Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 138, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 December 1904 — Woman The Mystery [ARTICLE]

Woman The Mystery

By HENRY HERMAN

CHAPTER XIII. Tbe two men walked on in silence, and It prored a long joilrney, all through the western suburbs of Richmond into sfee town itself, through the town and along Main street, out at the Rocketts. There the pickets on duty challenged them, but Walter, being a field officer, had both the password and the countersign, and they were immediately allowed to proceed without question. Denon had not spoken a word on the way. Walter turned down the Williamsburg atage road and passed camp after oamp among the pines, being only allowed to proceed after satisfying the sentinels at each place. “May I ask,” said Denon, on a sudden, “what you propose to do with me?” “Ton dhall be dealt by fairly,” replied Walter, sternly, but without emotion. “You shall be shown all the leniency you can expect, and a great deal more than yon bare the right to expect.” Denon saw that it would be useless to eontinne the conversation, and strode along without another wort!. When they arrived at the angle of the Williamsburg stage road and of the Charles City road, Walter took the direction of the latter, and followed it for a couple of miles or more. At last he arrived at a part where several rows Of small shelter tents shone white in the moonlight between the great Bines by the side of the roan. It was the (tap of the Louisianians. Here the •entry saluted, and the officer of the guard came to meet his major. “The battalion is away on picket •uty," said the officer of the guard. ‘‘There is nobody In the camp but the guard and a few of the sick. An order same late in the evening from Gen. Hill. The Fourth Alabama were to have £utglsbed picket to-night, but they were so lhadly ent up last Saturday that they aould not have found men enough. We were the next troops, and so we got the erder.” Walter walked through the rows of small tents into a larger one at the end of • line. A big, square-headed and hugefooted negro servant met him, and opened his eyes wide with amazement when he saw the imitation man of color in the *on»pany of his master. “Don't mind him, Joe,” said Walter. “Yon will find his color will wash off, uzsd he will turn out only white after all. Fetch two or three buckets of water and some soap.” With that he beckoned Denon to come Into the tent, and pointed to a camp •tool. Denon seated himself without further ado, and said: “I suppose you wish me to take these idlings off. Rut I have no other elothhig” “I will supply that,” answered Walter, and taking a suit of civilian’s homespun from a bag, threw it on the heap of - Mankets which served as a bed. “My servant will assist you,” he said; “and in the meantime I am going to consider how to settle this business with fairness to both of us.” With that he sat himself down on a ump stool outside the tent, seeking a Sight amid the nebulous turmoil which cloudfd his thoughts. Denon, in the meantime, aided by Joe, had resumed Ais own appearance in a suit of drab homespun. “I will now tell you- what I propose to do.” said Waiter, when he had sent 4he negro away. “I have been thinking aver the matter as we walked along, and, since I have been here, I have just learned that my battalion is on picket duty, *nd this has given me an idea which ieadß me to what I think a fair settlement. You are a spy, or something very Ske h. Of that I have no doubt. My yUin duty as an officer of the Confederacy is to hand you over to the provost guard. At the same time, I know that Miss liCmure endeavored to save you, hy hiding you in her own room, and by Wptng you to the disguise you wore a Bttle time ago. I owe a duty to her as vrelL If I can, I will satisfy both obligations.” He was speaking slowly and without tba least trace of excitement, and he passed for a moment to look at the man apposite him, who sat there in somber silence.

“W« are going to fight," said Walter, •e a sudden, “and either I will kill you •r yon will kill me.” Denon shrank back with a barely perceptible movement, but raised himself again with a sigh of relief. “Very well,” he said, "certainly, if that is the way oubof the difficulty. How •r* we to fight? Where are we to fight?” “I have provided for that,” said Wai*er. "We will fight with revolvers. I Will supply you with a weapon loaded Yith six chambers. I will have another •t exactly the same kind—a Colt's army BStohrer. I will take you outside our picket line, so that, if you kill me or so ••reset j wound me that I am left on the ground, you shall not be prevented from eaeaplng toward the Union lines. If I kQI you. of course, there Is an end of it; •nd If I disable you, you will have to take your chances if you are taken back knrto the Confederate lines.” “Tbs* meaue,” said Denon, slowly, ridmt I am to take my chances of death Cmbb your bullet, and through hanging kg your people, both.” “I think the offer a very fair one," •aid W«Her, "and it will have to be that, •r the courie which plain duty demands drum me, and which I yield to you, risktag my fife.” “I •ceept,” said Denon. “Do I understand you rightly? Lot us settle all jpotnta first of all. How are we to fire? Wbam «v* we to fire?” I “We will walk together beyond our •leket lines,” replied Walter, “until I till cry ‘Hah!’ Then we will turn back back. and each of us will march fifteen •arts, ws will face round again, and ■mb fire, and continue firing until the and la attained. I think you are a man «f honor, nnd I will trust you. I hope r; yon will trust me. We will be betwfitkout aeoonds.” t Dastn held out his hand and Walter It warmly. A momentary gasp Jg—rsinl tba Englishman’s handsome (tag* wad ha breathed a deep sigh. “1 HMdtnrtnnd you,” said Denon, “and P (tank yon. I am res'dy.” Tk» strange duel was fought as srand at the second fire both fall,

nirnost mortally wonnded, to the ground. Their shots seemed to have aroused both the Union and Confederate troops, each side taking the reports ns the signal of an attack from the other side. A sharp skirmish ensued, and when it was over the Union troops were in orderly retreat, As qhey passed the scone of the duel Denon raised himself on one arm, and called to one of the federal officers by name. “Don’t you know me, Frasier?” he cried. "I am Denon. Don’t leave me here.” “It’s Denon,” exclaimed the Federal officer, “Cnpt. Denon! Here, two of you! Pick him up and carry him along with you. Gently! Gently does it.” “And that man over there,” whispered Denon, as two of the Union soldiers took him on their arms between them. “Don’t leave him here. Bring him with you. I particularly ask you,”— “Certainly,” said the Federal captain. “You have a reason for it, 1 suppose. Come along, some of you! Let us take that-rebel with us as well. I don’t think lie is worth taking, though,” he added, as two of his men raised the limp figure. "I think it’s all over with the poor follow. He is shot in the head. Iyook, there is a lump ct of his skull.” “Bring him!” g-jped Denon, and at that moment the stretcher bearers came along, and took charge of the two wounded men. - —! i

CHAPTER XIV. The Federal field hospital adjoining the depot at Savage Station on the Richmond and York River Railroad was a far from unpleasant spot even in the fierce June heat of the Virginian summer sun. -Walter and Denon lay side by side in a huge tent near the palings with which the railway station was fenced. Denon’s wounds, though severe, had proved to be not dangerous, and the doctor pronounced him fairly on the road to recovery. Walter’s ease, however, was a very serious one. The bullet had struck the unfortunate man on the side of the forehead, and had smashed clean awny a portion of the skull. Fortune, however, was kind, and the brain itself had not been injured except by a scratch or two from the splintered bone. The surgeon who had the case in hand was surprised when lie saw the young man, for he found that there was a previous fracture of the skull on the spot .where the new wound supervened. Walter, of course, was totally unconscious, and remained so for days, the attendants being compelled to keep him alive by liquid food poured between his lips, and nearly a week elapsed before he gave signs of recovering consciousness. Denon improved rapidly, and showed the most assiduous attention to his former opponent. Had Walter been his brother or his father, he could not have devoted more care to him or expressed greater grief for his stricken state. One morning, as the surgeon was bathing and bandaging his wounds, Walter opened his eyes and looked about him with a vacant stare. At last he raised bis feeble hand to his eyes, but dropped it again in a moment and shook his head wearily. “Is De Bardinot alive?” he asked, in a faint whisper; “is De Bardinot alive? Surely you know him. He is captain in the second battalion of the Nationals, and he was with me when that villain blew us up’.”

Denon looked at the doctor, and the doctor looked at Denon. “I am afraid he is slightly delirious,” said Denon. “He is miring up something with his present case.” "He is feverish still,” said the man of science, “but he is not delirious. The wound in his head may account for his speech, but we shall know more about that as we go on.” Walter, finding that he received no answer to his question, looked around again with an expression of piteous pain in his eyes. The objects which met his gaze were strange and unaccountable to him evidently, for again he shook his head as if the task of fathoming the mystery were too great for him, and then he dozed off to sleep. Another day passed like that, and another night. On the following morning Denon was surprised to find Walter halfseated on his straw bed, supporting himself painfully with one arm. Denon jumped up, and finding an old knapsack, covered it with his own blanket, and thus formed a support for Walter to lean against. “Thank you,” said Walter, weakly. “I am so much obliged to you. Where am I?” “You are In the field hospital at Savage Station,” replied Denon. "Savage Station? Savage Station?” questioned Walter to himself. “I don’t know such a place—and—can you perhaps tell me what has become of my friend, De Bardinot?” “De Bardinot?” asked Denon. “Who is he?” , “Don’t you know?” exclaimed Walter, with febrile excitement. “He commands a company of the Second National Guards of the Seine. He was blown up with me in the Rue St. Jacques.” “I am afraid you are not clear in your mind,” said Denon, shaking his head In pity. “Oh. I am perfectly clear,” said Walter. “We stormed the barricade, and we took the house in which that villain, Rustropie l’arlowe lived. I had got into his very room, and had just seen that Helene was not there, and I \vn9 asking him where she was, when the whole thing blew up, aud sent us sky-high, and I remember no more.” Denon sat there 'for a moment or two iu a pained silence. “I don’t understand you,” he eaid. “You are speaking of some French place. We are In America— in Virginia." ‘T also don’t understand you,” said Walter. "I am the Honorable Walter Glaydes, son of Lord Yorley, and I was hurt In the Hu# 8t Jacques. All I want to know la. If my friend De Bardinot is alive, and if that villain, Rustrome Parlowe, la deed?” The surgeon had entered In the meantime, and stooping over Walter, felt his pulse. M I must forbid all further converse

tlon,” he said. “You have bo»n exdt* ing yourself, major.” “Major!” exclaimed Walter, in seaming astonishment. “Yea,” interposed Denon. “Surely yon know who you are. You are Major Jack Adams, of the First Louisiana Battalion of the Rebel army.” “I am Walter Glaydes,” said Walter, pitifully, and the doctor again interposed. “Now, this will do,” he said. “Further we must not g<>. You must try to not think, else we shall have you laid up with brain fever.” A week passed, during which Walter improved rapidly in health of mind and body. He could rise from his bed and walk, and the surgeon allowed him to sit in the shade of a couple of great beech trees which stood in the depot yard. And the wounded soldiers, who had heard the strange case of the rebel who had a piece of his head shot away and still lived, came and looked at the man, who had had such a wonderful escape. The sight of their uniforms and a dozen wounded Confederates who were'kept as prisoners in the hospital helped much to restore the equilibrium of his mind. He soon remembered how he came to be there. He remembered Helene’s protection of Denon and bis fight with the latter. Then, tracing back incident by incident and scene by scene, a light dawned upon him through the darkness which had shrouded his past from him for years, and be saw the sequence of events clearly-

“Yes, he was Walter Glaydes, Lord Yorley’s son, and he had been wounded in Paris trying to drag his cousin Helene out of the clutches of that villain, Rustrome Parlowe, whom men knew as Jean Lemure. lie remembered it all as he thought over it, and it flashed upon him that his wound there must have r- -n®>hed his memory out of his mind. ...i he remembered himself again as Jack Adams, and he remembered Helene —Helene Lemure—growing from lovable girlhood to majestic womanhood, and himself loving her with all his heart and soul. Surely Helene Lemure was his cousin Helene, whom he had striven so hard to find and restore to her friends. Her very name Lemure proved that, If it required a proof. His wounds healed rapidly, and the surgeon expressed every hope that, very shortly, he would be able to fit the mental cover over the wound in the head. But memory was not to be restrained. It welled up in a limpid flood, and left the mind clear.

Walter knew all about his past, and though he would have given his heart’s blood to be able to whisper a word into Helene’s ears, she was as far away from him as if for the moment she had been dead. He was a prisoner of war, and Helene was in Richmond. Between them lay the contending forces in flieir myriads, a barrier of iron and death. (To be continued.)