Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1917-11-01
The
Trail of a Traitor
By C. C. HOTCHKISS ,
Copyright ThelFrank A. MunseyI Company.
Copyright-ThelFrank A. MunseylC Company.
MADAM. my life is in your hands
By C. C. HOTCHKISS

| yours. 1t would go hard with me II
you let it be known what have done
and what ! really am. And yet /
have faith in you. Walk by my side"
obeyed her az Il child might have
obeyed, complete subject to this lit.
tie woman, whose head came hardly
TO my shoulder And obedient, too, not
only because was more than grateful
to her or that she had the whip-hand
of me; there was a witchery about
her not easily explained by her sex
alone, for women had hitherto given
me no trouble or heart pangs.
But the girl WAS different-differ.
ent in everything from her piled up
hair on which the last of the soft light
was falling, to the tip of her small
shoe Her 1.-THE figure was perfect,
her cheeks and ch n rounded, her lips
as full and red az the most striking
beauty in the land; but the difference
lay in her lack OF the petty affection
| of those days.
Her blue ewes were bright, frank
and fearless--aye, and trusting; her
lips were not forever, drawn into a
simpering smile, and her manner no
more mincing than her words. She
was natural; she was the epitome Of
youth; the opening rose; the rush and
warmth of early summer And Ly.
sander Melton would possess all this
IL he returned. My heart protested.
| / suddenly hated him worse than ever
you have other questions?" she
| finally said, as if she were too con.
scious of my silent admiration.
Several" l answered, among
which is to ask you if you know why
Lysander picked me out for death?"
"Yes." she returned, at is the hor
rid story spoke about. protested to
him by letter and"
81 read your letter"
Captain Dressler," she continued
| firmly. "Lysander Melton knew you
were in Morristown how ] do not
| know. He swindled an officer at cards
and was obliged to leave the city or
resign, and he offered to his colonel
to penetrate the American camp" She
hesitated.
THAT would hardly be motive to
murder me-
NO: but your fathers will left
here in the hands of his lawyer, was
enough for him" =
My fathers wih?" l cried.
Eyes. He gives the property-the
whole estate-to your aunt in case you
die childless. l have seen the will.
Need you be told more?"
/ stopped short in my walk and
faced her in CONSERVATION. THAT
devil meant TO murder me that my
aunt might inherit?"
Undoubtedly. Which would mean
property and handle the cash, having
his stepmother under his influence.
He did not tell me this-he dared not;
but he hinted it to his mother, and she
would not go quite so far, and asked
me to use my prayers on him. / final
ly got the facts from her. was shock
ed. Hence my protest" She spoke
very quietly.
"By Heavens!" / exclaimed. "You
take it calmly enough! How, in the
name of God, could you become be-
trothed to such monster?"
at is a natural question" she re-
turned, in tone that showed she was
not surprised at 1t. do not misjudge
me, Captain Dressler. / am trained to
calmness and poise-M'sieur Ledare
drilled that into me. Where would
you be now had l not been calm?
will tell you, sir, that I have been
bound to Lysander Melton since was
girl of fourteen. 1t was the work of
his father and mine-and-and I was
an obedient child"
And there, standing In the after.
glow, she gave me sketch of her
past! of how her father-as patriotic
as my own-had trained her, and how
he had died, leaving his best friend.
John Cassel as her guardian; how she
was recalled from Paris; how her
guardian had changed his colors, join
ed the Loyal Provincials in the South,
and became a colonel; how, before he
took the field, he placed her in the
care of my aunt, who welcomed the
money she brought; how she hid her
political sentiments under mask of
loyalty to the king in order not to be
! ostraciZed, and how she had quietly
worked for the cause.
And l am still betrothed to that
man-for purpose" she concluded.
Then you do not love him?" / ex.
claimed, perhaps trifle too eagerly
| it not being any of my business.
Captain Dressler" she answered,
| with touch of occurrences In her
quick, upward glance. Had you been
| other than you are ! would not have
trusted you with my liberty and per-
| haps my life. But have done SO. Do
YOU expect me to open my heart to
| you as well?"
1t was on the tip of my tongue to
say hoped TO Heaven she might; but
! relralned. IL being in poor taste.
think iell in love with her there
and then as we stood beneath the