Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1912 — My Lady of the North [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

My Lady of the North

WIL WE STORY OF A GRAY JACKET

by RANDALL PARRISH

\ / W” WHEN WILDERNESS WAS KING * AlUusfaritaß Vill iamsoiv 7

SYNOPSIS. ' . I-—The story opens In a tent of the Confederate army at a critical i«tage of the Civil War. Gen. Lee Imparts to Captain Wayne a secret •message to Longstreet, upon the delivery or which depend great issues. Accompanied by Sergeant Craig, an old army scout, Wayne starts out on his dangerous mission. CHAPTER IL—The two messengers make a wild ride, dodging squads of soldiers, almost lose their bearings and finally are within the lines of the enemy, having penetrated the cordon of pickets unmolested. CHAPTER Hl.—Encountering a small party of soldiers in the darkness, Wayne is taken for a federal officer who came to keep an appointment, is accepted as his representative, and a young lady on horseback is given in his charge. CHAPTER IV.—The female companion ..1 e J_ wo southern scouts is a northern girl, who, when she becomes aware of their army affiliations, slashes Wayne with but fails and attempts to escape CHAPTER V.—One of the horses giving out, Wayne orders Craig to get through with the dispatches to Longstreet He and My Lady of the North are left alone near a rocky gorge. 1 CHAPTER Vl.—The Confederate officer Ma the Union girl thread the mazes of the woods. He discovers a lonely hut, u.dji entering It in the dark a huge mastiff attacks him. The girl shoots the brute Just in time. t ; < '■ ■' CHAPTER Vll.—The owner of the hut, one Jed Bungay, appears and he and his wife give the captain a welcome. Suddenly a party of horsemen are observed coming down the road. CHAPTER Vlll.—They are led by a rqan claiming to be Red Lowrie, who orders Mrs. Bungay to give them food, and her husband to act as a guide. The woman discovers the man to be a disguised impostor, attacks the intruder and there is a general melee. CHAPTER IX.—The disguised leader proves to be Major Brennan, a.' Federal Officer whom the Union girl recognizes. He orders the arrest of Wayne as a spy. The girl protests and says she will appeal to General Sheridan. CHAPTER X, —Wayne held prisoner in a copse, sees files of Confederates pass the. ro ?d at a distance and knows that Craig has delivered the message. CHAPTER XI. In the Presence of Sheridan. It had been dark for nearly an hour before we entered what was from all appearances a large and populous camp. No sooner was I thrust into the unknown darkness of a hut by the not unkindly sergeant, than I threw myself prone on the floor, and was sound asleep before the ’door had fairly closed behind him. My rest was not destined to be a long one. It seemed I had barely closed my eyes when a rough hand shook me again into consciousness. The flaming glare of an uplifted pineknot flung its radiance over half-a-dozen figures grouped in the open doorway. A corporal, with a white chin beard, was bending over me. “Come, Johnny,” he said tersely, "get up— you’re wanted.” The instinct of soldierly obedience in which I had been so long trained caused me to grope my way to my feet. “What time is It, Corporal?” I asked sleepily. “After midnight.” “Who wishes me?”

"Headquarterg,” he returned brusquely. “Come, move on. Fall in, men.” Our march was a short one, and we soon turned abruptly in at a wideopen gateway. High pillars of brick stood upon either hand, and the passage was well lighted by a brightly blazing fire of logs. Two sentries stood there, and our party passed between them without uttering a word. As we moved beyond the radiance I noted a little knot of cavalrymen silently sitting their horses in the shadow of the high wall. A wide gravelled walk, bordered, I thought, with flowers, led toward the front door of a commodious house built after the colonial type. The lower story seemed fairly ablaze with lights, and at the head of the steps as we ascended a young officer came quickly forward. “Is this the prisoner brought in tonight?” The corporal pushed me forward. “This Is the man, sir.” "Very well; hold your command here until I send other orders.” He rested one hand, not unkindly, upon my arm, and his tone instantly changed from that of command to generous courtesy. “You will accompany me, and permit me to advise you, for your own sake, to be as civil as possible in your answers tonight, for the ‘pld man’ is in one of his tantrums.” We crossed the rather dimly lighted hall, which had a sentry posted at either end of it, and then my conductor threw open a side door, and silently motioned for me to enter in advance of him. It was as spacious room/ elegant in all its appointments, but mjf hasty glance revealed only three occupants. Sitting at a handsomely polished mahogany writingtable near the centre of the apartment was a short, stoutly built man, with straggly beard and fierce, stern eyes. I recognized him at once, although he wore neither uniform nor other insignia of rank. . Close beside him stood a colonel of engineers, possibly his chief of staff, while to the

right, leaning negligently with one arm on the mantel-shelf above the fireplace, and smiling insolently at me, was Brennan. The sight of him stiffened me like a drink of brandy, and as the young aide closed the door in my rear, I stepped instantly forward to the table, facing him who I knew must be in command, and removing my hat, saluted. “This is the prisoner you sent for, sir,” announced the aide. The officer, who remained seated, looked at me intently. “Have I ever met you before?” he questioned, as though doubting his memory.. "You have. General Sheridan,” I reDlied. “I was with General Early during your conference at White Horse Tavern. I also bore a flag tc you after the cavalry skirmish at Wil son’s Ford.” “I remember,” shortly, and as he spoke he wheeled In his chair to face Brennan. *1 thought you reported this officer as a spy?” he said sternly. "He la in uniform, and doubtless told you his name and rank.” *T certainly had every reason to be lieve he penetrated our lines in disguise,” was the instant reply. “This cavalry cloak was found with him, and consequently I naturally supposed his claim of rank to be false.” Sheridan looked annoyed, yet turned back to me without administering the sharp rebuke which seemed burning upon his lips. “Were you wearing that cavalry cloak within our lines?” he questioned sternly. “I was not, sir; it was indeed lying upon the floor of the hut when Major Brennan entered, but I had nothing to do with it.” He gazed at me searchingly for a moment in silence. “I regret we have treated you with so little consideration,” he said apologetically, “but you were supposed to be merely a spy. May I ask your name and yank?” “Captain Wayne, —th Virginia Cavalry.” “Why were you within our lines?” “I was passing through them with despatches.” “For whom?” “You certainly realize that I must decline to answer.” “Major Brennan,” he asked, turn-

Ing aside again, “was this officer searched by your party?” “He was, sir, but no papers were found. He stated to me later that his despatch was verbal.” “Had it been delivered?” *1 so understood him.” “Well, how did he account to you for being where he was found?” Brennan hesitated, and glanced uneasily toward me. Like a flash the thought came that the man was striving to keep her name entirely out of sight; he did not wish her presence mentioned. “There was no explanation attempted,” he said finally. “He seemed simply to be biding there.” "Alone?" Again I caught his eyes, and it almost seemed that I read entreaty In them. "Excepting the wife of the mountaineer,” he answered hoarsely. “Is this true?” asked Sheridan, his stern face fronting me. I made my decision instantly. There might be some reason, possibly her own request, whereby her being alone with me that night should remain untold. Very well, it would never be borne to other ears through any failure of my lipe to guard the secret. She had voluntarily pledged herself to go to Sheridan In my defense; until she did so, her secret, if secret indeed it was, should remain safe with me. I could do no less In honor. “It Is not altogether true,” I said firmly, “and no one knows this better than Major Brennan. I was there, as I told him, wholly because of an accident upon the road, but as to its particulars I must most respectfully de-

cline to answer.” “You realize what such a refusal may mean to you?” "I understand fully the construction which may unjustly be placed upon it by those who desire to condemn me, but at present I can make no more definite reply. I have reason to believe the full facts will be presented to you by one in whose word you will have confidence.” Sheridan straightened in his chair, and looked across the table at me almost angrily. “Very well, sir,” he said gravely. “Your fate is la your own hands, and will depend very largely upon your replies to my questions. You claim to have been the bearer of despatches, and hence no spy, yet you possess nothing to substantiate your claim. As your regiment is with Lee, I presume you were seeking Longstreet Were your despatches delivered?” “I have reason to bellve so.” “By yourself?” “By the sergeant who accompanied me, and who continued the journey after I was detained.” “Is Lee contemplating an immediate movement?’’ “General Sheridan,” I exclaimed in. dignantly, “you must surely forget that I am an officer of the Confederate Army. You certainly have no reason to expect that I will so far disregard my obvious duty as to answer such a question.” “Your refusal to explain why you were hiding within our lines is ample reason for my insistence,” he said tartly, "and I am not accustomed to treating spies with any great consideration, even when they claim Rebel commissions. You are not the first to seek escape in that way. Was your despatch the cause of the hurried departure of Longstreet’s troops east ward?” This last question was hurled directly at me, and I noticed that every eye in the room was eagerly scanning my face. I had the quick, fiery temper of a boy then, and my cheeks flushed. "I positively decline to answer one word relative to the despatches intrusted to me,” I said deliberately, and my voice shook with sudden rush of anger. “And no officer who did not dishonor the uniform he wore would insult me with the question.” A bombshell exploding in the room could not have astonished them as did my answer. I realized to the full the probable result, but my spirit was high, and I felt the utter uselessness of prolonging the interview. Sooner or later the same end must come. Sheridan’s face naturally flushed, instantly grew crimson, and a dangerous light flamed into his fierce eyes. For a moment he seemed unable to speak; then he thundered forth; “You young fool! I can tell you that you will speak before another twenty-four hours, or I’ll hang you for a spy if It cost me my command. Major Brennan, take this young popinjay to the Mansion House under guard.”

Brennan stepped forward, smiling as If he enjoyed the part assigned to him. ® “Come on, you Johnny,” he said coarsely, his hand closing heavily on my arm. Then, seeming unable to repress his pleasure at the ending of the Interview, and his present sense of power, he bent lower, so that his insolent words should not reach the others, and hissed hotly: “Stealing women is probably more In your line than this.” “You miserable hound!” I cried madly. “None but a coward would taunt a helpless prisoner. I only hope I may yet be free long enough to write the lie with steel across your heart.” < Before he could move Sheridan was upon his feet and between us. “Back, both of you!” he ordered sharply. “There shall be no brawling here. Major Brennan, you will remain; I would speak with you further regarding this matter. Lieutenant Caton, take charge of the prisoner.” (.To be Continued.)

“Come Johnny," He Said Tersely, "Get Up—You’re Wanted."