn me
in the eyes of the law-and shall make
no more. Captain Dressler has es-
capped you; now order in your men and
arrest me if you dare. will come to
1
something OF the true Lieutenant Mel
ton, OF the Loyal Americans. have
| never loved you, sir; and since l have
| known you as you are, l determined
never to marry you. There you have
it."
This was too much for the poor fool.
The girl had not raised her voice.
/ 4, nf no n
ness; and she had hardly uttered the
last word when the brute raised his
arm and struck her with his clenched
fist.
With that my own sense forsook me.
l forgot my assumed character, my
danger, and all else; and with some.
thing like a roar l jumped from my
chair and sprang at the man, the act
loosenins my sword and sending it
Gathering to the floor. For an instant
was a madman. l grappled the un.
suspicious coward and threw him to
the floor with force that half stun
ned him; then, with my knee on his
chest, l held him by the throat with
one hand while l tried TO reach the
rapier, which had fallen little be.
yond my reach.
| 1t was then that the officer, who was
standing by the door. caught the sit.
uation, it probably clearing as the bon.
net wore fell from my head, and my
disarranged disguise uncovered my
boots and breeches. He had uttered a
low exclamation when his superior
| hoI CT hlif a
ped out his sword, let go round OATH
and came for me. 1t was against him
that | wished to use my weapon.
But he never reached me. Before
he had passed around the table in the
center of the room, Agnes had come tC
life, stopped for nay rapiea, and drew
it, casting away its sheath. And she
his blade that 50 astenished him thai
he leaped backward. Stand aside
, madam, or / shall be obliged to hurt
you," he said. Il cannot fight s
, woman."
"You will fight me, sir" said Agnes
"and you will find me worthy. Lool
to yourself! See! ! am traitress--
am SPY! Yonder Is Captain Dress
Ter! Make the most of Your knowl
edge! Quick, sir"
She engaged with him at once, ant
1t would have gone hard with thu
man had he not put tle table between
them, though, as if ashamed of him
self for seeking an entrenchment, h,
came out to the open and met he
fairly. And so the two fenced, the OF
ficer trying to sidle toward the door
but not taking his eye from the ami
mated face of the girl, who was nov
again color and life. 1t was plain tha
he was strictly on the defense.
Madam. fear shall woun'
you," he expostulated. yield your
self, madam"
.Noyar In tbia world sir. and I fpa