A Little Union Scout

e again I was not in a gully at all, but stretched out on a bed, with my boots on, and this fact fretted me to such an extent that I threw back the covering and rose t

pers I had found in the chair-arm. One was a passport signed by one of the biggest men in the country, authorizing Francis Leroy to pass in and out of the Union lines at an

er, and I was truly sorry. I thought I had been around the world and back again, and I should have been very wise, but the bandage and Jane Ryder were to

of some kind of medicine in a saucer on the table, and I judged that the man would be better off for a dose of it. I suppose it was common table salt, but, whatever it was, the notion remained with me that it would be a help to the man

a vague hope of getting some relief from pain, I opened the door as softly as I could, went out and closed it behind me. Another door was open directly in front of me, and through this I went. In the room a woman was sitting at a

take this off?" I said,

whipping around me, closed the door with no more noise than the wing

a closet, but I

's influence. She looked at me in amazement; she tried to understand me; but she must have thought me out of my head, for her lips were twitching pitifully

ried, wringing her hands. "I am as

bandage off and have

You're wounded. Go

have been talking too loud, for she placed her hand on my lips-and what s

rowning. He gasped and coughed, and tried to catch his breath; he strangled and lost it, and, when he caught it again, made a sou

an was berated it was that big soldier who had fallen asleep at the post of duty. "You drunken wretch!" she cried; "I knew how it would be; I knew it!" He tried to make an explanation, but she would not hear it. "Oh, I'll make you pay for this! Go-go and find him, and if you fail take your cut

't you any feeling for the man th

your blundering. You failed to carry out your orders, and y

ard him coming back. "'Tain't no use to hunt for the man in the dark, and by sun-up his friends'll be buzzin' aroun

knew of the ambuscade and had not told me; it was her duty not to tell. She would have made no sign if we had been going to our deaths. I have never felt more depressed in my life than I did

een successful; but she knew. She came and stood by me and caught me by the arm. "W

ult that he cannot find me; it is not his fault that I am hidi

you fell. Do you know," she cried, "that you have killed

oor fellow took his chance with the rest. Gladly would I take

ontempt I have for you!" She was almost beside herself with anger, passion-I know not what. She shrank back from me, drew in a long breath, and fell upon the floor as if a gust of wind had blown her o

many a hunting-field. There were whisperings below, and apparently a hurried consultation, and then a young woman came mincing up the stairs. I must have presented a strange and terrifying spectacle with my head bandag

with remors

. "The lady has fainted

re was a pitcher of water handy, and I sprinkled her face and began to chafe her cold hands. After what seemed an age, the

, taking care not to come inside the doo

hat the lady is

told her he was dangerous. You shall pay for this," he said, shaking a threatening hand at me, though he came no farther than the door. "

talked in the inner room of the tavern. "You know as well as I do that this man

her. He has hurt her, and he sha

rmed a hair of her head. If he had do you think I'd be st

ready to apologize. I was

he man. "I have a crow to pick with you, and

remarked the younger woman, calm

the cause of the troubl

at me, and said she hated me, and had a great contempt for me; and then she fell on the floor in a

," replied the other. And then Jane Ryder opened her eyes. It was natural that they should fall on me. She closed them

Do you really think I am a brute-that I have no fee

you. Didn't you hear me?

you were just now? Consider, madam. Put yourself in my place-I who have never done you the slight

in supplicating fashion. It was an appeal not to be resisted, least of all by me

e a hat, though I hardly think it will f

r. She asked me many questions as she searched. How long had I known the poor lady upstairs? and where did I meet her?

r lady upstairs is dem

d. "She has more sense than nine

" Then, seeing that the information failed to inter

they could mesmerize me, I sh

th a strange smile. "How would you know that you

hating you," said the woman, after she had brushed the hat and had asked me if I felt strong enough to walk a mile or more. "All she means is that she hates

hate makes no difference to me. I love her, a

I tell her so some time-not now-b

d tear her hair out if she knew i

do you?" This question was put hesitatingly, and, as I tho

nothing to wound your feelings; but if a man were to ask me that question he w

go now; and bear in mind," she went on with a sudden display of feeling, "that the war has made such devil's hags of the women, and such devil's imps

ind me at this house, and he had been waiting for more than an hour, the last half of it with many misgivings. He and Harry had escaped without any trouble, and my horse had followed them so closely that they thought I was on his back. But when they saw that he was

that I had been held a prisoner or that Miss Ryder had a hand in the night's work; and I wished a thousand times over that I had not known it myself. The ol

les in this world dissolved and disappeared in dreamless slumber. When morning broke I felt better. My head was sore, but the surgeon removed the b

p; but I knew this was not so-I knew that one of the great things of life was behind it all; I knew that I had come to the hour that young men hope for and older men dread; I knew that for good or evil my future was wrapped in the mystery and tangle of

and the desperation of a lover in my heart; and at the very last, when night was falling, it

Oh, you are not hurt bad," he said, trying to interpret the expression on my face; "you can go and I think I can promise you a

im open-mouthed. When he was out of sight I turned a