SYNOPSIS.
The story open* In > Confederate tent
st a critical stage of the Civil War. Gen
l.ee Imparts to CaK Wayne an Important
message to LongM reet. Accompanied by
Bergt. Cislg. an old army scout. Wayne
starts on uls mission. The two, after a
wild ride, get within the lines of the
«-nemy In the darkness. Wayne la taken
for a Federal officer who came to keep an
appointment, and a young lady on horse
back is given In his charge. She Is a
northern girl and attempts to escape but
f"Uk One of the horses succumbs and
CrMfc goes through with the dispatches,
while Wayne and My Uady of the North
are left alone. They seek shelter In a
hut and entering It In the dark a huge
mastiff attacks Wayne. The girl shoots
the brute tjqst In time. The owner of the
hut. one Bungay, and his wife appear
and soon a' party of horaemen approach.
They are led hy a man claiming to be
Red I-owrle. but Mrs. Bungay discovers
Mm to be a disguised Impostor, who
proves to be Mai. Brennan, a Kcdersl
officer whom the Union girl recognises.
Sfl " r det» 'he arrest of Wayne as a spy.
While a prisoner Wayne sees (lies of Con
tolerates pass and knows that Craig has
delivered the message. He Is brought be
fore Sheridan.
CHAPTER Xl.—Continued.
"Very well, sir," he said gravely.
"Your fate Is in 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'wlth Lee,
1 presume you were seeking Long
street. Were your despatches deliv
ered ?"
"1 have reason to belive so."
"Hy yourself?"
"By the sergeant who accompanied
me, and who continued the Journey
after I was detained."
"Is contemplating an immediate
movement?"
"General Sheridan." I exclaimed In
dignantly, "you mußt surely forget
tl lit I am an officer of the Confeder
ate Ariny. You certainly have no
reason to expect that ! will so far
disregard my obvious duty as to an
swer such a question."
"Your refusal to explain why you
were hldlrg within our lines Is ample
reason- for my insistence," he said
ta _ »Jy. "and I am not accustomed to
treating spies with any great consid
eratlon, wn when they claim Rebel
comtplßjlona. Vou are not the first
to seek escape In that way. Was
your despatch the cam>e of the hurried
departure of lymgstreet's troops east
ward ?"
This last question was burled di
rectly at me, and 1 noticed that every
eye in the room was eagerly scanning
my face. I had the quick, fiery tem
per of a boy then, and ray cheeks
flushed
'I positively decline to answer one
word relative to the despatches In
tr iFted to me," I said deliberately,
at>d my voice shook with sudden rush
of ang«r. "And no officer who did
not dishonor the uniform he wore
would insult me with the question "
A bombshell explod'- , 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 lattr the same end must come.
Sheridan's face naturally flushed, In
stantly grew crimson, and a dangerous
light flamed Intojils fierce eyes. For
s moment he seemed unable to speak;
then he thundered forth;
"You young fool! I can tell you
thai you will speak before another
twenty-four hours, or I'll hang you
for a spy If It cost me my command
Major lirennan. take tlila young popin
jay to tbe Mansion House under
guard."
Brennan stepped forward, t-millng
at If he enjoyed tbe part assigned to
l.im.
"Come on, you Johnny," h« said
coarsely, his hand olosing heavily on j
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 bis in
solent words should not reach the
others, and hissed hotly:
"Stealing women Is probably more
In your line than this."
"You miserable bound!" I cried
madly. "None but a coward would
Uaint a helpless prisoner. I only hope
I may yet be free long enough to
write 'be lie with steel across your
heart"
Before be could move Sheridan was
upon his feet and between ua.
"Hack, both of you!" be ordered
■harply. "There shall be no brawling
here. Major Brennan. ycu will re
nth in; I would speak with you further
regarding this matter. Lieutenant Ca
ton. take charge of the prisoner."
CHAPTER XII.
Unrfer Sentence of Death.
At this late date I doubt greatly
II my situation at that time was so
desperate as I then conceived It. I
question now whether the death sent
ence would ever have been executed.
But then, with the memory of Sher
idan's rage and my own hot-headed
retort, t tnlty behaved my fate was
destined tc be that of the condemned
spy, unless she who alone might tell
the whole truth should voluntarily do
•o That circumstances bad left me
to the power of one whose fierce die-
t MY; LAPYMOFITHEINORrnj
STORY OFA GRAY JACKET A
"!> u hyfiA/vJDAt&PAjixASjrV*.
Utar* WHEN WILDERNESS KINGVK
ILLUSTRATIONS BMKItIURT. WILLI AMiOK*
like was already evident was beyond
question, and I bad yielded to his
goading to such an extent as to give
those in authority every excuse for the
exercise of extreme military power.
Yet of one thing 1 was firmly re
solved—no thoughtless word of mine
should ever endanger the reputation
of Edith Brennan. Right or wrong, I
would go to a death of dishonor be
fore I would speak without her author
ity. Love and pride conspired to
make this decision adamant
"Come," said Caton, briefly; and I
turned and accompanied him without
thought of resistance. At the front
door he ordered the little squad of
waiting soldiers to fall in, and taking
me by the arm, led the way down
the gravelled path to the road. ! was
Impressed by his Seeming careless
r.ess, but as we cleared the gateway
he spoke, and his words helped me
to comprehend.
Captain Wayne," he said quietly, so
that the words could not be over
heard. "you do not recognize me, but
I was the officer who conducted you
to headquarters when you brought the
(lag in at Wilson Creek. Of course I
must perform the duty given me, but
I wish you to understand that I wholly
believe your word."
He stopped, extended his hand, and
I accepted it silently.
"There must be some grave personal
reason v.hlch seals your lips?" he
questioned.
"There la."
"I thought as much. I chanced to
overhear the words, or rather a por
tion of them, which Brennan whis
pered, and have no doubt If they were
explained to the General he would feel
more kindly disposed toward you."
It was aeked as a question, and 1
felt obliged to reply.
"I appreciate deeply your desire to
nid me, but there are circumstances
Involving bthers which compel me for
the present to silence. Indeed my pos
sible fate does not so greatly trouble
me. only that "1 possess a strong de
sire to have freedom long enough to
cross swords with tills major of yours.
The quarrel between us has become
bitterly personal, and I hunger for a
chance to have It out. Do you know,
la lit? «» ""*•» 1/4 fliylif ?"
The young fellow stiffened slightly.
"We are serving upon the same
staff," be said more abruptly, "and
while we have never been close
friends, yet 1 cannot honorably take
sides against him. He has been out
twice within the last three years to
my knowledge/ and Is not devoid
either of courage or skill. Possibly,
however, the arrival of his wife may
make him less a fire-eater."
"His wife?"
I stopped so suddenly that he In
voluntarily tightened his grip upon my
arm as though suspicious of an at
tempt to escape
"Do yott," I asked, gaining some
slight control over myself, "refer to
the lady who came In with his party
last evening?"
"Most certainly; she was presented
to all of us as Mrs. Brennan, bhe lias
been assigned rooms at Ills quarters,
and she wears a far
too fine a woman In my judgment for
such a master, but then that is not so
uncommon a mistake In marriage
Why. come to think about it, you must
have met her yourself. Have you
reason to suspect this is not their
relationship?"
"Not in the least," I hastened to
answer, fearful lest my thoughtless
exclamation might become the basis
for camp gossip. "Indeed I was
scarcely In the lady's presence at all
coming in, as I was left in charge of
the sergeant."
Perhaps he felt that he had already
said too much, for we tramped on In
silence until we drew near a large,
square white building standing direct
ly beside the road.
"This Is the old Culverton tavern,
known aa the Mansion House/' he
said. "It Is'a tremendous big build
ing for this country, with as fine a
ballroom in it as I have seen since
leaving New York We utilize it for
almost every military purpose, and
among others, somu of the strong
rooms In the basement are found val
uable for the safekeeping of Im
portant prisoners."
We mounted the front steps as he
waa speaking, passing through a cor
don of guards, and In the wide hall
way P wafr,turned tover to the officer
It. charge
"Good-r.ight, Captain," said Caton,
kindly extending hla hand. "You may
rest assured that I shall say all I can
In your favor, but It Is to be regretted
that Brennan has great influence just
now at iradquarters, and Sheridan la
not a man to tightly overlook those
hasty words you to him."
I could only thank him most warm
ly for bis Ittereat. realizing fully
firom his grave manner my desperate
situation, and follow my ailent con
ductor down some narrow and steep
stalra until we stood upon the ceroeot
ed floor of the basement Here a
heavy door In the stone division wall
waa opened; I was pushed forward
Into tbe dense darkness within, and
be lock clicked dull!" behind me.
o thick was tbe wall I could not
even distinguish the retreating steps
of the Jailer.
Tired as I was from the intense
strain of the past thirty-six hours,
even my anxious thoughts were Insuf
ficient to keep me awake. Fueling
my way cautiously along the wall, I
came at last to a wide wooden bench,
and stretching my form at full length
upon it, pillowed my head on one
arm, and almost Instantly was sound
asleep.
When I awoke, sore from my hard
bed and stiffened by the uncom
fortable position in which I lay, it
was broad daylight That the morn
ing was. Indeed, well advanced I
knew from the singlo ray of sunlight
which streamed li, through a grated
window high up In the wall opposite
me and fell like a bar of gold across
the rough stone floor. 1 was alone.
Even in the dark of the previous night
I had discovered the solo pretence to
furniture In the place. The room Itself
proved to be a large and almost
square apartment, probably during the
o-dinary occupancy of the house a re
ceptacle for wood or garden produce,
bi|t now peculiarly well adapted to
the safeguarding of prisoners.
The solid stone walls were cf suf
ficient lelght to afford no chance of
reaching the great oak girderß that
supported the floor nbove, even had
the doing so offered a I ivorable open
ing for escape. There were, apparent
ly, but three openings of any kind,—
the outside window through which
the sunlight streamed, protected by
thick bars of iron; a second opening,
quite narrow, and likewise protected
by a heavy metal grating; and the
tightly locked door by means of which
I had entered. The second, 1 con
cluded. after Inspecting It closely, was
"I Aipn to Be Bhot, Then?"
a mere air passage leading Into some
other division of the cellar. I noted
these openings Idly, and with scarce
y a thought as to the possibility of
,M(rape. I had awakened with strange
indifference as to what my fate might
»e. Buch a feeling was not natural
me, but the fierce emotions of the
preceding night had seemingly robbed
me of all my usua. buoyancy of hope.
It one sense I yet trusted that Mrs.
Brennan would keep her pledge and
tell her story to Sheridan: even If she
failed to do this, and left me to face
the rifles or the rope, then it made
but small odds how sopn It should be
over. If she cared for me In the
slightest aegree she would not let me
die unjustly, and to my mind then
she had become the centre of all life.
Despondency is largely a matter of
physical condition, and I was still
sufficiently fagged to be !n the depths,
when the door opened suddenly, and
an ordinary army ration was placed
within. The soldier who brought it
did not speak, v npr did I attempt to
address him; but aftei he retired, the
appetizing smell of the bacon, together
>. ith the unmistakable flavor of real
coffee, drew me Irresistibly that way.
and I made a hearty leal The food
put new life Into me. and . fell to
pacing tack and forth between the
corners of tbe cell, my mind full of
questioning, yet with a fresh measure
of confidence that all would xtill be
•veil
i wHf yet at It when, without warn
ing. the door once again opened, and
Lieutenant Colon entered He ad
vanced toward me with outati etched
hand, which I grasped warmly, for I
felt how much depended on his friend
ship, and resolved to ask hlra some
questions which should solve uiy last
remaining doibts.
"Captain Wayne," he began soberly,
looking about him, "you are In even
■"'orse stress here than 1 supposed,
but 1 shall see to It that you are
furnished with blanket* \>efore I leave.
Sheridan Is hasty himself, aud his
temper often leads him to rash
language. am sure he bears you no
malice for what you said. But Bfen
nan haa his ear, and has whispered
something to him In confidence —
what. 1 have been unabla to ascertain
—which has convinced him that you
are deserving of death unde. martial
law."
"Without trial?"
"The opportunity of furnishing the
information desired will be again of
fered you; but, as near its I can learn,
the charge preferred against you is of
such a private nature that It Is deemed
best not to make it matter for camp
talk. Whatever it may be, Sheridan
evidently feels Justified In taking the
case out frotn the usual channels, and
In using most drastic measures. 1
am sorry to bring you such news,
especially as I believe the charges
nre largely concocted In the brain of
him who makes thein. and have but
the thinnest circumstantial evidence
to sustain them. Yc. Sheridan is
thoroughly convinced, and will brook
no Interference. The discussion of the
cHse has already led to his using ex
tremely harsh words to bis chief of
staff."
"1 am to be shot, then?"
Ills hand closed warmly over mine.
"While there is life there is alwayi
hope." he answered. "Surely it mils
bo In your power to prove.the nature
of your tulsplon witiiin our lines, and
the delay thus galnei. will enable us
to learn and meet these more serious
allegations."
"If I but had time to communicate
with General l^ee."
"But now —Is there one, no way
by which such representation can be
given this very day? If not full prool
of your Innocence, then sufficient, at
least, to cause the necessary delay?"
I shook my head. "I know of noth
ing other than my own unsupported
word," I answered shortly, "and that
Is evidently of no value as against
Major Brennan's secret insinuations.
When Is the hour set?"
"I am not positive that final de
cision has yet been reached, but I
heard daybreak to-morrow mentioned.
The probability of an early movement
of our troops Is 'he excuse urged for
such unseemly baste."
I remained silent for a moment,
conscious only of his kindly eyes read
ing my lace. '
"Mrs. Brennan," I asked finely, re
curring to the one thought In which I
retained deep Interest.*—"does she still
remain In the camp?"
"She was with the Major at pead
quarters this morning I believe they
breakfasted with the General, but I
was on duty so late last night that
I overslept and thus missed tbe pleas
ure of ntetlng ber/llgaln."
- We talked for no me time longer.
and be continued u urge me for
some further word, but I could give
him done, and finally the kindly fellow
departed, promising to ate me agaia
within a few hours. Guatly as I no*
"alued his friendship, it was, nevsr
ti.»>«Sß, a relief to be alone with my
thoußi«'» wee more.
c;?APTE«* XIII.
A Strange W/.J- Out
Caton came In once urate about th«
middle of the afternoon, bringing ma
some blankets; but be had no news,
and his boyish face was a picture of
pathos "as he wrung my hand good
bye. Sheridan, be said, had gone
down the lines, and both Brennan and
hlmeelf were under orders to follow in
another hour What instructions, li
any, had been left regarding my case
he could not say, but he feared the
worst from the unusual secrecy Sher
idan expected to return to his head
quarters that same evening, as tha
officers of his staff were to gtv« a
grand ball.
I felt no Inclination to partake of
the rudj supper left me, and just be
fore dark I was lying upon the bench
Idly wondering If that was to prove
the last vestige of daylight I should
ever behold in thla world, when, with
out slightest warning, the heavy iron
grating In the wall directly above me
fell suddenly, striking the edge of the
benoji, and clattered noisily to the
floor. The fall was so unexpected, and
my escape from Injury BO narrow, thai
i lay almost stunned, starlnt up help
lessl.v at the dark hole thus left bare
As I ga/.ed, a face framed Itself ii
this narrow opening, and two warj
eyes peered cautiously down at me
There was no intstaklr ~ that counte
nance oven In the fast waning light
and 1 Instantly sat up with an ex
clamatlon of surprise.
"Jed Bungay, ns I live!"
The puzzled face broke Into a grit
of delight.
"Holy smoke, Cap," he ejaculated
with a deep sigh of rell«f, "Is thet you
suah? I WUB so skeered L'C
made a mess o' It wtatv thet thar Iron
drappo.t thet I near Whut bt
they a goin' ter dew xrlth ye?"
"I have every reascn to believe It it
their purpose to iho"t me at day
break to-morrow."
"Shoot?— Hell!" He *tared at me as
If he had Just heartf 'tis own deatX
aml tils little
light. "Shoot ye? (j—iu Lord, Cap
whut fer? Ye ain't notbin' as
I knows on. 'cept ter crap a bit with
thet blasted Yank, ar' sure thet's no
shootln matter, er t 1 u I'd a bin a
goner long ago."
"That Yank' has Mfi fit to charge
me with being a spy, nnd as I was
foolish enough to insi>>* General Sher
idan last night, my fate IB probably
st aled."
This somewhat complex statement
seemed to be too much for Jed to
grasp promptly.
"OoHh, ye don't say!" tie muttered
"Then, diirn It, I'm in lurk, fer all
they've M>t agin ine Is potsbootln' at
•a nigger soger up/i.. ther mountings;
en tbet nln't much, 'cause 1 didn't hit
tiier durned cuss.'
Jed was earefully covering every
inch of exposed wall with his little
shrewd, glinting o'es.
"Ain't much show ter work out o'
yere, Is thar, Cap?" he asked at last
reflectively; "leastwise I don't see
none, 'less them lhar dark corners lies
got holes In 'cm"
"The wall Is entirely solid."
"80 I sorter reckoned But if ye'll
crawl ',li rough yere inter my boodour,
Orar's a place whar I reckon ther
tew of us tcrgether mought make 0
,try fer it. It's too durn high up fer
me ter git at alone I reckon. Cap.
If ye cud manage ter git out o' yore
ternlght, an' take some news ter Lee
thet I've picked up, he'd bout make
both of us glnerals."
"News for I>ee?" I exclaimed, star
ing eagerly at'hlm through the now
darkened room. "Do you mean It?
What news?"
"Thought mpybe thet wud wake ye
Up," he chuckled. "This yere's gospe'
truth: Sheridan hes started his In
fantry on a half-circ ; » march fer Mln
ersville. Ther first 'llvislon left e'
three o'clock, an' char won't be nary
Yank loafln* on ther valley by noor.
termorrow. An' more," he added rapid
ly, his eyes dancing wildly with sup
pressed excitement,--"Hancock is s
s •ingin' of his corps west ter meet
em tha.. an' I reckon, as how thar'll
be hell fer sartln up ther Shenandoah
in less ner a week"
"But how do you kacw all this?" I
questioned incredulo isly, as the whole
scene and its dread possibilities un
rolled before my mental vision.
■> "Ther nigger I held up bed a de
spatch fer Heintzelnan over on- ther
left, an then Mrtrfar she sorter
pumped a young fule staff officer fet
ther rest o' It." he replied promptly
"Oh, tt's a sure go, Cep, an' I reckon
»• bow maybe Lee's wte|> army bang*
on one of us gittin' o yere ter
night."
(TO BR CONTINUED.!
— 9
Nelgborty. Anyhow.
Maybe tt Is design or maybe It's
just accident Anyhow. It certainly
does look tunny to see all the prtncl
pal taxfcab stations bang up agalns
drinking fountains for boraea.—Ne»
York Mail.
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